Thanks to NetGalley for this super cute read!

Lana is a writer for a romance/dating column. The problem? She is a serial monogamist and doesn't know how to not be in serious relationships. Aka girl doesn't even go on multiple dates other than with serious boyfriends.
Ever since her first true love, Seth, broke her heart, she hasn't known how to be alone.
Surprisingly, Seth shows up to her job and suddenly they are thrown in an (inappropriate in my opinion) competition to teach Lana how to be okay alone and Seth how to find someone to be serious with.

I'll admit, my feelings were all over the place for this book. It was very easy to get into but Lana had me frustrated a lot of the time. I feel like a lot of the book was her really doing better for herself and then taking like 100 steps back and being horrible again. Her reasoning for being mad at Seth due to their last encounter is very frustrating to me but really it all comes down to communication. They very much clearly never communicated very well.
Also her boss is insane and I hated her from the start.
One final thing that bothered me though was the little paragraph or sentence at the start of each chapter. It tells you exactly what is going to happen that chapter and really, it wasn't for me. I'd like to go in not knowing as opposed to being able to guess what's going to happen.

THANKFULLY, the last chunk of the book really does a great job explaining how Lana really does improve as a person and honestly, it had me cry a little. I can't dislike a book I cried reading! The epilogue is very cute and in the end, I was happy I read this. Already telling my friends to check it out!

30-year old writer Lana Parker has been trying to get out of the dating/relationship advice column scene and into the arts/pop culture scene, but after 8 years of being promised something better by her boss Natasha, Lana wonders when she will finally get her big break. When Lana's ex high school boyfriend Seth Carson, walks into her workplace after her company, ATF, is acquired by the LA Chronicle, Lana’s and Seth’s dating habits are put under a microscope. Lana seems to be addicted to serious relationships and is never single for long, while Seth has a reputation for avoiding serious relationships and playing the field. Natasha pits the two of them against each other for a chance to win a spot at the LA Chronicle. The catch is that they have to give each other a list of 10 things to do that goes against their dating tendencies and then write a column about it after each task is complete. The readers will vote for their favorite columns each week and the winner will get their dream job at the Chronicle. Easy? Not when the past is standing in the way of your future.

I wanted to love this book since I really liked Ballard’s debut, Lease on Love. Unfortunately, I did not like Lana’s character at all, and while I liked Seth more, both were immature and horrible at saying or thinking one thing and doing the complete opposite. There were definitely moments where I felt remnants of their former friendship and the possibility of the two of them rekindling their chemistry, but for the most part I found their sniping and petty fights tedious and way too drawn out. After the writers’ final columns are revealed, the story seems rushed and unrealistic; everything is suddenly and magically resolved.

What I did like about the book is the journey of self-discovery that both characters go on, and the breakthroughs that Lana experiences with the help of a therapist, her close circle of friends, as well as my favorite character, her boxing instructor Duke. Duke needs to be the main character in Ballard’s next book!

Thanks to NetGallery for providing me with a copy of an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this author's debut so I had sort of high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, it didn't work from the very beginning. First, the characters were not well written and the plot was not well thought out. The competition/demand of the job were absurd at best and actionable at worst. I also found that the "romance" was cliche and rushed and the antithesis of romantic. I also did not love the ending although I'm sure it was supposed to be cute. Hope you have better luck!

Just My Type comes out next week on February 7, 2023, and you can purchase HERE.
I'm having an Elle Woods moment.

And not a "wearing a pink power suit, getting into Harvard Law, smashing the patriarchy" Elle Woods moment.
More like a "hysterically crying in a public place because instead of being proposed to I'm getting dumped" Elle Woods moment.

This was such a cute second chance romance. Exes to lovers, which gives you a little bit of enemies to lovers vibe with a twist on work place romance as well. ⁣
⁣
Seth and Lana haven’t seen each other in years but now Seth is hired where Lana writes for a romance column and there’s a competition for who gets a promotion in the company. It’s probably something that wouldn’t fly in this day and age but it’s fun all the same.⁣
⁣
While Seth and Lana meet different criteria on their lists to write about to try to win the competition they realize that their relationship ended because of miscommunication and just being young in general. Getting to know these two throughout the story, watching their growth, their discussions to try to get over their past hurts and trying to find each other again was a sweet story. It made for a fast paced romance that I really enjoyed. ⁣

It really gives a bit of How to Lose a Guy in 10 days vibes in the best way.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved Lease on Love so I had to pick up Just My Type by @fallonballard and holy smokes it was everything.

To win the job of her dreams, a relationship-prone journalist Lana Parker needs to learn how to stay single in this heartwarming and hilarious second chance romance! Cue her ex boyfriend/first love Seth Carson as her competition and all hell breaks loose.

Y’all this book had me rolling on the floor laughing. The movie references were chef’s kiss and it almost felt a little Devil Wears Prada ish. I love a second chance romance and Seth just stole my heart. If you like second chance romance with a teensy bit of miscommunication then checkout Just My Type!

Do you have close work friends?

Just My Type is my first Falcon Ballard book and it was a good easy read. This couple finally got the happy ever after they deserved together. Lana and Seth really were great characters and I think the growth as individuals as well as a couple was beautiful to read. I love that is was second chance romance and workplace!! When reading the book it made me laugh, smile and cry a few tears. Overall i really enjoyed the story and it's characters I would definitely recommend

Talk about a fun read. I went into Just My Type not looking for too much, just a cute romcom to help me through my weekend. The beginning was a little rough for me - I couldn't get a vibe on the main characters or did I really remember what the book was about. At first, the opening scene of Lana getting dumped by her boyfriend really seemed for shock factors, but it actually made sense the longer I continued with the book.

I enjoy not-so-serious romcoms, and that's what I would classify Just My Type. It doesn't take itself too seriously and the plot is mostly fun. I greatly enjoyed the character arc of Lana, though there were times when I wanted to pull my hair out at her actions. Her personality was very much mix and match though, so I never got a full read on her.

I did enjoy Seth Carlson and the contest between them. It was highly inappropriate for a job, but it made for a fun romcom plot. I liked the adventures they ended up taking together because of this "contest." The tropes in this are second chance, forced proximity, misunderstandings, and a play on enemies to lovers. This book didn't read too trope-y but it definitely relied on these a lot to progress the plot forward. The misunderstandings drove me crazy, and I wish they would just talk to each other at times.

I recommend Just My Type if you are looking for a lighthearted romcom with somewhat major character development. If you liked seeing characters grow and better themselves, then I think you will enjoy this book. I will definitely read more books by Falon Ballard in the future.

I love a rom-com about a book blogger/bookstagrammer! Unsurprisingly, it's one of my favorite traits a character can have. After I read and adored LEASE ON LOVE last year, I was so excited to get my hands on Falon Ballard's sophomore novel. It certainly didn't disappoint!

JUST MY TYPE is primarily a second-chance romance, but it's got a little bit of everything: workplace competition, enemies-to-lovers, unrequited love.

The best part of this book was Lana's character arc. She starts off as a serial monogamist who is afraid to be single and lets her boss walk all over her. By the end of the book, she's comfortable in her own skin, in therapy, and able to stand up to her boss's ridiculous commands. I felt a little less connected to Seth, but still enjoyed him as Lana's love interest.

The little blurbs of Lana and Seth's articles as well as the friend group's text conversations were a fun way to break up the plot. I am officially a big fan of Falon's writing style, and can't wait to see what she delivers next! The only problem is how quickly I fly through her books--I'm always left wanting more.

Falon Ballard’s Lease on Love was one of my favorite romances that I read last year! This did not disappoint. I didn’t love it quite as much but it was still very good.

Just My Type
By Falon Ballard

It took me awhile to get into this one and while I wanted to love it, it just didn’t have that extra spark for me. I really don’t enjoy the miscommunication trope and the idea surrounding the whole book was that Lana and Seth didn’t communicate properly. And then throughout the book, Lana and Seth still continue to not communicate properly. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere and they were actually going to have a conversation about their feelings or what happened in the past, one of them would cut the conversation and just walk away. I never really felt a connection to either character and I thought Lana was very immature and petty. I’m not a huge Marvel fan so all the Marvel references didn’t do anything for me. I did relate to Lana being a people pleaser and I enjoyed seeing Lana make changes to her career life but idk the rest of the book just didn’t do anything for me. Which I’m bummed about because I really wanted to love it! Second chance romance is one of my favorites but I really didn’t feel much of a connection between these two. Also, I don’t want to spoil it but the reason behind why Lana was mad at Seth after their HS reunion really annoyed me. She had no right to be mad at him for that and she should’ve been the one apologizing about it from the beginning instead of guilting him about it. I really enjoyed Lease on Love so I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately, it just fell flat for me. I’ve seen so many other people love this book though so I think this was just a me thing!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

This was surprisingly full of plot and loveable characters! When you read a cute romance novel you don't normally go into it thinking it will be a total knock out, but this one was. It was really funny and I cruised through it. I enjoyed the predictability, but also found that I was surprised here and there. This was really cute and well done. I am convincingly a Falon Ballard fan now. This was a 4.5/5.

This was a really fun read. I loved reading about characters in their 30s. So many romances focus on couples in their early to mid-20s. I'm a huge fan of enemies to lovers and second chance tropes so this book was right up my ally.

I will definitely keep an eye out for more books by this author.

4 Stars Second chance romances are one of my favorite tropes and Just My Type by Falcon Ballard was perfect! I truly loved everything about this one, especially Lana’s journey. Lana Parker has been a dating and relationship writer at a Buzzfeed-style website for 8 years, but when her ex-boyfriend (and high school sweetheart and first love), Seth, moves to LA, her boss sees an opportunity. Lana and Seth are pitted against each other in a writing competition; over ten weeks, they will each complete tasks toward the ultimate goal: for Lana to stay single and for Seth to settle down. The prize? A column at the LA Chronicle, which has recently bought the website Lana and Seth work for. Lana hates Seth for breaking her heart years ago (and more recently at their HS reunion), but those old feelings for him won’t quite go away.

The banter between Lana and Seth at the beginning was hilarious, and it naturally faded away as they grew close again. Like I said before, I really loved Lana’s journey towards learning to be okay being alone. Especially that realization she had after talking to her mom that just because she’s always been in a committed relationship and likes to do things with other people, doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to be alone or that she isn’t independent or strong as hell. Definitely recommend this one!

Just My Type by Falon Ballard is a sweet romance that will get a lot of buzz this month. Ballard’s debut Lease on Love came highly recommended and I can understand why readers appreciate her style. This book is a mash-up of enemies to lovers and a second chance romance when ex-high school sweethearts Lana and Seth find themselves suddenly pitted against each other for a coveted promotion. I appreciated the nod to some romcom moments and loved the depth with Lana examining her non-romantic relationships. There were some moments that just didn’t hold up for me (like an extended bar sequence attempting to kiss a stranger). But overall, this one is a solid romance that made me want to order an iced hazelnut latte.

Lana Parker is a writer who just got off a string of mediocre long-term relationships. Enter her first love and ex-boyfriend Seth Carson, who now has commitment problems. They're pitted against each other in a writing challenge where they have to complete tasks proving Lana can learn to be by herself, and preparing Seth to settle down and find someone with long-term potential. But as they spend more time together, sparks fly and unresolved feelings emerge - is there any way for a second chance?

Guys, this was SO good! I just said that childhood friends to lovers to strangers to lovers is SUPERIOR and this one delivered.

It's a little different from the ones I've read previously because this has a single timeline, thus it's more focused on the now, but that didn't take away the delicious angst and pining I felt from our characters.

So, we had a build-up and slow reveal of what happened in the past, set against the backdrop of Lana and Seth's competition. Given both their competitive natures, this brought about fun banter that balanced out the angst. I thought their issues were handled well, and dealt with adequately.

Lana and Seth had incredible tension and chemistry right off the bat. I had fun going along with them on their tasks including getting a pet fish, touring around Los Angeles, volunteering to teach a bunch of teenagers. They both also had great character development along with the evolution of their love story - which made sure that it wasn't only due to their past feelings and nostalgia.

I also loved the inclusion of their articles (those last few chapters 🥹) and quotes, which gave insights to their characters. There was also a fun bunch of side characters who I'd love to get to know more.

I just really liked where the story went - the love story, the family drama, the workplace situation. I'm such a strong supporter of being a whole person and being ready before entering into a relationship.

P.S. and slightly spoiler-y: I like the acknowledgement and take-down of noble idiocy which is honestly one of my least favorite tropes.
P.P.S. 🌻🌻I love sunflowers so this little detail added to my enjoyment.

Thank you to @netgalley, @putnambooks and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Out on 2/7/2023!

Other details: single POV, open-door.
CW: absentee parenting, emotional manipulation

Review poster on Goodreads and Instagram.

I generally don't read other reviews prior to picking up a book, but with "Just My Type" I happened upon a couple bad reviews that had me worried about whether I'd even enjoy this story. The general consensus was that the main character, Lana, was irritating. I wholeheartedly disagree. While I can see where they are coming from, I found Lana troubled rather than annoying. Trauma can present in wildly different forms and I found it refreshing that the author highlighted this fact. My favorite part of this book, though, was the banter among each group of characters. I hope to see some of them get their own books in the future.

I think I give this a 3.75

This was a sweet second chance romance but I didn’t love the overly involved boss. She seemed so kind and understanding in the first interaction we saw with her only for it to flip literally like 20 min later and stay that way??

Otherwise this was a good book. It was an interesting quick read. The side characters were fun, though I think her coworkers could have been further developed (and idk if any of her conversations with the other women in the book passed the bechdel test tbh)

I will say that I think I just loved Lease on Love so much that nothing is going to compare. I did love the writing and will love to read whatever she writes next!

Lana is having a rough 24-hours. First, her boyfriend of 4-years dumps her instead of proposing and now Seth, her ex-boyfriend from high school, has taken an assignment at the same website Lana works at. To make matters worse, Lana’s boss challenges Lana and Seth to competition where for the next 10-weeks they will move out of their comfort zones and try a different dating style. Lana, who has been jumping from long-term relationship to long-term relationship for the past 12-years is assigned stay single and not rush into another relationship. On the other hand, Seth is challenged to put effort into finding a partner and work on settling down. To do this, Lana and Seth are tasked with creating a list of 10 tasks that the other must complete. As they work on completing their lists, old feelings come rushing back and the two work on trying to navigate these new and old feelings.

This book was so much fun! I love a good second chance, enemies-to-lovers book and this one checks all the boxes. Just My Type is laugh-out-loud funny and feels similar to those 2000s rom-com movies that we all loved - like How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. I think people who enjoyed The Hating Game and Love and Other Words will enjoy this book. It features a workplace rivalry with witty banter and obvious chemistry. But also tells a love story about friends-to-lovers who lose touch but who continue to pine away for each other even after a decade apart.

This book is only told from Lana’s POV. However, I would have loved for this to have been a dual POV book. I would have liked to read certain scenes from Seth’s POV instead of relying on Lana’s interpretations of events – especially when it comes to some of the miscommunication. I would have also loved had there been some flashback chapters. Some of the plot revolves around two incidents that happened in the past and I think including those flashbacks would have helped the reader understand why they are the catalyst for some of the plot. I also think it would have been fun to see more of the relationship from when they were in high school just so the reader could see how much they meant to each other.

One aspect of this book that I loved was Lana’s self-growth. For the first time in her life, she's working on setting boundaries and putting herself first. Showing therapy in multiple different forms was refreshing to read. It was nice that it wasn’t just glazed over.

This was a quick read and I loved seeing Lana and Seth grow together and fall back in love. I will definitely be picking up Lease on Love by Falon Ballard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I actually preferred this one over Lease on Love. This book is perfect for pop culture girlies (it is filled with all the references!) Plus, this book gives off the perfect How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes. I love that the humor and banter of the characters is parked up with the introspective and emotional journey of the main character Lana. I found the way Lana and Seth’s dynamic played out to be interesting- we love a second chance romance with a side of chaotic drama! I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for book that successfully balances emotions and lighthearted fun.

4.5/5 stars

I don't have a lot to say about this read. I enjoyed this novel, but it's not something I would go out of my way to pick up or recommend. I mean this in the nicest way possible, it was average. It was a standard second-chance/enemies to lovers romance that starts with a scene right out of Legally Blonde—which is a movie I loved, but I didn’t need it to be copied unto a novel. I liked the pop culture references, the writing is good, but I feel like it lacked that little bit of magic that makes novels memorable.