Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I'm gonna be honest, I didn't like Falon Ballard's first book Lease on Love. The main character was absolutely insufferable and irredeemable and we were supposed to root for her because she's a girl boss and unapologetic about being a terrible person. A huge no from me. But I did like Ballard's writing style and how easy it was for me to keep reading despite how awful the protagonist was, so that was a talent! Just My Type was a bit better, though. It's second chance (my favorite) and workplace rivals to lovers. The mention of these alone had me hooked. But again, I found myself wincing because I was just wishing these two adults would just COMMUNICATE, even for a fraction of the time. It just felt like things were purposefully twisted and made more dramatic than they needed to be so that the plot would continue. There was a lot going on and I didn't particularly feel like I cared what happened to Lana or Seth or their relationship. Especially with the amount of emotional manipulation going on, I guess you can count me out. Quick read and better than Lease on Love, but still.

Thank you for NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I was so excited when I saw it available for request because I really enjoyed Ballard’s debut novel, Lease On Love.

I liked this book, but it took me a little bit to get into it! I’m not sure why, but I couldn’t connect with the characters originally. I liked that Lana was so into sitcoms & Marvel (we’d definitely get along) but I didn’t feel much depth with her until later in the book. About 60% into the book I started to really enjoy her character. Confronting that fact that she’s a serial monogamous, Lana is told to write about single life at her job as a romance writer. It’s a job she’s been waiting to advance from & this assignment seems like the perfect way to do so, until she is told she’ll be competing against her first love/ex boyfriend, Seth. While she writes about staying single, he will be writing about settling down.

This is a second chance romance with slight enemies to lovers vibes in the beginning & I really didn’t know what was going to happen between Lana & Seth. I had suspicions about certain plot points that would happen, but I really didn’t know how their relationship would turn out. I liked Seth from the beginning & only came to like him more as the book went on.

This book is written from Lana’s POV, so you learn a lot about her past. Facing issues with her mother, ex boyfriends, & then her boss, Lana grows a lot in this read. I loved seeing into her therapy sessions & how she processed what was happening to her. I also loved her supporting group of girlfriends.

Overall, I think this is a good read for anyone that likes a slow burn, second chance romance, or liked Lease On Love. It’s definitely a cute romance that’s worth giving a chance.

This enemies to lovers rom-com about ex's competing for a job was everything I wanted it to be. The arguments and miscommunications were realistic and their feelings towards each other didn't spring out of nowhere, they had always been there.
Lana and Seth not only have to deal with working with each other in the most uncomfortable of circumstances, but they are forced to finally find closure for a romance that has long expired.
I really enjoyed to characters and the plot has just enough going on mixed with a million emotions that I was hooked and finished it in two-days!
I love second-chance romances and this is going to the top of my favorites.

📚 Just My Type
✍ Falon Ballard
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐ 5/5
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

"Meeting the right guy at the wrong time means he's still not the right guy. If it's meant to be, he'll show up again someday."
◾
Serial monogamous Lana Parker has hopped from one okay boyfriend to the next ever since the love of her life dumped her 12 years ago. When her latest relationship implodes, she takes the suggestion of her friends and boss and decides to prove she can be alone and find herself in the process, taking on 10 challenges in 10 weeks and writing about them. The problem? The one that got away (twice!), Seth Carson has just accepted a temporary role at the online magazine where she works and her boss has turned her challenge into a competition with him. For him it's about proving he's ready to take on a relationship and for her, it's being okay with being single. But their undeniable chemistry and unresolved feelings may just make it impossible for either of them to succeed.
◾
💭What I loved: I LOVED this book! It was very How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days with with a lovers--> strangers--> reunited twist. Seth and Lana's co-workers were hilarious (I loved all of their Slack threads!) and their 10 challenges were such a great way to rebuild their relationship while allowing each character to develop independently. There were so many great details in Just My Type too: the positive approach to therapy, the character's rivaling ambitions and the honest conversations about how money and privilege play into relationship dynamics.

Only two books in and Falon Ballard is easily an auto-buy author for me and I can't wait to read whatever she releases next!

What I didn't: There were a few scenes I would have liked to have seen played out more: What exactly happened at the reunion? What happened with Natasha after the final columns were published? But the fact that I'm so invested in these scenes and characters speaks to how great the writing and storyline was in this book.
◾
Read if you love:
*it was always you tropes
*slow-burn romances
*enemies to lovers
*workplace romances
◾
See also: A Thousand Miles, The Hating Game, By Any Other Name

This book was ok. I didn’t feel compelled to keep reading, because I felt like all of the “problems” could’ve been easily solved with a simple conversation and some backbone, but they were blown out of proportion to create a story.

Just My Type was such a cute and quick read! I read it in three days which is pretty fast for me haha.

The story follows two writers who get into a competition for a column at a major publication. The catch? They were high school sweethearts who had a rough breakup over 10 years ago.

Lana’s competition assignments are supposed to help her be okay with being single. She jumps from relationship to relationship. Seth’s assignments are supposed to support him in settling down with a serious relationship.

The book follows Lana and Seth along with a cast of side characters as this competition ensues.

The romance in this was really well done! It was full of tension, adorable banter, and pushed-down feelings. I enjoyed both characters’ growth and the premise was super fun 🤩

If you like reading about writers and like quick reads, I think you’ll love Just My Type!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc copy of Falon Ballard’s upcoming release in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed her first novel and this one didn’t disappoint either! Fun, sweet romantic comedy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book was cute and fun, but it lacked real substance and depth for me. I wasn't rooting against Seth and Lana for sure, but I also wasn't rooting for them. I also didn't love how a book that's about a woman trying to find out that she can be okay on her own/doesn't need a relationship to fulfill ends up... (spoiler alert) in a relationship. That didn't sit right with me.

The story was filled with lots of nice moments between the two, and it's definitely a fast read, but at the end I mostly felt like... shrug. Also, Natasha?! Wtf. The fact that there was no real confrontation there felt wrong to me, too.

This was a sweet, fun novel from Falon Ballard! I really enjoyed her first book, Lease on Love. This book wasn't quite as endearing but it was still a cute romance read. It is filled to the brim with fan-favorite romance tropes from enemies to lovers, childhood sweethearts, and more. Plus it is very similar to How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days which means you will definitely be entertained!
3.5 stars and a great weekend/beach read.

This was a really cute book! A really interesting premise. What happens when you enter a competition with your first love (now ex) for your dream job?
Serial monogamist goes up against signature playboy in this romance full of heart and life lessons. Learn how you can have a break through in kick boxing class and how first love never fully leaves you.

At first I struggled to get into this one, most likely because I kept attempting to start it at night, which never ends well. Once I sat down in the morning to continue reading, I could not put it down, nor go to sleep, until I had finished it.

I have really become a fan of the second chance love trope and it was perfectly executed here along with several other fun tropes including workplace romance and enemies to lovers.

The tension was consistent between the main characters throughout the first two thirds of the book, leading to a powerful conflict/resolution. I have not found myself emotionally invested in books recently, but this one got me, hook, line and sinker.

Falon Ballard is so wonderful at character development and making all of her characters come to life. I felt that way about her debut, Lease on Love, but feel like she absolutely nailed it in this follow up. She’s also great at writing such fun supporting characters and friends circles you wish you could be a part of.

This was one of the funniest romance books I have read recently, with a line that had me in stitches regarding a certain type of fussy plant and it’s diva ways. I am sure all my plant people will love it. The banter was spot on, especially in the group messaging thread between our MCs and their co-workers. And I love the mixed formatting, between straight chapters, text messages, group messaging and news articles.

This was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys books, period. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read if you like:
• second chance love
• workplace romance
• enemies to lovers
• women’s fiction
• open door romance

Falon Ballard's debut, Lease on Love, was one of my favorite reads of the year, so when I got my hands on Just My Type, I knew I needed to read it ASAP. Second chance romances (especially when it is first love) is one of my favorite tropes and Ballard did an amazing job with this one.

Lana and Seth are high school sweethearts who have gone their separate ways, but when a new job for Seth brings them back to one another - it brings about feelings neither of them could've expected. Said job pits the two of them against each other, which brings an interesting dynamic to the story and I enjoyed seeing how everything played out.

Another 5 star winner from Ballard and I can't wait to see what she does next!

Thank you to Putnam for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored @falonballard debut novel "lease on love" so I was ecstatic when @netgalley gave me the arc for her second novel. This book is all about relationships, career and following your heart. Lana and Seth share them past selves while discovering what's best for their futures.

Oh my! What a joy this was to read. If you are looking for a quick, funny, light-hearted read you must read this. I really enjoyed the writing and the character development of both protagonists.

This book was super cute!

First I want to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was such a cute read, and I really enjoyed it. This is the first book I've read by Falon Ballard, and I loved every minute of it. I read this one in less than a day, and I honestly could not stop smiling the entire time I read this one.

With that being said, there were a couple things that made this not a 5 star read for me, and one of them was the timeline. This book was supposed to take place over the course of 10 weeks, with the characters completing one task per week; however, it seemed like they were completing multiple tasks a week, and it was only a few weeks instead of the 10. While this wasn't a huge deal, it did pull away from the storyline a little because it didn't seem realistic.

As I said, I did really enjoy this book, but there was so much build up to what happened two years ago, that I just felt like I never got what happened. I mean I know what happened, but it still wasn't clear why Lana felt the way she did after it. I wish I would have gotten a flashback or prologue with their 10 year reunion so I could understand Lana's feelings better.

Besides all of that, if you are looking for a super cute second chance romance book, then look no further.

I really enjoyed this book and breezed through it! There were a few things I wish would have been added but all in all it was a super sweet romcom to read!

I triedddddd to like this one & unfortunately it just fell flat for me. DNF’ed around 34%. It just felt like the main character was a bit too whiney & potentially a bit too hung up on her ex (even though yes I know this is the premise of the book) for my liking. I know this will probably be in the rarity though as I can see lots of people enjoying it, just unfortunately wasn’t for me.

Enemies to lover in a work environment. This was a cute story these characters made me laugh they had such a great banter and later great connection. A enjoyable read!

“I’m the spinning needle of a compass and you’ve always been my true north, Parker.”

Just My Type // REVIEW
Pub Date: February 7th, 2023

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

Read if you like:
* Second-chance romance
* Workplace romance
* Enemies-to-lovers

Just My Type is such a fun, feel-good read! I have been putting off the world of second-chance romance for awhile now but this book has definitely encouraged me to read more of them!

Falon Ballard starts this book out STRONG with some timeless pop-culture references that perfectly set the tone for this adorable romantic-comedy. I absolutely loved how Ballard also begun each chapter with a quote from either Lana or Seth’s articles. I though it was a perfect touch that allowed me to further get to know the couples’ individual personalities.

The competition between Lana and Seth takes on a forced-proximity trope that I had so much fun with! This really was my favorite aspect of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed watching how the two of them interpreted their checklists and completed the tasks accordingly. The scene where Seth gets a second fish — it was so funny! And the part where Lana completes her last task….you’ll just have to read the book to see how it plays out! I loved watching how Seth and Lana’s interactions developed throughout the competition. Because of the rivalry, there was SO much organic and flirtatious banter that I simply could not get enough of.

I read this in a matter of hours. I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoyed reading this book! This is a MUST READ for your February TBR!

Thank you NetGalley for this Advanced Copy!

✨Just My Type by Fallon Ballard✨

Genre: Romance
Pages: 368
Pub Date: Feb 7th, 2023

📚 Lana Parker has never been single for long. After a disastrous break-up with her high school boyfriend, Seth Carson, Lana’s bounced from long-term relationship to long-term relationship. She’s an expert girlfriend, even acting as the resident dating and relationship columnist for one of Los Angeles’s trendiest websites. But now, at the age of thirty, Lana suddenly finds herself single again, and she’s determined to stay that way, no matter how challenging.

That is, until her high school ex, Seth, now a journalist in his own right, takes an assignment at Lana’s site. Ready to put down roots after years of traveling and freelancing, Seth becomes not only Lana’s colleague but also her competitor. With their combative relationship history—and undeniable chemistry—they quickly find themselves pitted against each other in a battle of wits: writing an article series that goes against dating type. For Lana, that means writing about staying single and embracing it. For Seth, it’s learning to settle down and become boyfriend material. Whoever's is most popular wins a highly coveted columnist spot that either could only dream of. But when the two square off against one another, it’s not only their careers on the line—it’s also their hearts.

📝If you liked the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” you will love this book!

Seth and Lana had great chemistry! The tension between them was so intense! I loved how the author gradually uncovered their history throughout the book.

I wanted to read this because it incorporates both enemies to lovers & second chance tropes - my favorite tropes!

💫Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for my ARC💫