Finding Gene Kelly revolves around Evie, a food blogger who lives in France and has endometriosis. One day, she stumbles upon Evie's lover and enemy, Liam.
No sooner had I seen the cover of this book than I thought I would love it. Unfortunately, it was not my cup of tea.
Even though the endometriosis representation was great (and I am thankful for it) and the toxic mother/daughter relationship was brilliantly portrayed, I couldn't connect with the main character and Evie's and Liam's relationship. It seemed that Evie hold a grudge against Liam, which made me feel sorry for him at the beginning of the book. As a consequence, I didn't feel they had chemistry.
Overall, it strikes me that Finding Gene Kelly was not executed successfully in terms of characters. However, I would love to read more books written by Torie Jean since she has potential.

ow! Firstly, I’d like to thank NetGalley and this book’s author for allowing me to read the arc of this comforting, and very cozy read!

Starting off, I initially went into this book after skimming over the synopsis, since I wanted to go in and just jump into a romance story without much detail about what would happen. I was both shocked and pleasantly surprised at how Finding Gene Kelly turned out, and honestly, the majority of the pacing of this book was extremely well done.

Right off the bat, we have Evelina and Liam’s long-awaited meet-up in Paris after not seeing each other in a few years. Let’s just say there were a few second-hand embarrassment-worthy scenes in this book, but all the same it made me laugh and was very enjoyable to read. What I particularly liked most about this book was the representation of endometriosis in the main character. I had never been too informed about this condition before, and getting a glimpse into how someone’s whole life and thinking process could be affected by this condition was something I really enjoyed, because I felt like I had a better understanding of the struggles of the condition.

It was fairly hard to read about Evelina’s struggles in a few instances, but my heart yearned for her, and the unique aura of her character’s strength and love for others was what made me root for her happily ever after. Moving on to the actual relationship development, I was met with a ‘I’ve-loved-her-since-childhood’ trope, which I wasn’t expecting, but it wasn’t unpleasant at all. In fact, it brought almost a certain dream-like charm to this book, which really matched the focus of some sub-plots in this book regarding dreams and ambitions.

The pacing was a bit slow at the start, but as I am one for a slowburn romance, I thought this was executed rather well. The sense of tension and animosity was fairly well developed too, and I could get a hint of their chemistry even when they were both in their ‘enemies’ phase. Throughout the novel, their dialogue was also fairly easy to read and it had a homey flow to it, almost reminiscent of a couple already married for quite a while. The banter and general dialogue was great, but I do think I may have given this book a higher rating if there was perhaps more variety to what they discussed in the book, because at times it felt just slightly underwhelming, and the potential for their chemistry to shine through their dialogue was slightly hindered.

Lastly, I would just like to mention how much I love Liam’s understanding and gentle nature—his balanced mix of spicy/cocky attitude and the caring/sentimental demeanor when he cares for Evelina (which is pretty much throughout the entire book) was such a great character personality that I truly enjoyed reading. It was so clear that they were right for each other, and his soft moments with her were just so darling to read!!

Something else I would have liked with this book more though was of the pacing towards the end was perhaps modified slightly—it did feel really quick with how things were wrapped up, and it almost felt slightly unrealistic given the amount of life-changing realizations that the characters went through. So many things were wrapped up with quick changes in mindset or a short conversation, or just a brief look at someone’s actions. I would have much preferred having a more set-out and better-paced progression of how things were resolved in this story.

Overall though, it was definitely an enjoyable and comforting romance read that had a right mix of butterflies, heart-melting moments, and cringe-worthy laughter sprinkled in. It would definitely be interesting to see what other new romance novels this author comes up with! :)

3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Nice, sweet little romance.

This books tackled a really tough topic. Women’s health/chronic illness can be a very touchy subject for many women. This book was a great way to bring the real struggles of endometriosis to light.

That being said, I loved the setting of the story. I felt like I was right there in Paris hearing the sounds, seeing the sights and smelling the amazing pastries! Our main character Evie is a clumsy and chaotic dreamer who wants to open her own patisserie. Because of endometriosis and chronic pain, her future and life plans change. In walks Liam Kelly…… he is a sweet, loveable guy from Evie’s past. Then ensues a love hate relationship (though it seemed very one sided at times) and two characters who learn more about themselves and eventually fall in love.

Liam Kelly is the best! He is the sweetest guy who kinda takes on the role of caregiver.

Evies was not my favorite. I liked her, don’t get me wrong, but she frustrated me too. I know she had many obstacles and struggles to overcome, but she held on to her hate and was judgemental for much of the book. Her and Liam’s relationship seemed to blossom suddenly and out of nowhere in my opinion.

This is a quick and easy ready if you are looking for a great romantic escape to Paris.

Thank you NetGalley for a ARC of this book for an honest review.

I loved this book. I thought it was such a good read that was filled with the most perfect book boyfriend, fun tropes, new and old movies references, but also had so much heart and I could feel the pain and issues that the main character Evie was going through. I also loved how this book was also a bit of a love letter to Paris, which I absolutely adored. This book hooked me straight from the beginning from the authors note and TW. The writing and the emotions made felt like I was in the book, feeling what the characters were feeling, going through it with them.

I feel like there’s so much I could say about this story as I thought it was a really good read that I believe romance lovers would love, especially if you love:

💕 Books that have fun chapter names (not a lot of books do that anymore, but I wish they had)…

💕 Books with the cutest covers... Like seriously, this cover is perfect!

💕 Descriptive books that transport you somewhere else, in this case, Paris... I felt like I was walking the streets of Paris, smelling the fresh pastries from the bakeries while I was reading.

💕 New and old movie references. I love how this books was a mix of old and new, kind of like Paris itself.

💕 The most perfect MMC, who make you swoon at everything they do… Seriously, Liam Kelly was so perfect in this book and I feel in love with him.

💕 MMC who would do anything and everything for his love interest… Seriously, Liam is the most perfect book boyfriend and I will never stop talking about him now.

💕 Enemies to lovers, fake dating, AND brothers best friend tropes!

💕 FMC finally standing up for themselves and what they deserve in, in this case, our heroine standing up to her toxic mother.

💕 Real female main characters who is not petite, but has a chronic illness and is suffering because of it and is not perfect.

💕 Romance books that demonstrate real life issues, in this case, endometriosis. This book did such a great job at showing the chronic illness. Fortunately, this is not something I have, but I have a couple of friends who do. And wow, this book just brought the pain of this condition to light. I understood and felt the pain that Evie was going through, and I could really tell this book was written from the heart. This was honestly the highlight of the book for me.

Overall, I really liked this book. I thought it had so much heart and I loved the characters and their journey. My only complaint was that it felt a bit long at times and I also felt like there was a lot of characters (not all of them felt necessary to me at least), but I thought overall it was a really great romance book. I really loved Evie and Liam together, and I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you like chronic illness representation in your books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Torie Jean and Sunset and Camden Creative for this ARC! Out September 20th!

Finding Gene Kelly is a sweet romance set in Paris. The main character Evelina is a baker, a blogger and has to deal not only with her first love turned nemesis, but also with her endometriosis in this rom-com. Because her brother is getting married and Liam might her only option for a date to his wedding. Cue the fake dating. Together with the enemies-to-lovers and will-they-won’t-they tropes the plot is solid and works well. Evelina is a great main character, struggling to not be defined by her diagnosis. Liam is an awesome love interest and the banter and the puns these two exchange on a regular basis are just perfect. The other side characters are lovable and form a great support system (for the most part). It is an enjoyable romance without a villain, as there is a lot to emphasis on the emotions and inner life of the main couple. Evelina and Liam both have issues to deal with while working out their relationship. I really like these kinds of romances with little outside drama and a lot of heart. I rated this romance 4.5 starts because I found it very enjoyable and I fully support the author’s cause of raising awareness for endometriosis, something she herself lives with. I also adored that the MC wasn’t skinny, but a normal woman with normal bodily functions and malfunctions. Overall, I would definitely recommend Finding Gene Kelly.

Finding Gene Kelly tells the story of Evie and Liam who grew up together and in Evie's eyes were sworn enemies. Now as adults Evie has moved to Paris is a food blogger and has been diagnosed with endometriosis which has been ruling her life there. Her brother is getting married back in the US and friends and family has set up a plot for Liam who is in Paris for work to be her date to the wedding. Quickly it seems that Evie's beliefs about their hatred for each other may have been a little one sided. I gave this one three stars while it was entertaining I didn't really connect with the characters completely. I liked the writers style and writing and would definitely read another book from her. I will say to read the trigger warnings in the beginning endometriosis is a major focus of the book and if that is something that bothers you I would skip this one. Finding Gene Kelly publishes on 9/20/22. I'd like to thank Netgalley and Sunset and Camden Creative for the advance digital copy of this book for an honest review.

Do you like donut puns, Paris, cheese, baked goods, and/or Gene Kelly? Boy, do I have the book for you!

Swipe to the second slide for the book jacket synopsis!

I a-dough-red this book! This is Torie Jean’s debut novel and I really hope to read more from her. Her voice as an author is unique, funny, genuine, and confident. I laughed out loud at this book multiple times, and I had a hard time putting it down.

Upon first glance, “Finding Gene Kelly” seems like it will be a fun, fluffy rom-com. And it is! It’s such a fun book. But there’s also a deeper, less fluffy undercurrent. Evie, the main character, has endometriosis, and it impacts every part of her life, from being able to do daily tasks to being able to plan for the future. It was really incredible to get to see representation of someone living with chronic pain in a romance.

I also really appreciated seeing a main character depicted with anxiety. Sometimes I found myself getting frustrated with Evie’s anxious thought patterns as I read, only to then recognize some of those thought patterns as ones I’ve had. I think anyone who has anxiety will find some familiarity in Evie’s character! Torie Jean has done a wonderful job of writing a lovable, exasperating, and ultimately realistic main character with Evie. And don’t get me started on Liam — he’s been added to my list of “gold-standard book boyfriends”!

As a side note, like Evie, I had a close relationship with my grandma growing up. She loved musicals, and I often rewatch Singin’ in the Rain when I find myself particularly missing her. Seeing Evie have that kind of connection with her grandmother and seek out Gene Kelly movies and adventures in Paris to feel closer to her grandmother’s memory really touched my heart.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book!

Thank you to Sunset and Camden Creative and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the cutest and fluffiest book! I loved the interaction between the main characters, as well as representation of having a chronic illness. I loved feeling like I was in Paris. I cannot wait to read the next story from this author!

WOW, honestly I think this might be my new favourite romantic comedy book? Seriously if you’re like me, then this book will have it all! Enemies to lovers? CHECK! Fake dating trope? CHECK!

Torie Jean speaks to my soul writing the perfect rom-com! The way she is able to create a character that has convinced herself that the fairytale ending she wants so bad, will never happen for her because of her inner struggles and endometriosis diagnosis is handled so beautifully, that i teared up on multiple occasions.

Liam’s unconditional love for Evie is the perfect example of “I just wish you could see yourself the way I see you”. Watching their relationship progress from extremely tense (and the tension was PHENOMENAL mind you) to a fairytale ending was so satisfying to read. Honestly i can’t think of anything negative to say about this book, i seriously adored it! When this book releases do yourself a favour and buy this, i can’t wait to have my own copy canvassing the beautiful cover art on my bookshelf.

Thank you so much to Sunset and Camden Creative for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book early

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley but all thoughts in this review are my own and honest.

So I really enjoyed this novel. I hve to admit I was a bit hesitant for the first third or so as I really had to adjust to Evie’s mindset and attitude but as I adjusted and learned more about her lived experience as someone living with endo and I saw how her character might develop I was swayed.

I also have to add that I’m not usually a fan of the second chance romance trope but recently I’ve been convinced it’s worth reconsidering so thanks to you for writing something that can do that.

I love Evie as a character and her development could be a bit deeper but overall it’s a beautiful love story set against gorgeous back drops and now I’m going to go rewatch Singing in the Rain and Roman Holiday while eating cheese and macarons and drinking rose. Okay? Merci! A+

"Finding Gene Kelly" is about Evie, a young woman who--largely to get away from her domineering mother and mostly to honor her baller late Nana who loved "An American in Paris"--moved to Paris. Paris! She battles endometriosis and coming to terms with all that means for her life, but overall has a pretty alright life. She has a snazzy Swedish roommate and a travel blog that sees pretty decent traffic. Her expatriate life is turned upside down though when some hometown people come for a visit. Evie's voice was hard for me to get a handle on at first, but "Finding Gene Kelly" really grew on me. By the end, I was staying up to late to see if Evie would do the right thing or the thing she thought was right. I feel like the tension was well drawn and the chemistry between the leads was solid. I'm also always a sucker for Gene Kelly references.

This book is one of my lowkey anticipated books for 2022 and I'm kind of disappointed in it. The writing style of the author was too much for me in a way that it feels like the author likes writing so much to that point that everything from the scenery to the details of the bread another customer ordered was narrated in excruciatingly specific details. I don't care about the gossip you're hearing from the people near you while commuting or your judgmental opinions about how they spend their vacation or trip. This book shouldn't be as long as it is, if only those very long paragraphs about the minor details in our main character's surroundings and her overheard gossips and judgement on other people were either completely cut off (because let's be honest, who cares about a random tourist's bread order or all the names of the pastries in the display shelf) or kept to a minimum. The main characters also doesn't have any romantic chemistry. Yes they care for each other, but I perceive it to be more of a friendship buddy dynamics than an actual romantic relationship. I appreciate the content warnings of the author, though. Overall, it's not for me and it's too long for what it is.

My favorite part of Finding Gene Kelly was the Endometriosis rep. It was raw and realistic and highly relatable! You can tell the author was writing a passion project to make this story as natural as possible. I appreciated the author's note at the beginning with the warning of what to expect with this book which helped me prepare.

I enjoyed the Paris discussion and the notes about architecture since that was a fun addition to the story! The romance itself was cute. Liam's unwavering support for Evie was refreshing to see as they worked through miscommunication and other issues. I wish we could see more from Liam's perspective of the two growing up because it would have helped me understand their story better. Some parts felt like they weren't fully fleshed out, like Evie's relationship with her mom. It felt like it was being depicted as one thing, and I was confused by the change in the third act of her mom's behavior. I really enjoyed this book, and I am interested to see what Torie Jean writes next!

Thank you to Sunset & Camden Creative for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t have endometriosis but the book was really an eye opener to how women with endo deal with it everyday and how it effects them! I think the author did a great job with it.

The vibes were great too I loved how the author showed evie’s life in Paris and how we got to see things about her blog it was really cute

I didn’t like Liam he felt a little flat and he bothered sometimes . Evie still felt very immature at times. Also so much miscommunication between them which I didn’t like I felt like it set them back as a couple

But Overall it was a cute read and the cover is beautiful!

first off thank you so much to netgalley and Xpresso book tours for the arc!

the author’s note/content warning put at the beginning of the book was phenomenal and i want to hug the author for doing this

okay so this book took me awhile to finish, and i guess i hoped for more. i love old classic movies and the whole finding gene kelly thing had me very interested and yes the author did do a great job of tying in some aspects of it with the book i felt like it wasn’t the way i hoped it would be? unsure what i was hoping for but ik it was different than what actually happened and thats okay! i felt like a lot of the story was good but some parts just felt underdeveloped specifically evie’s relationship with her mom. the endo rep was really good and i appreciated the honesty it portrayed. i quite liked liam he was a good mc and i love the whole guy falls first. however i had a tough time with evie: some parts of her i loved a lot and other times i just was like girl go to therapy. i wish i could say by the end she grew on me but i felt like majority of the book she seemed a bit too self involved and it rubbed me the wrong way. i did however quite like the ending, it panned out only part of the way that i predicted so i was pleasantly surprised by that. overall 3 stars i think many people will enjoy this romance it just wasn’t fully for me and thats okay!

Oh this was FANTASTIC. Set in Paris, old movie references, chronic illness/endometriosis representation, charming enemies to lovers banter, a VERY swoon worthy male love interest, this one hit a lot of marks for me. One thing I REALLY appreciated about this author is that she took the time at the beginning of the book to write possible triggers for readers so that way they could assess if they were in the right headspace to read the book. More authors need to do this. I loved the chronic illness representations. I feel like the author really gave us a good picture of how endometriosis in particular really affects every day life and little things you wouldn’t even think of. I absolutely loved Evie. I myself don’t have endometriosis, but with my anxiety, I related a lot to her feelings and struggles about being a burden to her loved ones. Maria and Eli were fabulous friends. Evie’s mother was a PIECE OF WORK. I would have liked a bit more closure with her and Evie, but I thought the toxicity in their relationship was done really well. And LIAM KELLY. Oh my goodness. What a man! Usually I’m not a fan of male love interest who say all the right things, but he was just pure charm and love. Overall, a very sweet book with a lot of heart and great puns!

TW: depression, anxiety, grief, mentions of infertility, descriptions of endometriosis, toxic family behavior

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me this eArc to review.

This was a nice book to read and I almost wish I was reading whilst in the city as it was primarily set in Paris. I liked both Evie and Liam but I will say that Evie got a little tiresome just because I wish she would have spoken about her thoughts earlier on.

I liked the group of friends within the book but they could have been a little more fleshed out. I also liked the puns because I am a sucker for those.

Please read the trigger warnings as some include; vomiting, bad relationship with parent and mention of a family death but I am probably also missing a few.

Ohhh boy. This book. Finding Gene Kelly was like being wrapped up in a big warm hug. Not to mention, how flipping cute is this cover?!

Here’s what you should expect going into Finding Gene Kelly:
- Childhood-enemies-lover trope
- Brother’s best friend
- Fake dating
- Endo rep

While it’s not something I want to talk about on the internet just yet, I’ve been dealing with a few personal health issues lately. Finding Gene Kelly just really hit home for me. It just felt so incredibly validating and comforting. The book deals with several sensitive topics but does so in a really accurate and considerate way, hi-lighting the difficulties, rather than romanticising it, which I just absolutely loved.

I was curious how the author was going to portray the romance in combination with the other ongoing themes of the books. YALL— it was soooo good! The romance between Evie and Liam gave me all the warm fuzzies, it made me want to squeal and giggle. I am absolute sucker for brother’s best friend and fake dating, but the obvious PINING IN THIS BOOK HAD ME IN A CHOKEHOLD.

You’ll laugh, cry, fall in love with Liam (because duh who wouldn’t?). Honestly just go read it. You won’t regret it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

P.S. it had a Kuzco’s poison reference and it had me keeling over laughing. 10/10 for that one!

I’ve frequently noted that books have made me feel /seen/. This was no exception. In fact, I think it’s my new baseline for having my feelings sucked from my brain and put to paper. Finding Gene Kelly lives inside my heart now.

Our main character Evie lives with the same chronic illness that I do: endometriosis.
She also loves Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn movies, misses her Nana who passed away when she was 12, and loves to bake. She left Tallow, Massachusetts and moved to Paris to become a pastry chef and open a patisserie but her flare ups make it so that she has to put her dreams on the back burner. Back in Tallow, she left behind her lifelong crush, the boy she married at 5 years old, Liam Kelly, who loved her Nana and her movies and knew her just about as well as she knew herself. She hasn’t seen or heard from him since she left for Paris.

And in true romcom fashion, he shows up unexpectedly outside her favorite donut shop. Chaos ensues and true feelings rise to the surface. She wants him gone but she also needs a believable date to her brothers wedding so her horrible mother will get off her case about not being married or having children yet. With a plan to fake date at the wedding set, Evie and Liam spend the time before the wedding facing uncomfortable truths and surviving through flare ups.

“I exist in a state of perpetual pain, and I’ve had to accept that to survive—it’d be nice if others acknowledged and were okay with it. Otherwise, the guilt and anxiety of being “a downer” are put on me too.”

The endo (and general chronic illness) representation in this book blew me away. There were multiple passages that I had to take a break after reading because they were so real and exactly what I’ve experienced. It was a heavy read, to say the least. My favorite thing about this book was that Evie is seen as a desirable friend and partner even with her endo. Her mother and a few petty acquaintances are constantly bringing her down for having endometriosis, as if she chose to have an incurable, debilitating, lifelong disease. But her real friends and the love interest love her and support her through flare ups.

I can’t wait for this to release so I can scream at everyone I know to buy it and read it and love it. Torie Jean wrote my illness so beautifully and accurately so I have to return the favor by being this books #1 fan. 5 cheez wiz colored⭐️

The content warnings being listed at beginning of book was a HUGE plus! CW: chronic health, endometriosis, massively toxic mother, discussions of infertility, on page vomiting

This book was so enjoyable and sweet, as someone who has dealt with a chronic illness, Evie's journey really resonated with me and Liam is absolute perfection!!