Thank you Montlake and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Slow... burn... SLOWEST FREAKING BURN I'VE EVER READ! There was no smut (this book was very much safe from it) but the SEXUAL TENSION was sizzling and made you want to pull your hair.

While this book was kinda long, I appreciate the extra details on the community program that Sam was building. It built her character, which I love. Dr Samantha Holbrook wasn't perfect and she knew it. She struggled with receiving and asking for help, a little insecure of herself, and most importantly, couldn't read social cues if her life depended on it 🤣🤣🤣

Her relationship with her Mom was one I understand quite well. I think most of us have been there, trying to meet someone else's expectations.

Dr. Grant Gao. At first, I thought his character was a little bit inconsistent, but then... it clicked. He didn't just LIKE Sam, he was... hook, line, and sinker for her it was SO OBVIOUS AND WHAT DID SAM DO?! ARGH THAT WOMAN I SWEAR 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, it was a long book. While the steamy scenes were cut to black, everything else was good. Sam's relationships with everyone were explored wonderfully. I love her friendship with her roommates. I'm straight up in love with Duke, by the way, and have hopes that he'll end up with Jehan or something.

Anatomy of A Meet Cute comes out 7 March 2023!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Addie Woolridge for the ARC!

I have two wishes -

a. Can I have a boyfriend like Duke, mother like Kaiya and friends like Grant and Jehan? Pretty please with sugar on top? No matter the fact that I'm already engaged with Jem Carstairs. I'm sure he will understand.

b. Can Sam lend me some of her determination and grit? I LOVE her stubbornness. You go Girl!

This is one of the rarest romance books that made my heart full. Probably because as we progress - the medicine related part - Sam's research, grant applications, running the program, the complexities in family dynamics take the front stage while the relationship between Grant and Sam is there but not overly so. You know what I mean? It wasn't just about how much they love each other or how horny they are but also about how deeply they care about their professions, their family and overcoming the obstacles that stand in their ways.

Highly recommended.

The thing with romance novels is that you’re pretty certain the characters are going to become a couple. The interesting part is always the plot. Even though I have read another book by Woolridge, her style and the obstacles were different. This is difficult for some authors who only write romance.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Before I start this review:
1. Chapter 18 wow
2. “If she was going to burn a bridge, she was going to do it so thoroughly and completely that even the ashes would be unrecognizable.” absolute girlboss
3. Yes, I cried multiple times on a plane while reading this

This was a super fun book that was simultaneously quite emotional and I had a great time reading it!

Before I started reading the book, I did see some reviews mentioning how they were bothered by the fact that Sam was so defensive and combative, but I kind of feel like that was the point of her character? There’s a reason she’s like that and reacts the way she does, especially when people offer advice or help. It’s clear from what we learn about her relationship with her mother and her family background that she always feels like she has something to prove and feels a need to achieve it independently. I personally had no qualms with the way her character was written or developed (maybe because I wish I could clap back as much and as often as she does!), I actually think she was a great representation for Highly Sensitive Persons and people who have constantly felt like they need to prove their worth/equate their worth with their success. Not everyone is going to understand why Sam has a short temper and tends to be so defensive when it comes to her capabilities and that's fine, but there's a reason she is that way (which is clearly developed in the book)!

I wish we got to see a bit more of Sam and Grant’s relationship towards the end of the book (maybe an epilogue?), nonetheless I think it was wrapped up well and recommend this book to people interested in medical/BIPOC/introspective romcoms!

"Anatomy of a Meet Cute", by Addie Woolridge, has a cute premise: nurse Sam and doctor Grant are both called on to help a sick passenger on their mutual flight, and they meet for the first time. They have a few misunderstandings when they first meet, but quickly forget it, assuming they'll never see each other again. But when they discover they're working together at the same hospital, they have to learn how to get along. Sam and Grant have good chemistry and are their relationship is fun to follow along with.

I enjoyed reading about Sam's friends, who are protective and also challenge her in the best ways. Sam shows good growth as she learns how to set boundaries with her overbearing mother as well. I enjoyed the book, but felt that the ending was a bit rushed and wrapped up a bit too neatly. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I've been lucky enough to receive an advanced first copy from Netgalley for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Addie Woolridge and Netgalley for this opportunity.

Anatomy of a meet cute starts with literally a meet cute on the plane. If you’ve followed me for a while you’d know that I enjoy a well-orchestrated meet cute. This is not the only meet cute that both main characters have. They also have another one when Sam arrives at her new job and finds Grant the senior fellow at the hospital she’s starting her fellowship program in. I enjoy the "opposites attract" thing that was going on with the characters. With Grant being. a level-headed, organized person, and Sam is a chaotic, messy soul

This book was one of the quickest reads I’ve ever experienced. It’s pretty light and well-paced and I honestly enjoyed reading about Sam and Grant.

One of the things I greatly enjoyed about this book is all the diverse characters. I particularly enjoyed the Egyptian side character (Seeing that I’m Egyptian myself) it’s definitely nice to feel represented, even if it’s a side character.

My only problem with it was that at times I felt that Grant’s character fell flat, especially when compared to Sam and even some side characters. It’s not like I didn’t like Grant, but I found it hard to enjoy reading about him because I felt like his character was incomplete.

Overall I feel like it’s between 3.5 to 4 stars for me, but I’m more leaning toward the 4 stars rating.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5041694218

A cleverly titled story about two doctors falling in love while also dealing with pressures of the medical world and of course, family dramas, this is DEFINITELY the cutest of meet-cutes. The characters are fun and the storyline just really nice, and I loved reading all the blunders along the way. Highly recommended!

The cutest meet cute! I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am huge fan of Addie and this was a bit of a departure for her. I still enjoyed the character development. I love anything with doctors, esp those with a enemies to lovers bent.

This book had a lot of positive things going for it. Especially inclusiveness and diversity in the characters. But the plot was just not there for me. I found the MC quite irritating and as a book that’s advertised as a rom-com it really wasn’t too funny or romantic. I’m sure it’s great for some people. I just don’t think I was the correct audience for this book.

I also know I can be quite harsh on my star ratings and don’t think the rating reflects on the author or writing
Of this book the plot simply wasn’t for me.

This was ADORABLE. I loved every single page of this one! And the cover was so stinkin’ cute, along with the entire story!

Firstly, thank you Netgalley and Montlake for this ARC!

Tropes: love triangle, infidelity, second chance, coworkers, opposites attract.

Firstly, this is my first book by Addie Woolridge and I think I enjoyed it. I've had some flops recently, so it was nice to enjoy this ARC. This book has good banter, witty, and the story line was well-paced. This book is definitely 3.5/5 stars, but could be rounded up because of the supporting characters! Not only are the main characters good but also the supporting characters. I feel like the supporting characters were even better than the main characters, Sam and Grant, which means there may be a second book. I love a good meet-cute and this one for sure fits the bill, but I was a little bummed that the main characters didn't make the book but the supporting ones did. I just feel like Grant either wasn't well developed or he just has no personality as a person.

Overall, the premise is Grant meets Sam and later was reconnected at work. He underestimates her professionally because their work style is complete opposites. Their contrast makes the dynamic fun to read, but again, Grant's flatness made it not as fun.

4.5 stars

There’s a certain formula to Woolridge’s books, although that’s not a bad thing: high-achieving FMC who has instant chemistry with a MMC but is overloaded personally and has a hard time with boundaries. She takes on new professional duties and feels like she can’t handle it. Loving but flawed relationship with a very present family. Good friends that she doesn’t appreciate enough. The resolution ends up with her dropping some professional and personal juggling balls and having to draw boundaries and be honest about her needs. In desperate need of an epilogue.

Woolridge isn’t breaking the formula here, but nor should she. Anatomy of a Meet-Cute is her best book so far. Sam(antha) is a doctor who’s just started an OB/GYN fellowship focused on underserved populations. Grant is a senior fellow who she meets on a plane before the fellowship starts, when she responds to the request for a doctor on board and mistakes Grant, who is quiet and aloof, for the hallucinating patient. They of course meet again when Sam starts work and continue to interact.
Sam takes on an ambitious project as a first-year fellow, and the book does a great job of depicting the project as well as all of the complications. Bureaucracy, systemic issues with medicine and prenatal care, racism, narcissistic parents—a lot of heavy stuff is at play in the book, but it doesn’t wallow or drag. When Sam and Grant have their big fight at 85%, both of them have made mistakes, but you still root for them. Woolridge shows Sam and the reader how kind and thoughtful Grant is, and you also get to see why he’s drawn to Sam. Sam has two great roommates, Jehan and Duke, and while we get to know Jehan better, I can’t help but hope for a spin-off featuring them (unless I’m missing something). I definitely cried, and I also wished I had a weird but delicious flavor of ice cream to eat while reading.

Dear Addie Woolridge, please write epilogues! When you reunite the characters on the last page, the reader needs a little more to make sure it’s all going to be all right.

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t feel like there was a lot of romance or chemistry between Sam and Grant. This book started on a promising note but just never really did it for me.

I went in totally blind since there was no synopsis on NetGalley but the cover and the name were so cute I HAD to try to request it.

It was a quick read and I can’t say I didn’t like it, It was good I just expected more romance since the title pointed at more of a rom-com kinda book, but it isn’t. I was more invested in Sam’s big project (and I know nothing about hospitals and obstetrical stuff) than in their relationship and I really wanted to be invested in the relationship 😭 They’re okay, but I feel like we weren’t able to know Grant as much as we knew the secondary characters, and that’s probably why I couldn’t care THAT much about their relationship. Also probably because I hated that according to Sam Grant’s problem is that he’s smart and handsome. Like… girl sorry what? Why is that a big deal 😭😭

The supporting characters are really well written tho, from Duke to Jehan to Kaiya… I think they were the highlight of the whole book.

But a 100% positive note is that this book really helps understand that it’s okay to ask for help or to accept it when people offer it and that sometimes setting boundaries in life (with your family, friends or whatever) is something necessary.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for providing me this eARC in exchange of an honest review.

This was a book that was very easy to get into, though based on the description and title I was expecting something a little different, even so I think that it was a great book. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for an easy to read romance with hallmark vibes.

A four-star read that could do with more meat and cuteness. I enjoyed this one overall, but I struggled at a couple of points to keep going, I loved the theme of the story and the way that Sam has a passion for getting things done, but she annoyed me in so many ways. I could identify the relationship with her mother, and it was at times scarily like mine, so maybe that’s what put me off I don’t know. Overall, this had all the right parts, they just needed a little extra to get it all together as at times I felt like I had the invitation to a party I wanted to go to, and at others I was wondering what party.

I really enjoyed this one, and loved the characters. Great, diverse cast. Relatable narrator and great romantic lead, who seemed like a genuinely great, but real, person! Would love to read more from this author!

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

Anatomy of a Meet Cute
⭐️⭐️💫
📚 Romance
🎶 Bad Case of Loving You - Robert Palmer
🌟Publication Date: March 7, 2023

One sentence synopsis:
A first year medical research fellow takes on more than she can handle in this romance novel.

My review:
This book is like a Hallmark Channel romance movie. So if that’s your jam, I’d recommend this. Unfortunately, I rarely if ever will choose to watch a Hallmark movie over anything else. That’s not to say this was bad, just not my cup of tea. I need a little bit more grit or depth or something.

Didn’t really feel like you got a good sense of the main female character until maybe 60-70% of the way in. And the male character could have been any ole Joe for all we know about him.

I did like how this centered around two doctors and gave us a really in-depth explanation of healthcare access, cost issues, and pregnancy related issues for lower/middle class people.