This book was not for me, unfortunately. Maybe it will be for some folks, but it definitely was not my cup of tea.

Things I did enjoy: The overal plot skeleton was interesting. I like the concept of a romance author being kinda bad at love herself–it’s a cute trope, if unoriginal in and of itself–and I like romance books where there is a rekindled crush. I also work in publishing myself, so I am particularly keen on books which focus on the behind-the-scenes of publishing in some way, so that was a perk for me. I even liked the plot twist/conflict in this book (which I won’t spoil here, but it worked for me in theory). So, the skeleton of this book? Cute, fun, romantic, I dig it.

The things that did not work for me:
* Really hated the overuse of fart/poop jokes and gross bodily humor. I suspect this was included as a way to make the main character seem relatable or to add humor, but for me it fell very flat and felt cringey/awkward/juvenile.

* Speaking of juvenile: This book reads like YA in many, many ways (not just because of the aforementioned body humor). I felt for the majority of the book like the MCs were adults behaving like teenagers.
* In this vein, I had to keep asking myself: What 30-year-old in their right mind is still obsessively thinking about a crush she had in high school?

* Having the entire story take place over a span of 10 days feels bizarre and highly unrealistic for people in their 30s. I think the main characters only hang out once or twice before deciding to be boyfriend/girlfriend, and then the rest of the plot happens over the span of approx a week. This time frame was…bananas in anycase, but even moreso in the world of NYC dating. Source: I have long suffered the NYC dating scene.

* One thing that really grated my nerves (and maybe because this is a particular trigger for me, I’ll admit that) was that the author describes the MC as being about 5’6 and 145 pounds, and then proceeds to act for the entire rest of the book as though this character is “big” or “curvy” with repeated mentions of her love of food, her appetite, the fact that she is not tiny, and so on. I would be remiss in my feminist duties to not point out that 145 pounds at 5’6 is at MOST incredibly average, but is in all probability quite slim. Why was this mentioned as a detail? If you want the reader to imagine a curvy or chubby character then just say that, do not subject the reader to your absolutely inaccurate view of what "fat" is, lol.

* There are repeated jokes about STDs and specifically herpes which is both problematic and also just not funny?

* Colin has actually incredibly problematic views of women. Big yikes.

* I didn’t believe their romance because I couldn’t understand why they even liked each other? Neither of these characters was likeable for me, but beyond my personal opinion of them , I didn’t really feel like the author did a very good job of making me believe that they had any good reasons to like each other. They barely knew each other, seemed to have nothing in common, and for some reason fell into this whirlwind romance based purely on the fact that they used to know each other in high school and both were out of other bad relationships?

I could go on, but I think we get the picture. Good idea, bad execution, it happens.

Loved this one, doesn’t everyone wish they had a chance with their secret high school crush? Great romance! Spicy little number about redemption! Love the author aspect of it!!

2.5
I'm joining the ranks of 'wanted to like it but didn't quite get there.' In no particular order: The author character wrote badly, which I hate. The guy was a still lake, and by that I mean a tepid puddle. And, importantly, the money/income/cost of living failed to make any sense whatsoever.

When I saw that this was a book about a romance author and her unrequited crush from high school teaming up to write a novel I immediately hit request. This was a fun and light rom com but unfortunately some elements missed the mark for me.

This book had such an intriguing premise but the execution fell short. My biggest problem was that while the lead characters were 30 plus year old adults, they acted like teenagers. When the heroine encountered a similar situation in the third act as she did at the start, she behaved in the exact same way which seemed like a missed opportunity for me as I would’ve loved to witness some character growth from her. While the characters had history, their romance in the present was a lot of tell rather than show. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them and their relationship felt superficial.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars

When I saw that this book was about a romance author and her unrequited crush, I hit request immediately. It sounded right up my alley. Sadly, for me, it failed to deliver.

The lead characters acted like teens, despite being in their 30s, and there was no character growth. There were a number of plot holes and the chemistry felt superficial and forced. There was too much tell and not enough show, it felt like it was being narrated. There was so much in this book that made absolutely no sense, it was hard to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this in return for my honest review.

“Really?
Grace Landing wrote me back.”
“Now, I just write soft-core porn for hormonal women and people who aren't afraid to read about them”
Such a sweet romance book. I really enjoyed reading it.
A romance ghost writer and a lawyer both coming out of disastrous relationships, finding their way towards friendship and then something more !! Oh, and did I mention that she had a huge crush on him in high school ?? Well there’s also that !!!
It was fun getting through their conversations and the banter and witty jokes they shared where absolutely great !!! I had a real great time. And honestly whenever a book of a writer is involved in the plot, somehow things get even more interesting !!! This time we really get to explore how complicated the life of a new author could be, while trying to write a new novel and dealing with agents and life.
Colin and Gracie’s story was so sweet and so good. I can’t wait for this book to be out !!
“We're all just damaged goods, right?"
“I will not let this one go without a fight.”

I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I loved the premise romance author reconnects with high school crush and uses that as inspiration for her next novel. There were parts I found enjoyable and entertaining but to be honest I didn't really like the main female character she seemed very immature and just a little ridiculous. A lot of the humor honestly came off as immature and almost gross out I think they were trying to make her relatable but it didn't really work for me. The main love interest was ok but also didn't really connect with him either. This book was just ok for me 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because it was a quick read and I didn't hate it. Thank you you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

I really liked the idea that this book was trying to present and honestly that’s about all. This book was very flat in my opinion. It felt rushed and the plot was hardly there. I feel like this book could have been written better.

The romance was hardly there. Gracie just seemed like a girl who jump at the opportunity to be with Colin because she’s been obsessed with him since high school. There were also a lot of parts of the story that were talked about multiple times but nothing ever came out of it.

I don’t know, the book just didn’t make much sense to me. Like I said I liked the synopsis and that’s why I requested to read it but I just didn’t really enjoy it.

Sadly, 2 stars.

I adored this story. I felt such a connection to Gracie from high school. This story was funny, fast paced, and I never got bored. I have to be honest though, Colin’s chapters were my absolute favorite. Reading from his point of view was just a little more fun. I really did adore Gracie though. The only thing that was a bit off putting was some of the toilet humor early on but I wouldn’t say it detracted from the book. I laugh at most of it but there were points where it felt unnecessary. The only thing I would have loved even more would have been an epilogue. I would have loved to have seen where Gracie and Colin were a year after the story. I saw that this was the authors first book and honestly? I think it’s extremely well done and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future. If you’re looking for spice, this isn’t it. There are some semi spicy parts but this book just has small mentions of it. This isn’t a book that needed it though. I think the wit and humor were enough to keep this book super interesting for me. I also enjoyed that I’ve never quite read a plot like this before. Definitely recommend giving this a chance if you’re looking for a new romcom.

Upon reading the blurb I was very interested in reading this book because it seemed like the perfect rom com, but I did not like this much. Actually I was more disappointed because I felt this book had a lot of potential to be great. But it fell short on so many things. First I do want to say I did like that this book was about a writer and I love books about books and also about characters that are also writers.

The dual perspective did not work for me, I felt Colin's was pretty dry and that he did not have much depth to his character. And also Grace's character felt like it was trying too hard to relatable and also making her seem more 'human' by having her go through some weird and cringy things.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Grace Landing has been dumped by one heck of a troll, almost left at the alter but just before.
Colin’s been divorced by his psycho of a wife and now is living his life as a “bachelor” in his lazy boy chair.

One drunken night Gracie emails Colin’s work account and tells him how she really feels (that he’s a piece of work) even though she’s crushed on him since high school.

Gracie is an author, working under a pen name and Colin is an estate attorney.

This book was quite the fun cute read. The spice wasn’t really there for me which wasn’t what I thought going in to this book, but the story was still good nonetheless. It’s definitely something I haven’t read before and will suggest to anyone who’s thinking of picking it up. .

Gracie is writing a romcom and is not sure about it. One evening she writes to her high school crush after drinking too much, and they exchange several emails before she decides to send him her manuscript. Between the evolution of his history and the new relationship with Colin.
I loved Gracie’s character. She’s so sweet and funny. Her writing is light and hilarious. Colin trust her and love her reading.
It’s a book that’ll make you laugh and smile more than once !

I'm so glad I decided to request an advanced copy of this book because I think it's my favorite read of 2023 so far. This was my first book by this author and now I want to check out whatever else they've written!

Gracie is a budding romance novelist who is trying to complete one more manuscript for her agent when her personal life falls apart and she stops believing in a HEA. On a drunken night of commiseration with her girlfriends, she returns home only to send a drunken email to her unrequited high school crush, Colin. To her shock (and horror!) the next morning, she finds an email from him in response to her scathing email. The two reconnect through emails and finally in person and all is going amazingly well....until Gracie is encouraged by Colin to use his real life experiences for the inspiration to help her finish her manuscript, and oh boy does the plot get fun after that!

This book was fast paced and full of witty dialog and lots of humor. I loved Gracie because she totally reminded me of myself as a teenager - shy, a bit nerdy and totally crushing on a boy from afar. Her reaction to not only getting to correspond with her teenage crush but then actually becoming his girlfriend was probably my favorite part of this book. I just really loved Gracie's quirky humor and outlook on life. Also, the secondary characters in the book were fantastic - so many great ones and they all gave me so many laughs. Really enjoyed this rom-com - 100% recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the premise and the writing of this. Reading a novel where the main character is a writer and getting to see behind the scenes of her writing can be exciting to read.
Gracie is a romance novelist who has had a messy break up and facing a major writers block.
This book is a dual POV which i really liked. I got to see both Gracie and Colin’s characters in depth as a reader.

From reading the blurb I thought this book had the potential to be really cute, but unfortunately it just wasn’t my thing. It felt very much like the writing style belonged in an early-2010s YA novel rather than a contemporary romance. There was also a weird amount of gross-out humour (e.g. the female MC shits herself very early on in the story) which is clearly meant to make the female MC seem relatable and funny but none of it landed for me. I just found her to be quite irritating and juvenile. I held out a bit more hope that I might like the male MC but I began to find him quite irritating too, and some of his attitudes towards women were not what I would look for in an ideal male MC. Also, the main love story of this book takes place over the course of 10 days which I found to be a totally unrealistic length of time for these characters to suddenly decide they’re in love with one another.

Anyway, it clearly wasn’t to my taste but lots of people seem to like this one so if this review hasn’t put you off then maybe give it a read!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.25/5 stars! I am a huge fan of books about books. I still hope, someday in the distant future, to be financially stable to bring some of my own stories to life. That being said, this one I think was a bit mismarketed. I think the characters could have worked as teenagers from rival high schools or something like that. But as adults, they felt extremely immature and 2-dimensional. Would give the author's books another chance to see if this was a one-off.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this was so cute, but overall, it was just an ok read for me. I had a hard time becoming invested in the characters and as much as I'm fine with TMI, I got a little tired of hearing about the MC's gas and poop issues. Especially the scene early on...it was just too soon for shart descriptions. Instead of making the MC more relatable, it just got awkward.

That being said, I know this is the author's first book and I can definitely see the promise in their work. This would make a good vacation read with the twists, turns and adorable premise.

Broke up with, broke, and with a vicious case of writer's block, romance writer Gracie Landing is a hot mess. She can hardly be blamed for drinking one (or a few) too many cocktails when out with her besties in an attempt to cheer herself up. Sometime in the foggy wee hours, she recklessly emails her unrequited high-school crush, Colin Yarmouth, who is now a successful attorney harboring regrets of his own. When she receives an intriguingly friendly (not to say flirty) response, her acute embarrassment is overcome only by her fervent curiosity—what would a hottie like Colin be like as a grown up? The two forge an unlikely friendship that's unmistakably headed for more. Colin's tales of his own woeful break-up become fodder for Gracie's fertile imagination and her current work-in-progress takes off. With the deadline looming and her checking account dwindling, Gracie has no idea that borrowing Colin's story could wreak havoc on her life, her career, and her own chance at happily-ever-after…

My thoughts:
I really loved this book! Once I started it I was sucked into the story. I absolutely loved the banter between Gracie and Colin. Probably one of my favorite parts were the conversations between the two. I also enjoyed reading the emails between them. The characters were realistic and relatable I think. Man, I loved Evan too! Lots of great characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for and ARC of this book.

Okay! How do i want to do this!
I was really excited when i stated the book. Because thought it's a highschool drama and there will be a letter and in person love Triangle situation. Well,that didn’t happen. To be honest, for me, nothing happened. I mean i read the blurb before, i knew what this book was. But i forgot about that when i started and completely pictured the book in a different way.
A romance novelist drunkenly emails her high school crush! And slowly they start to talk to each other and start to like each other. So far it was good, but it was tooo much narrated and not in a good way. It's like sitting through a conference you are not interested in. But problem is,i love this topic and still i had a hard time to process all these word vomit. Sorry,i have no other way to put this.

Thanks netgally for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this book was really cute. Gracie is a romance author who has recently had her heart broken. In a drunken moment, she sends an email to her old high school crush. She hardly remembers doing so until he responds. Both have been recently unlucky in the love department and as they exchange emails they find themselves drawn to one another.

I liked how their relationship developed and how they interacted with one another. They made each other laugh, they were attracted to one another, and they tried to support one another as they each moved on from their past.

There were a few reasons the book lost stars for me though. There was more mention of things like burps, farts, and vomit then there was kissing in this book. A joke or awkward moment here or there to be relatable cringe would be one thing, but the amount of times and way it was written was just off putting and really took away from the story. This was also a closed door romance, which normally I would say is fine, but when the book goes on about how sexy the character writes, and how she writes with her door wide open it was a little disappointing when her door was shut. When I'm reading a romance I don't want to spend more time hearing about how her burp tastes than how her romantic partner kisses.

The story itself was fun an relatable though. We all had crushes in high school that might make us wonder what if. It was fun to see Gracie get her chance and watch both of them move on from their heartbreaks.