I thoroughly enjoyed this debut from Tati Richardson. It’s rare that books that take place in Atlanta actually feel like home. I appreciate her attention to detail in that. Ari and Porter were so cute and they felt right together. I liked that Ari was a fat black woman who wasn’t on a journey to change her looks, there was something about her confidence that I really connected with. Porter is top tier book bae material, that man wanted him some Ari and he was gonna get it. The workplace romance was like a little cherry on top for me. Excited to see what else we get from this author!!

I really LOVE the cover and this was a really sweet and well-written book. I can't wait to read more from Richardson in the future.

This debut novel by Tati Richardson is well written and captivating. Ari and Porter's characters are well developed and the writing even paced. There is an intense built up from the beginning of the book all the way to their HEA. Looking forward to the next book by Tati. #TheBuildUp #NetGalley

I adored this romance! From the moment I started until the very end it was a battle between savoring it and eating up as fast as I could. love that they built a friendship, that he asked to kiss her, that he told her he would wait forever if she let him. Their love scenes. His family loving her, her mother’s excitement. Fuck Greer! Final act big moment at the airport, be still my heart
And that epilogue!

This is a very sweet and charming romance. There isn't a ton of angst or tension, but there is a lot of swooning and mutual pining which I rather enjoyed. Ari is a creative, highly-skilled, and super likable female main character. Porter gives off biiiiiiiiiiiiig cinnamon-roll vibes. I really appreciated the plus-size rep. All in all, this was a delightful debut. (3.5 rounded up to 4 stars)

DNF.

Unfortunately, this book was really disappointing. I had issues with the writing, the characters and the romance.

My first issue was the writing style. I couldn't connect with it; it felt flat and awkward. There was also quite a bit of telling without it being backed by any showing through the characters' behaviour. I also had issues with some small scattered things throughout the portion of the book that I read, but when you add that up with everything else it impacted my enjoyment. There were multiple times when a character would describe something as funny or laugh at a "joke" that wasn't funny at all. Also, in the first chapter, a character said they expected the FMC to be a man because of her name, but her name is Ari. Which to me is a feminine name.

Next the characters. I'm always up for reading romances that have plus-sized MCs but in this book, the author would frequently bring up Ari's size and I believe the intention was to show how comfortable Ari was with her body while other people had issues or how smaller people could take accommodations for granted but after a while, it just started to feel there was too much focus on her body and the other was showing a neon saying saying "remember Ari is fat". Also one of the partners at the firm came off as a cartoonish antagonist to contrast the other nicer partner and it just felt ridiculous.

Finally the relationship. It was very Insta- lusty and to me, the connections that the characters kept referring to was just not shown.

I really enjoyed The Build Up by Tati Richardson. A great love story -- a romance novel -- between two Black architects in Atlanta.

Ari and Porter were co-workers who discovered they had a shared history, specifically that they both went to Hampton University and they both do architectural design. This is a slow burn and I am not really a fan of this. But I did enjoy this book.

A quick romance read set in Atlanta with a main character who is smart, full-figured, and ambitious. Were there some situations that were far-fetched? Sure. (Atlanta without traffic, an airport scene where the characters got through TSA in time...in Atlanta? Pssh). But we can suspend disbelief for a fun workplace romance with charming main characters and a villain who gets their comeuppance. Richardson's debut novel and truly a fun read as I was flying back to ATL!

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a cute book, and I loved that the MC (Ari) was a black plus-size woman who was not only loved but *desired* by the male MC. She was sexy as hell and it was great. Some of the plot wasn't really up my street, and Ari sometimes came across a bit 'girlboss' which isn't really my vibe, but overall this was a sweet, steamy read.

First I have to start this off by saying I love Ari. I can relate to her in a few areas so it made me excited to finish the book, I would have liked it even if it was a bit longer.


Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book.

Aw! I love Ari and Porter! And I’m a sucker for an office romance. It’s the thrill of nobody knowing 🫠🥰😂 I laughed, cried and related so well with this book! Great debut for Tati! This book was light and quick and I would recommend if you’re in need of a palette cleanser

4.5⭐️

i loved the premise and i loved the narcissistic and enigmatic narrator. the narrative was quick and snappy, which is exactly what makes a thriller so enticing and fast paced. i really loved the flashbacks as well, and how it built up more and more of a background for our narrator (who literally hides everything in the present day narrative). i literally could not put this book down and finished it in a day.

but i just thought the payoff was just a bit too anticlimactic and rushed at times. i feel like this could have been a five star and now i'm a tiny bit sad.

Ari James is on a mission to design a soccer stadium in Atlanta, GA, collaborating closely with the captivating Porter. Their chemistry is electric from the get-go, culminating in undeniable passion.

This debut novel delves deep into the journey of rediscovery after an unexpected career setback. Ari grapples with self-doubt, wondering if she'll ever overcome the stain on her reputation. Additionally, the narrative shines a light on the challenges she faces as a plus-sized Black woman. Ari's character is commendable; her resilience and self-assuredness, in the face of persistent prejudice from male colleagues and some seemingly benign females, is truly inspiring. Through her sheer determination, she finds both love and professional triumph.

What a great debut from Author Tati Richardson! Ari, a female black architects takes on colorism, sexism, and more, when dealing with the her counterparts at a all male firm. She meets Porter, whom she starts to share feels for but doesn't want a repeat of the past. The author tackles all of this and still manages to make the book fun and a light read! Loved this book!

I went into this book not knowing what to expect, just hoping for a good love story and some positive fat representation and I totally delivered there. I loved the relationship between these two, it was based respect that then led to attraction and some good spicy scenes. The office elements played out in an interesting way too.
So over all you get good body diversity, office romance, forbidden love and forced proximity, all elements of a really enjoyable read.
TW One of the office workers is constantly saying anti-fat comments about her and often times in ear shot of her. I just wanted to say that in case you are not ready for that.

Steamy romantic read about 2 colleagues that turn into lovers. Also touches on being a Black woman in a male dominated industry and facing barriers and discrimination.

This was so much fun and I am so happy I was able to get this ARC. Tati really did her thing with this book and I really hope this book gets to hype it deserves! Thank you NetGalley!

I knew this book was going to be a hit with me because it literally checked all my “Nikki boxes.” And I mean it had all the things I like: Romance, Black Romance, Plus Size main character, and it counts as Foodie Fiction. Literally all the things I love. And once I finally read it, let’s just say, I was right. I really enjoyed this!

Ok so first things first, let’s talk about the characters! Ari is a MOOD! The things she loves (Wonder Woman!) the food she eats!, all of it is me. I related to her so hard. I really felt like she could be like my bestie or at the very least we could have a real good conversation about life. And then there’s Porter. I knew I was going to like him from the moment he was a goner when he met Ari. That boy was down bad y’all lol And I loved it. They both had issues that we didn’t know about in the beginning, but they both have to confront those things by the end.

The romance was very cute! I loved seeing the two of them fall towards each other. Its like they were magnetized but they both held the opposite ends, if that makes sense. I say that because they were so attracted to each other, and they were feeling each other so hard, but they kept finding reasons to repel away from each other. It was like a slow burn torture. But at the end I did feel like it took Porter too long to realize what happened. Like be for real. This person has been grimy the whole time, you think they changed overnight? But I can admit it made for a great ending.

The writing style was also really comfortable. I felt like I was getting a big hug type comfort. It was easy to fall into Ari’s mind and her experiences, yes because it’s a contemporary romance, but also because I could fully relate to Ari’s character. The way she slid down the door in that one scene, the music she loved, just everything. This is the power of writing our own stories. Representation matters. It was refreshing to see Ari’s character being loved the way she deserved.

This book was so cute but had lots of more indepth themes. I really hope y’all check it out to find out more Ari and Porter. I also hope to get another book out of this one, for Ari and Porter’s besties. I’m almost positive that’s what was happening, but I don’t want to make any assumptions. But I’m not above begging. How do I make my plea?

What a debut novel!!!!!

Thank you to the author for delivering a book that hit the check marks on a great novel! I honestly couldn’t put it down. I loved the couple, the dialogue and the importance of tackling hot topics in todays world!