This was a lovely book, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I really liked the main relationship, and it’s a portrayal of different gender identities I haven’t read about very often in published media! I admit I was worried when I got to the resolution of the conflict, because grand public gestures give me so much second-hand embarrassment so I was relieved to keep reading and see that it didn’t really end up being public. And it made me tear up! I loved them affirming each other. 🥹 I also will say though that something about the dialogue felt...idk, like an overly explain-y tumblr post? Not how real people talk? I mean I’m sure some people do but it took me out of it at times. Still, I really enjoyed this and I was excited to get to the end and see that there’s gonna be a sequel!

Thanks to NetGalley and The Paper House for the ARC, all opinions are my own..

I tried so hard for so long to try and get into this book, but it just wasn’t for me, and that’s okay!! I loved the concept so much, and I really loved the characters, and I wish I’d been able to get into this book and enjoy it, but it’s taken me two months to read 40% and I just have to admit it isn’t working and move on!! I definitely want to try and read more from this author again in the future tho!!!

"An Epic Construct" is an engaging fantasy adventure that keeps you hooked from the first page. With vivid world-building and relatable characters, Cutler-Tran creates a story that transports you to another realm. Full of twists and turns, this book is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

i really enjoyed reading the book! it was a story with representation that I haven't really seen talked about and it all feels natural (even with the plot twists).
both MCs are very likeable and you root for the two of them. their relationship is very realistic and while very cute, also shows all the baggage you carry around to relationships. and the friends are amazing!
I honestly can't wait to read the next one.

So I’m going to do something I don’t normally do here and try to do a summary for this book. (I’m shit at summaries so I normally just do vibes.) I don’t think you should look up the summary for this book. I think if you’re going to read this, you should just pick it up and start. Okay so.

Penelope and Riley, both scorned by disastrous dating attempts, turn to a dating app, where they meet and begin dating. As a favor to her brother, Penelope hosts a drag show as drag king Pen’n Winks. With the help of drag queen Sham Pain and Taylor, who Penelope meets at the drag show, Penelope begins to explore her gender identity and how she’s never really felt much like a woman, or a man for that matter. And new relationships are no easy matter, between Riley, who she could love if only he’d open up to her, and the spark of chemistry she feels with Taylor, Penelope has got a lot on her plate.

This book is a wild rollercoaster. It’s a lot of fun. I love Penelope. She’s an absolute joy. Riley is a sweetheart teddy bear that was played with too hard, and you just want to patch him back up and cuddle him and tell him it’ll all be okay. Really liked Taylor too, and all of Penelope and Riley’s friends.

There’s a few criticisms I have of this that I can’t really discuss without spoiling things, so I’ll just say there there’s a few nitpicky points I have where some sacrifices were made so the plot could advance like the author wanted it to. And there’s a few more nitpicky details I have where I wanted to say like, “Okay, we get it, so this isn’t necessary.”

But all over, I really liked this. I had a great time reading it. I read it pretty much in one sitting, giving my wife constant updates as I went through the highs and lows of this rollercoaster plot. There’s a lot of good discussion about gender and what it means to different people and what that means that it should mean to you, etc.

Someone DM me if you’ve read this and want to talk about it. Because I really want to talk more about it.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Paper House for a copy of this ebook in exchange for a honest review.

I’ve moved mostly to <a href=“ https://www.instagram.com/p/C3ySbBOvqFl/?igsh=MXQ5ZWV0eHFzbjQ1YQ==”>Instagram</a> so join me there if you’d like.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

4.5 of 5

This novel captures a lot of topics involving being queer in such an incredible way AND puts it into a story which just visualises so much better how confusing finding your own identity can be and how coming into terms with yourself is not easy. It is combined with enough laughter to not make this entire thing feel too heavy when you most need it. An incredible book.

This was overall a cute story and a cute idea with lots of rep, but the writing just didn’t do it for me. The dialogue felt pretty stilted and took me out of the story most of the time!

Penelope is queer and is getting back in the dating game and using a dating app. This was a sweet story about dating, gender, and self-exploration.

4⭐️

First of all, thank you NetGalley and The Paper House for the ARC.

“An Epic Construct” is a queer love story that explores various topics such as self-discovery, finding love and acceptance, and mental health.

I liked the relationship between the characters, both the romantic and the platonic ones.

The characters were fantastic and I adored how much supportive they were with each other.

The author's portrayal of depression and anxiety was also well-done.

I highly suggest this book to everyone and I will definitely read both the sequel and prequel.

Representation :
-pansexual nonbinary MC
-queer gender fluid MC
-asexual romantic lesbian FSC
-bisexual MSC
-bisexual FSC
-trans MSC

TW: anxiety and depression

I enjoyed the growth of the main character that you meet first. The handling of gender identity, gender disphoria, and everything else is done wonderfully. I really enjoyed reading this book.

This book was precious. IS precious. It’s such a beautiful and informative read. As a cisgender person who considers themself a HUGE ally- this gave me incredible insight to how the LGBTQIA+ community feels and goes through. I respect it so much and it made me cry how tender this book made me.

Beautiful 10/10 thank you

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy!

Incredible queer book that has everything you want - from friendship to sexuality and diversity.
Highly recommend! :)

An Epic Construct is a highly enjoyable and meaningful read. The LGBT+ representation, mental illness representation, and the ways the two intersect is relatable in a way that I don't often see in media. I have a million and one praises to sing about this book and can't articulate all of them, but it boils down to An Epic Construct being a validating experience for me as a queer, mentally ill twenty-something. It addresses the layers of how scary dating can be in a way that makes failed past experiences feel less like outright failures and more like bricks in the path towards something happy later on. And the book also has charming, sometimes even ridiculous moments that will make you laugh and smile. Also cute pets. Overall, an amazing book about the importance of open communication but also taking things at your own pace in both your relationships with others and your relationship with yourself.

This was a really cute novel dealing with real issues. I loved the expression of gender and all the characters. This was a special read.

Thank you Netgalley, Paper House publishing and most importantly Dawn Cutler-Tran! This book was moving and important and beautiful. Not just coming of age, but learning about one self and how we identify all while trying to live in this wild world. I will be telling my friends about this book in hopes they also enjoy it!

A beautifully written story about finding yourself, and finding love. This is one of most diverse casts I’ve ever seen in a book, with characters of various races, genders, ages, sexualities, and backgrounds. The representation was very well-done - this book clearly made the distinction that its characters weren’t stereotypes, but characters will full lives of their own, and for all identities that I can speak for (I’m nonbinary and asexual), I must say that the representation was respectful and relatable. I loved seeing Penelope meet Riley and the two of them work on each other and themselves through the course of the narrative. Penelope’s conversations with Taylor were something that I haven’t often seen - characters talking about their queerness so frankly and in such depths - and it was really well done. Each POV felt distinctive, the characters were likeable and if not relatable written to be understandable. The plot moved forward naturally as did the relationships - I never once found myself bored. The author has a lovely writing style that seamlessly blends dialogue, thoughts, and actions, and it was a joy to read. I will say, though, that you definitely have to be reading with a keen eye! I skimmed some parts of the earlier chapters when I was in a hurry and suffered a little for that later. Take the time to read this one - it’s definitely worth it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes romance novels and wants to learn more about the LGBTQ community, and anyone who is in the community - you’ll surely find yourself or a friend in some characters, or see how their experiences are different to yours.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!!

An Epic Construct was a very good read. It followed Penelope, Taylor, and Riley as they find themselves and go on dating adventures.

An Epic Construct was entertaining, cute, heartwarming, and enjoyable. It was an easy and fun read. I enjoyed the characters and how they all had very good support systems. There was so much queer representation as well! The plot twist was pretty predictable. The writing was amateurish at times but overall decent.

The book did cover some darker topics like depression, so fair warning for that and please check the trigger warnings!

If you have ever questioned your sexuality, or even moreso, your gender expression and gender identity, read this book. Even if you haven't questioned it, if you enjoy discussions of it, read this book.

Penelope gets pressured into a dating app by her asexual roommate and quickly becomes interested in Riley. Riley is very sweet, but struggles with anxiety and depression and disappears for days at a time (though is extremely well supported by other friends). In the meantime, Penelope's brother begs her to emcee at his cafe's drag brunch, where she meet Taylor. Penelope and Taylor quickly strike up a deep texting relationship, particularly discussing gender. Is Penelope falling for both of them?

Honestly, the romance aspects in the books almost feels more of a cover for the large discussions around sexuality and gender, but I am 100% here for that. And I really like a lot of the characters. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next book in the series holds for us!

Note: I received a free review PDF of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, but reviews are my own.

This book was not for me. Granted, I am an adult and the intended target audience is younger. But I am a frequent reader—and fan—of both children’s and YA titles. The issues for me were stylistic. First of all, this copy of the text was so riddled with typos and words missing letters that it was almost illegible. I tried to power through, but they were so numerous as to make reading all but impossible. I recognize this may not be the author’s fault. However, from what I could read the style was very dry and not terribly engaging. I determined it would not be worth the effort to proceed.