Member Reviews
I really loved the idea of this story. It sounded a lot more realistic than some romance novels, so I was really intrigued to see that reflected in a book. Unfortunately, this majorly missed the mark for me. It does seem realistic, but for THAT couple (the worst couple you have ever met). There was no character growth at all, the plot was so repetitive that I just completely stopped rooting for either of them. There also wasn't any chemistry or backstory between the 2 to help power through.
Honestly, I would have rated this book much higher if I read it in my early 20s but I was just not the targeted demographic for it currently.
The idea and premise of the book definitely has appeal and I can see a lot of young girls/women needing or enjoying a book like this.
But as an almost 30 year old I was just annoyed that Sloane kept getting back with a guy who couldn’t make it more obvious if he tried that he was emotionally unavailable.
The writing needed a bit of work and felt juvenile at times but again that might just be going along with the theme of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.
I unfortunately really did not enjoy this book. I sort of understand what the author was trying to do with the story, but I ended up finding it so frustrating and repetitive. The two main characters were so under-developed and one-note, and there was way too much miscommunication and toxicity between them for me to feel invested in them as a couple (and I get that I'm not really supposed to *root* for them exactly, but it just felt like what's the point?!). I'm also a good 10 years older than the two main characters but this book felt SO young. And yet somehow the main character spoke about some things like she was way older and more experienced - what do you mean, she's so excited about "finally" getting her big break as a writer approximately 3 months after college graduation (and in NYC of all places)? The writing was also quite flat and would have benefited from a closer edit. I was especially frustrated by the repetition of the same scenes but just from a different POV, with nearly no additional insight added, making the dual POV feel pretty unnecessary at many points. Unfortunately, promising in theory but very disappointing in execution. Not even the Taylor Swift references could save this book for me.
Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks for the arc of Call it What You Want!
Unfortunately, this did not give what I was hoping it would give. The story was all over the place and I felt so disconnected from the characters. We had 200+ pages of them and I didn't get to learn a thing about either other than the relationship between Sloane and Ethan being one-sided. I would have truly loved a more in-depth view of both characters-especially Ethan. I loved the concept of healing and finding oneself after a daunting one-sided relationship, but we also did not really get that. Sloane continuously goes back to Ethan knowing and admitting he wasn't going to be there for her. I was frustrated for her. I truly wish we got more from them, more from Sloane helping herself. Again, I really did like the concept of the book but was just disappointed with how it turned out.
This story took a turn, and I'm very, very pleased with how it ended, even though the road to get there was bumpy and concerning (and frustrating at times, I'll admit).
Ladies, don't lose yourselves for anyone, especially not for some guy. He really is just some guy. Hit him with your car.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this copy!
this took a turn and I'm very very pleased with how it ended, even though the road to get there was bumpy and concerning (and frustrating at times, I'll admit).
ladies. don't lose yourselves for anyone, especially for some guy. he really is just some guy. hit him with your car.
Such a relatable book. Tears were definitely flowing. I couldn’t put it down. So often have I found myself in the same situation. The only thing I wished was that there was more character development and learning about their pasts and why they found themselves in the same situation over and over again.
- Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing this arc! Please be aware this is an honest review -
1 star ✨
I should probably start this review by saying that I don't vibe with books if I don't like the characters. And can u guess what happened? That's right... This wasn't it.
The side characters were the highlight of this novel, and the only good thing about it.
This book had the same structure over, and over again. Zero character development. Zero plot.
You know when u finish a book and u felt like u read and nothing got resolved? I mean, sure, she says that this time will be different. But I don't buy it.
It was such a waste of time
6 Stars 🤩⭐️♾️
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been victimized by a boy named Ethan or a boy whose name starts with E. Double points if you’ve been victimized by both. 🙋♀️🙋♀️
Anytime someone asks me why I stayed with my ex for so long - I’m going to hand them this book.
Long story short - this book has been on my TBR forever! I just got around to starting it after it was removed for KU. So glad I finally got my hands on it now!
Alissa DeRogatis PERFECTLY sums up first love. Whether you had the “girlfriend” title or not, she completely lays out how much and a girl in love can withstand.
Ethan & Sloane’s story is relatable for any girl who wished, hoped, pleaded and prayed (etc.) that it would’ve been him, could’ve been him & should’ve been him! (See what I did there 😉)
I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy to annotate the crap out of this book! So many of these quotes hit close to home.💗🫶
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Landmark & Alissa DeRogatis for this e-ARC in engage for an honest review!
Thank you to Alissa DeRogatis, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.
I'd seen this book on TikTok for a while so when I saw it available on NetGalley, I was excited to give it a read! If my memory serves me, I believe the author had pulled the e-book to make some changes, so I'm glad to have read this version. Having been in toxic situationships in my life, the relationship between Sloane and Ethan was super relatable - almost painfully so? Even so, I wish I could have loved this book more than I did, but the writing was just really not for me.
Thank you to Alissa DeRogatis, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGallery for the advanced copy of Call It What You Want to read and review!
I went into this thinking it was going to be a cute, fun book inspired by a Taylor Swift song... Now I'm sitting in my office sobbing trying not to smear my makeup...
This book is the EPITOME of being a girl in your 20s. This book resembled my own long-term relationship and 3-month situationship right after in a way that I could not even come up with if I tried.
I LOVED how DeRogatis decided to structure this book. Breakup, flashback to the past, fast forward to the present. I felt almost sick from the anticipation of the inevitable. It was exactly like taking an outside look at myself begging a boyfriend to put me first and love me the way I loved him. As I've grown into my adulthood, I find that these books let me take an introspective look and heal alongside the characters.
I am a big lover of Sex in the City and Taylor Swift. So mixing these two into one book was an instant 5-star read for me.
Thank you Alissa for the reminder that growing up is no fun when you're a certified lover girl. And thank you for teaching us that all you need is yourself and you'll be just fine.
I was so excited for this book but sadly it just didn’t live up to the hype of what I thought it might be! I found Sloane to be infuriating… I can completely relate and I was absolutely in the same mind space as her at university, however, it felt like Groundhog Day the way she just kept reliving the same plot over and over and over again. I didn’t hate this book but sadly I just didn’t love it and won’t be rushing to recommend people to read it!
a cozy romance read if you’re a swiftie! Easy to follow and engaging. Read a little young for me, but probably perfect for 19-22. Pacing felt a little too fast, so I would recommend as more of a quick palette cleanser!
"Call It What You Want" is a nostalgic and emotionally charged novel that captures the highs and lows of Sloane Hart's senior year of college. As she navigates her final year, Sloane's plans are disrupted by her enigmatic upstairs neighbor, Ethan Brady. Their intense, undefined relationship brings both passion and heartache, perfectly depicting the essence of almost-love stories. While some may find the party-centric college lifestyle and repetitive elements off-putting, the book's heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery resonates deeply. Ultimately, it's a poignant reminder of how relationships can shape us and the importance of finding our own path. **Rating: 3.5/5**
I didn’t mind the beginning off this book but serious by the end it was over it. Like Sloane girl how many times can you relive the same plot over and over? Was I having dejavu? Also there were too many characters to remember. Oh my other question, is this real life? I’m sorry but these characters only care about hooking up and drinking. There’s no substance to them or their storylines. It was so aggravating as someone who doesn’t really drink by choice. Like is that how people actually live?
Sorry but I do not recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the review copy.
This book took me right back to college in the worst way. It was almost too relatable that I didn’t want to read it. Call It What You Want is a love letter for anyone who has been stuck in a situationship and feels like they are alone. While I enjoyed some aspects of the book, I found it to be a little repetitive and I found Sloane and Ethan to be pretty unlikeable. Having said that, I was totally Sloane at one point in my life. Maybe I didn’t like her because I was her?
In general, I liked the overall message of the book and it really made me want to go back and shake my younger self.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
While I found this story cute, I also found it very predictable. It was very Hallmark-esque but it was just not my favorite. It was cute, just nothing made it stand out like other rom-coms do for me.
This book.
I went through a situationship last year. It had many many ups and downs (more downs than ups). I wanted to read a book that didn’t give “happy romance” vibes. I wanted to read a book because I know girls like me were going through so so much. Girls like me were getting “wyd” texts at 11pm and being at their beck and call knowing that it was bad for them. I wanted to know that I wasn’t alone. This book showed me that I wasn’t alone. It showed the ups and downs of a relationships. It shows how things can be one sided and you can hope for something so much, but in reality there are much better things in store for your life. The author explains so many situations so vividly and clearly. The author (having gone through the situationship herself) shows that girls that go through these months love situationships are not alone. It shows that us girls deserve so much better and it shows that you need to take care of you first. When these situationships end, it feels like the “end of the world” but this book shows that it’s not the end of the world, it’s actually the beginning of your life. The topics that this book discussed were heavy (for me personally) but it showed me that I deserve so much better.
I got a chance to read this book last year, but since it’s getting rereleased tomorrow (yay) it’s shown a light to my life on so many things that I tolerated. Getting the chance to reread this book has been such a blessing. I respect the author so much for bringing this story to life. I respect her so much for explaining things that happened and showing us that we are not alone.
I want to thank the publishers, netgalley, and the author for choosing me to read this book before it rereleases tomorrow. I’m so thankful I got the chance to read this and so glad a book that’s so different is out into this world!
I agree with many other reviews- Call It What You Want is reminiscent of a very predictable Hallmark movie. It was cute- just very predictable.
Thank you NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Ultimately, this book just wasn’t for me. I could see it being a validating read for someone in this type of relationship or have been in a situationship in the past. I could also see recommending it to those that just leaving college or are looking to be nostalgic for that time in their life. I am just not its target audience. I was entertained but never invested, and at different points, I wanted to shake both main characters. It felt authentic, though, because I am sure I would shake myself at 21. I hope this book finds the right readers, even if it wasn’t for me.