This book is probably closer to 2.5 stars for me. The only thing keeping it this high is that I read it in one sitting, so it clearly kept me at least somewhat interested. However, there were so many parts I struggled with (and maybe these won't matter to you as much).
First, I absolutely hated the MMC and the FMC was pretty frustrating too. They did the same back and forth dance multiple times, always stating that this break up would be the last, and then absolutely nothing changes. No growth, no conversation, nothing.
The MMC can't figure out how to love someone because of his trauma, which is poorly explained and kind of explored but then abandoned. No one ever calls him out on it (other than the FMC kind of?), and he never gets help.
My biggest question is why does Sloane even like the guy?! We don't really see any fun moment or conversations that show why she is head over heels for this boy. There are a couple of references to things they've done together that we never see, which was annoying. I would rather have read about those moments than just overhear a reference to some great weekend. She falls for him but I definitely did not.
There are also some basic editing errors, like the wrong year listed for a chapter and missing quotation marks more than once. This book is set to be published soon, so it feels like those should have been fixed by now.
Finally, 2 small spoilers that really made me not enjoy this read - There is a cheating plot line which personally, I can't stand. Totally get that some may be fine with this but just a warning if you aren't. More importantly, I would NOT consider this book a romance read. I don't know what it is, but when I see "romance" I have certain expectations that were not meant with this book.

I was down bad with the title and synopsis of this book, but once I started reading I just could not get into it. The sentence structure and dialog feels very juvenile. I had to double check if this was considered a new adult title. The characters fell flat for me, especially Sloane and Ethan. I get that the point is that their relationship is toxic, but I didn’t feel an ounce of chemistry between them. Great idea, not so good execution. And it could just be that this book wasn’t for me and that’s totally okay!

I do want to see what Alissa can do in future works and I look forward to reading more from her!


*** Thank you Net Galley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!

Sloan and Ethan find themselves in a very odd and on, no commitment relationship. Sloan is head over heels and as someone who has been there before i think this book really showed all of the emotions and thoughts that a person goes through in this type of relationship. It is an amazing story about realizing your self worth and friendship. This book was so beautifully written and I loved it. I will definitely be buying it when it comes out in 2 weeks!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book but it fell flat for me. The story idea had a lot of potential but the writing was mediocre. The whole book consisted of telling not showing so it got a little boring. The characters also didn’t feel very likable. I think it would’ve been better if they were so that the reader could empathize with them. Like I said before, I think the story idea is good but it was not executed well.

Call It What You Want, told in dual POVs, follows the years long “almost relationship” between Ethan and Sloane during their final year at university and the years following.

Author Alissa DeRogatis has painted a beautiful, modern, and fully realistic portrayal of a “situationship” or “almost relationship”throughout this almost love-story. Call It What You Want was fully of raw emotions, hard truths, beautiful friendships, and a relatable storyline that perfectly expresses the whirlwind of an almost-relationship in your 20’s.

Like Sloane and Ethan, I was, too, a senior in college in 2016. The writing fully encapsulated what senior year at university was like during this time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of Call It What You Want in exchange for my honest review.

i had read a lot of bad reviews but wanted to give it a try to see for myself. honestly, i didn’t like most of the book. maybe i would’ve if i related to any part of it but this just wasn’t for me

Sadly I decided to dnf at 25%
The plot wasn’t bad but I really couldn’t get into the writing style. It kept taking me out of the story which affected my entire experience.

This was infuriatingly realistic. I think a lot of people have been in a toxic relationship, or situationship, where the hope of the relationship is far more idealistic than it will inevitably play out. The plot feels repetitive because these types of relationships are repetitive. Will they, won't they? Been there, done that, but maybe this time will be different. Spoiler alert; if it's that off and on, it will never truly be on. “This is a love letter to all girls who have had a hard time getting over someone they never dated”.

I originally read this book when it was first self-published after hearing about it on TikTok! I read it in one day and sobbed all the way through it because I felt so much for Sloane. I feel like every college-aged girl has had similar situationship and experiences and they HURT. Although I definitely enjoy happily ever afters where the main characters end up together I feel that Call It What You Want had its own type of HEA. It was the HEA where Sloane discovered her worth and decided to put herself first. Maybe this book isn't a traditional love story, but it is something I think all girls should read because they may relate to it, or it may teach them to put themselves first in these types of situations.

I loved this book so much and I can't wait to see more from Alissa DeRogatis!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

So I’ll be honest, the writing isn’t very detailed, and it isn’t that deep. BUT man this story just hit me right in my feels, and was such a cathartic reading experience for me.

It was so refreshing to read a Romance that didn’t have a HEA, because sometimes life doesn’t work like that! It was also so nice to see an “almost relationship” written about in a book. I don’t speak for all girls, but I know I speak for myself when I say I had an almost relationship JUST LIKE this one in my early 20s. And honestly this is the first time I’ve ever read anything like it, in a book. I felt seen, and my guess is that many other girls in their 20s are going to feel the same way reading about something they more than likely have experienced in some caliber.

All in all, this book should be mandatory reading for college freshmen everywhere. The failed “almost relationship” isn’t the star of this story; the star is YOU and learning to love and lean on yourself.

I highly recommend this book! It’s a short and easy read, that will leave you nostalgic for those college years, and also feel so validated because someone has written about something most of us go through.

Oh and chefs kiss on the perfection of the title explanation in the epilogue.

“Call it what you want, but for me it was love.”

I really wanted to like this one given the setup- a girl falls for the unattainable guy who won’t open up to her and just wastes her time. I love that- it’s not something I’ve read before; but it’s the writing that made it fall flat for me. I can’t picture the characters, I can’t put a feeling to them, i felt no connection to Sloane or Ethan- not even enough to hate Ethan for Sloane!!
I think if there was more editing, more getting behind their feelings and actually reading that rather than just being told this is happening and this is what’s Ethan said or Sloane did, I think i would have liked it better.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Funny, witty, just the right amount of all the feels. I cried and laughed so hard along with Sloane. As a brand new college grad, I related to this book more than I expected to. I genuinely felt like I related to a character on a new level and immersed myself into the book itself. Thank you for making something so relatable, this will help so many girls struggling with college heartbreaks.

As someone that’s in my early 20’s and has gone through a situationship, this hit me real hard. Call It What You Want entails a realistic experience that readers can relate to. Whether that’s Sloane (who’s had her heart broken a few times), or Lauren: the supportive friend that just wants Sloane to be happy. I kept highlighting quotes from Lauren and Graham because they are so wise! They were with Sloane since day one.

The writing was easy to read, it felt somewhat like diary entries so if you’re into that, this book is for you. Did I find the writing of Sloane’s (and Ethan’s) emotions to be repetitive? Yes, but I feel like that is what a situationship actually entails (i.e. going back and forth with your thoughts and feelings), so it didn’t really bother me that much. However, there were some chapters where it changes POV and the scene is shown again—for readers to understand what the other main character is feeling, but the writing already feels repetitive. I suggest cutting those scenes that are mentioned twice and put them elsewhere in case readers want to read them (i.e. a bonus chapter at the end of the book, or on Alissa’s website). In my opinion, the duplicated scenes aren’t really necessary to enjoy the book as a whole.

The characters moving from North Carolina to New York post-grad felt fun and exciting! It still felt like a small town vibe though, especially since Sloane kept bumping into people she wanted to avoid. I feel bad for Reese though.

I feel like anyone that reads this book can learn some life lessons. It has a specific demographic, but if you feel like the story doesn’t relate to you [at that moment], it’s a nice refresher to tell your younger/future self or even a friend.

I would give this book 4.25 stars! ⭐️

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a review!

I like that this is quick read. It was recommended to me about another blogger. It was a cute book, but it is not a book I would recommend. I don’t feel like there was ever any resolution or ending. The book just ended.

i had a hard time with this, i wanted to like it because it felt very raw and real but i hated having ethan’s perspective, i think as a woman who has been in these situationships its hard to humanize the person treating you like this

thank you netgalley for an arc of this in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to the publisher and Netgallery for this copy.

I really loved this book overall but the ending kinda fell flat for me. I wanted more for the sloane. Breakups are hard and It really is a hard topic to deal with.

I really did enjoy the story and the characters though.

no plot, no back story, this was not good. did the author have an editor? there were so many grammar mistakes and wrongly chosen words. my biggest problem about this is i know the city very well and seems like the author has never even visited the way she described landmark placements and being able to travel so easily from place to place.

This was a great book. I connected with the characters. I felt engrossed with the plot. I would read another book by this author.

Thank you NetGalley,

This is my second time reading this story although I love the 1st book of this I love this new version even more.

The character growth and I love sloan relationships through out the book weather it was friendships or more we got it all.

The story felt so real and i wanted to keep on reading it kept me wanting more and more

I'm disappointed that I didn't like this book because I feel like the scenario is one that many of us have been in. A break up that isn't a break up but hurts just the same if not more. Though I probably won't be recommending this book to my friends, I have to say, wow, what a situationship!

Something felt very juvenile about this book, beyond it being YA. It was relatable but I don’t think it’s something I would have flipped through at the bookstore and purchased. Something about the writing style made everything seem too immature and the relationships were definitely immature. I liked Graham and even Lauren grew on me, but all the other characters seemed so highschool. Even Sloane’s articles for the gist seemed so silly.

It’s been a while since a romance novel has left a bad taste in my mouth, but this one did.

Definitely not my kind of romance. Luckily, this is my last ARC for now and I’m excited to read all the new releases by some of my fav authors. Sarah Adams and Abby Jimenez, I’m ready to fill my life with your latest!