This was a heartfelt, friends to lovers, dual POV marriage of convenience debut romance set in Toronto and Ethiopia and I really enjoyed it. Full of emotional depth and family drama, this romcom sees Miz and Kal who are longtime friends agreeing to get married so that Kal can stay in Canada. Through ups and downs, Miz works through her disdain for all things marriage and finally comes to realize she might just have a chance at real happiness with Kal if only she'll open her heart up to the possibility. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Jane Igharo. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I must confess, I love a good, messy, over-the-top plot in books.

So this book starting off with a bang, instantly captivated me! The relatability and flaws of the FMC truly make her feel so real. Like my very own BFF is just here telling me her story.

I also think the narrator had a lot to do with this approach-ability of the FMC. I love the dual narration and dual POV. This is fresh, funny, flirty and messy. Needs to be made into a show!

Yikes.

I feel like that word pretty adequately sums up how I feel about Miz.

As for Kal, in a small sense he escapes most my ire because he acts like a decent human being through the course of the novel. However, my word does this man need a large dose of reality. Now, some of my discomfort with his idealistic view of love and romance may be vaguely related to a disconnect I feel with the culture, but it still speaks volumes of a very Disney-esque soul mates sort of world view that I can’t help feeling is nice on the surface, but very unrealistic (at best) and can have devastating mental health consequences (at worst).

To expand on that, briefly, let’s just say it’s rather concerning how hung up he was on his ex for the length of time he was. And he repeats this unfortunate emotional naïveté with Miz as a result.

Unfortunately, Miz as a lead love interest is just a whole different ball game. Emotionally unavailable, commitment phobic, and a bit of a thief? The combination is just…odd for me, but I think ultimately speaks to a greater issue of her character that comes out with insane frequency, to the point that it becomes rather difficult to enjoy the novel at all. Miz, quite often, is just insanely self-centered. Now, that doesn’t mean she deserved some of the stuff that happened to her, but it does mean it’s difficult to like her as a person.

None of this, of course, is helped in the slightest by the manufactured conflicts—from that brought about by each character’s view of their parents and subsequent parental behavior or from the absolutely ridiculous ring side plot (that honestly just puts Miz in another bad light, as far as I’m concerned).

Suffice to say, despite being excited for this book, I hated near every second of reading it.

The narrators were generally alright. Their voices didn’t really stick with me in the end, but it was an enjoyable listening experience.

Charming and touching romantic comedy that explores the complexities of love and friendship. Miz is relatable, she is a woman who avoids commitment. Kal, her best friend, an aspiring actor from Ethiopia. Kal faces a potential visa issue, they enter into a marriage of convenience.

This novel is the perfect blends humor with heartfelt moments, examining themes of cultural identity, the challenges of navigating life in a new country, and the unexpected ways relationships can evolve. The characters are engaging, and the premise offers a fresh take on the friends-to-lovers trope.

The audiobook features narrators Araya Mengesha and Mekdes Teshome, who bring the characters and their story to life. Their performances capture the nuances of the characters' personalities, their cultural backgrounds, and the emotional depth of their evolving relationship. The narration enhances the listening experience, making it a delightful way to enjoy this story.