as a bookstagrammer, i felt like this book was written to heal my soul. i have genuinely been looking for a book like this for so long that i was about to write one but then Susan Lee DELIVERED. the concept is so cute. two rival romance reviewers ending up attending the same college, continuing their rivalry through fake dating and competitions? literally best idea ever. i felt so inspired. i literally read this book in one sitting.
but it also felt too fast. it wasn’t very realistic. there’s a fade to black spice scene that was kinda random. the character development was fine but it all felt rushed. like as a slow-burn reader the timeline seemed unrealistic. and i wish aiden’s character was explored more. i get that most of this book was written from irene’s pov but aiden’s family life felt more like an afterthought, a plot filler, than a real background.
i really wanted to love this book and i was so excited— i do still love this book, but it’s not one of my top reads. however, i will be reading Susan Lee’s other works. aiden was such a cutie and i loved the romance. literally every chapter title was a trope. and it was so cool how the banter/epigraph showed how irene and aiden’s relationship is progressing. when aiden didn’t reply that one time? my heart broke. but this is a guaranteed HEA and the sweetest college love story. the jealousy? perfection.

thank you to netgalley and harpercollins for the ARC! all opinions are my own.