#SinglePOV

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Graeme Simsion, Dan O'Grady: The Rosie Project (AudiobookFormat, 2014, Simon & Schuster) 4 stars

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially …

I am far too close to the subject matter to review this objectively

4 stars

3½⭐️/5 (fine, but some quite significant issues)

On the one hand, yay for autism rep in romance, and yay for making the POV MC the autistic one.

On the other hand, making that autistic MC also a buffoon of the “unemotional nerd” stereotype is … a choice, I guess? One could argue that he’s just not interested in engaging in society’s judgment of his differences. And that’s a valid read. But it’s not a particularly positive stereotype, and yet it’s also the stalking horse of the entire story.

There are parts of the autistic POV MC’s experience to which I could absolutely relate. I can’t flat-out say it’s an unrealistic representation. An effort was made?

So … YMMV, I guess.

Tags: #FirstPersonPOV #LearningToLove #Neurodiverse #RomCom #SinglePOV #SlowBurn #StructureMeetsWhimsy

Haley Cass: When You Least Expect It (Paperback, 2020, Haley Cass) 5 stars

Caroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's …

Liz Rain: Perks of Office (Paperback, 2022, Ylva Publishing) 4 stars

When your new boss is hot as hell, what hope is there for a poor …

reviewed Face It by Georgette Kaplan (Scissor Link, #2)

Anastasia Watley, Georgette Kaplan: Face It (AudiobookFormat, 2022, Tantor Audio) 4 stars

In college, Elizabeth Smile shared a magical tryst with her roommate, Michelle Harlow. She had …

Camille Kellogg, Bailey Carr: Just as You Are (AudiobookFormat, 2023, Random House) 3 stars

The only thing worse than hating your boss? Being attracted to her.

Liz Baker and …

Some good points, but chained to the awfulness that is P&P

3 stars

2¾⭐️/5

Kellogg has done a solid job updating the "place in society" theme to the queer community and gender presentation. Liz's narrative shows her struggles to find (and afford) clothes which match her gender identity. Some are too femme and she feels constrained, while others are too masc and like she's putting on a costume. Relatable!

Having said that, it’s still Pride & Prejudice. It’s still about people being mean to each other and not actually talking, let alone communicating. And, IMO, the big 80% drama in this one goes a direction I find exasperating, and sends exactly the wrong message to the reader, shaming the wrong people.

Tags: #BIPOC #Misunderstandings #NuisanceEx #Retelling #RichPoor #RivalsToLovers #SecretsAndBetrayal #SinglePOV #ThirdPersonPOV

Tiana Warner: From Fan to Forever (Paperback, 2022, Ylva Publishing) 4 stars

An age-gap lesbian celebrity romance about how much you’d risk to have your dream. Talented …

A good romance arc, but the Hollywood stuff was not for me

4 stars

3¾⭐️/5

I know, I know, the Hollywood stuff was the entire point of the book. But I don’t connect with the “actors and their families give up their right to privacy” narrative, so it was a bit much for me.

Tags: #Celebrity #FirstQueerRelationship #NuisanceEx #PTSD #SinglePOV #ThirdPersonPOV