Possible Triggers: None **Note: the book does talk about racism, fatphobia, homophobia, ableism and eating disorders. I don't think any were talked about in a triggering way; if I'm wrong please let me know!
Representation: Black Fat Heroine, Bisexual Hero, Interracial couple, Hijabi Supporting Character
Overall: 3.75-stars
Safety Rating: Safe (view spoiler)Representation: Black Fat Heroine, Bisexual Hero, Interracial couple, Hijabi Supporting Character
Overall: 3.75-stars
Safety Rating: Safe (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW/OM drama • Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away • No separation (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Hero was physical abused as a child by his older siblings • Hero psychologically abused by his older brother presently • Allusion to an abusive relationship • Trauma of a non-consensual sex tape being leaked • Death of parents (hide spoiler)]
Representation: Roma Hero, Roma Supporting Character
Overall: 3.5-stars
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW drama – HRepresentation: Roma Hero, Roma Supporting Character
Overall: 3.5-stars
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW drama – However, the Hero was with OW after meeting the Heroine • Does have OM drama – the Heroine returns to England with her Parisian doctor who intends to court her. • Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away • Does have a ~2 year separation (the Heroine was celibate, however, it's insinuated the Hero was NOT celibate) (hide spoiler)]
Representation: Black Bisexual Heroine, Muslim Pakistani-British Hero
Overall: 4.75-stars
RTC
Another book in this series I loved! But, similar to the fiRepresentation: Black Bisexual Heroine, Muslim Pakistani-British Hero
Overall: 4.75-stars
RTC
Another book in this series I loved! But, similar to the first book, one of the characterizations is a major pet-peeve of mine (when an MC is so obviously lying to themselves). Full review to come!
Safety Rating: Safe (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW/OM drama • Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away • Does have a (brief) separation between the Hero and Heroine (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Tragic death of family members • Depression • Anxiety • Allusion to emotional abuse from a past relationship (hide spoiler)]
Representation: Black Heroine with fibromyalgia and chronic pain
Overall: 4.75-stars
I loved how Get a Life, Chloe Brown flipped the grumpy-sunshine roRepresentation: Black Heroine with fibromyalgia and chronic pain
Overall: 4.75-stars
I loved how Get a Life, Chloe Brown flipped the grumpy-sunshine romance trope on its head; Chloe is the curmudgeon but she has a very good reason. Chloe is branching out on her own for the first time since her diagnosis; she's living alone and managing her fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Chloe's grumpy disposition was crafted from poor timing – she always came across as an asshole to the Hero because he never saw what occurred before he happened upon the scene – and attempting to deal with her chronic pain. If you're in pain 24/7, it makes sense you're no Suzy Sunshine. Chloe was so endearing, and I loved how the book was all about Chloe finding her independence and trusting herself.
The only reason Get a Life, Chloe Brown wasn't 5-stars was because of the Hero, Red's characterization. Don't get me wrong, I loved them as a couple. But, his personality is a pet-peeve of mine in romance books. It was quite obvious in his earlier POVs that he was projecting all of his issues (seemingly rude, confident women and especially wealthy women) onto Chloe. He crafted Chloe's image – that she was snobby and pretentious – that was obviously not true (from reading Chloe's POV). Red's conceptualization of Chloe went even further by his repeated 'I don't even like Chloe [as a person]' comments – ouch – and how he should bring her down to size. Any thoughts in his POV that resembled the last one really annoyed me. It also brought to mind how often in romance novels, the Heroine is paired with arrogant and righteous Hero, yet (very) rarely does she lament how she's going to make sure he knows his place ...more
Representation: Romany supporting character and Romany side character
Overall: 5-stars
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheatingRepresentation: Romany supporting character and Romany side character
Overall: 5-stars
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OM drama • Does have OW drama — the Hero has been corresponding with the Heroine for two years *except* the Hero thinks the Heroine is an OW. When he comes back from war he courts the OW thinking she’s the woman he fell in love with through the letters. He kisses the OW and basically dates her for a summer. • Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away • Does have a separation between the Heroine and Hero (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Death of a friend • Death of a brother from an illness • Gun violence • PTSD (hide spoiler)]
Representation: Fat Indian-American Heroine, Indian-American Hero and Supporting Characters, Black Gay Supporting Characters, MM Side Romance, AddressRepresentation: Fat Indian-American Heroine, Indian-American Hero and Supporting Characters, Black Gay Supporting Characters, MM Side Romance, Addresses Fatphobia
Note: the Heroine describes herself as fat; she reclaims the word to bring attention to how it is commonly inferred as a pejorative when – to her – it's another descriptor of how she looks (like her skin colour, hair and eye colour) *and* how thin as a descriptor is not (by itself) seen as an offensive remark.
Overall: 4.25-stars
I LOVED the Heroine, Sweetie. She was such an awesome character, and her character development (creating boundaries with her mother) was inspiring. Also, her thoughts about fatphobia really resonated with me. I liked how she made it clear to her thin friends how they could never really understand what she was going through, despite them also feeling like they didn't measure up to conventional beauty.
The friendships in There's Something About Sweetie were also endearing. I loved how supportive they were of each other and I really enjoyed seeing Ashish's friendships cast in a light that wasn't the stereotypical jock-bro 'we beat each other up and trash talk each other to show we care.' They said they loved each other, they talked about their feelings, and one of Ashish's best friends is also a woman (men and women can be just friends... shocker).
My only caveat was that the drama between Sweetie and the Hero, Ashish was the clichéd misunderstanding that could've been easily rectified if Ashish had been honest with Sweetie. The 'double-standards' tag is because Ashish never thought about how he'd feel if Sweetie hid something similar from him. I understand that it was part of Ashish's character development from self-centred to putting others first, but there are other ways to demonstrate his maturity... like being honest.
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OM drama • Does have OW drama – The Hero starts texting and calling his ex-girlfriend without telling the Heroine • Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away – After finding out, he met up with his ex-girlfriend. It's quickly resolved, though; he apologizes for not telling her and says he just wanted closure. • No separation (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Supporting character's mother has had breast cancer, and it might come back • The Heroine's mother consistently says fatphobic comments to her throughout the novel. (hide spoiler)]
Representations: Hero was in a wheelchair for a majority of the novel, a side character is also in a wheelchair
Overall: 2.75/5 stars
I understand why aRepresentations: Hero was in a wheelchair for a majority of the novel, a side character is also in a wheelchair
Overall: 2.75/5 stars
I understand why a lot of people would not enjoy Furious; the Hero spends the first ~20% of the novel verbally abusing *everyone* (men and women) he comes into contact with. While not condonable, after reading his perspective, I understood. He’s been in his wheelchair and dependent on the help of his in-home nurse for months before meeting the Heroine. And, he alludes to how many of those nurses took advantage of their position and went out of their way to abuse him, fully aware he couldn’t protect himself. It was sickening.
A few reviewers were annoyed how the relationship between the MCs became very similar to those seen in her Neighbor From Hell series. I liked their banter and how silly they were together, but I, too, got annoyed that the superficial jokes were prioritized over a deep connection. They never talked about his ex-fiancée or the fact that his best friend betrayed him. Also, there was never a discussion about the kids he lost in the fire that injured him.
While the romance was sweet, and I liked how the Hero wasn’t fixated on his ex-fiancée anymore, I got angry when the Hero got the Heroine fired from her job. He did it so that she wouldn’t have anywhere else to go after he refused to admit his feelings for her; he, therefore, had time to make a grand apology ...more
Representation: Heroine has a permanent tremor in her hand, which gets worse when she's stressed.
Mistletoe and Mr. Right were so freaking cute and sweRepresentation: Heroine has a permanent tremor in her hand, which gets worse when she's stressed.
Mistletoe and Mr. Right were so freaking cute and sweet! I felt so bad for the Heroine–not only is the whole town against her (for bringing business to their small-AF-town), but she's under constant pressure to perform for her family. I get that many small-towns don't want their economy to be turned into a tourist haven with a proliferation of big box stores. However, I got really annoyed that all these independent businesses didn't recognize that none of them would be able to stay open with no tourists since there would be no reason for people to go to the town! Locals weren't supplementing the businesses. And, the townies were straight-up rude. Even the Heroine's "friends" treated her like crap. I honestly don't get why she was so hung up on this place when it was even less welcoming than her family (who she was basically running away from). The locals (and her friends) came across as self-righteous rather than smart or clever.
However, I loved the Hero and how sweet he was with the Heroine. He was the nice guy who is actually *so* nice, respectful, and kind. I loved how he and the Heroine are opposites in where they come from in life (him, a small-town, her, a globe-trotting, billionaire heiress) but were so supportive of each other. Also, their dating extravaganza was freaking hilarious! Finally, I loved that the Heroine was so open to discussing the Hero's ex-wife; she really wanted to know and understand him, and she recognized his marriage was a huge part of his past.
Finally, I LOVED that the Heroine priorities and clarifies to the Hero that she will never leave her family's business. She's loyal to her family and so good at her job. For how sweet and optimistic the Heroine could be, she also had a kickass and taking names business persona.
Safety Rating: Safe (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW/OM drama – The Hero has an ex-wife; there is *no* drama, but they talk about his marriage and why it dissolved. • Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away • No separation (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Heroine's cousin is in a car accident. He might be paralyzed and was touch-and-go. • Heroine is continually snubbed by the small-town (rudely) • Side character is sexually harrassed (hide spoiler)]
Representation: Fat Heroine, Asian Jewish Supporting Character, Black Supporting Character, Asexual Supporting Character, Lesbian Side Character, AsiaRepresentation: Fat Heroine, Asian Jewish Supporting Character, Black Supporting Character, Asexual Supporting Character, Lesbian Side Character, Asian Gender Expansive Side Character, Asian Side Character
tl;dr: A bachelorette-style romance that delves into the pervasive fatphobia in the US while serving a dramatic yet sweet romance, that falters a bit with its distant narrative and rushed ending.
Safety Rating: Safe with Exception (view spoiler)[ • No cheating – The Heroine is dating multiple men at once, so it's kinda an open relationship to start with. All the love interests know this and agreed to it as part of the show, but it doesn't mean there's no jealousy. • No OW drama • Does have OM drama – While the guys knew the Heroine would be dating all of them at the same time, once feelings are involved, some don't appreciate this set-up. • Does have the Heroine pushing the guys away and a few push her away too • Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ • Infidelity – Heroine sleeps with her unrequited love while he's engaged to OW – One of the love interests was cheated on in a past relationship • Fatphobic hate speech (including death and r@pe threats) (hide spoiler)]
No strong representations of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 3.25/5 stars
A Princess for Christmas was cute and sweet. I liked the oNo strong representations of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 3.25/5 stars
A Princess for Christmas was cute and sweet. I liked the opposites attract romance. But the Hero got on my nerves quite a bit. He never looked at anything from the Heroine's perspective. And, his overall vibe came across as the kind of guy who couldn't have his girlfriend/partner/wife make more money than him. He reeked male fragility. So, that part wasn't cute. (Also, the fact that he called the Heroine prissy repeatedly–and other such synonyms–and went on about her ugly nail polish colour–they were beige, I think–just felt like he had to find a way to bring her down to get over himself. Why can't a Heroine be powerful and successful without a love interest attempting to diminish her accomplishments? You don't see the Heroine who's dating a billionaire Hero going on about how prissy he is!)
It was funny how the Hero kept making quips about how the plot–him meeting a princess over Christmas–was very Hallmark-esque.
Finally, because the Heroine's second language is English (and because she's royalty), the chapters in her perspective are quite formal, which fits her character. However, I noticed how the novel is written created a barrier between the reader and the world. To illustrate, the Hero's eleven-year-old sister says, "extreme and utter mortification." The Hero does think about how he never used words like that when he was eleven but he too uses words that came across as more sophisticated which diverted my focus from the story itself to how it was being told. It's like an author using the word masticated instead of chewed.
Safety Rating: Safe (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW drama – The Hero's second cousin-in-law, through marriage, helps him with his sister. She's his best friend. • Does have OM drama – The Heroine's father wants her to marry a Duke in her kingdom–he's her best friend. But, neither wants the marriage. • Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing each other away • No separation (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Hero's two parents died in a car accident around Christmas • Heroine's mother died around Christmas from breast cancer • Heroine's father is emotionally neglectful (he's an ass) (hide spoiler)]
No strong representations of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 2/5
I read Marked by Power for the first time as a teenager years agoNo strong representations of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 2/5
I read Marked by Power for the first time as a teenager years ago and loved it. However, rereading the book, I’m let down by how much the plot relies on the “not like other girls” trope. And, it’s not just the Heroine, Kenzie constantly telling her love interests she’s not like other girls... it’s the Heroes too, ruminating that Kenzie is the *only* girl to not fall at their feet ...more
Representation: Indian-American Heroine and Hero, Bisexual supporting character
Overall: 4/5 stars
All the 2-star and 1-star reviews set my expectationsRepresentation: Indian-American Heroine and Hero, Bisexual supporting character
Overall: 4/5 stars
All the 2-star and 1-star reviews set my expectations so low that I found When Dimple Met Rishi such a fun, cute and sweet book. It was a delight to read, and I, honest to God, laughed so hard I was crying during Dimple and Rishi’s dancing scenes (they plan to dance in their talent show).
I can see why Dimple’s characterization would put many readers off. In fact, if I were in quite a different mood reading this novel, I too would’ve found Dimple unbearable. It really helps to put Dimple’s personality into context. She’s an 18-year-old girl who’s on the precipice of what feels like the start of the rest of her life; I remember college feeling like it was the end-all-be-all... if you messed up, you’d possibly ruin any opportunity to get the career you wanted.
It’s also important to note that Dimple’s parents support the idea of arranged marriages. And, while her mother might not believe Dimple’s only worth is through her looks or ability to get a boyfriend, that’s all Dimple hears when her mother refuses to talk about Dimple’s love of programming. Dimple’s tendency to lash out and take conversations to the extreme are a by-product of feeling not heard for the entirety of her life. Even when she *finally* feels like her parents are respecting her wishes and taking an interest in her passion, *surprise* it was actually a set-up to meet a potential future husband! That scene was heartbreaking. The disappointment and dejection were so sad. True, Rishi didn’t deserve for Dimple to take it out on him – she admits that – but (I know people will roll their eyes) teenagers aren’t exactly the type to calmly discusses things or even realize how to have a productive conversation. There were so many times when Dimple would go on feminist rants (which I loved to see), but I wanted her to realize that she had to start using language her parents could understand. Communication is vital when you’re fighting against the patriarchy!
Dimple's feminism was on-point but also demonstrative of many just-awakened feminists. You realize how horrible history is and how racism, sexism and misogyny are still rampant in the 21st-century. It’s disheartening to realize how historically male spaces are still majority male. Dimple demonstrates this by saying her (STEM) class at Insomnia Con is 98% male. Dimple’s dream is to take the programming world by storm, fully recognizing that it’s an industry not welcoming to women. As a result, I can understand why she becomes so extreme in her rejection of traditions grounded in women's objectification (arranged marriages, makeup, etc.). However, I would’ve liked to see Dimple’s marriage discussions with Rishi be a bit more clear. Instead of ranting about the patriarchy, I think because Rishi reveres his family traditions of marriage, it would be worth having a conversation about the realities of what marriage feels like to Dimple. For example, a professional woman who has built up her career on HER last name can feel frustrated by the societal norm of taking the husband's last name. Historically it’s the “done” thing... but if you unpack history, you realize a woman takes her husband's last name to signify ownership. So, it really has nothing to do with the love that marriage is supposed to signify. Marriage in the 21st-century is quickly becoming a tradition that people can make their own as long as they communicate with their partner.
I read When Dimple Met Rishi quite late at night, so I admit the little details have escaped me, but I’m really frustrated with how Dimple is being characterized as a controlling abuser and ‘not like other girls’ Heroine. Dimple and Rishi’s first meeting didn’t go well; Rishi went up to her – didn’t even introduce himself – and said, “Hello, future wife.” Dimple’s narrative literally screams Stranger Danger. Legally speaking, throwing any drink (even water) at someone is assault *but* if a random stranger went up to me and made a comment like that, who knows what my reaction would be (anywhere from 'fight, flight or freeze'). Many readers tend to forget how being a woman in a big city is not rainbows and unicorns when it comes to catcalling and other such behaviour. No, I don’t think throwing your drink at someone is a good idea (who knows how they’ll react), but I can’t really judge her instinct reaction.
Dimple punching Rishi after a witty comeback or friendly joke at her expense has been twisted into abuse. From what I read, her punches seem like those ‘atta boy’ punch to the shoulders. Of course, if Rishi asked her to stop, she should stop. If he’s uncomfortable with it, ask Dimple to stop. But, from what I read, Rishi just wasn’t used to that teasing response and soon welcomed her kind of banter.
Dimple has also been accused of being controlling, which she 100% is. But, she wasn’t controlling Rishi, just their project. And before people say it was Rishi’s project too, I’d like everyone to remember that the only reason he went to Insomnia Con was to meet Dimple. Winning Insomnia Con and meeting her programming Idol were Dimple’s dreams; therefore, Rishi supported her app idea as well as her talent show plan. Rishi knew winning meant everything to Dimple, so he allowed her to captain the ship, so to speak.
Their prep for their talent show dance was so freaking hilarious. I might’ve been sleep deprived, but the imagery of Rishi’s noticeably terrible dancing was tear-inducing. I’d also like to comment that the talent show is relevant to the Insomnia Con competition; the winner gets $1000 to produce their app before the final competition. I also thought the talent show did a good job of demonstrating how STEM students have other interests than just their academic subjects; they have hobbies and can also be artistic (even if that manifests in coding).
There was absolutely no literal “I’m not like other girls” used. But, reviewers have pointed out how some things Dimple says can across like that cliché. However, an instance quoted in those reviews could also be interpreted as: she was attempting to challenge how that person defines how a woman should behave and look. For example, Dimple’s “punches” are traditionally behaviour exhibited by men/boys as they “pal around” (read: goofing off and shoving each other). Yet, Dimple’s punches get turned into abuse. Another review I read made a very insightful comment about the reaction to Dimple’s characterization: while the review didn’t like Dimple, she thought it was interesting that Dimple’s personality (bottled anger, sometimes cold and reserved) was a stereotype of championed Heroes (see Will Herondale). Therefore, the readers’ reactions indicate a gender bias in such personality traits; it's revered in Heroes and villainized in Heroines.
I’d also like to bring attention that not all women get along, and a big issue with feminism nowadays is that solidarity with women takes precedence over constructive criticism. I’m not talking about someone saying wearing makeup is wrong or wearing too short a skirt. I’m talking about women who feed into the patriarchy by making fun of a girl because she’s not conventionally (read thin, white, cis-gendered) beautiful. I’m talking about women who are bystanders to their male friends making sexist and misogynistic comments about other women right in front of them and saying nothing. While it’s not easing standing up to bullies, there *is* a reason why elementary kids are taught being a bystander is just as bad as a bully: silence is violence and comes across as acceptance and condonation. Dimple’s friendship with her roommate, Celia, is a significant focus of When Dimple Met Rishi. Their relationship is also healthy! There is no competition over boys, and when they disagree, they still work at their friendship. For example, Dimple doesn’t want to be friends with Celia’s friends (the Other Rich Kids), but she does say she wants to stay friends with Celia. What a unique-to-YA scene and mature response: you don’t have to be best friends with all of your friend’s friends! A big part of their friendship's evolution is Celia slowly realizing how the Other Rich Kids (especially the cliché Queen Bee) aren't looking out for her and are actually trying to make her rationalize their sexist behaviour.
Dimple's one transgression that made no sense to me was Dimple saying Hari’s name is not pronounced Harry when Hari says it is. Even if that’s not how you pronounce it, it’s his name.
One of my pet-peeves is when the main characters hate rich kids only because they’re rich. It’s superficial and frankly an unimaginative grey-side to an author’s otherwise nice-girl/guy character. However, I thought Dimple’s reaction to rich kids was more nuanced than other reviews have mentioned.
I was shocked to discover that Rishi is perhaps the Rich Kid to end all Rich Kids (his dad’s a CEO of a computer technology company and has a basketball court and tennis court at his house, ahem, compound). So, the fact that Dimple can have a healthy relationship with someone who comes from money is demonstrated multiple times throughout the novel; they even start a teasing banter about it (Rishi’s 18-years-old and drives a BMW, for example).
Dimple’s recalcitrance towards the Other Rich Kids and Sorority Types is primarily is because the boys made some pretty gross and hurtful comments about her face and body. I’m honestly shocked that not many reviewers put this into context. Also, I can understand when someone has been bullied, and they recognize a certain type of person tends to do the bullying (straight, rich male or thin, rich girl, etc.) there’s a reluctance to be friendly and vulnerable to people who look similar to those who have hurt you in the past. I’m shocked that the conversation where everyone is going on about Rishi and Dimple being assholes was actually a conversation where the Other Rich Kids were flagrantly classicist and racist. Does Rishi being a jerk back make it better? No, but it’s understandable.
Dimple is quite aware that her parents are middle class and that her time at Insomnia Con was not made without considering what things the family would be foregoing the opportunity to purchase. Being so aware of her parents' income relative to her expenses means that she’s quite contentious about her budget and, as a result, sees anything in excess (the Gucci "timepieces," hahaha) as ridiculous. I thought the dinner scene with her friend, Rishi and the Other Rich Kids, demonstrated how hard it could be when the people you hang out with have more money and are inconsiderate of how other people cannot afford the same things. Yes, they’re teenagers, but part of growing up and being a friend is recognizing that not all people want to or even can spend the same amount of money on stuff.
Dimple’s interactions with the Other Rich Kids leads into another critique that I’ve seen a lot: Dimple’s characterization vacillating between Shy Introvert to Loud and Angry Introvert (note that Introvert/Extrovert defines how you “re-charge” your energy; do you feel more energized around people or alone?). However, I found that Dimple’s outspokenness with her family and Rishi demonstrated her comfort with them, whereas her sudden shyness around the Other Rich Kids characterized her insecurities.
I thought the ending was quite clever: (view spoiler)[Dimple and Rishi don’t win the competition. Instead, the Other Rich Kids do because Hari’s father donated a new computer science wing to the university. It’s a demonstration of how classism is still prevalent in our education and how, unfortunately, it requires a woman entering a predominately male space to be aware of how certain privileges will supplement talent. It’s a harsh lesson for an 18-year-old girl to learn, but I thought it was clever as it challenges the reader to really think about the realities of career-based competition from university and beyond. For example, historically, a man gets an executive promotion over a woman because the man wouldn’t be staying at home with his kids after a new birth (nowadays paternity leave is on the rise, thankfully, but situations like this aren’t exclusive to new parents). (hide spoiler)]
The reason When Dimple Met Rishi isn’t a 5-star read for me was that Dimple’s feminism was at the stage where anything that remotely looked similar to what patriarchal society thought her life should look like (eventually married with kids) met extreme rejection and fear. Dimple hadn’t yet realized that being true to herself and prioritizing HER desires is the ultimate one-two punch in the face of the patriarchy.
Feminism needs to educate everyone that they can like pink and be a feminist, wear short-AF dresses and be a feminist, wear tons of makeup, be a feminist, be a stay-at-home mom and be a feminist! Feminism understands that it is misogyny and sexism that made each of those things (pink, dresses, makeup, stay-at-home parent) inherently feminine.
It made sense with Dimple’s characterization that she reacted in such a dramatic way once she realized her romantic relationship was everything she thought she didn’t want. It was a predictable YA Romance moment. But, I felt that she went too far when breaking up with Rishi – she was mean. I get that it was from a place of fear, but I would’ve liked to see Dimple seriously think about why her reaction to fear, anger and frustration is to lash-out.
Overall, I seriously enjoyed When Dimple Met Rishi. I didn’t mean for my review to be so long or to deconstruct so much of Dimple’s personality and characterization. But, after reading so many 1- and 2-star reviews, I felt I had to give my opinion on why I enjoyed the novel despite those critiques. Finally, I LOVED Rishi. He was such a cinnamon roll (read: sweet, kind and supportive). The first non-date that he planned for Dimple (he took her to a restaurant called Two Sisters Bar and Books) was so freaking romantic, and it was a restaurant *filled* with books! Never mind, Rishi also gifted Dimple a 2009 edition of A Wrinkle in Time... which happens to be the book Dimple was reading when they met for the first time at a shared family friend’s wedding (and 2009 was the year they met). So romantic!
I’ll admit the plot was 100% a ROMANCE, with the programming taking a complete back seat. It’s perfect if you like YA Romance.
Safety Rating: Safe (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW/OM drama • Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away • Does have a (brief) separation (hide spoiler)]
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OM drama • Does have OW draRepresentation: F/F side couple
Overall: 3.75/5 stars
RTC
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OM drama • Does have OW drama – The Hero's wife–who he's in the middle of divorcing–attempts to get him back. • Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away • Does have a (brief) separation (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: (view spoiler)[ • Cancer • Death of a parent • Discovering parental infidelity • Mentions of cult suicide, alcoholism, parental abuse (hide spoiler)]
No strong representations of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 3.75/5 stars
Pretty Painful is a pretty dark book, but it's not a bullNo strong representations of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 3.75/5 stars
Pretty Painful is a pretty dark book, but it's not a bully romance. While I enjoyed the book, I did agree with other reviewers that the Heroine was a bit too accepting of her situation... and after being abducted, tortured and discovering monsters are real... no one would hook up with a stranger.
However, discovering that she was acting on her paranormal "instincts" helped rationalize it away. In paranormal worlds and when magic is involved, I find that unrealistic behaviour doesn't bug me as much, hence the higher rating.
Also, I didn't realize until I read the synopsis of the next book in the series, Pretty Bloody, but this series is not reverse harem. Each book is about one of the seven brothers, gods of old, finding their mate and trying to solve who's attempting to kill them (and for what nefarious purposes). So, realizing my assumption was incorrect kind of threw me off the series. I might continue it, just not right now.
However, if you are looking for a dark reverse harem paranormal romance similar to this series, check out K.A. Knight's Rage!
Representation: Taiwanese-American Heroine, Hero and Supporting Characters
Overall: 3.5-stars
I struggled with how to rate Rent a Boyfriend because I thRepresentation: Taiwanese-American Heroine, Hero and Supporting Characters
Overall: 3.5-stars
I struggled with how to rate Rent a Boyfriend because I think Gloria did an excellent job navigating the really difficult dilemma the Heroine, Chloe (also known as Jing-Jing) was in. However, as a romance, I didn't really get why out of all the girls the Hero, Drew, was a fake boyfriend for, Chloe was The One. But, besides that snag, their relationship felt both cute and realistic. I liked how Gloria didn't shy away from the hard truths and assumptions most people hold (that college is the key to success, for example). The way Chloe reacted to Drew having dropped out to focus on his art was realistic and that people can give each other a little grace to get over their biases/assumptions.
Despite how cute the romance was, for most of the book I really was more focused on Chloe and hoping she found a way to live the life she wanted – which included her dreams and a relationship with her parents. I think Gloria did a great job illustrating how that can be possible but it requires a lot of effort and forgiveness on all sides. Rent a Boyfriend excellently demonstrated how important perspective is; in a critical moment to assert her autonomy over her life and future, Chloe makes a rash decision that has consequences on her parents' standing in their community. During the scene, I was breathing in relief that Chloe finally stood up for herself but a discussion with her mother showed how her emphasis on Chloe's purity was not only rooted in sexist values... in Chloe's mother's mind, she was protecting her daughter's future.
Overall, Rent a Boyfriend was cute but certainly more emotional and angsty than expected.
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions (view spoiler)[ • No cheating • No OW drama – But, the Hero does continue his fake boyfriend job, which the Heroine knows about. • Does have OM drama – Heroine's parents are trying to set her up with the extremely sexist only son of their elitist friends. • Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away • Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ • Parental abandonment (Hero was kicked out of his house ~18-years-old) • Really difficult relationship with parents • Strong themes of sexism, including slut-shaming • Fatphobia • Classism – Educational prejudice • Brief mentions of homophobia and racism • Cancer (hide spoiler)]
Sarah Anne
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Books:
l-kindle
(1932)
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