Rating: ★★★
I read this book as a buddy read so it took me a little longer than usual to finish this since I was going at the other person’s pace. I originally wasn’t planning on writing a review, but I ended up having a lot of thoughts on this book.
I really wanted to love this book, but I didn’t. For some reason, it just never resonated with me.
The whole book was pretty unbelievable. I’ve read a ton of romances so I know that they often err on that side, but this was a little too much for me. I don’t want to get spoilery so I’ll just say that my main issue was how everything wrapped up way too perfectly at the end. Every loose end was tied up.
I also felt that for a leading lady, I never truly got to know Stella. One topic of debate online in regards to the book is what ethnicity Stella is (I personally got the vibe that she was Asian). I think that just goes to show that she was not as developed as she could have been. I wish I knew more about her. Like what was her childhood/upbringing like? We learned a lot about Michael and his family life, but we only skimmed the surface of Stella’s.
As for the positives, the book is a cute love story. I adored Michael. I thought he was a great love interest and I loved that he was a fashion designer (way to break stereotypes!) I also loved that it took place in the Bay Area (where I am from).
Overall, this didn’t live up to the hype for me. It’s a sweet and (sometimes steamy) romance, but it is not my favorite.
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Odd and Bookish 