There are so many elements in this book that I really feel as if I need to break it up into two different parts. I picked this book up fully thinking it was a romcom, and obviously, it is. It is also a look into mental health and the ways that we can help people who may be struggling in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. When these two elements were put together, it made for a romance that really took the relationship to the next level.
The Romcom itself was adorable, it had a perfect mix of enemies to lovers and brothers best friend trope that had me swooning from the minute Indira and Jude started bickering. I loved watching their relationship develop and seeing them look back on their shared memories with new meaning. It was funny to watch as their banter went back and forth, but also as they teamed up to also give Colin, Indira’s brother and Jude’s best friend, a hard time as well. My only real problem with their relationship is that the switch from enemies to lovers seemed to happen really quickly. I didn’t feel as invested in the switch as I would have hoped.
So much of the story also revolved around mental health and it was beautiful to see the love and support that Jude and Indira gave to one another as they struggled with some really hard to deal with topics. Jude struggled with PTSD after working as a doctor in places around the world suffering from humanitarian crises. While I cannot comment on the realistic nature of the description of his PTSD because I have no experience with the topic, I can say that Indira’s support as he came to terms with his mental health was beautiful. I really appreciated that there was no misunderstanding or unnecessary breakup, there was only love and support as they started their relationship. Indira faced her own struggles with a father who left her family and Jude was supported Indira through the complicated emotions that came with her family and her brother’s wedding. There is so much more to this element of the book, but commenting upon it feels like taking away from the experience of reading it.
There are many situations and topics that someone could find difficult, please make sure to check trigger warnings!
⅘ stars
3.5/5 spice
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions
The Novel Llama 