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Cambric Creek #5
He Loves Me Not
Rival florists. Spite bouquets. A Monster Romance enemies-to-lovers YOU'VE GOT MAIL in the Discord age
— this flower shop has everything.
Sumi is on top of the world.
Well, as on top as one can be after learning a relative one never met has died, leaving one a small fortune.
Deciding the unexpected windfall is a sign she needs to follow her dreams, quitting her job, moving to aspirational Cambric Creek and opening a flower shop is the obvious move. Definitely not just a midlife crisis. Applying for franchise ownership with a giant flower conglomerate seems like a piece of cake — they provide the equipment, the distribution contracts, and all she needs to do is front the money and live happily ever after.
There’s only one catch . . . she didn’t realize chasing after her dream might cause someone else to lose hold of their own.
Ranar never wanted to inherit the family business.
There’s an enormous pressure to keep his family business going — started by his grandfather, passed to his father, and now to him. Pressure as a non-human business, pressure as the grandson of an immigrant, pressure as the eldest son . . . but as it is, brick and mortar flower shops are a notion of a bygone era in this digital world.
When Bloomerang, an online flower conglomerate, opens one of their soulless flower factories in Cambric Creek, Ranar knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s forced to close the door on his family’s business for good. It doesn’t matter how pretty the sylvan owner is or how friendly she seems — she represents everything wrong in the industry, in his world. She’s bound to put him out of business eventually . . . but he can make her regret it first.
Sumi is positive there is room for two flower shops in Cambric Creek, if only the owner of The Perfect Petal wasn’t such a rude, condescending, infuriatingly handsome jerk. Despite being non-human herself, Cambric Creek is a learning curve she wasn’t anticipating, and she knows she has a lot to learn about multi-species living — starting with the conundrum of her naga rival’s junk, because where is it? She’d love to discover the mechanics, if only he wasn’t so terrible.
When she joins an online server for local business owners, discovering The Perfect Petal’s owner is chatting there as well, she decides it’s the perfect opportunity to discover his weaknesses and take him down . . . if she doesn’t wind up falling for him first.
He Loves Me Not is a high heat standalone monster romance in the Cambric Creek universe. One does not need prior knowledge of the world to enjoy.
— this flower shop has everything.
Sumi is on top of the world.
Well, as on top as one can be after learning a relative one never met has died, leaving one a small fortune.
Deciding the unexpected windfall is a sign she needs to follow her dreams, quitting her job, moving to aspirational Cambric Creek and opening a flower shop is the obvious move. Definitely not just a midlife crisis. Applying for franchise ownership with a giant flower conglomerate seems like a piece of cake — they provide the equipment, the distribution contracts, and all she needs to do is front the money and live happily ever after.
There’s only one catch . . . she didn’t realize chasing after her dream might cause someone else to lose hold of their own.
Ranar never wanted to inherit the family business.
There’s an enormous pressure to keep his family business going — started by his grandfather, passed to his father, and now to him. Pressure as a non-human business, pressure as the grandson of an immigrant, pressure as the eldest son . . . but as it is, brick and mortar flower shops are a notion of a bygone era in this digital world.
When Bloomerang, an online flower conglomerate, opens one of their soulless flower factories in Cambric Creek, Ranar knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s forced to close the door on his family’s business for good. It doesn’t matter how pretty the sylvan owner is or how friendly she seems — she represents everything wrong in the industry, in his world. She’s bound to put him out of business eventually . . . but he can make her regret it first.
Sumi is positive there is room for two flower shops in Cambric Creek, if only the owner of The Perfect Petal wasn’t such a rude, condescending, infuriatingly handsome jerk. Despite being non-human herself, Cambric Creek is a learning curve she wasn’t anticipating, and she knows she has a lot to learn about multi-species living — starting with the conundrum of her naga rival’s junk, because where is it? She’d love to discover the mechanics, if only he wasn’t so terrible.
When she joins an online server for local business owners, discovering The Perfect Petal’s owner is chatting there as well, she decides it’s the perfect opportunity to discover his weaknesses and take him down . . . if she doesn’t wind up falling for him first.
He Loves Me Not is a high heat standalone monster romance in the Cambric Creek universe. One does not need prior knowledge of the world to enjoy.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 24, 2025
471 people are currently reading
3507 people want to read
About the author
C.M. Nascosta
28 books4,580 followersC.M. Nascosta is an author and professional procrastinator from Cleveland, Ohio. As a child, she thought that living on Lake Erie meant one was eerie by nature, and her corresponding love of all things strange and unusual started young. She’s always preferred beasts to boys, the macabre to the milquetoast, the unknown darkness in the shadows to the Chad next door. She lives in a crumbling old Victorian with a scaredy-cat dachshund, where she writes nontraditional romances featuring beastly boys with equal parts heart and heat, and is waiting for the Hallmark Channel to get with the program and start a paranormal lovers series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
February 1, 2025
Talk about wasted potential with that gorgeous cover! This romance flopped in so many ways. I never thought I'd say that about a C.M. Nascosta book but this needed so much more revision and help. Typo after typo and don't even get me started on the pacing... like that was one of the most rushed endings I've ever read! Beyond the clashing grammar and plot, the romance and steam was boring and almost apathetic, the chemistry and supposed banter felt so forced and drawn out. If you've read and enjoyed the previous books, I would save yourself the trouble of reading this one; the whole thing put a bitter note on the series for me. I am so disappointed.
August 18, 2025
“I love him. And now I want to be there for him. He’s been my rock & I want to repay that in kind for him, now that he so desperately needs someone to care for him. I couldn’t have done any of this without him.”
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️,5
I will never not have the time of my life with every monster smut book I read. They are basically anti-anxiety medication for me. No sense, just dopamine. This book was so much fun and easy to read, especially since I’ve been so busy and anxious with life, and slowly falling into a reading slump.
What I loved most about it was the middle-aged protagonists, Sumi and Ranar. I don’t think I’ve ever read (or even found) a book with main characters older than 30ish, so this was a delightful little surprise. Besides, Sumi and Ranar were adorable characters, I loved their rivals-to-lovers situation and their You’ve Got Mail vibes. She was half Sylvan, although she didn’t look it, he was a Naga, and he definitely looked it. They had good chemistry and really nice tension between them. Also, Ranar was an absolute dummy when it came to relationships, which was pretty hilarious.
That being said, as with every monster smut book, the cringe was high, the plot was low (though not as low as I would’ve expected), but I had fun anyway. There were even some fun cameos from other Cambric Creek characters that had me all happy and excited. The only things that bothered me a bit were: the fact that there was not enough smut for its genre (it was like a normal amount which is unacceptable to me, it’s called monster smut for a reason); and I hated the fact that Sumi referred to Ranar’s 🍆little nagas🍆 as ‘brothers’. No. That was too much! A little too cringe for my taste for sure.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️,5
I will never not have the time of my life with every monster smut book I read. They are basically anti-anxiety medication for me. No sense, just dopamine. This book was so much fun and easy to read, especially since I’ve been so busy and anxious with life, and slowly falling into a reading slump.
What I loved most about it was the middle-aged protagonists, Sumi and Ranar. I don’t think I’ve ever read (or even found) a book with main characters older than 30ish, so this was a delightful little surprise. Besides, Sumi and Ranar were adorable characters, I loved their rivals-to-lovers situation and their You’ve Got Mail vibes. She was half Sylvan, although she didn’t look it, he was a Naga, and he definitely looked it. They had good chemistry and really nice tension between them. Also, Ranar was an absolute dummy when it came to relationships, which was pretty hilarious.
That being said, as with every monster smut book, the cringe was high, the plot was low (though not as low as I would’ve expected), but I had fun anyway. There were even some fun cameos from other Cambric Creek characters that had me all happy and excited. The only things that bothered me a bit were: the fact that there was not enough smut for its genre (it was like a normal amount which is unacceptable to me, it’s called monster smut for a reason); and I hated the fact that Sumi referred to Ranar’s 🍆little nagas🍆 as ‘brothers’. No. That was too much! A little too cringe for my taste for sure.
January 31, 2025
This felt flat and kind of boring with not much happening. The movie, You’ve got Mail is clearly the premise. Competing flower shops instead of booksellers. Lots and lots of typos and other writing issues. Pacing was off. Fmc was unrelatable. Reads unfinished with a rushed ending.
I remember reading a book from another USA Today best selling author named Shyla Colt which was also called “He loves me not” the flower shop.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/he-l...
I thought that maybe this was the same book again only rewritten. I think this might have been a combination of the two of these.
I remember reading a book from another USA Today best selling author named Shyla Colt which was also called “He loves me not” the flower shop.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/he-l...
I thought that maybe this was the same book again only rewritten. I think this might have been a combination of the two of these.
January 27, 2025
80% of this was miscommunication and unreconcilable moral differences on the subject of capitalism
February 4, 2025
Sumi was straight up…evil? And the book was riddled with typos and grammatical mistakes, the pacing was atrocious, and the plot was nigh incomprehensible. Girl, why WOULD he forgive you for putting his family business, that has been a pillar of the community for THREE generations, out of business? Oh yeah, and his dad has dementia and his routine involves working at the flower shop that YOU ARE LITERALLY STEALING ALL THE BUSINESS FROM??? Oh but she’s sorry and also she does crazy shit with her mou—NO. SHE LITERALLY ONLY CARES THAT HER FRANCHISE IS DESTROYING HIS LIFE BC IT GETS IN THE WAY OF HER GETTING DICKED DOWN. Am I supposed to feel bad for this bitch??? “Oh my mommy died when I was two so I need to open this flower shop and also I’ve never worked a retail job before in my entire life but it’ll be easy bc it doesn’t require a degree, unlike teaching! also I wish all my students would kill themselves” THIS DUDE IS LOSING HIS FATHER RIGHT BEFORE HIS VERY EYES AND YOU ARE MAKING IT W O R S E??? WHY ARE YOU CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT YOUR NEGATIVE RIZZ? WHY ARE YOU CALLING THIS ENTIRE SITUATION RACKET OHIO??? IS THIS MAN SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY THAT YOURE DESTROYING HIS SMALL BUSINESS BC YOU LET HIM DP????
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2025
..... where's the epilogue please? Can I have a proper ending???
January 26, 2025
i loooove this series, so i was very bummed that this book didn’t work for me. on a technical level, there were more than a few typos. there is a lot of DMing and the structure of that didn’t really work visually on either my kindle or my phone because the lines were so awkwardly placed. they also used emojis that were not visible on my kindle so i mostly just guessed what they were. occasionally i would check on my phone because they showed in the kindle app, but that was more work that i wanted to put in. i also didn’t love the use of modern slang at first, but it definitely grew on me over the course of the book.
i tried to persevere because i do adore this series, but this one really didn’t hit for me. hoping the next one that comes out is more my cup of tea.
i tried to persevere because i do adore this series, but this one really didn’t hit for me. hoping the next one that comes out is more my cup of tea.
September 11, 2025
I don't understand how this lives in the same series as Morning Glory Milking Farm.
Ending? No, thank you. FMC? Hard pass. I just kept thinking, "if it was a man with this behaviour, we would all be raging". I love a good gender flip of roles and expectations, but if a man knew what she knew and kept that secret that long, we would collectively be booing him for manipulation and secret keeping.
And there are enough big-box store corporations in real life, I don't need them in my romance books. Unless they are being crushed under the collective foot of the community.
Ending? No, thank you. FMC? Hard pass. I just kept thinking, "if it was a man with this behaviour, we would all be raging". I love a good gender flip of roles and expectations, but if a man knew what she knew and kept that secret that long, we would collectively be booing him for manipulation and secret keeping.
And there are enough big-box store corporations in real life, I don't need them in my romance books. Unless they are being crushed under the collective foot of the community.
January 26, 2025
I’ve only read three other books by C. M. Nascosta, and I loved them all. Truly devoured them in a days time. As much as I liked this story, there were some spelling errors and whole words that seemed to be missing. You’re able to fill in the gap yourself based on context, but after spotting the third mistake it was tough to finish the book.
But! I loved this story and the plot, the main female character takes the lead on this one, and is the more dominant one in the relationship which is usually not the case. It was a fun read, but also I’m not a fan of the end scene or how Sumi almost tricks Ranar instead of just telling him the truth. Overall, a good work, but don’t read this as your first C. M. Nascosta work.
But! I loved this story and the plot, the main female character takes the lead on this one, and is the more dominant one in the relationship which is usually not the case. It was a fun read, but also I’m not a fan of the end scene or how Sumi almost tricks Ranar instead of just telling him the truth. Overall, a good work, but don’t read this as your first C. M. Nascosta work.
August 19, 2025
This is zero stars. This was so bad for so many reasons and I have read the rest of the Cambric Creek series so this isn't about ~that~ part of it. This shouldn't be labeled human x monster romance but rather human x corporate capitalistic greed romance. Sumi is sooooo selfish that it is almost comical. She talks about how her ex boyfriend only talked about him self, homegirl needs to take a long look in the mirror because the whole time she is realizing that she is putting this man that she supposedly cares about, instead of listening to him, she just ignores him and goes "but this is my dream. GIRL be so fucking for real. Do you know that slang? Or is that slang too gen Z for you. BFFR sister. So let me get this straight. She is selfish, decides to run a small business out of town because she had a dream of running a flower shop. Girl. Get a damn grip. "Am i the problem" YES YES YOU ARE. AND THEN she continues to manipulate and lie to him and has the gall to be upset that he's upset ??? girl. you are 40 fucking years old are you actually kidding me. I've hated a lot of characters in my life, but never have i hated someone this badly.
March 30, 2025
Sumi is inheriting a small fortune from a relative that she had never met and suddenly a "do over" is possible despite spending years (and several thousands of dollar) into getting degrees in education and teaching at a middle school. Finally, she can quit the job she hates, leave the boyfriend she doesn't love, and open her dream: a flower boutique. There's only one issue: her dream comes at the cost of someone else. Ranar is the grandchild of immigrants who opened the flower shop in Cambric Creek decades ago. As the oldest child, he is also the one who is the business owner nowadays as his grandfather is dead and his father is struggling with dementia. Despite not even wanting the shop, he still clings to it despite Sumi's new shop although he knows that she will put him out of business soon. Until then: he can make her regret opening it first. Even if he hates it. Even if she's utterly beautiful.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
What I thought I would getting: a spicy monster romance that would act as a palate cleanser.
What I got: ~200 pages on how awful it is to be a teacher in the USA, on how horrible capitalism is, on how horrible big corporations are (and how they are the end of local businesses), on the struggle of not being in touch with your own heritage, tons of Gen Alpha slang, on family expectations as the child of immigrants, and a touch of racism covered by "hihi I was raised white and human, so of course I'm going to ask insensitive questions". 70% of those pages are inner monologue.
The romance is a modern and digital version of You've Got Mail with the universe's version of Discord instead of mails, and two flower shops instead of book shops. Sumi is utterly horny for her online friend (because of a hand and a lower arm) and is in a constant state of "fuck" after meeting Ranar. They don't have any chemistry. They aren't cute together. At best, it's instant lust and a case of "we need to fuck it out of our systems" but certainly not the kind of love that would end in a HEA. Most of their romance (online and offline) is based on miscommunication and if they would just actually talk with each other, they might have avoided the entire issue.
Both characters are ehh but I have extreme beef with Sumi. She's straight up evil, imo. Opening a rival shop in his area is already bad enough but she still went on with it after learning how Bloomerang (the big corp) is making their money. And then she acts as if it's his fault that he's annoyed with her as direct competition. She only starts to care about the issue of her shop putting him out of business when it becomes an issue of not getting fucked. That's it. Her character was ok in the beginning but she had a total personality shift soon afterwards. While she whined about Bloomerang's business model (as she wanted a cute, community-based flower shop instead of a sweat shop), she never did something about it despite having the money to buy her out of the initial costs (Bloomerang renovates at their cost and the franchise owner has to pay them back). Tbh: I thought that they would merge shops at the end with her dealing with the day-to-day business and him dealing with weddings. Instead, Sumi went the 110% evil route and is going to put out another Bloomerang shop out of business because that way she can earn her money and still fuck Ranar.
Ranar, on the other hand, is so indecisive as a character that it's just exhausting. Both Hemmings (fuck that family so much) tell him to diversify his portfolio, so both shops could survive (because they don't even have a clue of how Bloomerang works) and instead of actually thinking about it, working with Grace, ... - he's constantly bemoaning the fact that Sumi puts him out of business, worries of how it'll effect his father's illness, and how much he wants to fuck Sumi. Yes, Sumi is the worse character in this relationship but he stated early on that his brick & mortar business is struggling and that he keeps afloat because a) he's the only flower shop in the town and b) because of the wedding business.
The monster part (he's a naga, she's half Slyvan) is a complete disappointment and only serves to a) point out that Sumi isn't in touch with her Japanse Slyvan heritage (she's half Japanese/half white, half human/half Slyvan) and b) to have her ask stupid questions about him being a naga. Him being of Tamil descend isn't important either unless it's for Sumi to ask stupid racist questions, too.
As if it isn't enough: there are so many grammar and spelling mistakes in the book, it hurts. The formatting (especially for the DMs) is utterly broken, too. The latter felt at times as if the author copied the words from a PDF into a Word, which always results in broken up sentences that have a horrible formatting.
P.S.: The book is full of Gen Alpha slang like skibidi, Ohio, rizz, ... - 90% is never really explained or put into a context that is understandable for everyone who isn't Gen Alpha. Given that the books are meant for adults (and Gen Alpha are children!): that was an odd decision. Also, the two adults talking with Ranar's daughter (who's 10) in Gen Alpha slang was so cringe.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
TWs & CWs: sexual content (oral sex, vaginal sex, double penetration, anal sex, playing with his slit), two non-human dicks, mating bites, dementia, racism, casual fatshaming, late stage capitalism, arranged marriage (mentions), divorce & custody of the child
Trope(s): You've Got Mail, rivals-to-lovers, single dad
Genre: Monster Romance
Representation: half white/half asian female main character, Tamil male main character, single dad, plus size female main character (the "curvy" kind of plus size that's considered as attractive)
Heat/Spice: 2 🌶️ (it was so lame)
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
What I thought I would getting: a spicy monster romance that would act as a palate cleanser.
What I got: ~200 pages on how awful it is to be a teacher in the USA, on how horrible capitalism is, on how horrible big corporations are (and how they are the end of local businesses), on the struggle of not being in touch with your own heritage, tons of Gen Alpha slang, on family expectations as the child of immigrants, and a touch of racism covered by "hihi I was raised white and human, so of course I'm going to ask insensitive questions". 70% of those pages are inner monologue.
The romance is a modern and digital version of You've Got Mail with the universe's version of Discord instead of mails, and two flower shops instead of book shops. Sumi is utterly horny for her online friend (because of a hand and a lower arm) and is in a constant state of "fuck" after meeting Ranar. They don't have any chemistry. They aren't cute together. At best, it's instant lust and a case of "we need to fuck it out of our systems" but certainly not the kind of love that would end in a HEA. Most of their romance (online and offline) is based on miscommunication and if they would just actually talk with each other, they might have avoided the entire issue.
Both characters are ehh but I have extreme beef with Sumi. She's straight up evil, imo. Opening a rival shop in his area is already bad enough but she still went on with it after learning how Bloomerang (the big corp) is making their money. And then she acts as if it's his fault that he's annoyed with her as direct competition. She only starts to care about the issue of her shop putting him out of business when it becomes an issue of not getting fucked. That's it. Her character was ok in the beginning but she had a total personality shift soon afterwards. While she whined about Bloomerang's business model (as she wanted a cute, community-based flower shop instead of a sweat shop), she never did something about it despite having the money to buy her out of the initial costs (Bloomerang renovates at their cost and the franchise owner has to pay them back). Tbh: I thought that they would merge shops at the end with her dealing with the day-to-day business and him dealing with weddings. Instead, Sumi went the 110% evil route and is going to put out another Bloomerang shop out of business because that way she can earn her money and still fuck Ranar.
Ranar, on the other hand, is so indecisive as a character that it's just exhausting. Both Hemmings (fuck that family so much) tell him to diversify his portfolio, so both shops could survive (because they don't even have a clue of how Bloomerang works) and instead of actually thinking about it, working with Grace, ... - he's constantly bemoaning the fact that Sumi puts him out of business, worries of how it'll effect his father's illness, and how much he wants to fuck Sumi. Yes, Sumi is the worse character in this relationship but he stated early on that his brick & mortar business is struggling and that he keeps afloat because a) he's the only flower shop in the town and b) because of the wedding business.
The monster part (he's a naga, she's half Slyvan) is a complete disappointment and only serves to a) point out that Sumi isn't in touch with her Japanse Slyvan heritage (she's half Japanese/half white, half human/half Slyvan) and b) to have her ask stupid questions about him being a naga. Him being of Tamil descend isn't important either unless it's for Sumi to ask stupid racist questions, too.
As if it isn't enough: there are so many grammar and spelling mistakes in the book, it hurts. The formatting (especially for the DMs) is utterly broken, too. The latter felt at times as if the author copied the words from a PDF into a Word, which always results in broken up sentences that have a horrible formatting.
P.S.: The book is full of Gen Alpha slang like skibidi, Ohio, rizz, ... - 90% is never really explained or put into a context that is understandable for everyone who isn't Gen Alpha. Given that the books are meant for adults (and Gen Alpha are children!): that was an odd decision. Also, the two adults talking with Ranar's daughter (who's 10) in Gen Alpha slang was so cringe.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
TWs & CWs: sexual content (oral sex, vaginal sex, double penetration, anal sex, playing with his slit), two non-human dicks, mating bites, dementia, racism, casual fatshaming, late stage capitalism, arranged marriage (mentions), divorce & custody of the child
Trope(s): You've Got Mail, rivals-to-lovers, single dad
Genre: Monster Romance
Representation: half white/half asian female main character, Tamil male main character, single dad, plus size female main character (the "curvy" kind of plus size that's considered as attractive)
Heat/Spice: 2 🌶️ (it was so lame)
February 2, 2025
After not enjoying the last book I read from the Cambric Creek Series, I hoped this one would bring me back. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.
The pacing was completely off—slow and meandering for most of the book, only for everything to rush to an unsatisfying conclusion. The romance lacked chemistry, the banter felt forced, and I never connected with either main character. Besides that, the writing itself felt sloppy. There were typos and structural issues that made it feel unfinished, which only added to my frustration.
I don’t know if I’ll pick up another book from Nascosta anytime soon, which is disappointing given how much I used to enjoy her work.
The pacing was completely off—slow and meandering for most of the book, only for everything to rush to an unsatisfying conclusion. The romance lacked chemistry, the banter felt forced, and I never connected with either main character. Besides that, the writing itself felt sloppy. There were typos and structural issues that made it feel unfinished, which only added to my frustration.
I don’t know if I’ll pick up another book from Nascosta anytime soon, which is disappointing given how much I used to enjoy her work.
January 31, 2025
The GenZ language was distracting
The author of He Loves Me clearly did their homework on Gen Z slang—maybe a little too well. While I appreciate the effort to capture a modern, youthful voice, the sheer volume of internet slang felt more like a flex than a natural part of the dialogue. It was distracting, off-putting, and took away from what should have been the heart of the story: the relationship between the main characters. Instead of deepening their bond, entire conversations felt like a showcase of the latest buzzwords.
Here are just a few examples:
• “You need to mog every other guy there, got it? Let me see what you’re wearing.”
• “My plant friend told me I’m sigma. I thought that was good.”
• “Is she going to be at the party? Don’t forget! Gag her with rizz!”
• “He really is so babygirl.”
• “Like mogging. That was my instruction tonight. I had to mog harder than the other guys. I still have no idea what it means.”
While these lines might be amusing in the short term, they make the book feel like a time capsule of 2024 internet culture rather than a story with lasting appeal. It’s frustrating because beneath all the forced slang, there’s potential for a compelling romance. Unfortunately, that potential gets buried under layers of trying too hard.
And then there’s Sumi, the female main character. I found her completely insufferable. She’s constantly crying, but instead of feeling for her, I was just annoyed. Her emotions never felt genuine, and I couldn’t bring myself to sympathize with her. She’s incredibly self-centered—yes, she’s finally doing something for herself, but at the cost of completely screwing over Ranar. It was frustrating to watch her make decisions that benefited her while leaving him to deal with the fallout.
Ranar, on the other hand, was easily the best part of the book. He had depth, a compelling backstory, and a genuine emotional struggle that made me root for him. His family dynamic and personal hardships gave him real substance, and I truly wanted him to find happiness. I just wish it hadn’t been with Sumi. He deserved someone who actually cared for him rather than someone so wrapped up in herself.
Ultimately, He Loves Me had potential, but between the overuse of slang and an unlikable main character, it missed the mark. Ranar was the saving grace, but even he couldn’t carry the weight of a romance that felt so one-sided.
The author of He Loves Me clearly did their homework on Gen Z slang—maybe a little too well. While I appreciate the effort to capture a modern, youthful voice, the sheer volume of internet slang felt more like a flex than a natural part of the dialogue. It was distracting, off-putting, and took away from what should have been the heart of the story: the relationship between the main characters. Instead of deepening their bond, entire conversations felt like a showcase of the latest buzzwords.
Here are just a few examples:
• “You need to mog every other guy there, got it? Let me see what you’re wearing.”
• “My plant friend told me I’m sigma. I thought that was good.”
• “Is she going to be at the party? Don’t forget! Gag her with rizz!”
• “He really is so babygirl.”
• “Like mogging. That was my instruction tonight. I had to mog harder than the other guys. I still have no idea what it means.”
While these lines might be amusing in the short term, they make the book feel like a time capsule of 2024 internet culture rather than a story with lasting appeal. It’s frustrating because beneath all the forced slang, there’s potential for a compelling romance. Unfortunately, that potential gets buried under layers of trying too hard.
And then there’s Sumi, the female main character. I found her completely insufferable. She’s constantly crying, but instead of feeling for her, I was just annoyed. Her emotions never felt genuine, and I couldn’t bring myself to sympathize with her. She’s incredibly self-centered—yes, she’s finally doing something for herself, but at the cost of completely screwing over Ranar. It was frustrating to watch her make decisions that benefited her while leaving him to deal with the fallout.
Ranar, on the other hand, was easily the best part of the book. He had depth, a compelling backstory, and a genuine emotional struggle that made me root for him. His family dynamic and personal hardships gave him real substance, and I truly wanted him to find happiness. I just wish it hadn’t been with Sumi. He deserved someone who actually cared for him rather than someone so wrapped up in herself.
Ultimately, He Loves Me had potential, but between the overuse of slang and an unlikable main character, it missed the mark. Ranar was the saving grace, but even he couldn’t carry the weight of a romance that felt so one-sided.
January 30, 2025
I'm sorry, but I did not like Sumi. Hear me out. She was relatable in the beginning, but then it seemed like she had a personality shift. She talked about wanting to belong to a community and her dreams of owning a flower shop, but instead, she got a sweatshop. She was not happy with the business model. She complained about it, and she mentioned potentially buying out Bloomberg with the money she had. She only mentioned it once. Ranar's shop was a family owned business...a staple in the community. I thought maybe they would merge their flower shops into one flower shop so that Ranar could keep the family business. She could've taken over for him, and he take a back seat. I also did not like the pattern of her being upfront. She didn't tell her ex she was moving, and she kept Ranar in the dark about who she was.
Oh and their miscommunication issues are not resolved until the end, and even then, it doesn't seem concrete.
I thought the book ended very abruptly.
Oh and their miscommunication issues are not resolved until the end, and even then, it doesn't seem concrete.
I thought the book ended very abruptly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2025
Favorite series but miss of a book
I absolutely adore this series but this book was so painful to complete. I really, really struggled with that the main characters had only met 2-3 times for all of ten minutes at like 70% of the book. It really was just an agonizing book to read for me.
I absolutely adore this series but this book was so painful to complete. I really, really struggled with that the main characters had only met 2-3 times for all of ten minutes at like 70% of the book. It really was just an agonizing book to read for me.
Want to read
August 9, 2024I'm here because i'm starved (LITERALLY STARVED) for any glimpse of Vanessa and Grayson I can get.....send help
February 11, 2025
This would have been awesome, but the ending was SO rushed and abrupt. I was enjoying it up until that point. And I hated we didn’t have actual chapters.
January 28, 2025
I was not invested in this one and honestly, it was a struggled not to DNF it. I love a book with mature characters, I'm tired of reading stories of 18 year olds fresh out of school, and being that the main characters in this one were in their 40's pulled me in quick.
I definitely agree with some of the other reviewers. Sumi should not have gotten involved romantically or sexually with Ranar before telling him what she knew.
I definitely agree with some of the other reviewers. Sumi should not have gotten involved romantically or sexually with Ranar before telling him what she knew.
February 10, 2025
What I liked: the cover.
What I didn't like: everything that followed.
I honestly do not see this couple staying together long-term, and frankly that makes me happy. The FMC is the worst.
What I didn't like: everything that followed.
I honestly do not see this couple staying together long-term, and frankly that makes me happy. The FMC is the worst.
March 12, 2025
The greedy corporation wins? Wtf
January 27, 2025
Rating two stars because I actually enjoyed some parts even though it felt a little repetitive sometimes, but I couldn’t help but rate it lower because there are no trigger warnings when I finally actually needed them. My mom has Alzheimer’s and isn’t doing well. I love reading fantasy books to get away from reality and my grief. I had an especially sad day today and picked this up to relax. My heart sank when Ranar described his dad’s illness and his own grief.
I know that everything can’t be tailored to everyone’s triggers and whatnot, but I would have at least appreciated a warning so I could make that decision for myself. Especially when it’s a major plot point.
I’m still a fan, but it’s hard to get through this one if you’re going through the same thing.
I know that everything can’t be tailored to everyone’s triggers and whatnot, but I would have at least appreciated a warning so I could make that decision for myself. Especially when it’s a major plot point.
I’m still a fan, but it’s hard to get through this one if you’re going through the same thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2025
"She was the captain of the SS Sunk Cost and there was no port in sight." - OUCH CMN!!!
This is a fairly beat-for-beat "You've Got Mail" retelling... wait wait, come back! For me, a person who will take a book off my tbr the instant I hear "it's Sweet Home Alabama/While You Were Sleeping/etc etc" this book is the exception that proves the rule. If you've seen either movie (at one point Sumi refers to her store as "the flower shop just around the corner") you know the plot. Independent seller is forced out of business by a conglomerate that can do more, cheaper. Meanwhile two anonymous correspondents fall in love.
Sumi is a middle school teacher with an "aptitude for Gen Alpha slang" (which is sprinkled thoughout, if you think I didn't immediately test-run it on my teen, think again) who comes into an unexpected inheritance and buys a flower shop, choosing to be a franchise of a floral conglomerate. Ranar already runs his family flower shop in Cambric Creek, and his business is immediately fatally hurt by hers. They've already been online friends for months, Sumi freely calls it an emotional affair (she's in a desultory relationship, which she ends early on). Ranar has Big Sandwich Generation/Eldest Child Energy, caring for his parents and his partial custody daughter and "keeping every plate spinning without falter."
They are immediately drawn to each other when they meet by chance, but once they realize they're rivals there's pranks and hijinks back and forth. And yet still drawn together. YMMV on if Sumi should have realized that, actually, the town wasn't big enough for the both of their shops, and if the pranking etc was too much. One might argue that the heel spin Sumi does towards love was abrupt, "It didn't matter if he hated her now. She was going to make that snake love her if it was the very last thing she ever did. And live happily ever after." My biggest sticking point though was that Sumi made the connection between their online and irl personas, and chose to leave Ranar in the dark too long. "She knew it was an unfair advantage, but it was an advantage all the same." He tells her it's unforgivable and calls her "careless and selfish" and he's not wrong. The ending is right from the movie, straight fade out to HEA.
Nascosta goes deep in this book on our place in late-stage capitalism, and how we all make choices everyday that add to the loss of the soul and individuality of independent suppliers of goods and services. She also touches on the code-switching minority cultures do all the time in majority spaces, issues of consent, and how it "can be withdrawn at any time" even in the throes of passion, the recognition of technology and how it serves us AND can drive bad behaviors to an invisible arena where they go unchecked, and more.
To me, Nascosta is one of the more interesting authors writing romance today. I feel like she trojan-horsed us with MGMF like, here's a hot and sweet slow-burn that's also monster-banging like you wouldn't believe, and then explores themes and challenges her readers. The Girls Weekend series is yes hot banging and kicks off at a visit to a nudist resort, and there's plenty of giant orc + tiny elf = ?? But it's also a series-long meditation on cross cultural communication and differences. What do you do when you've gone no contact with your family and your partner has been reared with a strong sense familial community and obligation? How do you deal with hurtful under-communication? What happens when you set out a relationship with certain expectations and boundaries and then one of you wants something different? Run, Run Rabbit acts as a universe anchor to some extent, but also is Nascosta pushing her readers to examine their tightly held beliefs in the genre. What does it look like to root for an HEA when characters cheat on page, or are not kind to each other? What's an unforgivable act? What's allowable in service to that HEA? Throughout her books, Nascosta keeps her reader's eye on issues, told through the lens of the Cambic Creek universe. There's specist behavior, and classism, and in and out groups. There's also adaptive spaces everywhere to accommodate different bodies, and on-page reiteration that living in a multicultural (or multi-species) environment requires extra work and communication to make sure inadvertent issues don't turn into bigger problems. OK, I'm well in the weeds, but I'll just say that any Nascosta book has something interesting to say, and she's an author who doesn't take the easy glide path to success that was probably in front of her after her initial monster (pun not intended) hit.
This is a fairly beat-for-beat "You've Got Mail" retelling... wait wait, come back! For me, a person who will take a book off my tbr the instant I hear "it's Sweet Home Alabama/While You Were Sleeping/etc etc" this book is the exception that proves the rule. If you've seen either movie (at one point Sumi refers to her store as "the flower shop just around the corner") you know the plot. Independent seller is forced out of business by a conglomerate that can do more, cheaper. Meanwhile two anonymous correspondents fall in love.
Sumi is a middle school teacher with an "aptitude for Gen Alpha slang" (which is sprinkled thoughout, if you think I didn't immediately test-run it on my teen, think again) who comes into an unexpected inheritance and buys a flower shop, choosing to be a franchise of a floral conglomerate. Ranar already runs his family flower shop in Cambric Creek, and his business is immediately fatally hurt by hers. They've already been online friends for months, Sumi freely calls it an emotional affair (she's in a desultory relationship, which she ends early on). Ranar has Big Sandwich Generation/Eldest Child Energy, caring for his parents and his partial custody daughter and "keeping every plate spinning without falter."
They are immediately drawn to each other when they meet by chance, but once they realize they're rivals there's pranks and hijinks back and forth. And yet still drawn together. YMMV on if Sumi should have realized that, actually, the town wasn't big enough for the both of their shops, and if the pranking etc was too much. One might argue that the heel spin Sumi does towards love was abrupt, "It didn't matter if he hated her now. She was going to make that snake love her if it was the very last thing she ever did. And live happily ever after." My biggest sticking point though was that Sumi made the connection between their online and irl personas, and chose to leave Ranar in the dark too long. "She knew it was an unfair advantage, but it was an advantage all the same." He tells her it's unforgivable and calls her "careless and selfish" and he's not wrong. The ending is right from the movie, straight fade out to HEA.
Nascosta goes deep in this book on our place in late-stage capitalism, and how we all make choices everyday that add to the loss of the soul and individuality of independent suppliers of goods and services. She also touches on the code-switching minority cultures do all the time in majority spaces, issues of consent, and how it "can be withdrawn at any time" even in the throes of passion, the recognition of technology and how it serves us AND can drive bad behaviors to an invisible arena where they go unchecked, and more.
To me, Nascosta is one of the more interesting authors writing romance today. I feel like she trojan-horsed us with MGMF like, here's a hot and sweet slow-burn that's also monster-banging like you wouldn't believe, and then explores themes and challenges her readers. The Girls Weekend series is yes hot banging and kicks off at a visit to a nudist resort, and there's plenty of giant orc + tiny elf = ?? But it's also a series-long meditation on cross cultural communication and differences. What do you do when you've gone no contact with your family and your partner has been reared with a strong sense familial community and obligation? How do you deal with hurtful under-communication? What happens when you set out a relationship with certain expectations and boundaries and then one of you wants something different? Run, Run Rabbit acts as a universe anchor to some extent, but also is Nascosta pushing her readers to examine their tightly held beliefs in the genre. What does it look like to root for an HEA when characters cheat on page, or are not kind to each other? What's an unforgivable act? What's allowable in service to that HEA? Throughout her books, Nascosta keeps her reader's eye on issues, told through the lens of the Cambic Creek universe. There's specist behavior, and classism, and in and out groups. There's also adaptive spaces everywhere to accommodate different bodies, and on-page reiteration that living in a multicultural (or multi-species) environment requires extra work and communication to make sure inadvertent issues don't turn into bigger problems. OK, I'm well in the weeds, but I'll just say that any Nascosta book has something interesting to say, and she's an author who doesn't take the easy glide path to success that was probably in front of her after her initial monster (pun not intended) hit.
January 30, 2025
1.75⭐️
I never thought I would rate a C.M. Nascosta book so low but here we are. This was a mess. The plot was all over the place and the conclusion was rushed and the story just abruptly ends! The dynamic between the main characters was volatile and never really changed. How was this modeled after You’ve Got Mail when the MMC hates the FMC and there isn’t enough time to reflect and repair the damage?
It’s always nice to be in the Cambric Creek world but it’s becoming so big you lose the quaintness and charm.
I am so frustrated with this author because of her behind the scenes drama with her publishing schedule and cancelled preorders and promised stories that don’t come to fruition that the work itself is suffering.
I never thought I would rate a C.M. Nascosta book so low but here we are. This was a mess. The plot was all over the place and the conclusion was rushed and the story just abruptly ends! The dynamic between the main characters was volatile and never really changed. How was this modeled after You’ve Got Mail when the MMC hates the FMC and there isn’t enough time to reflect and repair the damage?
It’s always nice to be in the Cambric Creek world but it’s becoming so big you lose the quaintness and charm.
I am so frustrated with this author because of her behind the scenes drama with her publishing schedule and cancelled preorders and promised stories that don’t come to fruition that the work itself is suffering.
February 4, 2025
DNF @ 40%
my god this was so boring. getting to 40% was like pulling teeth out with a rubber spoon.
my god this was so boring. getting to 40% was like pulling teeth out with a rubber spoon.
dnf
January 8, 2026DNF at 23%
I wanted to enjoy this one (it's a spin on You've Got Mail and the cover is gorgeous!), but I mainly just felt bored. I read the first couple chapters a few times because my mind would wander so much that I could barely recall what I had read. The use of brain rot words like rizz, gyatt, skibidi, etc didn't help (the FMC is a middle school teacher at the start of the book). I got to the chapter where the MC's meet, but I didn't feel any chemistry and because it's a You've Got Mail inspired story, I could see where the "conflict" was headed and decided to call it quits. I've enjoyed other books by the author, but I just wasn't in the right mood for this.
CW: parent with dementia, death of distant family member (past), grief
I wanted to enjoy this one (it's a spin on You've Got Mail and the cover is gorgeous!), but I mainly just felt bored. I read the first couple chapters a few times because my mind would wander so much that I could barely recall what I had read. The use of brain rot words like rizz, gyatt, skibidi, etc didn't help (the FMC is a middle school teacher at the start of the book). I got to the chapter where the MC's meet, but I didn't feel any chemistry and because it's a You've Got Mail inspired story, I could see where the "conflict" was headed and decided to call it quits. I've enjoyed other books by the author, but I just wasn't in the right mood for this.
CW: parent with dementia, death of distant family member (past), grief
March 6, 2025
I really wanted to love this, but it fell flat for me. Let me start off by saying that I would live in Cambric Creek if I could. These stories always jump right to the top of my TBR.
This "You've Got Mail" retelling spends the first 45 pages on IM conversations that drag down the pace and keep us away from getting to the main action.
The banter and chemistry between the main couple are good but ultimately drown in the typos and flimsy reasoning for the resolution of the conflicts. The promise of naga spice held me until the last page, but two lukewarm scenes in the last 15% of the book left me wanting.
Not Nascosta's best effort.
This "You've Got Mail" retelling spends the first 45 pages on IM conversations that drag down the pace and keep us away from getting to the main action.
The banter and chemistry between the main couple are good but ultimately drown in the typos and flimsy reasoning for the resolution of the conflicts. The promise of naga spice held me until the last page, but two lukewarm scenes in the last 15% of the book left me wanting.
Not Nascosta's best effort.
January 28, 2025
Have you ever watched the movie "You've got mail"? This is a monster version of that. Two competing businesses, a love on a "DiscHorse" chat server, and miscommunication/ angst. There is spice and the deed happens twice throughout the book.
Personally I feel like this definitely needed an epilogue as it ended on what felt like a cliffhanger with them promising to go on a first real date. Not my favorite book of the series but that's just my opinion.
Personally I feel like this definitely needed an epilogue as it ended on what felt like a cliffhanger with them promising to go on a first real date. Not my favorite book of the series but that's just my opinion.
August 12, 2025
Nascosta - com'ooooon :(
I was excited for this book because, who doesn't love snakes?
But, the story was oddly paced - first super slow and dragging, then too quick to process.
The romance was so forced, there was little to no chemistry and you cannot convince me that there was any affection between them.
Not to be *that* person, but where was the smut? There was two rushed little scenes like 85% through the book :'(
Also, sorry, MFC was cruel and dismissive of her actions - very wishy washy about the destruction she is causing to others.
I was excited for this book because, who doesn't love snakes?
But, the story was oddly paced - first super slow and dragging, then too quick to process.
The romance was so forced, there was little to no chemistry and you cannot convince me that there was any affection between them.
Also, sorry, MFC was cruel and dismissive of her actions - very wishy washy about the destruction she is causing to others.
February 6, 2025
I thought I left snake smut in 2024 but apparently I did not.
This is marketed as a 'You've Got Mail' inspired monster romance and tbh I think that comparison hurts more than it helps. It is definitely a 'You've Got Mail' retelling! But it doesn't have anywhere near the charm of the original.
I've read other books in this series and phew, they were spiiiiiiicy. This one? Not so much. And not everything has to be 5 chili peppers, but if you're reading this author, you have expectations.
This is marketed as a 'You've Got Mail' inspired monster romance and tbh I think that comparison hurts more than it helps. It is definitely a 'You've Got Mail' retelling! But it doesn't have anywhere near the charm of the original.
I've read other books in this series and phew, they were spiiiiiiicy. This one? Not so much. And not everything has to be 5 chili peppers, but if you're reading this author, you have expectations.
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