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Mr. Wrong Number #1
El señor número desconocido
Las cosas se ponen interesantes cuando llega una mensaje apasionado de un número desconocido. En esta divertida romcom de Lynn Painter, el señor Número Desconocido se convierte en una relación anónima de lo más íntima y excitante.A Olivia Marshall siempre le ha perseguido la mala suerte… o quizás simplemente sea tan torpe como su familia cree. Pero cuando recibe un mensaje de un número desconocido preguntándole qué lleva puesto, acaba convirtiéndose en la relación más apasionada y entretenida que ha tenido en su vida, aunque haya empezado por error. ¿Podría estar cambiando su suerte?Colin Beck siempre ha considerado a Olivia la irritante hermana pequeña de su mejor amigo. Sin embargo, cuando esta se ve obligada a mudarse con ellos, Colin descubre que, con los años, se ha convertido en una chica diferente… y tremendamente sexy. Está seguro de que podrá mantener las distancias, hasta el momento en que descubre que ella es la misteriosa desconocida con la que ha estado intercambiando mensajes subidos de tono durante semanas. Ahora deberá decidir si hacer que la temperatura siga subiendo o bien mantenerse en el anonimato y desaparecer antes de que las cosas se compliquen aún más.«El libro más hilarante, travieso y rebosante de tensión sexual que he leído en mucho tiempo. Te reto a que no te enamores de Olivia y de Colin; pero, sobre todo, te reto a que no te enamores de la manera de escribir de Lynn Painter.»—ALI HAZELWOOD, autora de LA HIPÓTESIS DEL AMOR
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 20,769 reviews
May 11, 2022
this is cute enough. the story is simple, doesnt take itself seriously, and perfect for anyone who loves the ‘older brothers best friend’ trope.
which is why i know a lot of readers will enjoy this. however, i dont know if its because im getting super sensitive in my old age, but i found quite a bit of the MCs behaviour to be either a) way too ridiculous and over-the-top that its borderline annoying or b) so childish and immature that its borderline red flag.
i think this is 100% a stylistic choice by the author when it comes to the characterisation. im sure others will find the MCs to be quirky and endearing, but man. i was rolling my eyes so much. so its most likely just not my kind of humour or charm. not the books fault. and i will say, the sexual tension is done really, really well!
so not my favourite romance, but still decent!
↠ 3 stars
which is why i know a lot of readers will enjoy this. however, i dont know if its because im getting super sensitive in my old age, but i found quite a bit of the MCs behaviour to be either a) way too ridiculous and over-the-top that its borderline annoying or b) so childish and immature that its borderline red flag.
i think this is 100% a stylistic choice by the author when it comes to the characterisation. im sure others will find the MCs to be quirky and endearing, but man. i was rolling my eyes so much. so its most likely just not my kind of humour or charm. not the books fault. and i will say, the sexual tension is done really, really well!
so not my favourite romance, but still decent!
↠ 3 stars
June 21, 2024
Sassy, saucy, stimulating and absolutely great choice for Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren book lovers, romcom addicts just like me!
I was at a business trip when I get the arc of this laugh out loud, steamy and hot as July in Florida book! After a few pages later I was so tempted to read the entire of it and skip my meetings. So I did something new and set my alarm at 3 a.m. in the morning to arrange my reading time and I devoured it till 6 a.m.
It’s worth to my all sleep deprivation, purple halls under my eyes give me free witchy look that my entire production team adores! I’m sooooo happy, smiling ears to ears and fully motivated! Such a great book makes you entire week and turn your most boring trip into unforgettable adventure!
Olivia -Liv-Livvie Marshall seems like walking talking thinking chaos: she’s carrying her bad luck like a torch, finding herself in the most extreme, awkward situations! She gets sagged-cheated -dumbed- homeless at the same day! ( FYI: she’s not kicked out from her apartment: she accidentally putted the place into fire when she tried to get rid of her ex’s love letters by burning them and you may guess how her bad luck gets under control! )
Now she has to live with her brother Jack and his douchebag and extra hot roommate Colin Beck who turned her teenage years into hell by mocking her nonstop!
Why this guy looks sexier in those suits? Why he’s looking exactly like photoshopped Ryan Gosling from “Crazy.Stupid. Love.” ( those killer abs make her extra hyperventilate)
But she has to focus to make a fresh start by finding a new job! She has great writing skills! Even though she has to act like she has two toddlers to take her last writing gig from Times. She will give alternative advises to moms but she already has enough experiences thanks to her hyperactive nephews she’s voluntarily babysitting !
And she has also have text- friend: a guy who wrongly dialed her number to ask what she was wearing. When their texting eventually turns into sexting, things get a little escalated!
What if the guy she’s texting and having a crush for months is the same douchebag roomie and her teenage nemesis!
Colin likes control, regularity, accurateness, great in maths. He thinks Olivia is train wreck free spirited chaos! But he realizes teenage girl he has been teasing for years, turned into a sexy, challenging woman who can truly confuses his mind!
What if she’s the misdial goddess he cannot get out of his head!
This is great example of enemies to lovers and sunshine meets the grump troupes!
I thought to fit some points because at some parts I didn’t like to see everyone in her close circle thinks little of Olivia including Colin! But I could cut only half star and still rounding this book up to 5 stars because it was so sarcastic, entertaining, sexy, enjoyable! Actually this book put a big smile on my face, changing my mood. If a book makes you happier, it deserves more than five stars! And this book truly accomplished its mission!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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I was at a business trip when I get the arc of this laugh out loud, steamy and hot as July in Florida book! After a few pages later I was so tempted to read the entire of it and skip my meetings. So I did something new and set my alarm at 3 a.m. in the morning to arrange my reading time and I devoured it till 6 a.m.
It’s worth to my all sleep deprivation, purple halls under my eyes give me free witchy look that my entire production team adores! I’m sooooo happy, smiling ears to ears and fully motivated! Such a great book makes you entire week and turn your most boring trip into unforgettable adventure!
Olivia -Liv-Livvie Marshall seems like walking talking thinking chaos: she’s carrying her bad luck like a torch, finding herself in the most extreme, awkward situations! She gets sagged-cheated -dumbed- homeless at the same day! ( FYI: she’s not kicked out from her apartment: she accidentally putted the place into fire when she tried to get rid of her ex’s love letters by burning them and you may guess how her bad luck gets under control! )
Now she has to live with her brother Jack and his douchebag and extra hot roommate Colin Beck who turned her teenage years into hell by mocking her nonstop!
Why this guy looks sexier in those suits? Why he’s looking exactly like photoshopped Ryan Gosling from “Crazy.Stupid. Love.” ( those killer abs make her extra hyperventilate)
But she has to focus to make a fresh start by finding a new job! She has great writing skills! Even though she has to act like she has two toddlers to take her last writing gig from Times. She will give alternative advises to moms but she already has enough experiences thanks to her hyperactive nephews she’s voluntarily babysitting !
And she has also have text- friend: a guy who wrongly dialed her number to ask what she was wearing. When their texting eventually turns into sexting, things get a little escalated!
What if the guy she’s texting and having a crush for months is the same douchebag roomie and her teenage nemesis!
Colin likes control, regularity, accurateness, great in maths. He thinks Olivia is train wreck free spirited chaos! But he realizes teenage girl he has been teasing for years, turned into a sexy, challenging woman who can truly confuses his mind!
What if she’s the misdial goddess he cannot get out of his head!
This is great example of enemies to lovers and sunshine meets the grump troupes!
I thought to fit some points because at some parts I didn’t like to see everyone in her close circle thinks little of Olivia including Colin! But I could cut only half star and still rounding this book up to 5 stars because it was so sarcastic, entertaining, sexy, enjoyable! Actually this book put a big smile on my face, changing my mood. If a book makes you happier, it deserves more than five stars! And this book truly accomplished its mission!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
medium.com
January 23, 2024
➳
"2.5/5 stars"
❞𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨.❞
Well, well, this book didn't quite hit the high notes I expected. After being swept off my feet by "Better Than Movies," my anticipation was sky-high, but alas, this one didn't take me to the same literary cloud nine. The saving grace? The banter was like a stand-up comedy act, and the writing had a witty charm that kept me from chucking the book into the "not worth it" abyss. The characters, though, were a tough sell – insufferable might be an understatement. The absence of a compelling storyline further added to the overall letdown. In essence, while not a complete disappointment, it lacked the magic that had drawn me to the author's earlier works.
➳ 𝙊𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡
She was unbearable – supposedly adorable chaos turned into a constant irritation. Endless tears, perpetual mess, rudeness, and a complete lack of consideration. Not the charming character I expected.
Firstly, in her fiery hatred for her ex, she decides to go full arsonist and burn down an entire building. I mean, who does that? Then, as if fire isn't enough drama, she moves in with her brother, only to discover his super-hot best friend also resides there. Classic sitcom setup, right? But it gets better – she drinks Colin's $4000 tequila on day one, reserved for some divine occasion, and not a hint of an apology. Who raised this person?
And oh, the cherry on top – when Colin's at work, she decides to catch some sleep in his bed. No apology for that invasion of personal space either. If someone pulled that move in my home, they'd be strangled by a fucking sheet. Lynn, seriously, you could've written a character with a bit more tact and respect, couldn't you?
❞𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬. 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙞 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖. 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚, 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙯𝙚𝙧𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚.❞
➳ 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠
Honestly, his character felt like someone photoshopped perfection into fiction. Flawless to a fault. I get it, he's not real, but come on, even superheroes have their issues. The author seemed to misplace the "flaw" button when designing him. Annoyingly perfect, yet strangely more tolerable than Olivia. Maybe perfection has its perks in fictional realms, but a bit of human touch wouldn't hurt.
So, turns out, he's been harboring a secret admiration for Olivia since she moved in with them when he found her intolerable since their high school. Cute, right? Not so fast. The adorable vibes went south when he decided to lie creating a mess. Bravo.
Post-mess, he mustered one apologyat least he had courtesy to apologise, and when things got too tough, he opted for the classic "I'm leaving the city to avoid heartache" strategy. Because, you know, seeing her made him sad. Real relationship savior there. Minimal effort, maximum avoidance.
And let's not forget Jack's chill reaction to his best friend sleeping with his sister. As someone with brothers, I call massive bullshit on that one. No way that's cool. The only shining light? Sara. Sweetheart alert. Can we please get a story about her and leave the mess behind?
❞𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙊𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮, 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙮, 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙨𝙮, 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙄’𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙩.❞
°˖➴ Overall, if you're in the mood for a rom-com that's cute but could double as a tutorial on miscommunication-induced hair-pulling, this might just be your jackpot. Get ready for laughs, sighs, and the inexplicable urge to scream at fictional characters for not talking to each other like normal people. Happy reading and good luck with your hair! 💌
➳ 𝙦𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 :-
: ̗̀➛ "Because in my opinion, there are two types of people. Those who are so happy to be spending time with you that they’re down for anything, and those who are not."
: ̗̀➛ “Why the hell am I kissing the biggest pain in the ass I know?”
“Because I’m irresistible, you cocky dipshit.”
“Says you.”
: ̗̀➛ “I would never rush you, Marshall. Take all the time you need, because I could stay in here for fucking ever.”
: ̗̀➛ “I love you.I know I screwed everything up and I know we were going to keep it casual, but I somehow fell in love with you. I can’t believe it myself, but in spite of our lifetime of hatred for each other, I am completely lost without you in my life.”
❞𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨.❞
Well, well, this book didn't quite hit the high notes I expected. After being swept off my feet by "Better Than Movies," my anticipation was sky-high, but alas, this one didn't take me to the same literary cloud nine. The saving grace? The banter was like a stand-up comedy act, and the writing had a witty charm that kept me from chucking the book into the "not worth it" abyss. The characters, though, were a tough sell – insufferable might be an understatement. The absence of a compelling storyline further added to the overall letdown. In essence, while not a complete disappointment, it lacked the magic that had drawn me to the author's earlier works.
➳ 𝙊𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡
She was unbearable – supposedly adorable chaos turned into a constant irritation. Endless tears, perpetual mess, rudeness, and a complete lack of consideration. Not the charming character I expected.
Firstly, in her fiery hatred for her ex, she decides to go full arsonist and burn down an entire building. I mean, who does that? Then, as if fire isn't enough drama, she moves in with her brother, only to discover his super-hot best friend also resides there. Classic sitcom setup, right? But it gets better – she drinks Colin's $4000 tequila on day one, reserved for some divine occasion, and not a hint of an apology. Who raised this person?
And oh, the cherry on top – when Colin's at work, she decides to catch some sleep in his bed. No apology for that invasion of personal space either. If someone pulled that move in my home, they'd be strangled by a fucking sheet. Lynn, seriously, you could've written a character with a bit more tact and respect, couldn't you?
❞𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬. 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙞 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖. 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚, 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙯𝙚𝙧𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚.❞
➳ 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠
Honestly, his character felt like someone photoshopped perfection into fiction. Flawless to a fault. I get it, he's not real, but come on, even superheroes have their issues. The author seemed to misplace the "flaw" button when designing him. Annoyingly perfect, yet strangely more tolerable than Olivia. Maybe perfection has its perks in fictional realms, but a bit of human touch wouldn't hurt.
So, turns out, he's been harboring a secret admiration for Olivia since she moved in with them when he found her intolerable since their high school. Cute, right? Not so fast. The adorable vibes went south when he decided to lie creating a mess. Bravo.
Post-mess, he mustered one apology
And let's not forget Jack's chill reaction to his best friend sleeping with his sister. As someone with brothers, I call massive bullshit on that one. No way that's cool. The only shining light? Sara. Sweetheart alert. Can we please get a story about her and leave the mess behind?
❞𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙊𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮, 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙮, 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙨𝙮, 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙄’𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙩.❞
°˖➴ Overall, if you're in the mood for a rom-com that's cute but could double as a tutorial on miscommunication-induced hair-pulling, this might just be your jackpot. Get ready for laughs, sighs, and the inexplicable urge to scream at fictional characters for not talking to each other like normal people. Happy reading and good luck with your hair! 💌
➳ 𝙦𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 :-
: ̗̀➛ "Because in my opinion, there are two types of people. Those who are so happy to be spending time with you that they’re down for anything, and those who are not."
: ̗̀➛ “Why the hell am I kissing the biggest pain in the ass I know?”
“Because I’m irresistible, you cocky dipshit.”
“Says you.”
: ̗̀➛ “I would never rush you, Marshall. Take all the time you need, because I could stay in here for fucking ever.”
: ̗̀➛ “I love you.I know I screwed everything up and I know we were going to keep it casual, but I somehow fell in love with you. I can’t believe it myself, but in spite of our lifetime of hatred for each other, I am completely lost without you in my life.”
August 15, 2023
mr wrong number...or its alternate title: miss i will blame everybody except myself for my selfish actions
November 9, 2023
i was gonna give this three stars, but the more i think about it... i kinda hated this book lol. the ending was so unsatisfying and the hero had a victim complex the size of the entire continent of Africa.
seriously my fave part of this book was Jack (Olivia’s brother) beating the shit out of the H, Colin. and he barely even punched him😒 Colin at least deserved a broken nose and one black eye.
Colin was one of those golden boy “nice guys” who in reality is just a nauseating douche lmao. he’s supposed to have feelings for Olivia but still calls her “pathetic”, “a mess”, “a shit show” and any other variation of that — both out loud and in his inner monologue.
i usually love when the MCs are kinda disgusted and confused with themselves when they realise they have feelings for the other MC... but Colin just verged on mean for me. yeah, Olivia was chaotic and she’s not a heroine everyone is gonna like (on any other day, i probably wouldn’t have liked her all that much, but luckily i read it today and enjoyed her quirkiness). but it didn’t give every character, including the H, the right to constantly shit on her😭 (like her family are never reprimanded for constantly making fun of her for being a “shit show” – even in the final chapter, her mother doesn’t believe Colin is in love with Liv bcos of the type of person she is and Colin could never be interested in her🤨)
then Colin would have the audacity to be insulted that Olivia would regard him as pretentious or mean or up his own arse... sir you are all those things. i mean, you call the girl you’re into a shitshow on a regular basis and it’s not exactly the most endearing thing you could say about her. one time she says she doesn’t have a lot to bargain with/offer a potential new job, and this fugly bitch goes “i know”💀
don’t even get me started on his insulting love declaration my god. “i somehow fell in love with you” in spite of never liking her. wow nice👌🏻 every girlie’s dream. and again, Colin had the audacity to turn it around on him and act the victim when she tells him that that declaration is insulting— he even got Jack, Liv’s brother, on his side to make Liv feel bad for not forgiving him... but never told Jack WHY they broke up (that he lied about being Mr Wrong Number and manipulated the fuck out of her). bet if he knew then Jack wouldn’t be happy either. who’s the pathetic one now, you slimy bitch?
and not only that, he lies to her for the entire duration of the book. he knows that she’s the woman he’s been talking to online but Liv doesn’t know. and when she asks if they can meet in person... he pays a coworker to pretend to be Mr. Wrong Number and show up at the cafe instead. Olivia spends the whole time with this random dude thinking it’s the guy she’s been talking to but it’s just Colin manipulating everything to save his own skin. (the guy even later tells Liv how Collin called her pathetic, a shit show, a klutzy puppy right before Colin tells her he “somehow” fell in love with her— so yeah, i would lose my shit too. God forbid you’re attracted to her ffs).
soooo... yeah, babes. you are a pretentious douchebag. at least own it. don’t have the audacity to be offended when you exhibit that kind of behaviour lol.
i wanted to give this three stars bcos i enjoyed Olivia a lot. she’s chaotic. unhinged. clumsy. idiotic. reckless. impulsive. immature. and i loved it lol. idk she was funny and entertaining to me. i needed her craziness to drown out Colin’s obnoxious mediocrity (i mean even his dad nailed it and said: “Come on, Colin, shut your obnoxious mouth, will you?”) but Olivia was just hilarious and was the sole reason for my enjoyment. she said some of the stupidest shit that had me cackling. so that alone was pretty perfect.
but when finishing the book and reading their reconciliation, i was severely unimpressed so decided to drop a star. i think after several romcom attempts, they’re just not for me. the cliches mixed with the heroines being walking stereotypes and bland douchey heroes are clearly not for me.
seriously my fave part of this book was Jack (Olivia’s brother) beating the shit out of the H, Colin. and he barely even punched him😒 Colin at least deserved a broken nose and one black eye.
Colin was one of those golden boy “nice guys” who in reality is just a nauseating douche lmao. he’s supposed to have feelings for Olivia but still calls her “pathetic”, “a mess”, “a shit show” and any other variation of that — both out loud and in his inner monologue.
i usually love when the MCs are kinda disgusted and confused with themselves when they realise they have feelings for the other MC... but Colin just verged on mean for me. yeah, Olivia was chaotic and she’s not a heroine everyone is gonna like (on any other day, i probably wouldn’t have liked her all that much, but luckily i read it today and enjoyed her quirkiness). but it didn’t give every character, including the H, the right to constantly shit on her😭 (like her family are never reprimanded for constantly making fun of her for being a “shit show” – even in the final chapter, her mother doesn’t believe Colin is in love with Liv bcos of the type of person she is and Colin could never be interested in her🤨)
then Colin would have the audacity to be insulted that Olivia would regard him as pretentious or mean or up his own arse... sir you are all those things. i mean, you call the girl you’re into a shitshow on a regular basis and it’s not exactly the most endearing thing you could say about her. one time she says she doesn’t have a lot to bargain with/offer a potential new job, and this fugly bitch goes “i know”💀
don’t even get me started on his insulting love declaration my god. “i somehow fell in love with you” in spite of never liking her. wow nice👌🏻 every girlie’s dream. and again, Colin had the audacity to turn it around on him and act the victim when she tells him that that declaration is insulting— he even got Jack, Liv’s brother, on his side to make Liv feel bad for not forgiving him... but never told Jack WHY they broke up (that he lied about being Mr Wrong Number and manipulated the fuck out of her). bet if he knew then Jack wouldn’t be happy either. who’s the pathetic one now, you slimy bitch?
and not only that, he lies to her for the entire duration of the book. he knows that she’s the woman he’s been talking to online but Liv doesn’t know. and when she asks if they can meet in person... he pays a coworker to pretend to be Mr. Wrong Number and show up at the cafe instead. Olivia spends the whole time with this random dude thinking it’s the guy she’s been talking to but it’s just Colin manipulating everything to save his own skin. (the guy even later tells Liv how Collin called her pathetic, a shit show, a klutzy puppy right before Colin tells her he “somehow” fell in love with her— so yeah, i would lose my shit too. God forbid you’re attracted to her ffs).
soooo... yeah, babes. you are a pretentious douchebag. at least own it. don’t have the audacity to be offended when you exhibit that kind of behaviour lol.
i wanted to give this three stars bcos i enjoyed Olivia a lot. she’s chaotic. unhinged. clumsy. idiotic. reckless. impulsive. immature. and i loved it lol. idk she was funny and entertaining to me. i needed her craziness to drown out Colin’s obnoxious mediocrity (i mean even his dad nailed it and said: “Come on, Colin, shut your obnoxious mouth, will you?”) but Olivia was just hilarious and was the sole reason for my enjoyment. she said some of the stupidest shit that had me cackling. so that alone was pretty perfect.
but when finishing the book and reading their reconciliation, i was severely unimpressed so decided to drop a star. i think after several romcom attempts, they’re just not for me. the cliches mixed with the heroines being walking stereotypes and bland douchey heroes are clearly not for me.
January 13, 2022
Wow. I hated this. Olivia was completely unlikable and obnoxious. She wasn't unlucky, she was just an inconsiderate asshole. It is not cute to treat someone who is graciously letting you stay in their flat after you burnt down yours (!!!). This is petty but it was truly galaxy brain to me when the author wrote something about the love interest (I cannot remember his name, but he was very boring and didn't have a personality beyond being very hot and rich) owning a sterling silver colander. Babe, those don't exist. Do you mean stainless steel? I know it's so minor, but it truly took me out of the story so much.
September 23, 2021
If you find me wheeze-laughing on the floor, I’m thinking about Mr. Wrong Number. If you find me fanning myself, I’m thinking about Mr. Wrong Number. If you find me dreamily staring into the distance, I’m thinking about Mr. Wrong Number. Because Mr. Wrong Number is the most sidesplittingly funny, shenanigan-packed, sexual tension-filled book I’ve read in a long, long time. I dare you not to fall in love with Olivia and Colin, but most of all I dare you not to fall in love with Lynn's writing!
Disclosure: Lynn and I share a publisher (Berkley), and I received a free ARC.
Disclosure: Lynn and I share a publisher (Berkley), and I received a free ARC.
January 1, 2023
I have had the suspicion that Lynn Painter's works are not one for me to indulge in, especially after the catastrophe from reading Better Than the Movies. But well, me with my best quality — I'll give her that benefit of the doubt. Plus, considering that this is not a YA romance, perhaps we will have something good in the house.
Regrettably, I am not a bit surprised when this novel also turned out to be another disappointment. This is even worse and I can't help but develop Olivia's annoying habit of rolling her eyes that sometimes I wonder how she still didn't get them squinted from doing it every 60 seconds.
I'll be benevolent and go with what I enjoyed with Mr. Wrong Number: the romance
There's just something so conspiring in craving the dangers of forbidden romance. The whole ordeal of falling for your brother's best friend does sound tempting and I think Lynn Painter went industriously in making sure Colin and Olivia's affair didn't go to waste as in her previous work. They bantered, helped each other out, and had a few funny scenes here there.
It was just a bit stroke of luck that Lynn Painter is being safe with the level of smuttiness. I understand if she was being considerate of her readers since her debut book was YA and she may have not attracted lots of adult readers to begin with, but I think it was clear enough if this is an adult romance, what readers should expect out of it.
People read smuts for many reasons; sometimes it's for entertainment or experience; sometimes, it's just because and I can be a bit of bothor more. It’s not like I’m being demanding of what is unnecessary. As for this case, I think if there will be a bit more details than a close-door scene, it will help to flesh out both Colin and Olivia's chemistry. The romance was enjoyable but it did not hit the roof. Why is that? Now let's get to the nastiest part of my review.
The book's main takeaway was on finding yourself and never stopping at failures. I appreciate the themes that Lynn Painter is going for. It was a good reminder and I honestly get the message she was trying to set forth. It was relatable, especially when you're struggling, had a parent who always brings you down and I guess, overall miserable.
Frankly speaking though, it was a bit hard to swallow when none of the characters are likable. Now that I've met Olivia, I believe the author just loves to write her heroines ✨quirky✨ and ✨different✨ and Olivia's entire personality is just her series of unfortunate events. She was so one-dimensional; it was either being clumsy or hypercritical. I noticed that Painters likes to make a point of her characters' traits by having them repetitively signified all the time.
I was having a hard time resonating with Olivia because she pisses me off a lot with her immaturity and scathing mind. This book utilized such a disgraceful kind of miscommunication trope and I did not dig it one bit. It makes sense when it happened to the author's YA characters because they don't suppose to have most things figured out, but when you're reaching your 30s, I'm expecting a bit of rationality on your end. Both the MCs seem to age backwards instead of their own prime.
While I appreciate Colin's POV (because I can't remember if we had one for Wes), it was unavailing at first because it was just more of his reaction and thoughts on Olivia instead of letting readers unravel him as a person. And when you're relying on a disparaging worldview of a heroine to allow you to get to know the other characters, it didn't help your case.
I believe it was not Lynn's intention to give a lot of focus to Colin but it was only the latter that we get to know more of him than just "the love interest" or the "jerk" as claimed by the Queen of Rolling Eyes. For a good part, the author didn't give room for any lewd thoughts or objectification from Colin in feigning his attraction to Olivia. Like, he was just appreciating her as a real person and it's refreshing. He lives up to his status quo and that’s the only matchable piece of himself as a grown successful man.
Having that said, did I enjoy the book? Still NO, or maybe, if only the characters, the plot, and the romance were parallel from the beginning. The beam scale was skewed all the time for when the romance was good, the characters were there to ruin the whole course of the book or vice versa. The plot was absurd and a lot of thing just doesn’t make sense.
What's more now that my hypothesis is correct, it's best to say, it was nice to read Lynn Painters' works as this will be my lastor not. Let's just hope she didn't come out with pretty covers that got me weak all the time because who judges a book by its cover? Definitely me, duh.
Regrettably, I am not a bit surprised when this novel also turned out to be another disappointment. This is even worse and I can't help but develop Olivia's annoying habit of rolling her eyes that sometimes I wonder how she still didn't get them squinted from doing it every 60 seconds.
I'll be benevolent and go with what I enjoyed with Mr. Wrong Number: the romance
There's just something so conspiring in craving the dangers of forbidden romance. The whole ordeal of falling for your brother's best friend does sound tempting and I think Lynn Painter went industriously in making sure Colin and Olivia's affair didn't go to waste as in her previous work. They bantered, helped each other out, and had a few funny scenes here there.
It was just a bit stroke of luck that Lynn Painter is being safe with the level of smuttiness. I understand if she was being considerate of her readers since her debut book was YA and she may have not attracted lots of adult readers to begin with, but I think it was clear enough if this is an adult romance, what readers should expect out of it.
People read smuts for many reasons; sometimes it's for entertainment or experience; sometimes, it's just because and I can be a bit of both
“When things don't go as planned, we can either pout and behave like a reticent child, or take some time to reconsider our choices. Ruminate over what we've done in our past, and how best to move forward in our future.”
The book's main takeaway was on finding yourself and never stopping at failures. I appreciate the themes that Lynn Painter is going for. It was a good reminder and I honestly get the message she was trying to set forth. It was relatable, especially when you're struggling, had a parent who always brings you down and I guess, overall miserable.
Frankly speaking though, it was a bit hard to swallow when none of the characters are likable. Now that I've met Olivia, I believe the author just loves to write her heroines ✨quirky✨ and ✨different✨ and Olivia's entire personality is just her series of unfortunate events. She was so one-dimensional; it was either being clumsy or hypercritical. I noticed that Painters likes to make a point of her characters' traits by having them repetitively signified all the time.
I was having a hard time resonating with Olivia because she pisses me off a lot with her immaturity and scathing mind. This book utilized such a disgraceful kind of miscommunication trope and I did not dig it one bit. It makes sense when it happened to the author's YA characters because they don't suppose to have most things figured out, but when you're reaching your 30s, I'm expecting a bit of rationality on your end. Both the MCs seem to age backwards instead of their own prime.
"He's still an asshole. He looks at me like he knows he's better than me"
While I appreciate Colin's POV (because I can't remember if we had one for Wes), it was unavailing at first because it was just more of his reaction and thoughts on Olivia instead of letting readers unravel him as a person. And when you're relying on a disparaging worldview of a heroine to allow you to get to know the other characters, it didn't help your case.
I believe it was not Lynn's intention to give a lot of focus to Colin but it was only the latter that we get to know more of him than just "the love interest" or the "jerk" as claimed by the Queen of Rolling Eyes. For a good part, the author didn't give room for any lewd thoughts or objectification from Colin in feigning his attraction to Olivia. Like, he was just appreciating her as a real person and it's refreshing. He lives up to his status quo and that’s the only matchable piece of himself as a grown successful man.
Having that said, did I enjoy the book? Still NO, or maybe, if only the characters, the plot, and the romance were parallel from the beginning. The beam scale was skewed all the time for when the romance was good, the characters were there to ruin the whole course of the book or vice versa. The plot was absurd and a lot of thing just doesn’t make sense.
What's more now that my hypothesis is correct, it's best to say, it was nice to read Lynn Painters' works as this will be my last
March 1, 2022
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
Mr. Wrong Number is the right book to pick up if you’re looking for charm, laughs, and just a bit of steam.
Olivia Marshall literally has the worst luck ever. Bad things always seem to happen to her, so it’s almost no surprise when she gets fired and then accidentally burns her apartment building down after burning the love letters her cheating ex-boyfriend wrote to her.
Now, she’s forced to move in with her brother until she finds a new job and makes enough money to get back on her feet. Unfortunately for her, her brother currently lives with his lifelong best friend, Colin Beck.
Olivia always thought Colin was stuck up and arrogant…although she secretly always found him hot. Colin always considered Olivia his friend’s “annoying little sister”.
One night, Olivia gets a risque text message from a random phone number. She decides to respond to Mr. Wrong Number, and they start up a titillating and flirtatious text relationship. She looks forward to his messages every day while she tries to maneuver in her crazy life.
Colin can’t believe it when he realizes that Miss Misdial, the random woman he’s been texting (and maybe sexting) is none other than his best friend’s annoying sister, Olivia. Do they have a chance to make things work in real life? Or should he just end the texting before their worlds implode?
I LOVED this sweet rom-com. Olivia and Colin are amazing characters, and their chemistry is HOT and STRONG! I was rooting for them the entire time, even in that inevitable rom-com moment when something ultimately threatens to pull them apart.
Add to that some genuine laughs and extreme charm. What’s not to love?! This also has the perfect amount of heat to satiate most fans of the genre. The partially open door sex scenes don’t feature the infamous “C-Words” or anything very graphic…but you’ll still get the idea of what’s going down.
This is the first book I’ve read by author Lynn Painter, but definitely won’t be my last. Even her acknowledgements section is heartfelt and adorbs.
4.5 stars.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley for providing me with a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 3/1/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Mr. Wrong Number is the right book to pick up if you’re looking for charm, laughs, and just a bit of steam.
Olivia Marshall literally has the worst luck ever. Bad things always seem to happen to her, so it’s almost no surprise when she gets fired and then accidentally burns her apartment building down after burning the love letters her cheating ex-boyfriend wrote to her.
Now, she’s forced to move in with her brother until she finds a new job and makes enough money to get back on her feet. Unfortunately for her, her brother currently lives with his lifelong best friend, Colin Beck.
Olivia always thought Colin was stuck up and arrogant…although she secretly always found him hot. Colin always considered Olivia his friend’s “annoying little sister”.
One night, Olivia gets a risque text message from a random phone number. She decides to respond to Mr. Wrong Number, and they start up a titillating and flirtatious text relationship. She looks forward to his messages every day while she tries to maneuver in her crazy life.
Colin can’t believe it when he realizes that Miss Misdial, the random woman he’s been texting (and maybe sexting) is none other than his best friend’s annoying sister, Olivia. Do they have a chance to make things work in real life? Or should he just end the texting before their worlds implode?
I LOVED this sweet rom-com. Olivia and Colin are amazing characters, and their chemistry is HOT and STRONG! I was rooting for them the entire time, even in that inevitable rom-com moment when something ultimately threatens to pull them apart.
Add to that some genuine laughs and extreme charm. What’s not to love?! This also has the perfect amount of heat to satiate most fans of the genre. The partially open door sex scenes don’t feature the infamous “C-Words” or anything very graphic…but you’ll still get the idea of what’s going down.
This is the first book I’ve read by author Lynn Painter, but definitely won’t be my last. Even her acknowledgements section is heartfelt and adorbs.
4.5 stars.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley for providing me with a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 3/1/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
March 9, 2023
this is the sort of book that ordinarily i'd probably roll my eyes at/give a low rating but i guess i just picked it up at the right time lol. i'm a total sucker for pen pals/epistolary romances and this one was charming in that way. i like the text conversations and the overall set up for the book.
i didn't appreciate olivia's character in the slightest, she was an incredibly big dumb ass and also pretty rude. but i think she met her match in collin lmao. idk this was fun and funny if i don't think too much about it.
i didn't appreciate olivia's character in the slightest, she was an incredibly big dumb ass and also pretty rude. but i think she met her match in collin lmao. idk this was fun and funny if i don't think too much about it.
June 2, 2023
3,75/5
Bardzo lubię takie romcomy!
Bardzo lubię takie romcomy!
July 1, 2022
This was hilarious and delightful! I couldn't put it down. Olivia really tried my anxiety at the beginning, but her banter with Colin (aka Mr. Swoonworthy Perfection) was *chef's kiss*. The conflict at the end wasn't my favorite, but this was just personal preference and not anything pertinent to the quality of the story. If you enjoy:
✔️Enemies-to-lovers
✔️Tension without unbearable angst
✔️Laugh out loud humor
✔️Did I mention Colin and his abs and how he winks at just the right moment?
✔️Modern mild Mr. Darcy vibes
Then you need to pick this one up ASAP.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
✔️Enemies-to-lovers
✔️Tension without unbearable angst
✔️Laugh out loud humor
✔️Did I mention Colin and his abs and how he winks at just the right moment?
✔️Modern mild Mr. Darcy vibes
Then you need to pick this one up ASAP.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
did-not-finish
March 23, 2022DNF @ 22%: I really wanted to like this one, but I could not stand our main character, Olivia. She was so selfish and she literally burned down an entire apartment building burning love letters from an ex and seemed to feel like no guilt about it??? And lied to and/or was just generally awful to everyone around her???? This was truly just.. not it
December 2, 2025
What to expect from a lynn painter’s book :)
A silly goofy ahh girl and a wannabe nonchalant boy
Even if the book was predictable i really loved it.
It was so addicting 😭🪓🔪but between you and me the fmc was a bit irritating and very very slow
Like girl take a hint??? But i was hooked from page one so I can’t hate much lol.
A silly goofy ahh girl and a wannabe nonchalant boy
Even if the book was predictable i really loved it.
It was so addicting 😭🪓🔪but between you and me the fmc was a bit irritating and very very slow
Like girl take a hint??? But i was hooked from page one so I can’t hate much lol.
December 2, 2024
4.25 ★'s
I read this with a constant smile on my lips, that giddy feeling of talking to someone new and an excitement to know how the story unfolds.
Was it incredibly cheesy and possibly a bit cringy at times? Yes, but it was also absolutely adorable and genuinely fun. Olivia gives off 'Bridget Jones'-level clumsiness and ‘Lindsey Lohan Just my Luck’-level bad luck, so a little bit of a mess might be an understatement. At her rock bottom she receives an anonymous "what are you wearing?" text that seems to be sent to the wrong number. With her whirlwind, go with the flow attitude she decides to answer and leads us into something that starts as an innocent flirt with lots of banter with Mr. Wrong Number, who just happens to be her brothers über serious best friend and her current roommate.
It would be easy for me to nitpick this, but honestly I had a great time(I could've done with fewer 'Ohmigods' though, as a personal preference). It gives off that classic romcom feel, it might be silly and a bit stupid but I truly felt with the characters. I cringed at times, laughed at other times, I was sad when they were sad, I simply fell in love with their love.🧡 Their tension, banter and easygoingness are all the things I love.
The ending and epilogue felt a bit too fast in my opinion, so the two bonus chapters(found on Lynn's website) truly made their story feel complete. Can strongly recommend those for anyone picking this up. Personally this was my sign to read the rest of Lynn Painter's work asap.
_____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝
I love being in my delulu romcom era.🤭
I read this with a constant smile on my lips, that giddy feeling of talking to someone new and an excitement to know how the story unfolds.
Was it incredibly cheesy and possibly a bit cringy at times? Yes, but it was also absolutely adorable and genuinely fun. Olivia gives off 'Bridget Jones'-level clumsiness and ‘Lindsey Lohan Just my Luck’-level bad luck, so a little bit of a mess might be an understatement. At her rock bottom she receives an anonymous "what are you wearing?" text that seems to be sent to the wrong number. With her whirlwind, go with the flow attitude she decides to answer and leads us into something that starts as an innocent flirt with lots of banter with Mr. Wrong Number, who just happens to be her brothers über serious best friend and her current roommate.
✧ “Are you terrified that I’m rubbing off on you?”
I stared at her freckles and stubborn chin and swallowed hard as emotion tightened my throat. What if she was rubbing off on me? God, the beautiful, glorious mess. Liv’s passion for living was almost a tangible thing, so alive and loud that it nearly had its own identity. To have that rub off on me, even a little? Fuck. That would make me the luckiest man on the planet, wouldn’t it? ✧ (Bonus Chapter 1)
It would be easy for me to nitpick this, but honestly I had a great time(I could've done with fewer 'Ohmigods' though, as a personal preference). It gives off that classic romcom feel, it might be silly and a bit stupid but I truly felt with the characters. I cringed at times, laughed at other times, I was sad when they were sad, I simply fell in love with their love.🧡 Their tension, banter and easygoingness are all the things I love.
The ending and epilogue felt a bit too fast in my opinion, so the two bonus chapters(found on Lynn's website) truly made their story feel complete. Can strongly recommend those for anyone picking this up. Personally this was my sign to read the rest of Lynn Painter's work asap.
_____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝
I love being in my delulu romcom era.🤭
dnf
September 25, 2023I’ve read books with insufferable character before but good lord this one takes the cake. olivia is a horrible person. Bad luck? hell no. shes inconsiderate, selfish, a trainwreck, a huge ungrateful mess and every negative thing rolled into one person.
she drank someone’s 4000bucks-im-saving-it-for-bad-days tequila without permission, and gaslight the tequila owner for owning expensive liquor, she made a huge mess in someone’s kitchen and never apologizes for it, she slept on someone’s bed again without permission and make a joke out of it. im only 30% in, and this much has happened. not gonna stick around for the rest of the 70%.
the dude has no personality too, so im out.
she drank someone’s 4000bucks-im-saving-it-for-bad-days tequila without permission, and gaslight the tequila owner for owning expensive liquor, she made a huge mess in someone’s kitchen and never apologizes for it, she slept on someone’s bed again without permission and make a joke out of it. im only 30% in, and this much has happened. not gonna stick around for the rest of the 70%.
the dude has no personality too, so im out.
November 1, 2023
1/5
The heroine needs to go back to kindergarten.
The heroine needs to go back to kindergarten.
June 12, 2022
Olivia Marshall is down on her luck after being laid off from her job, dumped by her boyfriend, and becoming unintentionally homeless after a little incident involving old love letters, matches … and a possum. Yeah, don’t ask.
Lucky for her, her brother Jack is willing to let her stay at his and his roommate’s place for a month while she gets back on her feet. Not as lucky for her, she doesn’t realize that this roommate is Jack’s best friend since childhood, Colin Beck, who’s only ever seen her as Jack’s bratty little sister and now older snarkastic one.
(Yes … ‘snarkastic’ is a word, if you count Urban Dictionary as a source, and I LOVE it. If you’re listening Mirriam-Webster, et al., please officially add it? I digress.)
It’s a good thing Olivia has a mysterious new anonymous friend to vent to about her annoying situation. They’ve been texting regularly since the night he accidentally messaged her asking what she was wearing, and she’s become Miss Misdial to his Mr. Wrong Number. As the discussions get more personal, it’s amazing how much they have in common … especially when it comes to certain “appetites”, shall we say?
Where does this all lead, and does Olivia get back on her feet and maybe find love in the process?
Silly question. It’s a rom-com. You know the drill. That’s like asking if the sun is going to rise in the morning.
Lynn Painter has written an incredibly witty, charming rom-com with hilarious banter, lots of Olivia’s funny klutzy moments and missteps, and a heaping helping of chemistry and sizzle. Seriously … is it hot in here? My only complaint is that she could sound a bit immature, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
I listened to this on audiobook while reading along on my Kindle, which was perfect. The voicework by Callie Dalton and Andrew Eiden was excellent and they brought both characters to life so well. I had a blast with this, and I’ll definitely be watching for more from Lynn Painter!
★★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and author Lynn Painter for the digital ARC and my library/Libby for the audiobook. I’ve reviewed it honestly and freely. It’s now available.
Lucky for her, her brother Jack is willing to let her stay at his and his roommate’s place for a month while she gets back on her feet. Not as lucky for her, she doesn’t realize that this roommate is Jack’s best friend since childhood, Colin Beck, who’s only ever seen her as Jack’s bratty little sister and now older snarkastic one.
(Yes … ‘snarkastic’ is a word, if you count Urban Dictionary as a source, and I LOVE it. If you’re listening Mirriam-Webster, et al., please officially add it? I digress.)
It’s a good thing Olivia has a mysterious new anonymous friend to vent to about her annoying situation. They’ve been texting regularly since the night he accidentally messaged her asking what she was wearing, and she’s become Miss Misdial to his Mr. Wrong Number. As the discussions get more personal, it’s amazing how much they have in common … especially when it comes to certain “appetites”, shall we say?
Where does this all lead, and does Olivia get back on her feet and maybe find love in the process?
Silly question. It’s a rom-com. You know the drill. That’s like asking if the sun is going to rise in the morning.
Lynn Painter has written an incredibly witty, charming rom-com with hilarious banter, lots of Olivia’s funny klutzy moments and missteps, and a heaping helping of chemistry and sizzle. Seriously … is it hot in here? My only complaint is that she could sound a bit immature, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
I listened to this on audiobook while reading along on my Kindle, which was perfect. The voicework by Callie Dalton and Andrew Eiden was excellent and they brought both characters to life so well. I had a blast with this, and I’ll definitely be watching for more from Lynn Painter!
★★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and author Lynn Painter for the digital ARC and my library/Libby for the audiobook. I’ve reviewed it honestly and freely. It’s now available.
May 28, 2022
So brother’s best friend….those words are enough to get most of you to read this! Well, this was actually funny but a lot was lacking.
So Olivia is living with Colin and her brother, at least till she can get her shit together. On a random day, someone texts her, and Olivia can immediately tell this person obviously meant to text someone else. For some reason though, they still continue to text each other because….um…well…yeah I don’t know why either. Funny enough while the sexual tension is being built through their texts, another one is being built off the screen. It turns out that “Mr. Wrong Number” is Colin. They don’t know this for a while though. When do they find out, who finds out first, and how do they deal with it?
When I say lacking, I don’t mean I necessarily hate parts of the book. I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry. The characters on their own were a little interesting and unique, and there were some parts of the book that weren't always about romance. But seeing that the romance was the main plot, it’s fair to give it this rating when I wasn’t feeling the chemistry. I would still pick it up if you’re looking for something light and cute.
So Olivia is living with Colin and her brother, at least till she can get her shit together. On a random day, someone texts her, and Olivia can immediately tell this person obviously meant to text someone else. For some reason though, they still continue to text each other because….um…well…yeah I don’t know why either. Funny enough while the sexual tension is being built through their texts, another one is being built off the screen. It turns out that “Mr. Wrong Number” is Colin. They don’t know this for a while though. When do they find out, who finds out first, and how do they deal with it?
When I say lacking, I don’t mean I necessarily hate parts of the book. I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry. The characters on their own were a little interesting and unique, and there were some parts of the book that weren't always about romance. But seeing that the romance was the main plot, it’s fair to give it this rating when I wasn’t feeling the chemistry. I would still pick it up if you’re looking for something light and cute.
April 5, 2024
writing: punchy, casual | plot: thorough | ending: HEA
my opinion
The Love Wager was an absolute battle for me but I decided to give her another go because when she's funny, she's FUNNYYYY. Thankfully, this was a much better experience for me. And yes, there were some very questionable moments, but overall it was a good time and I felt the plot was well-developed.
I felt like this book was written to be adapted into a movie. Okay this is gonna sound hella pretentious but the writing and storytelling had a frenetic energy that you expect from a classic romcom. Yes, things are exaggerated and unrealistic, but it's all for comedic effect. If you prefer a book where you can walk a thousand miles in the FMCs shoes, choose something else.
Is Olivia an absolute shit show hot mess? Absolutely. Does she have the maturity of a toddler? It would be remiss to deny this. She needs to child-proof her apartment and wear a helmet at all times to keep herself safe. I can see a lot of people getting annoyed with the fact she can't walk straight without somehow tearing her ACL and simultaneously throat punching an unsuspecting passerby. She was like a hybrid of Kimmy Schmidt and Mindy Lahiri with a dash of bath salts. Just a dash, though.
Usually romance books capture a snapshot of the FMC and MMCs "love" story, but I was surprised by how "complete" their relationship timeline was. You truly got a beginning (texts), middle (reveal + smash), and end (third-act conflict and resolution) without feeling rushed.
Initially I wasn't the biggest fan of Colin: he had a 2x4 shoved up his ass, he made several unnecessary diet comments, and the only reason he started looking at Olivia differently was because of the sexting. Not a great look that he didn't notice Olivia's personality until she said she loves hot 'n fast sex (sponsored by Little Ceasars hot 'n ready pizza) but he redeemed himself in the end thankfully.
I haven't found a romcom without at least one severely punchable character and this one was no different. Without further ado, I present the most punchable award to Olivia's mother, Nancy. Step right up and claim your prize: these hands. What an absolute POS.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this with chest, but I enjoy a romcom that gives me early 2000s chaotic vibes so this worked for me.
pros & cons
pros: funny, less annoying than The Love Wager, gave me early 2000s romcoms when they were hella chaotic and a smidge (++++) problematic with imperfect characters that you somehow rooted for, a true three-act romcom
cons: both MMCs in this and The Love Wager had a penchant for tousling the FMCs hair and that needs to stop immediately, questionable moments for sure, Colin wasn't my fave at first, Nancy!!! someone needs to check her ass
__
Check out my YouTube
my opinion
The Love Wager was an absolute battle for me but I decided to give her another go because when she's funny, she's FUNNYYYY. Thankfully, this was a much better experience for me. And yes, there were some very questionable moments, but overall it was a good time and I felt the plot was well-developed.
I felt like this book was written to be adapted into a movie. Okay this is gonna sound hella pretentious but the writing and storytelling had a frenetic energy that you expect from a classic romcom. Yes, things are exaggerated and unrealistic, but it's all for comedic effect. If you prefer a book where you can walk a thousand miles in the FMCs shoes, choose something else.
Is Olivia an absolute shit show hot mess? Absolutely. Does she have the maturity of a toddler? It would be remiss to deny this. She needs to child-proof her apartment and wear a helmet at all times to keep herself safe. I can see a lot of people getting annoyed with the fact she can't walk straight without somehow tearing her ACL and simultaneously throat punching an unsuspecting passerby. She was like a hybrid of Kimmy Schmidt and Mindy Lahiri with a dash of bath salts. Just a dash, though.
Usually romance books capture a snapshot of the FMC and MMCs "love" story, but I was surprised by how "complete" their relationship timeline was. You truly got a beginning (texts), middle (reveal + smash), and end (third-act conflict and resolution) without feeling rushed.
Initially I wasn't the biggest fan of Colin: he had a 2x4 shoved up his ass, he made several unnecessary diet comments, and the only reason he started looking at Olivia differently was because of the sexting. Not a great look that he didn't notice Olivia's personality until she said she loves hot 'n fast sex (sponsored by Little Ceasars hot 'n ready pizza) but he redeemed himself in the end thankfully.
I haven't found a romcom without at least one severely punchable character and this one was no different. Without further ado, I present the most punchable award to Olivia's mother, Nancy. Step right up and claim your prize: these hands. What an absolute POS.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this with chest, but I enjoy a romcom that gives me early 2000s chaotic vibes so this worked for me.
pros & cons
pros: funny, less annoying than The Love Wager, gave me early 2000s romcoms when they were hella chaotic and a smidge (++++) problematic with imperfect characters that you somehow rooted for, a true three-act romcom
cons: both MMCs in this and The Love Wager had a penchant for tousling the FMCs hair and that needs to stop immediately, questionable moments for sure, Colin wasn't my fave at first, Nancy!!! someone needs to check her ass
__
Check out my YouTube
March 3, 2022
pls why did I read this so fast? barry allen 🤝 me, you know? ANYWAY— this book brought me a burst of serotonin! it had me hooked from the very first page. I wasn’t obsessed w Collin & Olivia by any means, but at the same time I was really happy reading this so do with that information what you will. this one is definitely for all the romcom fans, it had a lil bit of everything!
“tell me exactly what you’re wearing mr. wrong number” 💛
“tell me exactly what you’re wearing mr. wrong number” 💛
June 6, 2023
Książki Lynn to miłość i życie
March 5, 2024
update— when life gives you a book by lynn painter, run.
nothing like a whiny, petulant girl and an emotionally immature man to get me in my feels.
lynn, why? why disappoint me so?
spoilers in this review
on to the characters. how is it possible that they both give me a migraine?
olivia is a little girl in this big, big world. she's nearing 30, but makes me wonder about the mental state of the person who handed her that graduation cap. when her boyfriend decides to eat cake out of a so-called slut's belly button (i'll talk about that later), livvie gets mad.
so of course, like a mature, responsible person, she burns down her apartment. the whole thing felt like a fever dream or an olivia rodrigo music video (for some people, that’s the same thing). now, with $30 in her bank account and a kick in her stride, olivia has to live with her big brother and his..roommate.
colin is a big boy in this small, small world. oh, and i think olivia would agree with me on my unrelated question: how many times should a girl mention his "annoying abs that stare at me, beckoning, like eight eyes searching my soul"? i'll answer, teacher! definitely not 11. yes, 11. there was more than a paragraph in this book solely dedicated to collie's physique. (i will admit, i added the eight eyes part, but didn't it brighten your day?)
anyways, as soon as colin sets his eye on little livvie liv-erson, the curve of her ass (and the fact that she has the emotional maturity of 5, wow how attractive) instantly turned him on. i mean, there's nothing quite like a toxic friends-with-benefits situationship that makes me go "i really shouldn't have eaten those mashed potatoes for lunch."
kind of the worst but somehow the best (because that's how bad this book gets!) part of this book; the plot. for your own good, i'll save you the long summary and highlight the plot with a few bullet points.
- colin and olivia meet. they exchange a few cursory words. but secretly, they have amateur-at-best banter through their phones, anonymously. ooh!
- they scoot around each other for a few weeks, but eventually the lust takes over. now, THIS is what makes me mad! i'm 19, and never in my wildest dreams would i ever agree to a deal as dumb as it gets. they're both 30. 30! so why would they both decide to have some (apparently) good sex with no strings attached? don't ask me.
- somehow, colin is guilt-free about his secret identity throughout this book. it's the good old, definitely not overused, boy knows something about girl, girl knows...nothing.
- by the end of the book, olivia's mad. again. colin gives her a weak apology and she forgives him. the end! in the next book, love wager, which i rated 1 star but is somehow worse than mr. wrong number, colin and olivia get married.
i'm sorry, but no way in any universe, even one where the friends-with-benefits thing works out, does this toxic steaming mess go as far as "'till death do us part". i give them 2 months until he falls in love with his work wife or something.
lynn needs to learn that banter can't save a relationship.
even though colin and olivia had 3-5 snappy conversations, it still wasn’t enough to save me from the “we’re just two people who like sex. that’s it, colin!” line. yes, olivia. that is literally all you are. if you just started listening to your hard-hitting one liners, maybe we’d finally be going somewhere. they have to have an emotional connection with one another for readers to fall in love with (or tolerate) them.
i'm not completely sorry for olivia. i am sorry that someone cheated on her. no one deserves that. but if she knew eli wasn't the one for her, she really should have ended it before he realized it himself.
and it's completely valid to hate the guy’s guts.
listen to his least favorite songs. maybe change your facebook status to “it’s complicated” to make him squint. or see if any of your coworkers are looking fine today.
but did you have to call her a slut? and are you really the poster girl for honesty? you did fake your identity to get a job, and not by telling your boss "i actually do have a degree, miss!"
you told her you were a mom. you bonded over fellow mommy stories, and spit out various amounts of your lunches laughing about your "kids'" antics. if that had happened to me, i wouldn't have just fired you. i would have blocked your ass and had a few drinks or a steak on your tab. no way do you use my hypothetical kids as a means to earn money.
(and are you really poor if you have "eat the rich" boxer shorts? mull over it, liv.)
then obviously she found out and dismissed you; naturally you whined about it. so maybe don't be so hypocritical.
if i had to tell you my thoughts on this book in a few sentences, i would direct you to the quotes down below. i'm so sorry.
quotes:
“she’s beautiful.” she was, too. swear to god my ears had started ringing when she’d climbed on my lap out on her balcony. “but she’s like a helpless, pathetic little puppy. just make her feel good and get out.” is there a signup sheet for dipshits that need to book an appointment at an otolaryngologist's office? i’m just asking ‘cause wow! dream guy alert!
"i put my hands on his biceps and squeezed." every girl's dream. to hell with careers and families! I WANT BICEPS. not my biceps. MEN'S BICEPS.
"it was too dark to really see anything other than the curve of her backside." yeah, cause asses always glow in the dark.
in the words of olivia marshall, holy balls. this book sucked.
nothing like a whiny, petulant girl and an emotionally immature man to get me in my feels.
lynn, why? why disappoint me so?
spoilers in this review
on to the characters. how is it possible that they both give me a migraine?
olivia is a little girl in this big, big world. she's nearing 30, but makes me wonder about the mental state of the person who handed her that graduation cap. when her boyfriend decides to eat cake out of a so-called slut's belly button (i'll talk about that later), livvie gets mad.
so of course, like a mature, responsible person, she burns down her apartment. the whole thing felt like a fever dream or an olivia rodrigo music video (for some people, that’s the same thing). now, with $30 in her bank account and a kick in her stride, olivia has to live with her big brother and his..roommate.
colin is a big boy in this small, small world. oh, and i think olivia would agree with me on my unrelated question: how many times should a girl mention his "annoying abs that stare at me, beckoning, like eight eyes searching my soul"? i'll answer, teacher! definitely not 11. yes, 11. there was more than a paragraph in this book solely dedicated to collie's physique. (i will admit, i added the eight eyes part, but didn't it brighten your day?)
anyways, as soon as colin sets his eye on little livvie liv-erson, the curve of her ass (and the fact that she has the emotional maturity of 5, wow how attractive) instantly turned him on. i mean, there's nothing quite like a toxic friends-with-benefits situationship that makes me go "i really shouldn't have eaten those mashed potatoes for lunch."
kind of the worst but somehow the best (because that's how bad this book gets!) part of this book; the plot. for your own good, i'll save you the long summary and highlight the plot with a few bullet points.
- colin and olivia meet. they exchange a few cursory words. but secretly, they have amateur-at-best banter through their phones, anonymously. ooh!
- they scoot around each other for a few weeks, but eventually the lust takes over. now, THIS is what makes me mad! i'm 19, and never in my wildest dreams would i ever agree to a deal as dumb as it gets. they're both 30. 30! so why would they both decide to have some (apparently) good sex with no strings attached? don't ask me.
- somehow, colin is guilt-free about his secret identity throughout this book. it's the good old, definitely not overused, boy knows something about girl, girl knows...nothing.
- by the end of the book, olivia's mad. again. colin gives her a weak apology and she forgives him. the end! in the next book, love wager, which i rated 1 star but is somehow worse than mr. wrong number, colin and olivia get married.
i'm sorry, but no way in any universe, even one where the friends-with-benefits thing works out, does this toxic steaming mess go as far as "'till death do us part". i give them 2 months until he falls in love with his work wife or something.
lynn needs to learn that banter can't save a relationship.
even though colin and olivia had 3-5 snappy conversations, it still wasn’t enough to save me from the “we’re just two people who like sex. that’s it, colin!” line. yes, olivia. that is literally all you are. if you just started listening to your hard-hitting one liners, maybe we’d finally be going somewhere. they have to have an emotional connection with one another for readers to fall in love with (or tolerate) them.
i'm not completely sorry for olivia. i am sorry that someone cheated on her. no one deserves that. but if she knew eli wasn't the one for her, she really should have ended it before he realized it himself.
and it's completely valid to hate the guy’s guts.
listen to his least favorite songs. maybe change your facebook status to “it’s complicated” to make him squint. or see if any of your coworkers are looking fine today.
but did you have to call her a slut? and are you really the poster girl for honesty? you did fake your identity to get a job, and not by telling your boss "i actually do have a degree, miss!"
you told her you were a mom. you bonded over fellow mommy stories, and spit out various amounts of your lunches laughing about your "kids'" antics. if that had happened to me, i wouldn't have just fired you. i would have blocked your ass and had a few drinks or a steak on your tab. no way do you use my hypothetical kids as a means to earn money.
(and are you really poor if you have "eat the rich" boxer shorts? mull over it, liv.)
then obviously she found out and dismissed you; naturally you whined about it. so maybe don't be so hypocritical.
if i had to tell you my thoughts on this book in a few sentences, i would direct you to the quotes down below. i'm so sorry.
quotes:
“she’s beautiful.” she was, too. swear to god my ears had started ringing when she’d climbed on my lap out on her balcony. “but she’s like a helpless, pathetic little puppy. just make her feel good and get out.” is there a signup sheet for dipshits that need to book an appointment at an otolaryngologist's office? i’m just asking ‘cause wow! dream guy alert!
"i put my hands on his biceps and squeezed." every girl's dream. to hell with careers and families! I WANT BICEPS. not my biceps. MEN'S BICEPS.
"it was too dark to really see anything other than the curve of her backside." yeah, cause asses always glow in the dark.
in the words of olivia marshall, holy balls. this book sucked.
March 5, 2023
I liked the premise, but there were too many wtf moments for me to stay invested in the story.
Please indulge me as I rant out my feelings on this one.
Things had a tendency to get very campy and gave off prime-time CBS sitcom vibes.
Example: The main character burned her apartment building down when she got attacked by a possum while torching love letters on a balcony, and there were no financial or criminal consequences for her.
It makes sense that this was the author's first adult novel because the main characters acted pretty juvenile despite their ages.
Olivia was so clumsy, inconsiderate, and made such poor decisions that one would think she might have an undiagnosed medical condition. That is the only reason I can think that someone who weeks earlier made herself homeless with the aforementioned possum fire, would then leave a pot of sauce simmering on the stove at her brother's apartment while she left to run errands.
Colin is marginally better. He should have just told Olivia as soon as he figured out it was her that he'd been texting. I realized he too was a lost cause much later when, instead of telling the truth, he went and roped in a coworker to pretend to be the person Olivia had been texting. What kind of dumb Two Broke Girls style antic is that?
There were a few other smaller things that bugged me too.
Why didn't Olivia have any friends? Why was her only friend an acquaintance she hadn't talked to since high school? Did people stop associating with her because she thought replacing a stainless steel colander with a cheap plastic one was appropriate?
Why didn't anyone buy her normal clothes after the fire so she didn't have to wear her high school clothes to job interviews? Like her sister-in-law couldn't lend her anything? It seems like there were several ways to resolve this lack of clothes problem and the author went with the most nonsensical one just to make Olivia uncomfortable around Colin.
Everything that had to do with alcohol felt like it was written by someone who doesn't drink. A half a bottle of wine for a three-person spaghetti dinner? 4 people had leftover bottles from a 12 pack that lasted the rest of the week? I'm not saying get trashed, but who drinks that little.
I have never been to Omaha. So maybe things work differently there. Perhaps in Omaha, a single newspaper column will get billboards and commercials, though I don't think even Dear Abby got that kind of advertisement when print media was relevant.
It was easy to ignore some of the silliness at the beginning of the book when the story was enjoyable, but things just kept getting more and more absurd.
While this book was not my cup of tea, I would definitely recommend it to someone who enjoyed the later seasons of Once Upon a Time or felt that Ross Gellar was a good romantic partner.
This should probably be a one star review, but I added an additional star because of the single mention of Nick Miller from New Girl.
Please indulge me as I rant out my feelings on this one.
Things had a tendency to get very campy and gave off prime-time CBS sitcom vibes.
Example: The main character burned her apartment building down when she got attacked by a possum while torching love letters on a balcony, and there were no financial or criminal consequences for her.
It makes sense that this was the author's first adult novel because the main characters acted pretty juvenile despite their ages.
Olivia was so clumsy, inconsiderate, and made such poor decisions that one would think she might have an undiagnosed medical condition. That is the only reason I can think that someone who weeks earlier made herself homeless with the aforementioned possum fire, would then leave a pot of sauce simmering on the stove at her brother's apartment while she left to run errands.
Colin is marginally better. He should have just told Olivia as soon as he figured out it was her that he'd been texting. I realized he too was a lost cause much later when, instead of telling the truth, he went and roped in a coworker to pretend to be the person Olivia had been texting. What kind of dumb Two Broke Girls style antic is that?
There were a few other smaller things that bugged me too.
Why didn't Olivia have any friends? Why was her only friend an acquaintance she hadn't talked to since high school? Did people stop associating with her because she thought replacing a stainless steel colander with a cheap plastic one was appropriate?
Why didn't anyone buy her normal clothes after the fire so she didn't have to wear her high school clothes to job interviews? Like her sister-in-law couldn't lend her anything? It seems like there were several ways to resolve this lack of clothes problem and the author went with the most nonsensical one just to make Olivia uncomfortable around Colin.
Everything that had to do with alcohol felt like it was written by someone who doesn't drink. A half a bottle of wine for a three-person spaghetti dinner? 4 people had leftover bottles from a 12 pack that lasted the rest of the week? I'm not saying get trashed, but who drinks that little.
I have never been to Omaha. So maybe things work differently there. Perhaps in Omaha, a single newspaper column will get billboards and commercials, though I don't think even Dear Abby got that kind of advertisement when print media was relevant.
It was easy to ignore some of the silliness at the beginning of the book when the story was enjoyable, but things just kept getting more and more absurd.
While this book was not my cup of tea, I would definitely recommend it to someone who enjoyed the later seasons of Once Upon a Time or felt that Ross Gellar was a good romantic partner.
This should probably be a one star review, but I added an additional star because of the single mention of Nick Miller from New Girl.
March 9, 2022
I LOVED this one. My romantic heart was so happy with it. Perfect for this month of February!
Olivia Marshall has a reputation. She finds herself in weird situations like the last one that has ended her up without a home. She was burning the love letters from her ex-boyfriend when her apartment went up in smoke. Not having a place to live, she moves into her brother's condo.
Her brother shares a room with his best friend Colin Beck, Olivia's nemesis. Olivia had a HUGE crush on Colin since she first met him as a teenager but after a while, it turned into hate. In her mind, he has nothing but behaved as douche to her over the years. Yes, he is still sexy or maybe even better looking now but who is looking at his abs? To her shock, she starts noticing nice things about him when he is not teasing her any longer.
But Olivia is in a conundrum. She is starting to like Colin as a person but she has created this friendship over text with a stranger, Mr. Wrong Number. Their textship begins when he sends her a text meant for someone else. Over the next few weeks, they are happy to interact this way. Olivia starts relying on Mr. Wrong Number while they bounced back ideas about life and plans for the future.
Who would Olivia pick? Colin or Mr. Wrong Number???
Did I crush on Colin?
Absolutely!!
In truth, I loved both characters. Oliva's "luck" was cringe-worthy and I felt sorry for her. I also was laughing while reading Mr. Wrong Number many many times. I thought it was delightful! I read the book in one sitting and the pages just flew away.
I also recommend not reading the blurb which in my opinion gives way too much information. I didn't read it, so I was extra happy.
Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley, for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Olivia Marshall has a reputation. She finds herself in weird situations like the last one that has ended her up without a home. She was burning the love letters from her ex-boyfriend when her apartment went up in smoke. Not having a place to live, she moves into her brother's condo.
Her brother shares a room with his best friend Colin Beck, Olivia's nemesis. Olivia had a HUGE crush on Colin since she first met him as a teenager but after a while, it turned into hate. In her mind, he has nothing but behaved as douche to her over the years. Yes, he is still sexy or maybe even better looking now but who is looking at his abs? To her shock, she starts noticing nice things about him when he is not teasing her any longer.
But Olivia is in a conundrum. She is starting to like Colin as a person but she has created this friendship over text with a stranger, Mr. Wrong Number. Their textship begins when he sends her a text meant for someone else. Over the next few weeks, they are happy to interact this way. Olivia starts relying on Mr. Wrong Number while they bounced back ideas about life and plans for the future.
Who would Olivia pick? Colin or Mr. Wrong Number???
Did I crush on Colin?
Absolutely!!
In truth, I loved both characters. Oliva's "luck" was cringe-worthy and I felt sorry for her. I also was laughing while reading Mr. Wrong Number many many times. I thought it was delightful! I read the book in one sitting and the pages just flew away.
I also recommend not reading the blurb which in my opinion gives way too much information. I didn't read it, so I was extra happy.
Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley, for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 29, 2022
Mr. Wrong Book 4 Me
Olivia does not deserve Collin I will take him from her.
Let's play a game, I like to call it 'if I had a penny every time....'
Every time......
Olivia tripped over nothing
Oliva knocked something over
Olivia made a mess
Olivia made me want to scream
Oliva made me laugh
Collin made me want to strangle him
Collin made me laugh
Collin was an asshole
Collin was a bad best friend
I would be so rich I would be able to build myself a library.
Seriously this book got on my nerves so much and I have a love/hate relationship with everyone in this book. Like Olivia, she is a walking talking *WARNING* sign. Every. Single. Thing she touches breaks, falls or malfunctions in some way (maybe that's why here past relationships fail opsie). For. The. Love. Of. God can we stop with 'the QuIRkY main character that is SoOOoooOoO cLuMSy. Ughh I hate that so much. But then there is the funny, nice, weird side of her that I love. Texting Olivia was amazing she was smart, witty and funny. How can she be two people at once? THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING
Olive the entire book:
And Collin, I don't even know where to start. He was an asshole, a sweetie, a 'i hate everyone but you, a nerd, and a literal bully this entire book. I really liked Collin for the first part of the book but then there were so many fights AND I HATE IT. At the start, he was a grouchy asshole but I was like 'oh yeah he's the love interest he's gonna change' but Nah he didn't. In fact, he insulted Olivia so much that she was scared to hear what he thought sometimes. That's what I like to call TOXIC BEHAVIOUR. And not telling Olivia what she deserved to go was a real bad asshole move. Now I'm thinking about it I think I'm leaning towards not liking him too much while also loving him because he was nice......sometimes. Also he broke the bro code. not cool bro!
Collin the entire book:
Now that I think about it this book was not good and I don't think I will be reading from this author again.
My thoughts on this book:
Olivia does not deserve Collin I will take him from her.
Let's play a game, I like to call it 'if I had a penny every time....'
Every time......
Olivia tripped over nothing
Oliva knocked something over
Olivia made a mess
Olivia made me want to scream
Oliva made me laugh
Collin made me want to strangle him
Collin made me laugh
Collin was an asshole
Collin was a bad best friend
I would be so rich I would be able to build myself a library.
Seriously this book got on my nerves so much and I have a love/hate relationship with everyone in this book. Like Olivia, she is a walking talking *WARNING* sign. Every. Single. Thing she touches breaks, falls or malfunctions in some way (maybe that's why here past relationships fail opsie). For. The. Love. Of. God can we stop with 'the QuIRkY main character that is SoOOoooOoO cLuMSy. Ughh I hate that so much. But then there is the funny, nice, weird side of her that I love. Texting Olivia was amazing she was smart, witty and funny. How can she be two people at once? THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING
Olive the entire book:
And Collin, I don't even know where to start. He was an asshole, a sweetie, a 'i hate everyone but you, a nerd, and a literal bully this entire book. I really liked Collin for the first part of the book but then there were so many fights AND I HATE IT. At the start, he was a grouchy asshole but I was like 'oh yeah he's the love interest he's gonna change' but Nah he didn't. In fact, he insulted Olivia so much that she was scared to hear what he thought sometimes. That's what I like to call TOXIC BEHAVIOUR. And not telling Olivia what she deserved to go was a real bad asshole move. Now I'm thinking about it I think I'm leaning towards not liking him too much while also loving him because he was nice......sometimes. Also he broke the bro code. not cool bro!
Collin the entire book:
Now that I think about it this book was not good and I don't think I will be reading from this author again.
My thoughts on this book:
January 24, 2022
What happens when you send a text to the wrong number???
Olivia Marshall had to move in temporarily with her brother, Jack, and his roommate Colin Beck after some shocking and sad events in her life. She is there to get back on her feet, find a job, and a place to live. What could go wrong? One night she gets a text from someone she doesn't know...…
This book had me smiling from ear to ear! Ever get a wrong text? I got a picture of eggs once with the text saying "let's hit this" either the person was hungry or had a strange egg obsession. Either way, it was not as exciting as the texts sent in this book. They were fun and I loved the banter back and forth. I enjoyed all the characters, and I will even admit to spitting out my drink at the part where she mentions the image of being catapulted off the air mattress when someone sits down on it, because:
a. if you have ever slept on an air mattress on the floor you know how they suck
b. you have ever had the misfortune of being on one when someone gets off or on them.
c. if you have the sense of humor of a middle schooler (me) you will find this insanely funny.
But I digress, Mr. Wrong Number and Ms. Misdial are funny, they are witty, they are sexy, they talk the talk, but can they walk the walk (which is a lame euphemism for you-know-what)?
You can't go wrong with this book! It's fun, sexy, and steamy!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Olivia Marshall had to move in temporarily with her brother, Jack, and his roommate Colin Beck after some shocking and sad events in her life. She is there to get back on her feet, find a job, and a place to live. What could go wrong? One night she gets a text from someone she doesn't know...…
This book had me smiling from ear to ear! Ever get a wrong text? I got a picture of eggs once with the text saying "let's hit this" either the person was hungry or had a strange egg obsession. Either way, it was not as exciting as the texts sent in this book. They were fun and I loved the banter back and forth. I enjoyed all the characters, and I will even admit to spitting out my drink at the part where she mentions the image of being catapulted off the air mattress when someone sits down on it, because:
a. if you have ever slept on an air mattress on the floor you know how they suck
b. you have ever had the misfortune of being on one when someone gets off or on them.
c. if you have the sense of humor of a middle schooler (me) you will find this insanely funny.
But I digress, Mr. Wrong Number and Ms. Misdial are funny, they are witty, they are sexy, they talk the talk, but can they walk the walk (which is a lame euphemism for you-know-what)?
You can't go wrong with this book! It's fun, sexy, and steamy!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 10, 2022
2/5 stars
God the conflict was annoying, the main character was insufferable! I tried to like this book I swear but goodness I just can’t stand Olivia, she’s so obnoxious and cringe I couldn’t. I’m a girls girl but yeah I just couldn’t like her
God the conflict was annoying, the main character was insufferable! I tried to like this book I swear but goodness I just can’t stand Olivia, she’s so obnoxious and cringe I couldn’t. I’m a girls girl but yeah I just couldn’t like her
December 8, 2024
4★
꒰ ° 𝙸’𝚍 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚋𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛. ꒱
very minor spoilers
do not read if you want to walk into this book completely blind (most information is stated in the synopsis though)
yup yup yup, she’s done it again!! Lynn Painter writes some of the only romance books I can truly love. her books, including this one, give me the exact same feeling that old romcoms give me and that’s exactly what I’m looking for in romance books. no big growling men in dire need of therapy and a girl so severely colorblind that red flags are green, just a nice story that’ll make you laugh, cry, and then laugh some more.
this book follows Olivia and Colin! Colin is the best friend of Olivia’s big brother, and she’s currently staying in their apartment because… she burned hers down. so yeah, that pretty much sums up her character, her ex cheated and whilst burning his stuff, she had the misfortune of taking down the apartment complex too. Olivia gets a text from “Mr. Wrong Number” and they kind of just start chit chatting for a few chapters, but of course, Mr. Wrong Number is Colin. and she has no clue.
but you know who DOES have a clue? Colin. after seeing a notification pop up on her phone.
heeeeeres the catch, Colin and Olivia DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER at all, and never have. so Colin decides that he should stop texting her yadda yadda, there’s more to it but that’d include spoilers and I’m not about that life 🤫 (yeah I am, I’m just lazy and tired)
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆“I love you. I know I screwed everything up and I know we were going to keep it casual, but I somehow fell in love with you. I can’t believe it myself, but in spite of our lifetime of hatred for”
Colin
╰┈➤ oh Colin… you absolute moron 😭 his love confession was full on Mr. Darcy style, you know, the one where he rants about how he SHOULDN’T love her but does anyway! of course, Colin’s isn’t anywhere near as painful to sit through. to be honest, I didn’t have very strong feelings towards him, he wasn’t bad by any means but he wasn’t swoon worthy in my opinion. the romance was cute, but there wasn’t as much yearning as I would have preferred. guess I’m picky 🤷♀️
Colin knew from a very early point in the book that he was texting Olivia, which made his pov really fun to read (I preferred his pov) and he really did try to avoid texting her anymore.. but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings AND he was facing a predicament. he actually really liked her.
and the crowd.. is sitting in silence to see how Olivia reacts!! 🫳🍿
not well. BUT she got over it!
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆“I was totally in love with Colin.”
Olivia
╰┈➤ Liv was the definition of millennial, and I don’t care because I loved her. I think it’s almost impossible for me to dislike a Lynn Painter fmc, they might have unbearable qualities but that’s what makes them so likable to me. Liv is obnoxious and goofy, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I adore her. I mean COME ON, she burned her apartment down while burning her ex’s stuff 😭 if that doesn’t sound like the dumbest but realest thing in the world then you’re just a liar, it could happen to anyone!!!
Liv was a bit dramatic though, she was definitely more upset about certain things than she really should have been, but we’ve all been there. overreactions are a part of life!!🙈 but all is well, because in the end she realizes that her feelings mean more than a grudge.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆”I am completely lost without you in my life.”
Colin & Olivia
╰┈➤ ughh like I said earlier in the review, I needed more yearning to be a five star read. but I really did love these two, the texts were so hilarious and they match each others energy so well. I think Lynn Painter does a good job at making it feel like the conversation is really flowing between two people rather than just being some lines she cooked up in her noggin. I love it. outside of the texting, I liked their interactions a lot too. I especially liked how their interactions became a little different after Colin realized that Olivia was the girl he was texting, there was always some “ooooh I know something you don’t know!!” energy going on, but Liv never picked up on it. I also LOVE that Olivia and Colin actually fell for each other before they both knew they were texting each other. like, it wasn’t all of the sudden and forced, the relationship was built up between them.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆You aren’t a hot mess at all, Livvie. You’re just this . . . this . . . human tornado who is so alive, so filled with the energy of the moment, that there occasionally is a little collateral damage.”
overall thoughts
cute ✔️
fun ✔️
good characters ✔️
good romance ✔️
good buildup ✔️
good enough for me!! solid 4 stars, I enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more of Lynn Painters work
꒰ ° 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 ꒱
of course Lynn Painter delivered, wasn’t expecting anything less 🤷♀️ rtc but for now:
this book was cute, it was fun, and I enjoyed it. I liked the concept and honestly, I was in it from page ONE and there was noooo pulling me out of this book.
꒰ ° 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 ꒱
time for Lynn Painter to cure me after my.. less than swell experience with The Hating Game.
in need of a GOOD romance, hope this delivers! if anyone has any recs, I’m all ears 😋
꒰ ° 𝙸’𝚍 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚋𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛. ꒱
very minor spoilers
do not read if you want to walk into this book completely blind (most information is stated in the synopsis though)
yup yup yup, she’s done it again!! Lynn Painter writes some of the only romance books I can truly love. her books, including this one, give me the exact same feeling that old romcoms give me and that’s exactly what I’m looking for in romance books. no big growling men in dire need of therapy and a girl so severely colorblind that red flags are green, just a nice story that’ll make you laugh, cry, and then laugh some more.
this book follows Olivia and Colin! Colin is the best friend of Olivia’s big brother, and she’s currently staying in their apartment because… she burned hers down. so yeah, that pretty much sums up her character, her ex cheated and whilst burning his stuff, she had the misfortune of taking down the apartment complex too. Olivia gets a text from “Mr. Wrong Number” and they kind of just start chit chatting for a few chapters, but of course, Mr. Wrong Number is Colin. and she has no clue.
but you know who DOES have a clue? Colin. after seeing a notification pop up on her phone.
heeeeeres the catch, Colin and Olivia DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER at all, and never have. so Colin decides that he should stop texting her yadda yadda, there’s more to it but that’d include spoilers and I’m not about that life 🤫 (yeah I am, I’m just lazy and tired)
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆“I love you. I know I screwed everything up and I know we were going to keep it casual, but I somehow fell in love with you. I can’t believe it myself, but in spite of our lifetime of hatred for”
Colin
╰┈➤ oh Colin… you absolute moron 😭 his love confession was full on Mr. Darcy style, you know, the one where he rants about how he SHOULDN’T love her but does anyway! of course, Colin’s isn’t anywhere near as painful to sit through. to be honest, I didn’t have very strong feelings towards him, he wasn’t bad by any means but he wasn’t swoon worthy in my opinion. the romance was cute, but there wasn’t as much yearning as I would have preferred. guess I’m picky 🤷♀️
Colin knew from a very early point in the book that he was texting Olivia, which made his pov really fun to read (I preferred his pov) and he really did try to avoid texting her anymore.. but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings AND he was facing a predicament. he actually really liked her.
and the crowd.. is sitting in silence to see how Olivia reacts!! 🫳🍿
not well. BUT she got over it!
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆“I was totally in love with Colin.”
Olivia
╰┈➤ Liv was the definition of millennial, and I don’t care because I loved her. I think it’s almost impossible for me to dislike a Lynn Painter fmc, they might have unbearable qualities but that’s what makes them so likable to me. Liv is obnoxious and goofy, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I adore her. I mean COME ON, she burned her apartment down while burning her ex’s stuff 😭 if that doesn’t sound like the dumbest but realest thing in the world then you’re just a liar, it could happen to anyone!!!
Liv was a bit dramatic though, she was definitely more upset about certain things than she really should have been, but we’ve all been there. overreactions are a part of life!!🙈 but all is well, because in the end she realizes that her feelings mean more than a grudge.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆”I am completely lost without you in my life.”
Colin & Olivia
╰┈➤ ughh like I said earlier in the review, I needed more yearning to be a five star read. but I really did love these two, the texts were so hilarious and they match each others energy so well. I think Lynn Painter does a good job at making it feel like the conversation is really flowing between two people rather than just being some lines she cooked up in her noggin. I love it. outside of the texting, I liked their interactions a lot too. I especially liked how their interactions became a little different after Colin realized that Olivia was the girl he was texting, there was always some “ooooh I know something you don’t know!!” energy going on, but Liv never picked up on it. I also LOVE that Olivia and Colin actually fell for each other before they both knew they were texting each other. like, it wasn’t all of the sudden and forced, the relationship was built up between them.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆You aren’t a hot mess at all, Livvie. You’re just this . . . this . . . human tornado who is so alive, so filled with the energy of the moment, that there occasionally is a little collateral damage.”
overall thoughts
cute ✔️
fun ✔️
good characters ✔️
good romance ✔️
good buildup ✔️
good enough for me!! solid 4 stars, I enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more of Lynn Painters work
꒰ ° 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 ꒱
of course Lynn Painter delivered, wasn’t expecting anything less 🤷♀️ rtc but for now:
this book was cute, it was fun, and I enjoyed it. I liked the concept and honestly, I was in it from page ONE and there was noooo pulling me out of this book.
꒰ ° 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 ꒱
time for Lynn Painter to cure me after my.. less than swell experience with The Hating Game.
in need of a GOOD romance, hope this delivers! if anyone has any recs, I’m all ears 😋
August 24, 2023
This was fun but not as remotely outstanding as you all told me. What’s in Colin Beck that everyone finds so charming?
Firstly, the story. It’s cute and kind of predictable, but if you're a fan of the big-brother’s-friend trope this’d do for you. I like how the texts were included in the narration and the dual povs at needed times.
Also, I like the fact that he hadn't a crush on her before but fell in love because of the texts. I think it's significant in this trope to let the readers see the difference between Olivia the girl - a pain in the ass for Colin as much as for her brother, the classical little sister - and Olivia the woman - the adult she became.
And this brings us to the characters.
Olivia is the classical romantic heroine, a troublemaker to whom everybody is attracted like a magnet due to her good intentions. She's young and naive in a good way, but she's also annoying and impolite sometimes. I mean, who actually opens a new bottle of liquor when she's a guest in someone else house?
Colin is, obviously, the opposite of her: too stiff, too cocky, too good-looking. He's nice with everyone but her because for some reason he finds it hilarious to be a bully and a jackass with her. I think the purpose of the author was to write some sort of knight with shiny armour, kind of rude and sarcastic but with a good heart. In her mind was probably a perfect idea, but I'm not sure if it worked on paper.
On one thing I just know we all agree: both their families are horrible. Colin’s father is the classic guy who gets killed in CSI but since he was such a bad person nobody’s sad, and his mother gets along with it because appearances are more important than everything else. And Olivia’s family is just as awful as his: Jack’s supposed to be mean but caring because he’s her older brother - and I don't know if his it's normal behaviour - but I’d have loved it if she had punched him; her father has no personality; finally, the only word I can use to describe her mother is “bitch”, and I waited for all book long for her to finally start shouting back at her mother but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
So did I like it? Yes, but I need to read at least another book by Lynn Painter to make sure she's capable of writing about romance. As I said, it's a cute and funny story about two people who “unconventionally” fell in love, but there is no chemistry between them.
Olivia and Colin can't apparently stand each other, then they start texting, having sex and end up together. But the excruciating passion, the uncontrollable feeling of even needing to be in the same room with the other person doesn't exist.
Also, I’d like to say that not every romance story needs sex scenes. Kissing and then waking up the next day is totally enough if it's too difficult to write to them.
↠ 3 stars
Firstly, the story. It’s cute and kind of predictable, but if you're a fan of the big-brother’s-friend trope this’d do for you. I like how the texts were included in the narration and the dual povs at needed times.
Also, I like the fact that he hadn't a crush on her before but fell in love because of the texts. I think it's significant in this trope to let the readers see the difference between Olivia the girl - a pain in the ass for Colin as much as for her brother, the classical little sister - and Olivia the woman - the adult she became.
And this brings us to the characters.
Olivia is the classical romantic heroine, a troublemaker to whom everybody is attracted like a magnet due to her good intentions. She's young and naive in a good way, but she's also annoying and impolite sometimes. I mean, who actually opens a new bottle of liquor when she's a guest in someone else house?
Colin is, obviously, the opposite of her: too stiff, too cocky, too good-looking. He's nice with everyone but her because for some reason he finds it hilarious to be a bully and a jackass with her. I think the purpose of the author was to write some sort of knight with shiny armour, kind of rude and sarcastic but with a good heart. In her mind was probably a perfect idea, but I'm not sure if it worked on paper.
On one thing I just know we all agree: both their families are horrible. Colin’s father is the classic guy who gets killed in CSI but since he was such a bad person nobody’s sad, and his mother gets along with it because appearances are more important than everything else. And Olivia’s family is just as awful as his: Jack’s supposed to be mean but caring because he’s her older brother - and I don't know if his it's normal behaviour - but I’d have loved it if she had punched him; her father has no personality; finally, the only word I can use to describe her mother is “bitch”, and I waited for all book long for her to finally start shouting back at her mother but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
So did I like it? Yes, but I need to read at least another book by Lynn Painter to make sure she's capable of writing about romance. As I said, it's a cute and funny story about two people who “unconventionally” fell in love, but there is no chemistry between them.
Olivia and Colin can't apparently stand each other, then they start texting, having sex and end up together. But the excruciating passion, the uncontrollable feeling of even needing to be in the same room with the other person doesn't exist.
Also, I’d like to say that not every romance story needs sex scenes. Kissing and then waking up the next day is totally enough if it's too difficult to write to them.
↠ 3 stars
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