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Not My Type

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Nice girl Gina Reyes had a reasonable life. Good job, a somewhat reliable car, one of the nicer apartments in the Bronx, two best friends, an occasional mother, and a cute corgi, named Spike. But Gina was lonely. Enter Luke Martin. As the hot new addition to the office, Luke stirred something in Gina that she hadn’t felt . . . well ever. But, after a year of unspoken desires and anticlimactic flirting, it became painfully clear that Gina just wasn’t Luke’s type. Until one night, the two collide at a party, igniting a consuming passion that neither one of them expected.

296 pages, Paperback

Published July 5, 2024

193 people are currently reading
104 people want to read

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S. Elmsford

2 books9 followers

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5 stars
56 (30%)
4 stars
61 (33%)
3 stars
39 (21%)
2 stars
20 (10%)
1 star
7 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
70 reviews
July 3, 2024
what the hell

Umm .. Luke is an asshole. Gina deserves better but at the same time she was being so stupid. This book just pissed me off.
Profile Image for Neek.
30 reviews2 followers
July 3, 2024
Justice for Tyrese

I’m not sure a second book is going to make me like Luke. I realized that I only liked him the first few chapters and then I wanted to be like Rosa and eff him up. I’m not even sure I want to read more just because Luke doesn’t deserve Gina. I wanted to give this a 2 star but then I realized that was my emotion not the writing. I love Gina’s friend group. I want Justice for Tyrese because he is great but we all know when a girl wants to burn herself you can’t stop her.. plus Jessica gets some kudos for being a girls girl who didn’t know what was going down but was down to help. I’m really torn because I know I should just walk away from this story because I am anti Luke but also if I keep reading I’m going to have to pay per read so to speak on vella and that will add insult to injury. But I applaud the author because everything is so realistic with the power dynamic the plus size/race/economic aspects all so true and believable
Profile Image for Lisa Nolan.
82 reviews
June 22, 2025
I saw this book on Instagram and was eager to read it.
I really wanted to like this book!
The author's writing is good and keeps you engaged, but the story itself just wasn’t a compelling one. Some of the chapters and information seemed unnecessary. The MMC is just a piece of shit and the ending is cliffhanger.
Like, I don’t hate it, but it’s not the best.
This book was 15 chapters, and honestly, could have stopped at 10.
One of the chapters, I think, 12, was juicy, but honestly, the second half of the book just took me forever to get through
On the other hand, it’s quite relatable and showcases genuine perspectives from a female point of view.

I am sitting at a smooth 2.5 with this rating.

I want to like it more so bad.
Profile Image for ShybutRude92.
137 reviews
June 4, 2025
Go to therapy! At least try it out. Gina clearly has self esteem issues. And daddy issues! I hope in part two she realizes that she is worthy of good love! Fuck Luke! We all make choices. You are only going to be his kept secret! No one deserves that! I wouldn’t get with that guy that lives in your mother’s building either. Unless you are only using him for sex (which is all he’d be using you for) then go ahead and practice safe sex. I’m glad Gina has some really good friends that look out for her. *Forgot to add that this is honestly what scares me about putting myself out there to date. Not loving myself enough and not knowing my worth that when a fxckboy comes along flirting that I just accept it because who else would want to be seen with me. To all the ones out there struggling with this I pray that you go to therapy or at least have some good people in your corner that will shower you with all the love!! You are worthy! You matter! You DON’T have to put up with [bullshxt! You don’t have to go through hell in a relationship. You can be miserable all by yourself. You don’t need any help with that. Leave the pookies alone!


The following are all the thoughts I had while reading this book so it may contains some spoilers:

I’ve never been to New York so I’m going to make an ignorant comment: Why can’t she take the subway? Or a taxi? Oh ok. Once again I just need to keep reading.

*Googles distance between Yonkers and the Bronx because i’m an overthinker.* Hmmm shows 20 minutes by car, 3 hour walk, an hour by subway.

A dodge challenger with 20k miles on it as a once month work anniversary gift from your dad? Is he looking for a wife? Or daughter? I’ll be the best child he ever had! 🤣🤣

Oh hell no!! This is why i’m single for life (among other things) you not gone say no bullshit like that about me (behind closed doors or not) and think you got a chance with me!

You know this whole time I thought Luke was black or latino. He’s white! He’d damn sure never get a chance with me after that shit! I ain’t no fetish!

Gina is making all kind of dumb decisions! Not only letting him get a feel at the party. Then letting him inside your home and having UNPROTECTED sex with him! At least make him put on a condom! Smh.

I really this ends with Gina knowing her worth and letting Luke go!! Because it seems they can’t even go back to the friendship they had in the beginning.

He’s an asshole! Get away from him asap!!

He doesn’t give too much of a damn about his roommates since he’s rushing to get home.

I can see how Luke is going through it but that’s still no excuse for how he’s treating Gina! He needs to be honest with her.

Ladies please learn to love yourself before getting in a relationship! I believe it will cut out all the bullshit Gina’s going through.

Go to therapy! Work through your daddy issues!

Gina should be grateful her friends are trying to give her sound advice and not bullshit her. I love how they all rallied around her. Even Tyrese and Jessica.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for The Bourbon-Sipping Bibliophile.
624 reviews27 followers
May 27, 2025
Going into Not My Type, I was genuinely intrigued. The setup had a lot of potential—a regular girl-next-door Bronx native named Gina Reyes navigating love, heartbreak, and self-worth. I appreciated the body-positive representation and the promise of an emotionally layered story, especially since Gina’s life felt grounded and relatable at first. Her friends, her corgi Spike, her job—it all made for a realistic and even humorous foundation.

But once Luke Martin entered the picture, things took a turn—and not necessarily in the way I’d hoped.

Luke, the new golden-boy coworker, is charming at first. Their initial interactions gave me hope for a sweet slow-burn. But after a pretty devastating overheard conversation where he admits Gina isn’t “his type,” the emotional spiral begins. I honestly struggled to stay engaged once their dynamic turned into a toxic, on-again-off-again situation. Gina’s repeated returns to Luke—even after clear disrespect—were painful to watch. I get that heartbreak is messy and complicated, but it was hard to root for a relationship that consistently left her diminished.

I also had a tough time seeing what Gina saw in Luke beyond physical attraction. He felt emotionally unavailable, controlled by his family, and lacking the kind of character growth I needed to stay invested. Meanwhile, Tommy, who shows up later, was such a breath of fresh air—and it made me even more frustrated with Gina’s inability to fully let go of Luke.

There were bright spots, though. I enjoyed Elmsford’s writing style and the way she integrated race, class, and body politics in a way that felt honest. Gina’s support system—her friends, especially Tyrese and Jessica—deserve their own novella. They added warmth and depth where the central romance often fell flat.

The ending? Abrupt. I didn’t realize this book would end on a cliffhanger or that the continuation is locked behind Kindle Vella and not available outside the U.S. That was a bit of a letdown and something I wish had been clearer upfront.

This wasn’t a bad book—it just wasn’t the right book for me. While I appreciated the realism and the emotional complexity, the toxic romance and unresolved ending left me more frustrated than fulfilled. I’m still undecided on whether I’ll read the next book, but if I do, I hope Gina gets the self-love arc she truly deserves.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️½ (2.5/5)

My Rating System:
1⭐️: The book didn’t hold my interest and/or had significant issues that overshadowed any redeeming qualities for me, but generally not my cup of tea. Most likely did not finish the book.
2⭐️: The book didn’t quite resonate with me, and while my experience wasn’t remarkable, I did finish it. It had some redeeming qualities and potential but fell short in execution. Recommendable, though with some reservations.
3⭐️: Good read, but didn’t quite stand out. Still worth recommending to others.
4⭐️: Really enjoyed it and stayed engaged throughout. Would read the book again. Definitely recommendable.
5⭐️: Incredible writing that made me deeply connect with the characters. I was completely absorbed in the world and didn’t want it to end. This book stayed with me even when I wasn’t reading it. I'd gladly reread it and highly recommend it to everyone!
Profile Image for CLorraine.
1,707 reviews15 followers
June 29, 2024
Not My Type by S. Elmsford has an interesting premise and I thought that the story would go in a different direction. Gina Reyes and Luke Martin had a cute meeting. He is a new hire at her place of employment, handsome and engaging. Her car breaks down one night and even though they have had no contact he immediately comes to her rescue, going out of his way to make sure she is safe, and her car is repaired. From this meeting, a sweet friendship develops. From appearances and social circumstances, they have little in common. He comes from wealth and prestige while she is a struggling woman of color. Their friendship derails when she hears him bluntly tell a co-worker that she is not his type, and he was interacting with her mainly out of pity. Devastated, Gina cuts off their friendship and they don’t see each other for a year. When they do meet again, it is explosive, and they start a toxic and secretive affair. Luke really likes her, but he is hampered by his family’s expectations. Gina has issues with her self-esteem and keeps letting Luke back into her life and bed…. until she doesn’t. I kept waiting for Luke to make choices based on his desires and dreams, but he never did; he really was a sad figure in that he allowed his family to control and suffocate him. While I felt that both characters had major flaws, I would like to know if there was any resolution to their “love story”. The author indicated that a second part was currently on Vella, but I did not see it.
https://theretiredreader.com/read-for...
91 reviews
August 23, 2025
this book got me in my feelings and even though i was annoyed, it shows how good the author is

Reading this book was such a rollercoaster of emotions for me. I was annoyed. I was pleased. I was angry. Honestly, I was all up in my feelings the entire time — and I think that just goes to show how well it was written. The author has such a strong voice, and I have to give them credit: they really know how to pull a reader in.

But let me tell you, I was so frustrated with the relationship dynamics. Gina, the FMC, had me literally wanting to shake her sometimes. I just wanted her to stand tall, find her self-esteem, and stop ruining herself over this man who desperately needed therapy. It was heartbreaking to watch her spiral like that.

And then the ending — it wraps up with her saying “Happy New Year” and I was like, wait… that’s it?! Clearly, there’s more to her story, and I can only hope things turn around for her in the next book.

At the end of the day, though, I can’t deny it: this book was brilliant. Emotional, frustrating, thought-provoking — everything you want in a story that lingers with you long after you put it down.
20 reviews
July 5, 2025
Not your rich auntie's Gina & Martin

I kept waiting for Gina to emerge as the heroine of the story; I'm still waiting. It's tragic the way Gina repeatedly allows herself to be talked down to, screamed at, the repeated victim of the "love 'em & leave 'em". I kept waiting for the origin story of Gina's tragic self-esteem, something to explain why he negative self- talk, but I think perhaps it wasn't Gina, rather the writer. She literally wrote, "her fat thighs"... lol I'm having a hard time believing this book was written by a Latina or anyone who's ever lived in NYC, where thick women are the prize. Who's gaze was this story told from?... It left me gobsmacked to see Gina repeatedly settle for breadcrumbs. There was no redemption, no reason why she was so invested in someone who gave her so little. And yet to the end, the bitter end she gave her all to sometime who gave her nothing. Luke aka Martin is a simple man, lacks emotional intelligence, kindness, loyal, in fact in every opportunity given to be a hero, he fails & fails miserably.
65 reviews
July 8, 2024

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I’d give it 4/5 stars. It was really good. The main characters can be frustrating, but they’re so relatable. It’s like watching a train wreck happen—you can see it coming from the outside, but the people in love can't. The writing captures this perfectly. The spicy scenes were great, and the plot was well-connected. The ending had me emotional. I’m so glad part 2 is available as a Kindle novella because I couldn't wait to get it.
673 reviews4 followers
July 15, 2024
Warning: Cliffhanger

I knew the premise of this story based on a book review I read. Yet still I read it. The author is great at weaving you into the unfolding of a relationship you know you shouldn't have but you still fall in love. You feel the pull the main characters have for each other. You're not surprised at the end but you still want, like they do. Get ready to be sucked in.
Profile Image for Savannah.
29 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2025
eughh

This was beyond a “preference” or “not my type” this book can trigger years of generational trauma for black women at the hands of white men lol. Like the internalized racism and the lack of backbone of the FMC to see that and to acknowledged it threw me for a loop. Like the change in Luke had me soooo sick that I couldn’t finish the book. I pray in the next one she finds a man wayyy better but I don’t even see why she keeps entertaining that level of disrespect.
363 reviews
May 20, 2025
Doesn't end

There should be a disclaimer for books that don't end. This is your disclaimer. I really liked it at the beginning. It made me laugh out loud a few times. But it did not deliver what I came hear for. Sad since I liked the writers style, but not where the story went... Or didn't go.
Profile Image for LaToya.
36 reviews5 followers
June 4, 2025
This book was hard to read. i almost DNF'ED it multiple times. Not because of the writing but because of the context. I felt sad for Gina most of the book, i hated most of her choices and the authors choices for her. I won't be finishing this series cause honestly i think she deserves better 🤷🏾‍♀️. Tyrese was the actual victim here.
14 reviews1 follower
March 16, 2025
cute story

Enjoyed this saga. Sad Luke couldn’t get it together and living his life for his family. Gina is finally seeing that she deserves better. I can’t wait until the 2nd blood is released.
157 reviews
June 19, 2025
Fantastic

What a great read. The beginning was slow for me but it picked up. And what a rollercoaster of a journey. I loved her friends more than anything. The ending was something else. Glad there is a book two.
Profile Image for June.
105 reviews
June 28, 2025
wow

This author is new to me but I’m glad I gave this book a chance. Got me out of my reading slump. Gina is really such a sweetheart, a little naive but she really deserves love and happiness
Profile Image for Ari.
118 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2025
DNF'd....


Honestly the book pissed me off. Luke was a certified asshole and Gina deserved way more than what she got and what she put up with. I was being too triggered reading and just decided to give up on it
Profile Image for Lauren.
69 reviews
January 3, 2025
I’m obsessed, when is the next book coming out?!? I need it like right now
Profile Image for Robyn Fletcher.
362 reviews16 followers
February 22, 2025
The first book by the author felt stero typical about plus size woman being taboo to be out front. The spice was great, but I hope all the books aren't this simple.
1 review
March 10, 2025
Emotional and funny

Can't wait for part 2, I hope Gina gets her happy ever after, she deserves to come first, here's to the new year.
Profile Image for Trutz.
50 reviews2 followers
April 4, 2025
not my type

Just like the title, it’s not my type of book. I hate insecure plus size trope along with Mr insecure not what I read for.
Profile Image for Clara E. Kparr.
92 reviews
June 29, 2025
Damn

We have all been down the road of doubting our worth. There comes a time we must decide what we truly want for ourselves and how loud to live.
Profile Image for KiKi.
147 reviews14 followers
July 8, 2025
Gina & Luke are very toxic and a workplace romance is the last thing they should've been doing, with that said-I was 100% here for the mess!
243 reviews
September 10, 2025
Incomplete

I'm left in need of more, where is her new beginning, her happiness, like just where is the rest??? Where does she go from here? What's next?
Profile Image for Natalie.
18 reviews3 followers
April 21, 2025
I want to start with a major positive:
I LOVED the plus size body representation in this book. The spicy scenes were SO HOT, and not just because of the spice but because of the way Gina's plus size body was described. I loved the positive use and reinforcement of the word 'fat'. Elmsford did not tippy toe, did not hesitate, when describing Gina's body. The way she unapologetically used words like fat, thick, juicy, jiggle not only in a positive light but with such raw sexual appeal paired with how feral Luke was for her body .... healed something in me.
However ...
I had no idea that this story was incomplete and in need of a sequel. If I had known that, I might not have picked it up. I loved Luke when I thought this book was going to end in a HEA. But at this point, even knowing there's a sequel, I'm not sure he can redeem himself. He started off as this great character and just became more and more of a jerk. If I was Gina I would NEVER forgive him!
Part of me wants to end here and skip the sequel, but my morbid curiosity is interested in knowing what the heck happens in the sequel (even though I'm officially determined to hate Luke).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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