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Female Fantasy
All's fair in love and lore.
Joonie is living in a fantasy—at least that’s what people tell her. Men in the real world have done nothing but disappoint her time and time again, so she keeps her heart reserved for Ryke, the fictional male lead of her favorite romance series, who just happens to be a merman. And so far, her book boyfriend is meeting her needs more than any other “real” man ever has.
But when she learns that Ryke's character is based on a friend of the author, Joonie is determined to track him down and take her shot at a happily ever after.
She’ll need to borrow her brother’s car for the road trip, with the one condition that his annoying (but also hot) best friend can catch a ride to New York with her. But as she makes her way to her male lead, she’ll learn that once you wish fantasy into reality, you have to take all the tropes that come with it—not just the fun ones.
As unhinged as it is brilliant, Female Fantasy is both a self-aware dive into the concept of genre and a wild, steamy romp. Most of all, though, it’s a heartfelt love letter to romance readers everywhere.
Joonie is living in a fantasy—at least that’s what people tell her. Men in the real world have done nothing but disappoint her time and time again, so she keeps her heart reserved for Ryke, the fictional male lead of her favorite romance series, who just happens to be a merman. And so far, her book boyfriend is meeting her needs more than any other “real” man ever has.
But when she learns that Ryke's character is based on a friend of the author, Joonie is determined to track him down and take her shot at a happily ever after.
She’ll need to borrow her brother’s car for the road trip, with the one condition that his annoying (but also hot) best friend can catch a ride to New York with her. But as she makes her way to her male lead, she’ll learn that once you wish fantasy into reality, you have to take all the tropes that come with it—not just the fun ones.
As unhinged as it is brilliant, Female Fantasy is both a self-aware dive into the concept of genre and a wild, steamy romp. Most of all, though, it’s a heartfelt love letter to romance readers everywhere.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2025
373 people are currently reading
25935 people want to read
About the author
Iman Hariri-Kia
4 books299 followersIman Hariri-Kia is a writer born and based in New York City. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and an award-winning journalist, she covers sex, relationships, identity, and adolescence. Her work has appeared in Vogue, New York Magazine’s The Cut, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and more. She is the bestselling author of A Hundred Other Girls and The Most Famous Girl in the World. Her latest novel, Female Fantasy, was named a best book of the year by Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews
April 29, 2025
Oh this was so so so much fun. Iman f*ckin' LOVES romance readers.
November 14, 2025
3.25 / 5 Stars
I really wanted to love this book. It features an Iranian-American female lead, which we don’t have enough of. It is a love letter to romance readers. It was under the humor and satire category, which was very intriguing. But ultimately, I think satire is hard to pull off and it just didn’t push things far enough to be satirical in my opinion. Ultimately, the plot just felt more random than a meaningful critique of society.
In “Female Fantasy,” Joonie has a north star and that is her book boyfriend, Ryke, a merman from her favorite fantasy series. No man can compare to him and after getting out of an emotionally abusive relationship, Joonie doesn’t want to settle for anything less than Ryke in real life (minus the fish tail or maybe with the fish tail, I’m not judging). So when she learns that Ryke is based on a real person and he lives in NYC, Joonie decides that she has to meet him. The only catch to her road trip? Her brother’s best friend, Nico, has to tag along because he needs to be in NYC too. Cynical, love hating, annoying Nico, who Joonie had a crush on growing up. Of course, the road trip doesn’t go as planned as Joonie battles to keep her fantasy alive.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🧜♂️ A book within a book
🧜♂️ A Middle-Eastern American FMC
🧜♂️ Brother’s best friend
🧜♂️ Friends to dislike to lovers
🧜♂️ A love letter to romance readers
I loved reading about Joonie and her experience as the child of immigrants. Joonie felt like she had to assimilate in order to be accepted (and not bullied) and long-term, that really dulled her shine and made her lose herself. It was really well-written as was the part about her ex and his emotional abuse. Because of that backstory, Joonie’s actions felt grounded even if they were ridiculous.
I also loved the story within the story. At the end of each chapter, we got to read the book that inspired Joonie’s recommitment to believing in love and her love of Ryke. It could have been hard to pull off by having parts of the book take away from Joonie’s story but I think it worked well and mirrored Joonie’s journey.
And the author’s note at the beginning is fantastic. It is a great essay on the power of the romance genre, how romance books can help readers explore their wants and needs, and how those books can give readers agency.
But where the book lost me was its own genre. The book is marketed as humor and satire and the author says that this book is also meant to be “camp.” The book was funny at times, but I don’t think it is satire or camp. To me, camp is over the top, self-parody, so bad that it is good but usually in on the joke and leaning into it. I think of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “M3GAN” when I think of camp and I think the book within the book was campy. The merman-human love story knew how ridiculous it was and it leaned in HARD without back away from the joke and parody. But Joonie’s story? It wasn’t over the top enough for me. The ridiculous parts felt kind of random (we get a subplot with the mafia and a psychic) and there weren’t enough of those bits to be over-the-top. It felt little blips of zany instead of fully committed, ridiculous, insanity that would have made it camp.
Same with the satire. When I think of satire, I think of “Animal Farm,” “Catch-22,” “The Daily Show” or “Veep” and this just didn’t lean hard enough into it for me. I think the author called out the misogyny of romance being dismissed as a genre but it was done by Joonie lecturing Nico which felt very tell not show.
And maybe the hardest pill to swallow was the actual romance of the book. Nico and Joonie’s relationship was just fine to me. I know it is supposed to be a realistic contrast to the fantasy of the merman but it just felt kind of boring. Because they had a falling out, a part of the book was spent on clearing up that misunderstanding, which helped ground them as characters, but I just wanted more actual romance.
Overall, it was a great concept with really great bits but it fell flat in what it promised to deliver. I think if you go in expecting a zany road trip with some strange high jinks, two friends rekindling their relationship, and a loving parody of a fantasy romance in between, you may really enjoy it.
Thank you Cosmo Reads and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
___________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Her female fantasy? Tracking down the guy her book boyfriend is based on. My female fantasy? Peace and quiet 😂😂😂
I really wanted to love this book. It features an Iranian-American female lead, which we don’t have enough of. It is a love letter to romance readers. It was under the humor and satire category, which was very intriguing. But ultimately, I think satire is hard to pull off and it just didn’t push things far enough to be satirical in my opinion. Ultimately, the plot just felt more random than a meaningful critique of society.
In “Female Fantasy,” Joonie has a north star and that is her book boyfriend, Ryke, a merman from her favorite fantasy series. No man can compare to him and after getting out of an emotionally abusive relationship, Joonie doesn’t want to settle for anything less than Ryke in real life (minus the fish tail or maybe with the fish tail, I’m not judging). So when she learns that Ryke is based on a real person and he lives in NYC, Joonie decides that she has to meet him. The only catch to her road trip? Her brother’s best friend, Nico, has to tag along because he needs to be in NYC too. Cynical, love hating, annoying Nico, who Joonie had a crush on growing up. Of course, the road trip doesn’t go as planned as Joonie battles to keep her fantasy alive.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🧜♂️ A book within a book
🧜♂️ A Middle-Eastern American FMC
🧜♂️ Brother’s best friend
🧜♂️ Friends to dislike to lovers
🧜♂️ A love letter to romance readers
I loved reading about Joonie and her experience as the child of immigrants. Joonie felt like she had to assimilate in order to be accepted (and not bullied) and long-term, that really dulled her shine and made her lose herself. It was really well-written as was the part about her ex and his emotional abuse. Because of that backstory, Joonie’s actions felt grounded even if they were ridiculous.
I also loved the story within the story. At the end of each chapter, we got to read the book that inspired Joonie’s recommitment to believing in love and her love of Ryke. It could have been hard to pull off by having parts of the book take away from Joonie’s story but I think it worked well and mirrored Joonie’s journey.
And the author’s note at the beginning is fantastic. It is a great essay on the power of the romance genre, how romance books can help readers explore their wants and needs, and how those books can give readers agency.
But where the book lost me was its own genre. The book is marketed as humor and satire and the author says that this book is also meant to be “camp.” The book was funny at times, but I don’t think it is satire or camp. To me, camp is over the top, self-parody, so bad that it is good but usually in on the joke and leaning into it. I think of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “M3GAN” when I think of camp and I think the book within the book was campy. The merman-human love story knew how ridiculous it was and it leaned in HARD without back away from the joke and parody. But Joonie’s story? It wasn’t over the top enough for me. The ridiculous parts felt kind of random (we get a subplot with the mafia and a psychic) and there weren’t enough of those bits to be over-the-top. It felt little blips of zany instead of fully committed, ridiculous, insanity that would have made it camp.
Same with the satire. When I think of satire, I think of “Animal Farm,” “Catch-22,” “The Daily Show” or “Veep” and this just didn’t lean hard enough into it for me. I think the author called out the misogyny of romance being dismissed as a genre but it was done by Joonie lecturing Nico which felt very tell not show.
And maybe the hardest pill to swallow was the actual romance of the book. Nico and Joonie’s relationship was just fine to me. I know it is supposed to be a realistic contrast to the fantasy of the merman but it just felt kind of boring. Because they had a falling out, a part of the book was spent on clearing up that misunderstanding, which helped ground them as characters, but I just wanted more actual romance.
Overall, it was a great concept with really great bits but it fell flat in what it promised to deliver. I think if you go in expecting a zany road trip with some strange high jinks, two friends rekindling their relationship, and a loving parody of a fantasy romance in between, you may really enjoy it.
Thank you Cosmo Reads and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
___________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Her female fantasy? Tracking down the guy her book boyfriend is based on. My female fantasy? Peace and quiet 😂😂😂
October 14, 2025
Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia is a bold and unapologetic satire for die-hard lovers of the romance genre. Narrated by Samantha Brentmoor, the audiobook was seriously addicting and I could not stop listening! With a unique dual-story format, the chapters alternate from real life to the main character's favorite romantasy storyline – I was ridiculously hooked and had to know what happens next. I flew through it at 1.75x–2x speed and finished it in one day. I started this without knowing much about the story in advance, and I recommend you do the same—skip the summaries and blurbs! I wasn't expecting to be utterly captivated. What a storyteller!
This book is funny, and delivers sharp satire and clever commentary on the romance genre, while simultaneously being a real, heartfelt love note to the romance girlies (and fanfic writers!) and a bold statement about being unashamed and unapologetic for simply loving the romance genre.
The dual story format—the chapters switch from “real life” to the main character's favorite romantasy series—was super clever and smart. It almost feels like two totally different books! The fantasy story is basically a spin on ACOTAR (think Feyre and Rhysand, but instead of Velaris, they're in Atlantis, and swap out fae lords for mermen), and the book is filled with so many romantasy references. The author adds in almost every romance trope imaginable. You'll be amused by how many familiar tropes are packed in here—it's almost impossible to list them all! The overall experience, including the dual story timeline, was way too addicting, like binge-watching a series that's impossible to switch off.
The author truly shines in her portrayal of the female main character's feeling of "otherness," her deep sense of alienation while in school, something that sticks with you. She has this sharp and honest way of capturing the loneliness of being ostracized. This profound feeling of being different resonated with me, and the way the female main character found solace and community through writing and books, was a strong point of the story.
The story ultimately tackles the best aspects of what we love about romance stories. It focuses on heroines that don't need to be saved, finding their own strength and power, self-discovery, and recognizing love—sometimes right in front of them, even when they're lost in their own head.
A Perfect Read For:
❤️ For those that need a reminder that reading romance shouldn't make you feel guilty
📚 For anyone who would rather live in books and stories, as opposed to reality
✍️ For the fanfic writers
📖 If you love books about books
💖 For those obsessed ACOTAR and would rather be living in Velaris than the real world
✨️ For those obsessed with the Empyrean series, or 🧜♀️💖🧜♂️ any romantasy series
💛 For anyone who has ever felt different or “other”
Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook from Cosmo Reads. This review is voluntary. All opinions are my own.
This book is funny, and delivers sharp satire and clever commentary on the romance genre, while simultaneously being a real, heartfelt love note to the romance girlies (and fanfic writers!) and a bold statement about being unashamed and unapologetic for simply loving the romance genre.
The dual story format—the chapters switch from “real life” to the main character's favorite romantasy series—was super clever and smart. It almost feels like two totally different books! The fantasy story is basically a spin on ACOTAR (think Feyre and Rhysand, but instead of Velaris, they're in Atlantis, and swap out fae lords for mermen), and the book is filled with so many romantasy references. The author adds in almost every romance trope imaginable. You'll be amused by how many familiar tropes are packed in here—it's almost impossible to list them all! The overall experience, including the dual story timeline, was way too addicting, like binge-watching a series that's impossible to switch off.
The author truly shines in her portrayal of the female main character's feeling of "otherness," her deep sense of alienation while in school, something that sticks with you. She has this sharp and honest way of capturing the loneliness of being ostracized. This profound feeling of being different resonated with me, and the way the female main character found solace and community through writing and books, was a strong point of the story.
The story ultimately tackles the best aspects of what we love about romance stories. It focuses on heroines that don't need to be saved, finding their own strength and power, self-discovery, and recognizing love—sometimes right in front of them, even when they're lost in their own head.
A Perfect Read For:
❤️ For those that need a reminder that reading romance shouldn't make you feel guilty
📚 For anyone who would rather live in books and stories, as opposed to reality
✍️ For the fanfic writers
📖 If you love books about books
💖 For those obsessed ACOTAR and would rather be living in Velaris than the real world
✨️ For those obsessed with the Empyrean series, or 🧜♀️💖🧜♂️ any romantasy series
💛 For anyone who has ever felt different or “other”
Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook from Cosmo Reads. This review is voluntary. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2025
this was a campy good time.
can’t believe iman made me fall in love with a blonde man tho.
can’t believe iman made me fall in love with a blonde man tho.
November 11, 2025
honestly the words to sum up this book keep escaping me...
iman pitched this book as, a love letter to all romance readers, and that really is what this story is. when you look past all the dramatics that happen on one singular road trip to new york, and instead fall in love with joonie and nico, you'll find a beautiful love story that i wish we saw more of. iman is such a talented writer because in this book you'll find two stories, one in the real world and one is excerpts from the book joonie is obsessed with. writing basically two books and getting me to care about both is such a feat!
like i said in one of my updates, i love joonie. she's such an easy main character to follow because even though she's becoming an almost stalker, you can't help but root for her and see her find love! while it was sweet to see her and nico's connection form over their trip, i would've liked even more moments between the two. brothers best friend is such an excellent trope and i just wanted to read about them forever. now i wanted to read about them yes, not so much the absolutely insane antics they get up to while traveling. between the mob, the psychic, the mild-stalking, and the held at gunpoint near robbery, there was just a lot going on. it was sometimes hard to care and focus on the fantasy story inside the book plus all that i just mentioned.
the premise and the point of this novel was very sweet and i think any romance lover should pick this up! joonie defends romance for all of us throughout this novel and i loved the confidence she had in herself and her interests, even if she didn't always believe the confidence was there. everything from the cover art to the writing was a joy, kinda sad i read this in the winter though, it'd be perfect for mermaid summer!!
iman pitched this book as, a love letter to all romance readers, and that really is what this story is. when you look past all the dramatics that happen on one singular road trip to new york, and instead fall in love with joonie and nico, you'll find a beautiful love story that i wish we saw more of. iman is such a talented writer because in this book you'll find two stories, one in the real world and one is excerpts from the book joonie is obsessed with. writing basically two books and getting me to care about both is such a feat!
like i said in one of my updates, i love joonie. she's such an easy main character to follow because even though she's becoming an almost stalker, you can't help but root for her and see her find love! while it was sweet to see her and nico's connection form over their trip, i would've liked even more moments between the two. brothers best friend is such an excellent trope and i just wanted to read about them forever. now i wanted to read about them yes, not so much the absolutely insane antics they get up to while traveling. between the mob, the psychic, the mild-stalking, and the held at gunpoint near robbery, there was just a lot going on. it was sometimes hard to care and focus on the fantasy story inside the book plus all that i just mentioned.
the premise and the point of this novel was very sweet and i think any romance lover should pick this up! joonie defends romance for all of us throughout this novel and i loved the confidence she had in herself and her interests, even if she didn't always believe the confidence was there. everything from the cover art to the writing was a joy, kinda sad i read this in the winter though, it'd be perfect for mermaid summer!!
October 10, 2025
4.25/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️
I absolutely loved this fresh take on a romcom! Female Fantasy is such a clever, chaotic, and heartfelt story that plays with fanfiction culture in the best way possible. Fanfic is so hot right now, and I adored how the author wove it into the plot—it felt current, funny, and surprisingly emotional.
One of my favorite parts was seeing how the main character’s favorite book starts to mirror her own life. It’s meta and hilarious, but also really moving. Some of the scenes veer into full-on slapstick territory, and I loved that the author went there. It’s over-the-top in the most delightful way.
The characters are all kind of unlikable—but in that irresistible, “you’re not supposed to like them, but you do anyway” kind of way. By the end, I found myself totally rooting for them. The story is messy, real, and human (even amid all the absurdity 🤣).
I listened to the audiobook, performed by the incredibly talented Samantha Brentmoor, and she absolutely nailed it. Her narration brought every bit of humor and heart to life. Funny enough, I actually got the recommendation to request this book from her—and I’m so glad I listened!
Thanks to the author, their publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this book.
1/5 🌶️
I absolutely loved this fresh take on a romcom! Female Fantasy is such a clever, chaotic, and heartfelt story that plays with fanfiction culture in the best way possible. Fanfic is so hot right now, and I adored how the author wove it into the plot—it felt current, funny, and surprisingly emotional.
One of my favorite parts was seeing how the main character’s favorite book starts to mirror her own life. It’s meta and hilarious, but also really moving. Some of the scenes veer into full-on slapstick territory, and I loved that the author went there. It’s over-the-top in the most delightful way.
The characters are all kind of unlikable—but in that irresistible, “you’re not supposed to like them, but you do anyway” kind of way. By the end, I found myself totally rooting for them. The story is messy, real, and human (even amid all the absurdity 🤣).
I listened to the audiobook, performed by the incredibly talented Samantha Brentmoor, and she absolutely nailed it. Her narration brought every bit of humor and heart to life. Funny enough, I actually got the recommendation to request this book from her—and I’m so glad I listened!
Thanks to the author, their publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this book.
October 12, 2025
A true love letter to romance readers! This book made my heart soar in ways I did not know were possible! Joonie is just a girl. A girl who breaks up with every man she dates because they don’t hold a candle to her favorite book boyfriend. And when she finds out he is based on a man that the author knows IRL, she goes on an epic quest in order to meet him & see if they really are soulmates! This epic quest takes some insane twists & turns, but people should really stop underestimating romance readers! 😏
This book is for everyone out there who has ever felt patronized by someone for their love of romance. Everyone who has been dismissed as delusional for having high standards of men because of fictional book boyfriends. This book is “one thread in a much larger tapestry that is slowly chipping away at patriarchal social structures, one sentence at a time.”
“Or.. you know, dry humping and stuff. Just girly things.”
This book is for everyone out there who has ever felt patronized by someone for their love of romance. Everyone who has been dismissed as delusional for having high standards of men because of fictional book boyfriends. This book is “one thread in a much larger tapestry that is slowly chipping away at patriarchal social structures, one sentence at a time.”
“Or.. you know, dry humping and stuff. Just girly things.”
October 15, 2025
okay i really liked this
this is a story within a story & I don’t think I’ve read anything like it. the switches between the FMC & MMC’s story and the fantasy romance series the FMC is reading kept things feeling fresh all throughout
I read this in basically 2 sittings
things to know:
- story within a story
- told through two FMCs (irl and fictional fantasy heroine)
- swoony love interests
- brothers bff (love interest irl) & merman prince (fantasy romance mmc)
4.5 stars!
this is a story within a story & I don’t think I’ve read anything like it. the switches between the FMC & MMC’s story and the fantasy romance series the FMC is reading kept things feeling fresh all throughout
I read this in basically 2 sittings
things to know:
- story within a story
- told through two FMCs (irl and fictional fantasy heroine)
- swoony love interests
- brothers bff (love interest irl) & merman prince (fantasy romance mmc)
4.5 stars!
dnf
September 18, 2025DNF @64%
What started out as a fun commentary on romance readers and romantasy quickly became a cheesy caricature of both genres.
When the story began, I rooted for Joonie, HARD. I wanted her fanfic and romance novel-loving heart to find love! I even kind of shipped her going and looking for the guy who had inspired her favorite romance hero. When there was a bit of a plot and genre twist? I was also hardcore into that. Where the story lost me was the writing style, and unfortunately, there isn't much hope of coming back from that once a reader dislikes it.
The writing was simple and cheesy. With the main novel, I could overlook those aspects for a time, but there were also excerpts (too many, if I'm being honest) from the FMC's favorite romantasy series, and the writing in those excerpts was bad from the start. I thought initially it was purposeful, but as the book went on, I couldn't overlook how blatantly bad the writing in those pieces was. Then, that poor writing seeped into the main story. I thought maybe the main romance could save it, but it couldn't, and the cheesiness actually made it worse.
If you're looking for an unserious and comedic take on romance, then give this a shot. Based on the Author's Note, I thought the author loved the romance and romantasy genres, but I couldn't tell from the writing of this story.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
What started out as a fun commentary on romance readers and romantasy quickly became a cheesy caricature of both genres.
When the story began, I rooted for Joonie, HARD. I wanted her fanfic and romance novel-loving heart to find love! I even kind of shipped her going and looking for the guy who had inspired her favorite romance hero. When there was a bit of a plot and genre twist? I was also hardcore into that. Where the story lost me was the writing style, and unfortunately, there isn't much hope of coming back from that once a reader dislikes it.
The writing was simple and cheesy. With the main novel, I could overlook those aspects for a time, but there were also excerpts (too many, if I'm being honest) from the FMC's favorite romantasy series, and the writing in those excerpts was bad from the start. I thought initially it was purposeful, but as the book went on, I couldn't overlook how blatantly bad the writing in those pieces was. Then, that poor writing seeped into the main story. I thought maybe the main romance could save it, but it couldn't, and the cheesiness actually made it worse.
If you're looking for an unserious and comedic take on romance, then give this a shot. Based on the Author's Note, I thought the author loved the romance and romantasy genres, but I couldn't tell from the writing of this story.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 17, 2025
I don't think I'll ever get over this one. the most perfect love letter to romance and the romance genre and its readers and community. utterly joyful and heartfelt and unapologetic. this book means so much to me as a lonely, weird, little fangirl reading fanfic under her covers way too late on a school night and also as a hopeless romantic, lover girl adult who loudly shouts about romance on the internet and has found so much hope and solace and sense of belonging in the pages of romance books for so much of her life. I feel seen and loved and treasured by this story. A true labor of love, you can tell Iman poured her heart and soul into these pages. infinity stars
January 21, 2026
“Maybe I do need to start believing in the power of love. Maybe then the universe will stop kicking my ass.”
Female Fantasy is a quirky, silly love story parody. It’s told through the eyes of Joonie, who can’t seem to keep a love interest because she’s too busy fantasizing about her favorite male book character (who’s a merman btw, I get it girl). She finds out this character was based on a real person and goes on quite the adventure the try to meet him and see if there will be a spark in real life.
This has all the makings of a great story: romance, self-discovery, fantasy components, a mission and an adventure; and yet something fell a little flat. Maybe there was just too much going on? I loved the writing style. It’s goofy and funny. Though, I didn’t find myself overly invested in the characters or storyline. The overall storyline is really ridiculous and over the top (on purpose) but don’t go into this looking for your typical love story. The fantasy novel inside of the story was a fun addition at first, but it pulled me out of Joonie’s story, leaving her’s to feel rushed. There reached a point where it was really dragging and I wished I could speed it along just to see how it ended.
This was described as a love letter to romance readers and I do think it accomplished that! I liked the way it poked fun at all the different tropes and spun things deemed as “weaknesses” into strengths.
Overall a fun story, just a little meh.
“And I feel so whole, so delightfully full, that I think to myself: I couldn’t write a better story than this.”
Moderate content warnings: domestic/emotional abuse, kidnapping, bullying, racism
Female Fantasy is a quirky, silly love story parody. It’s told through the eyes of Joonie, who can’t seem to keep a love interest because she’s too busy fantasizing about her favorite male book character (who’s a merman btw, I get it girl). She finds out this character was based on a real person and goes on quite the adventure the try to meet him and see if there will be a spark in real life.
This has all the makings of a great story: romance, self-discovery, fantasy components, a mission and an adventure; and yet something fell a little flat. Maybe there was just too much going on? I loved the writing style. It’s goofy and funny. Though, I didn’t find myself overly invested in the characters or storyline. The overall storyline is really ridiculous and over the top (on purpose) but don’t go into this looking for your typical love story. The fantasy novel inside of the story was a fun addition at first, but it pulled me out of Joonie’s story, leaving her’s to feel rushed. There reached a point where it was really dragging and I wished I could speed it along just to see how it ended.
This was described as a love letter to romance readers and I do think it accomplished that! I liked the way it poked fun at all the different tropes and spun things deemed as “weaknesses” into strengths.
Overall a fun story, just a little meh.
“And I feel so whole, so delightfully full, that I think to myself: I couldn’t write a better story than this.”
Moderate content warnings: domestic/emotional abuse, kidnapping, bullying, racism
November 26, 2025
This book had an important message about the power of romance novels for women (louder for the men in the back!)… but this book also had the FMC ordering a “tuna club,” talking about Skype in 2025, and a mafia storyline that even I found to be too much.
October 29, 2025
This was a great concept and idea….but seriously so cringe. And that is coming from a retired tumblr head
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1746468325i%2F66224803._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 11, 2025
This was such a fun audiobook!
A road-trip to meet the man that inspired your book boyfriend? Sounds good.
Kidnapping, light stalking, thief and your brothers best friend aka your ex crush joining you?
Gimme!
This was definitely a wild ride full of banter, a little bit of cliche and a tad craziness.
I absolutely loved it!
A road-trip to meet the man that inspired your book boyfriend? Sounds good.
Kidnapping, light stalking, thief and your brothers best friend aka your ex crush joining you?
Gimme!
This was definitely a wild ride full of banter, a little bit of cliche and a tad craziness.
I absolutely loved it!
December 12, 2025
this book is not good…like at all..
chemistry? 0
chemistry? 0
Want to read
June 22, 2025On the Humor & Satire category of NetGalley, I’m excited on the synopsis. It’s romance, women’s fiction, and satire.
Joonie is determined to find her real life book bf, Ryke, but no one knows the real life inspiration of him. Determined to find out who he is, she embarks on a road trip. If only, her brother’s bff didn’t insist on tagging along
I love that the author knows us. It’s a letter to romance readers everywhere,which begs the question, is it a love or a wake up letter? 😂
Joonie is determined to find her real life book bf, Ryke, but no one knows the real life inspiration of him. Determined to find out who he is, she embarks on a road trip. If only, her brother’s bff didn’t insist on tagging along
I love that the author knows us. It’s a letter to romance readers everywhere,which begs the question, is it a love or a wake up letter? 😂
August 17, 2025
Thank you Cosmo Reads for my copy! All thougths are my own.
AHHHHH!!!! I haven't flown through a book all Summer but I read this book in 24 hours on vacation and loved it. It is a love letter to Romance and also bold, funny, and surprising. I had the best time reading it.
I can't wait to see the film offers pour in for this one because I think it would make a perfect movie!
AHHHHH!!!! I haven't flown through a book all Summer but I read this book in 24 hours on vacation and loved it. It is a love letter to Romance and also bold, funny, and surprising. I had the best time reading it.
I can't wait to see the film offers pour in for this one because I think it would make a perfect movie!
October 23, 2025
Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia
ARC from RBmedia
Release date: Oct 14th
-love Iman Hariri-Kari’s authors note love the passion for her work especially when it comes to romance books, sexual health and more
-we gotta love our book boyfriends these men just don’t compare lol I love Joonie I feel like we’d be besties I get her
-her love and obsession for the book series is soooo meeee
-this is the most chaotic road trip gone wrong but I love the drama and the tension between them, eating up the forced proximity
-friends to lovers, one bed trope, romantic versus non love believer gobble gobble
-I love Nico and Joonie so much 🥰 their banter is TOP TIER
-Nico has been through so much I understand why he doesn’t believe in love I get it I have divorced parents too 🥺
-I really like the back and forth between the story and the excerpt of the book it’s like 2 books in one
-I find it so funny that she’s looking for an amazing romance when Nico has been there the whole time I love the invisible string theory 🫶🏾
-the spice wowww NICO can get it 🤪
-He read everything she wrote 😭
-I love the book community in this book 🫶🏾
-not Nico’s mom clocking them 🤣
-“love isn’t a bucket it’s a well”
-this book was amazing truly was a ride full of chaos, deluluness, banter and so much more wow just wow
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC from RBmedia
Release date: Oct 14th
-love Iman Hariri-Kari’s authors note love the passion for her work especially when it comes to romance books, sexual health and more
-we gotta love our book boyfriends these men just don’t compare lol I love Joonie I feel like we’d be besties I get her
-her love and obsession for the book series is soooo meeee
-this is the most chaotic road trip gone wrong but I love the drama and the tension between them, eating up the forced proximity
-friends to lovers, one bed trope, romantic versus non love believer gobble gobble
-I love Nico and Joonie so much 🥰 their banter is TOP TIER
-Nico has been through so much I understand why he doesn’t believe in love I get it I have divorced parents too 🥺
-I really like the back and forth between the story and the excerpt of the book it’s like 2 books in one
-I find it so funny that she’s looking for an amazing romance when Nico has been there the whole time I love the invisible string theory 🫶🏾
-the spice wowww NICO can get it 🤪
-He read everything she wrote 😭
-I love the book community in this book 🫶🏾
-not Nico’s mom clocking them 🤣
-“love isn’t a bucket it’s a well”
-this book was amazing truly was a ride full of chaos, deluluness, banter and so much more wow just wow
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 31, 2025
so good. so unique. so fun. truly a love letter to fandom and people who love romance.
Read
November 4, 2025Read: October 29th - November 4th
Format: E-book
Rating: No rating, DNF @ 70%
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Could I have finished this book? Sure. And I would have if I only had an hour left. But I had three hours left by the 70% point, and with how much I didn't want to finish it, I decided not to.
With that said, as I COULD have finished it, I think it's important I emphasize that I can understand people enjoying this book. There is definitely a lot of love for the romance genre in this book, and it's got a ridiculous/exaggerated tone that I imagine would super amuse some people. Also, as always, yay for BIPOC own-voice stories. If someone is a huuuuge fan of ACOTAR, I can also see them relating to Joonie and her love for the book world shown in this story. So, if this stuff really seems like your thing and what I'm about to say after this doesn't bother you, then more than likely, you'll adore this book.
I am not a huge romantasy girlie. I can still enjoy it, but the genre itself is not some obsession of mine. I find more books in the genre I'm meh about than I love. And many that compare themselves to ACOTAR as well as ACOTAR itself are the ones I find meh. I have no love for that series/series like it. It also didn't help that Female Fantasy has 'excerpts' of its equivalent of ACOTAR, except they're not excerpts. They're basically the book being told because there's no jumps in events, and all time jumps are summarized in the text. Meaning we are basically seeing the entirety of the book, and, well... it's not good. The pacing is just bad. It's trying to cram an ACOTAR length book into half the length of a 9 hour book (so basically 4 hours). The this-verse-ACOTAR would have worked so much better if it was truly excerpts from the book, because then it wouldn't have felt so badly rushed. The bad writing of it also starts leaking into the main narrative, which before that, was pretty solid.
And speaking of that main narrative. It has a few issues. For one, the start is, while humorous, somewhat serious in the topics it tackles, so it doesn't really work at all for me when it suddenly takes a hard turn toward the absurd (what do you mean there's a mafia boss involved???). Joonie also falls flat because this book that she bases so much of her personality around just, again, isn't good??? And what do you mean she learns how to get out of a specific tie because she saw Merriah (because yes, if we have Feyra for the fey, we need to have Merriah for the mer) escape the same knot??? We don't even have any of the action explained during a huge battle! Also, it requires actual practice to do something like that, not just "i read it in a book". I get this is a comedy, but that comedy again falls flat when the start of the book had so much more serious themes set up.
I could keep ranting on various events that just had me groaning, but that's because so many of them are basically caricatures of things that are cringy about 'romantasy girlies', which for one doesn't do them any favors, and for two, are things that make me cringe very hard. Not a jab at 'romantasy girlies', but at the stereotypical fake/exaggerated persona put forward on social media and stuff. Also, again, so much of this relies on her devotion to a book that is just soooo bad.
Again, I must emphasize, the people this book is meant for will likely adore it. And I think I'd even have liked it if it leaned more ROM-com, less rom-COM. Or maybe the comedy itself just wasn't my cup of tea. I don't know.
If none of what I pointed out are things that would bother you, please do check this out, because I'm sure you'd have an amazing time!
Format: E-book
Rating: No rating, DNF @ 70%
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Could I have finished this book? Sure. And I would have if I only had an hour left. But I had three hours left by the 70% point, and with how much I didn't want to finish it, I decided not to.
With that said, as I COULD have finished it, I think it's important I emphasize that I can understand people enjoying this book. There is definitely a lot of love for the romance genre in this book, and it's got a ridiculous/exaggerated tone that I imagine would super amuse some people. Also, as always, yay for BIPOC own-voice stories. If someone is a huuuuge fan of ACOTAR, I can also see them relating to Joonie and her love for the book world shown in this story. So, if this stuff really seems like your thing and what I'm about to say after this doesn't bother you, then more than likely, you'll adore this book.
I am not a huge romantasy girlie. I can still enjoy it, but the genre itself is not some obsession of mine. I find more books in the genre I'm meh about than I love. And many that compare themselves to ACOTAR as well as ACOTAR itself are the ones I find meh. I have no love for that series/series like it. It also didn't help that Female Fantasy has 'excerpts' of its equivalent of ACOTAR, except they're not excerpts. They're basically the book being told because there's no jumps in events, and all time jumps are summarized in the text. Meaning we are basically seeing the entirety of the book, and, well... it's not good. The pacing is just bad. It's trying to cram an ACOTAR length book into half the length of a 9 hour book (so basically 4 hours). The this-verse-ACOTAR would have worked so much better if it was truly excerpts from the book, because then it wouldn't have felt so badly rushed. The bad writing of it also starts leaking into the main narrative, which before that, was pretty solid.
And speaking of that main narrative. It has a few issues. For one, the start is, while humorous, somewhat serious in the topics it tackles, so it doesn't really work at all for me when it suddenly takes a hard turn toward the absurd (what do you mean there's a mafia boss involved???). Joonie also falls flat because this book that she bases so much of her personality around just, again, isn't good??? And what do you mean she learns how to get out of a specific tie because she saw Merriah (because yes, if we have Feyra for the fey, we need to have Merriah for the mer) escape the same knot??? We don't even have any of the action explained during a huge battle! Also, it requires actual practice to do something like that, not just "i read it in a book". I get this is a comedy, but that comedy again falls flat when the start of the book had so much more serious themes set up.
I could keep ranting on various events that just had me groaning, but that's because so many of them are basically caricatures of things that are cringy about 'romantasy girlies', which for one doesn't do them any favors, and for two, are things that make me cringe very hard. Not a jab at 'romantasy girlies', but at the stereotypical fake/exaggerated persona put forward on social media and stuff. Also, again, so much of this relies on her devotion to a book that is just soooo bad.
Again, I must emphasize, the people this book is meant for will likely adore it. And I think I'd even have liked it if it leaned more ROM-com, less rom-COM. Or maybe the comedy itself just wasn't my cup of tea. I don't know.
If none of what I pointed out are things that would bother you, please do check this out, because I'm sure you'd have an amazing time!
October 21, 2025
This book was so, so good. Truly written to all of us unhinged romance readers.
The romance, the humor, Joonie, Nico. I loved all of it. 🩷
The romance, the humor, Joonie, Nico. I loved all of it. 🩷
October 11, 2025
I was not prepared for how much of this book would just be the in-universe romantasy novel – like literally EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER ends with an excerpt. I would have preferred the Fangirl/Simon Snow approach of just a teensy excerpt, especially since I much preferred the contemporary story/writing. I still do not understand merpeople anatomy; at one point, a mer peen JUST APPEARS, in what I can only surmise is a Shape of Water situation.
The positives: I did like the (mostly) decent portrayals of fan fic culture and online friendships. Even though the concepts have been around for literal decades, they still have an air of stigma in the offline world.
HOWEVER, the completely parasocial stalker-y aspect of finding the person who inspired your favourite character, and the extreme attachment to said character… I promise, people can consume and create fan fic without being detached from reality!!! There are also SO MANY CHOICES made throughout; I'm glad that the blurb is self-aware enough to call the novel unhinged, because HARD AGREE.
However again though – as batshit as this is, I did still enjoy reading it, if only because I needed to know what baffling shenanigans they'd get into next.
I received a free copy via Netgalley.
The positives: I did like the (mostly) decent portrayals of fan fic culture and online friendships. Even though the concepts have been around for literal decades, they still have an air of stigma in the offline world.
HOWEVER, the completely parasocial stalker-y aspect of finding the person who inspired your favourite character, and the extreme attachment to said character… I promise, people can consume and create fan fic without being detached from reality!!! There are also SO MANY CHOICES made throughout; I'm glad that the blurb is self-aware enough to call the novel unhinged, because HARD AGREE.
However again though – as batshit as this is, I did still enjoy reading it, if only because I needed to know what baffling shenanigans they'd get into next.
I received a free copy via Netgalley.
October 28, 2025
3.5 rounded up. this was a fun novel about happy endings, idolising fictional characters and choosing yourself. it was pretty ridiculous at times, but it managed to circle back to the plot very well. i laughed a couple of times and was definitely moved a couple of times.
the thing that really lost points for me was the inclusion of the book that joonie (the fmc) loves. every second chapter is an excerpt from the romance novel about mermen that joonie is obsessed with, and while i liked learning more about it, i felt like there was too much of that and not enough of actual story and tension building. she writes fan fiction about this story and i would’ve LOVED to see some of that in place of the book. if you completely skipped those chapters, i think the novel would feel under developed. they’re fun for sure but i found myself rushing through them to get back to the actual plot.
i don’t read many romance novels and thus i think i’m a little more harsh than a usual romance reviewer, so take what i think with a grain of salt :)
the thing that really lost points for me was the inclusion of the book that joonie (the fmc) loves. every second chapter is an excerpt from the romance novel about mermen that joonie is obsessed with, and while i liked learning more about it, i felt like there was too much of that and not enough of actual story and tension building. she writes fan fiction about this story and i would’ve LOVED to see some of that in place of the book. if you completely skipped those chapters, i think the novel would feel under developed. they’re fun for sure but i found myself rushing through them to get back to the actual plot.
i don’t read many romance novels and thus i think i’m a little more harsh than a usual romance reviewer, so take what i think with a grain of salt :)
January 25, 2026
unfortunately, this was all a bit too ridiculous for me to truly enjoy. the secondary, fictional didn’t hold my interest and I just wasn’t that fond of either man character. the concept held a ton of potential, but didn’t fully deliver as I hoped.
January 5, 2026
2.5 - hilarious idea but not great execution. never read a romance like this (which is both a compliment and a criticism) and as we know i am a picky romance reader so i struggled to divorce the cringe elements with the bits i actually liked in here. i wouldn't say don't read it, but it's also not a book club pick if you catch my drift.
October 18, 2025
6 star read - on my top releases of 2025 list for sure
🎧alc review
📚FEMALE FANTASY by Iman Hariri-Kia
🎤solo narration by Samantha Brentmoor
💘thank you Netgalley & RBmedia for this ALC
I… am genuinely not sure I know where to start. I’m kind of speechless. This story delivered and MORE. I will admit, I was a bit hesitant after reading the blurb, as I am not always a big fan of “bookish” romances. I’m so glad the girlies on booksta convinced me to give it a shot. I am quite literally still in shock.
I knew from just the author’s note at the start, this was not going to just be any other romance. Written by Iranian American, Iman Hariri-Kia captures the experience of a first generation, middle-eastern woman growing up in a town that lacks diversity and understanding. And this woman happens to LOVE romance novels. Yes, I had my “is this play about us” moment. There’s hardly ever any middle-eastern representation in major romance stories, unless you count using references to the “war on terror” or military romances that paint middle-easterners as the de facto enemy. They are never positive, relatable, and truly special like Female Fantasy is. The references and experience Hariri-Kia writes into this romance truly elevate the story. It’s REAL and RAW and SO needed in the current state of the world. We’ve thrown back into early 2000s islamaphobia and normalized racism so this story is a NEED for the time, and I didn’t even know how badly I needed it until I finished it.
This story is toted as a “love letter to romance readers” and god did it deliver. It’s one thing for me to fall in love with the characters, background, setting, etc. But the romance itself here - and the way it’s really focused on our HEROINE!!! I think a lot of us romance readers have been made to felt weak or immature for our love of the genre, so it was incredibly relatable. Highlighting the plight of female empowerment, inclusivity, diversity, you name it - you get it here. I have never felt stronger or more capable and proud to be a lover of the genre. A big takeaway - a strong independent woman doesn’t speak to love as a weakness, but rather an empowerment. Thank you so much Iman, you have delivered something so special and close to my heart I don’t really know if I can ever thank you enough.
The writing, the humor, the set up of the excerpts of the parody romantasy - you get two stories in one with world building and also just.. reality. I am still feeling a bit emotional writing this review, and I think this will sit with me for a long time. I already cannot wait to re-read this. I am rambling and that’s how I know it’s an all time favorite read for me.
And of course - solo narration by Samantha Brentmoor, my all time favorite. I’ve always known Ms Brentmoor to be perfect, but the TALENT she exudes here, narrating so many different characters… each voice is unique and identifiable and she just GLUED me to the story. Or to my headphones, I guess. I love you Ms Brentmoor and thank you for brining such a special story to life for me!
As a life long lover of romance, fan fiction, and the community that’s built around the genre - I got to see my own experiences reflected on page (and my headphones) and I will never, ever be more in LOVE with this world. Thank you Iman - you really did something special here.
🎧alc review
📚FEMALE FANTASY by Iman Hariri-Kia
🎤solo narration by Samantha Brentmoor
💘thank you Netgalley & RBmedia for this ALC
I… am genuinely not sure I know where to start. I’m kind of speechless. This story delivered and MORE. I will admit, I was a bit hesitant after reading the blurb, as I am not always a big fan of “bookish” romances. I’m so glad the girlies on booksta convinced me to give it a shot. I am quite literally still in shock.
I knew from just the author’s note at the start, this was not going to just be any other romance. Written by Iranian American, Iman Hariri-Kia captures the experience of a first generation, middle-eastern woman growing up in a town that lacks diversity and understanding. And this woman happens to LOVE romance novels. Yes, I had my “is this play about us” moment. There’s hardly ever any middle-eastern representation in major romance stories, unless you count using references to the “war on terror” or military romances that paint middle-easterners as the de facto enemy. They are never positive, relatable, and truly special like Female Fantasy is. The references and experience Hariri-Kia writes into this romance truly elevate the story. It’s REAL and RAW and SO needed in the current state of the world. We’ve thrown back into early 2000s islamaphobia and normalized racism so this story is a NEED for the time, and I didn’t even know how badly I needed it until I finished it.
This story is toted as a “love letter to romance readers” and god did it deliver. It’s one thing for me to fall in love with the characters, background, setting, etc. But the romance itself here - and the way it’s really focused on our HEROINE!!! I think a lot of us romance readers have been made to felt weak or immature for our love of the genre, so it was incredibly relatable. Highlighting the plight of female empowerment, inclusivity, diversity, you name it - you get it here. I have never felt stronger or more capable and proud to be a lover of the genre. A big takeaway - a strong independent woman doesn’t speak to love as a weakness, but rather an empowerment. Thank you so much Iman, you have delivered something so special and close to my heart I don’t really know if I can ever thank you enough.
The writing, the humor, the set up of the excerpts of the parody romantasy - you get two stories in one with world building and also just.. reality. I am still feeling a bit emotional writing this review, and I think this will sit with me for a long time. I already cannot wait to re-read this. I am rambling and that’s how I know it’s an all time favorite read for me.
And of course - solo narration by Samantha Brentmoor, my all time favorite. I’ve always known Ms Brentmoor to be perfect, but the TALENT she exudes here, narrating so many different characters… each voice is unique and identifiable and she just GLUED me to the story. Or to my headphones, I guess. I love you Ms Brentmoor and thank you for brining such a special story to life for me!
As a life long lover of romance, fan fiction, and the community that’s built around the genre - I got to see my own experiences reflected on page (and my headphones) and I will never, ever be more in LOVE with this world. Thank you Iman - you really did something special here.
January 17, 2026
I have a confession to make: I have never been a “book boyfriend” kind of reader. No judgment if you are, but I’ve never been so emotionally invested in a fictional man that I spiral over him. Maybe that’s why I struggled so much with Female Fantasy, a wacky romance about Joonie, a woman so fed up with bad first dates that she drives from Mystic, CT, to New York to track down the real-life man who inspired the merman love interest from her favorite romantasy series.
It's admittedly a crazy set-up for a book. Iman Hariri-Kia leans hard on the appeal of an unhinged female protagonist. And look, I can appreciate a messy, self-sabotaging main character from time to time, but Joonie doesn’t feel complex and chaotic so much as exhausting and willfully obtuse. Her brother’s best friend, Nico—a guy she had a crush on all through high school before he did something to earn a permanent spot on her shit list—decides he should be the one to drive her to NYC for...reasons, I guess?
Unfortunately, the book then forgets its own premise. I expected a story about an unhinged woman single-mindedly tracking down the real-life inspiration for her fantasy obsession. But Joonie doesn’t seriously try to find the guy she she set out to stalk until nearly 75% of the way through the novel. Instead, there are hijinks with Nico: By the time she finally meets the man she’s been fixated on, she speaks to him for less than a full chapter before immediately changing her mind. Why is half the jacket copy devoted to a portion of the plot that the book barely feels interested in?
The enemies-to-lovers arc between Joonie and Nico just didn’t work for me at all. I don’t mind friction between love interests, but here it manifests as the characters being outright mean to each other. There are vague references to some Big Past Event that supposedly explains their hostility, but no concrete details for most of the book - one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader. The banter feels more cruel than charged, and the emotional payoff never justifies how unpleasant their dynamic was for so long.
And don't even get me started on Nico. I never understood why he wanted to go to New York with Joonie in the first place, let alone why he would want to be in a relationship with her. And Joonie seems to be drawn to him just for the hormones. We're supposed to accept a connection between them without any kind of emotional foundation. When the long-awaited reveal of what caused their rift finally arrives, it’s bafflingly stupid. And we're supposed to believe the two of them held onto this misunderstanding for about a decade without ever having a single conversation about it? That’s not romantic angst, it's just people refusing to communicate to keep the plot alive. The whole thing was ultimately as cringy as this beautiful piece of dialogue: "The line between love and hate is as thin a g-string." I mean, come on.
It's admittedly a crazy set-up for a book. Iman Hariri-Kia leans hard on the appeal of an unhinged female protagonist. And look, I can appreciate a messy, self-sabotaging main character from time to time, but Joonie doesn’t feel complex and chaotic so much as exhausting and willfully obtuse. Her brother’s best friend, Nico—a guy she had a crush on all through high school before he did something to earn a permanent spot on her shit list—decides he should be the one to drive her to NYC for...reasons, I guess?
Unfortunately, the book then forgets its own premise. I expected a story about an unhinged woman single-mindedly tracking down the real-life inspiration for her fantasy obsession. But Joonie doesn’t seriously try to find the guy she she set out to stalk until nearly 75% of the way through the novel. Instead, there are hijinks with Nico: By the time she finally meets the man she’s been fixated on, she speaks to him for less than a full chapter before immediately changing her mind. Why is half the jacket copy devoted to a portion of the plot that the book barely feels interested in?
The enemies-to-lovers arc between Joonie and Nico just didn’t work for me at all. I don’t mind friction between love interests, but here it manifests as the characters being outright mean to each other. There are vague references to some Big Past Event that supposedly explains their hostility, but no concrete details for most of the book - one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader. The banter feels more cruel than charged, and the emotional payoff never justifies how unpleasant their dynamic was for so long.
And don't even get me started on Nico. I never understood why he wanted to go to New York with Joonie in the first place, let alone why he would want to be in a relationship with her. And Joonie seems to be drawn to him just for the hormones. We're supposed to accept a connection between them without any kind of emotional foundation. When the long-awaited reveal of what caused their rift finally arrives, it’s bafflingly stupid. And we're supposed to believe the two of them held onto this misunderstanding for about a decade without ever having a single conversation about it? That’s not romantic angst, it's just people refusing to communicate to keep the plot alive. The whole thing was ultimately as cringy as this beautiful piece of dialogue: "The line between love and hate is as thin a g-string." I mean, come on.
December 1, 2025
IMAN!!!! This was fantastic! The witty banter, the adventure, the childhood friends to enemies to lovers 🥹 GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET!
December 5, 2025
I loved this one. Such a cute love letter to all things romance :))
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