Bestselling author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun YA K-drama remix of Pride and Prejudice—if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett were a college-run reality TV dating show.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that when there is a hot person, there is also someone with a crush on them.
Mia Yoon has a plan for everything. Get a full ride to her dream film school in Los Angeles, behind her mom’s back, and escape her middle-of-nowhere hometown—check. Produce her own dating show starring other people and their crushes—check. But everything goes off the rails when she has to enlist the help of her own secret crush, Noah Cho, a boy she’d rather hate.
Despite being a campus celebrity voted “most eligible student bachelor,” Noah can’t remember the last time he was in a relationship. And he’s perfectly content with that, thank you very much, especially since just the word feelings makes him uncomfortable. But he can’t stop staring at Mia, who keeps glaring at him in class. And when she asks him to be on her dating show—as one of the contestants—he can’t say no.
As Noah goes on more and more romantic dates on The Cuffing Game and Mia watches from behind the camera, something feels off. With the showrunner and contestant slowly falling for one another, can the show still go on?
Lyla Lee is the bestselling author of books for all ages. Inspired by her Korean heritage and love of pop culture, she writes cute and sometimes swoony stories that have been translated into multiple languages around the world. Originally from South Korea, she’s lived in various cities throughout the United States, worked in Hollywood, and studied Psychology and Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She now lives in Dallas, Texas. Visit Lyla at lylaleebooks.com or on social media (Kid lit: @literarylyla and adult romance: @authorlylalee).
take some of the netflix dating shows like single's inferno and the perfect match, throw in some love island and unreal tv, add a little sweetness and fluff from quirky kdramas, and just a dash of pride & prejudice, and you've got the cuffing game.
as someone w a past life in film, i connected v much w both mia and noah and the story of making your own project was very dear to my heart. throw in the antics of reality tv dating and it's a fun time.
it was a fast read and i felt like it paced well, with a not too neatly or rushed ending. it also included a v diverse cast w some queer contestants (mia is also bi), which we still don't get to see a lot in reality dating shows today.
lyla lee pls be my friend so we can talk about film production and are you the one season 8!!!!!
This book was SO cute!! I’m a Lyla Lee lover, her writing really does it for me. If you’re looking for a fun YA romance with lots of yearning, definitely check this one out.
I really loved the evolution of the original tv show concept to the eventual Cuffing Game. I wish there had been a bit more depth to the game itself but overall I enjoyed that aspect. The dramatics in The Cuffing Game reminded me a lot of other tv dating shows and I totally ate it up.
Seeing Mia and Noah’s personal growth throughout the story was nice as well and added some depth to their characters.
My partner is going to love this book as well, going to buy it once it’s officially out and make her read it!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and HarperCollins for the ARC!
"Pitched as a K-drama take on Pride and Prejudice, but if Elizabeth and Darcy were forced to work together on a LGBTQ-friendly Love Island-esque reality TV show, this YA rom-com follows bisexual film student Mia Yoon, who needs a star to help generate interest for her show—so in comes the campus heartthrob, Noah Jang."
Love island for college students? SIGN ME UP! The premise of this book was interesting. Who would think to make love island but for college students? Mia Yoon that’s who! Mia is better than me because I wouldn’t want my crush/“enemy” to work on my project with me.
I liked the commentary from the side characters because they provided comedic relief and insight into the main characters. Mia and Noah had an interesting start to their relationship.
Where this story fell short for me was the relationship development between Mia and Noah. It didn’t feel authentic or linear. It felt forced and underdeveloped. I enjoyed seeing the diverse representation in all the characters. Both main characters are Korean which I rarely see in romances. Hopefully, this book will help gain recognition for an underrepresented group.
I’m interested to see what Lyla Lee comes up with next!
Thank you Lyla Lee and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!
I loved this book so much more than I expected that I would. Lyla Lee has amazing writing skills to keep the readers hooked into the narrative without wanting to take a break.
Not many YA books in the market have Asian Representation or LGBTQ books but this book is carefully and smoothly balanced and includes both aspects, without making it seem like it was forced. It’s not often that we see such a wide range of gender identities and backgrounds represented so seamlessly. It made me feel even more comfortable to read the book.
The evolution from the initial idea to the final version of The Cuffing Game was fun to read about. The challenges and the game were interesting to read about. However, I felt like some of the aspects of the game were lacking depth. I wish that part could have been more creative in my opinion.
The dual POV allows the readers to see a broader perspective of the characters. We get to see how the character evolve and overcome tough situations and obstacles. The exploration within this dynamic was very interesting but at sometimes, the romance felt very rushed.
Overall, if you love dramatic, engaging, TV love reality drama, loath to love, and found family --- you'll love THE CUFFING GAME.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the e-arc! All opinions are entirely my own.
If you’ve ever wanted to read a cute, Love Island type of story, look no further!! Lyla Lee has written love island but for college students and it’s absolutely adorable.
I really enjoyed all of the side characters in this and I was pretty invested in the on-going drama. One thing to note, while I did enjoy the conflicts that were occurring throughout the book, I honestly felt a bit disappointed they were solved and written away so easily at the end. I personally just felt the ending was too wrapped up in a bow and I would have loved if there had been consequences to certain character’s actions or even just different reactions. It felt too clean and a bit rushed and would not have been realistic for actual college student, unfortunately.
I also really struggled to see the full chemistry between the FMC, Mia Yoon, and the MMC, Noah Jang. I felt a lot of their romance was ultimately told to me, rather than being shown to me and I just wanted more from them. It definitely picked up towards the end and by the final chapter, I could believe they had fallen in love. I also really liked how both characters felt relatable in their own ways, especially with their shared anxiety over school and life in general.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book and I felt it was incredibly cute. Again, the side characters were some of my favorites in the story and I devoured it in one night!! I look forward to reading future works by Lyla Lee!
i was able to get an arc from netgalley, and also a physical copy at the yallwest epic reads booth! thank you to harpercollins and epic reads for the arc!
i liked the alternating povs between the male and female leads, as it provided a look into their thoughts. the format also made it feel like i was watching a reality show
Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
3.75 stars
This was SO cute. We follow Mia Yoon, a film major, and her team as they create a reality dating show called 'The Cuffing Game', where people get the chance to confess their crushes and maybe find love. The twist? Mia’s own crush, Noah Cho, is one of the leading men on the show.
Cue all the adorable, flustered chaos.
Minor fun fact about me: I’m a longtime fan of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and pretty much any reality dating show you throw at me. Sue me, they're entertaining! So, when I saw that this book was about a contestant falling for someone on the crew—and featured two Korean characters as the main couple—I added it to my TBR instantly.
And it absolutely delivered. Mia and Noah were SO precious. I caught echoes of the beloved 2005 Pride and Prejudice film adaptation (yes, the hand flex scene makes an appearance, and yes, I cheered a little).
The supporting cast also deserves a shoutout. They were fun, lovable, and refreshingly diverse. I would 100 percent read spinoffs about ANY of the other couples. I won’t spoil anything...but just know they’re worth rooting for.
Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good reality dating show, a dash of fluff, and a whole lot of cuteness.
i stand by the fact that i think lyla’s writing skills are criminally underrated and she deserves WAY more hype! this book was so fun and chaotic and i know that noah (the mmc) can’t see this but texas has one of the largest korean populations in the country!!
longer review to come closer to the pub date. i don’t want to accidentally spoil.
1/2/2025 lyla has never written a bad book and i can’t wait to read this one!
A k-drama take on pride and prejudice, but if Elizabeth and Darcy were forced to work together on a love island-esque TV show? That too with a bisexual film student main character? Hmmm 👀👀👀👀
A reality TV show version of Pride and Prejudice? Count me in. Mia, a type-A film student with big goals, butts heads with Noah, a celebrity social media influencer. But when Mia needs his help on her college-student-run reality dating show, it gets a little more complicated when they both realize the other isn’t who they originally seemed, and maybe they care a little more about the other than they’d readily admit. This was a really fun read! I do think a bit of the relatable aspect went over my head, given that I have not gotten to college, but both characters (who the book’s POV alternates between) were fleshed out and funny. Mia‘s dry, sarcastic humor made me laugh, and Noah was the charming, sometimes misunderstood social media star that we all wish we could have. While I’ll admit it was a little bit cliché and predictable, you’re hard pressed to find a contemporary YA romance that’s not. As a fan of Lyla Lee’s other novel, I’ll Be the One , I was happy with how this story played out. Bonus points because both MCs are Asian (something not super common still in the YA romance genre) and a well-rounded background cast, including people of all races and multiple queer characters as well. Overall, a solid, vaguely holiday themed contemporary romance with likable characters and a unique premise.
(I received no compensation for this review; I got an ARC at a book festival and am leaving this review of my own volition)
I requested The Cuffing Game on NetGalley because the cover was so adorably cozy and it was described as K-drama X Pride and Prejudice. Unfortunately, it just didn't live up to the expectations it layed out.
The concept was very cute and unique. Mia is a college student who makes a reality dating show, which was honestly quite intricate and impressive. This book is YA, which is a genre I enjoy, however there were various elements that were much more juvenile than I am used to with YA, especially considering they are college students. They use the word "crush" way too much in my opinion, when in reality that is not how young adults speak about someone they like. The dialogue was very difficult to get through. There is a reason books don't use dialogue exactly how someone would speak in real life, because it doesn't read well. There was too much casual filler language like "so umm, anyways..." and "umm yeah and...". While I do believe this is most likely how the characters would speak if they were real, there is a way to write young dialogue that is enjoyable to read. Ultimately I wasn't even sure why the characters liked each other! There wasn't clear chemistry or developed feelings that made sense.
I think this story has so much potential, but it's not giving what I want it to.
One thing I learned recently is that I do occasionally enjoy reality dating shows! I never thought I would be the type, but I devoured Love Island USA S6 and that was that. I do also want to check out Single's Inferno one day! Anyway, when I saw that Lyla Lee's new book was described as Pride and Prejudice x Love Island, I immediately added it to my tbr. The premise is so fun: a dating show created by college students, for college students!
I think this would be a cute quick romcom to enjoy in the winter with a hot drink and a blanket! I had a good time following our main characters Mia and Noah as they navigated the show and their complicated feelings. I definitely related to Mia and her preference for planning, though as shown in the book, a little derailment from that can also be important. Noah was also so cute! I was a little worried at first because he's introduced as a frat bro, but what little we know of his frat seems to be positive, and he likely joined for the friendships since he moved from South Korea to the US for college. The pacing of the romance wasn't too bad, especially since the majority of the story takes place in basically a week, something that's pointed out by the characters. And to be fair, relationships in irl dating shows often move fast due to close proximity and such. The main things I didn't like were the miscommunication scene because it felt forced and took me out of the story, and the side characters as they felt pretty flat. But otherwise, it was a cute read and there were definitely some funny moments! My favourite part is definitely what happens on the last day of the show 👀 Literally peak dating show finale vibes. I'm not too picky with romcoms because I read them for vibes and as palate cleansers, so I can still say I enjoyed my reading experience!
Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book took me by surprise—in the best way. I didn’t expect to be so captivated, but Lyla Lee’s writing pulled me in from the first chapter and didn’t let go. Her pacing and storytelling make it so easy to lose track of time while reading.
What really stood out is how well the book handles representation. It’s rare to find a YA story that features both Asian and LGBTQ+ characters in a way that feels authentic and unforced. The diversity in gender identities and cultural backgrounds is seamlessly woven into the story, which made it feel inclusive and genuinely refreshing.
I also enjoyed watching the transformation of The Cuffing Game from its early concept to the final version. The premise and the challenges were fun to follow, though I felt like parts of the game lacked complexity. There was definitely room for more creativity in that aspect.
The use of dual perspectives worked well, allowing a fuller understanding of the characters and their individual journeys. Seeing them navigate emotional hurdles and personal growth added depth, though I did find the romance element a bit too fast-paced at times—it could’ve used more development.
If you’re into high-stakes love stories, dramatic twists, reality show vibes, enemies-to-lovers arcs, and stories centered on chosen family, this book is right up your alley. THE CUFFING GAME delivers a fun, heartfelt ride.
Mia Yoon is determined to succeed as a freshman at Marlon University by creating a reality TV show for her film class. However, when her roommate suggests she go on the show alongside another influencer that she is crushing on. Mia, unfortunately, isn't quite thrilled with the idea.
Noah Jang is a well-known influencer and a ton of girls are quite attracted by his online demeanor. When Mia approaches the idea of having him join this reality show, he isn't quite sure if he should, but since it's another online presence. He realizes that it could improve his social media influence even more.
"She made this entire TV show because she likes someone? Instead of just telling him? That's so wild"
As the reality show progresses, Noah and Mia both start to realize that they might have feelings for one another. But due to their constant bickering in class, Noah just assumed Mia may have disliked him. It never occurred to him that she was secretly crushing on him. The whole reason she acted the way she did was fear of rejection and to keep a safe distance.
We all remember having those crushes back in school and wondering if it's worth taking a chance. Sometimes it is but other times it's not worth it at all. We may want to stay in our cocoons and wait to be approached instead. I was the latter. Have you ever felt nervous? Did you take a chance?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was ok. I thought the premise was really cute but the execution just lacked a little something. Obviously, these characters are quite young and acted immaturely at times given their age. I don't often read YA and I mostly tried this one bc I wanted to see if it was something my daughter would enjoy. I don't normally call out spelling errors or typos in books but I do have to make one note: the FMC is a film student and is producing a reality show in this book. She talks about casting the show and uses the word "casted" for the past tense of cast. The past tense of cast is just cast and while I wouldn't be so nitpicky about that in general, the fact that it's a film student going to a prestigious film school using that word did seem a little jarring to me. She, of all people, should and would know that the past tense of cast is cast.
The idea behind this book is cute. Creating a dating show in college and being forced to watch and work with your crush. There is a lot of representation in this book. However, I feel like it fell short on some of the moments. There could’ve been more opportunity for sparks and chemistry behind the main characters than what there was. It seemed like a good book for a younger audience than YA, but there is a lot of emphasis on the characters sexuality. Overall, it was a decent, cute book.
This was such a cute young adult romance book. This book had an interesting premise as it followed Mia, a film student producing a reality dating competition show. I loved following Mia and Noah in this story as well as the rest of the characters. The Cuffing Game had lots of sweet moments that had me smiling and rooting for the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and recommend it if you’re looking for a cute reality show centered read.
Read this if you like:
📖 Dating reality shows 📖 Diverse characters 📖 LGBTQ reps 📖 Winter settings
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the gifted arc, I loved it.
I feel that this book was marketed as more of a Pride and Prejudice remix than it really was. I’m not really seeing where the Pride and Prejudice came into play other than what was explained in the author’s note in the beginning.
While I appreciate the story that was told, I think I was anticipating something different and it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
The Cuffing Game was such an enjoyable read! The concept of a film school student creating a dating show for classwork and also to deal with her crush is such a unique idea that had such a fun execution. The relationships between the characters and the interactions they have had me giggling and kicking my feet. I love reading Lyla Lee books and this was no exception.
This was so cute! I loved the way the Pride and Prejudice influence was present in the plot and the characters, and the reality tv dating show element was super charming and also felt really realistic (which I think can be hard to pull off in YA).
Being a GenX mom of teenagers, reading this young adult romance hits differently. So much has changed and yet a lot remains the same. No matter the decade, the pining, the yearning and the excitement of a crush, along with the agony of watching a friend pursue your secret crush is soul crushing. The author makes you feel all the feels.
I appreciate the diverse representation and it was done well. Be ready for:
✅Love triangles ✅Dual POV ✅Forced proximity ✅enemies to lovers 🌶️No spice Lots of fun references to pop culture.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy for my honest review.
I read this book during a difficult time period in my life and I’m grateful that it provided me the lightness I required at that particular moment.
I really liked the idea —a reality show remixed with pride and prejudice —this book follows. It was cool reading about how a reality show is made and the pains the crew goes through to make their ideas come alive. This dual POV book follows Mia Yoon and Noah Jang, the producer and the star of the show respectively. Both of them despise each other but filming a reality show brings people closer whether they like it or not and they start falling for each other.
I really liked how Mia and Noah were written. Their happy moments, struggles everything felt quite real and relatable.I liked the romance but I was way more into the reality show aspect of the book.
I did like the book but I don’t think I’ll ever reread it and sometimes that is the kind of book you need. Sometimes you just need something light and fun that will take your mind off things but will also not consume you, The Cuffing Game is exactly that kind of book.
If you like reality shows and kdramas, The Cuffing Game might be just for you!
2.75 stars arc review The whole dating show idea is the cutest and freshest idea I’ve ever seen, but 1. I felt like at first, Mia hated Noah because he said something about not liking her and she went mad, and later when they got together, she didn’t even acknowledge it. 2. Secondly, the whole book seems like pitching stuff together. While the idea is lively, it lacks potential. 3. She said some mean stuff abt him, and there’s no apologising or closure to that, it lacks something there.
The concept of a YA modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a cabin over a college winter break SHOULD have been right up my alley!
Except it just really fell flat for me.
Repeatedly!
For starters, this is advertised as a YA novel, which it definitely feels like, except they’re all in college. Like, the youngest character, the FMC, is 18. To me, and I think to a lot of readers, YA is for 12 to 17 year olds, ABOUT 12 to 17 year olds. MAYBE turning 18 as seniors in high school, but not college students dealing with college problems. This is NA (New Adult) and while there is no spice (the MCs kiss, there’s a hot tub make out scene between two minor characters, and a few other characters who pair up kids too) this could and SHOULD be marketed as a Closed Door, New Adult romance.
Our Lizzie and Darcy are Mia and Noah (Mia is Korean-American and Noah is Korean) both majoring in film at a top film school in LA. Noah is a senior, in a fraternity, and is a social media influencer. Mia is a freshman who comes up with a “reality show mixed with a documentary” about people on the college and their crushes. So far, I’m following it (though a freshman getting the “okay” to create their own show, even if it’s for the campus’ YouTube channel, is extremely unlikely, but for the sake of the plot, I’ll go with it)
The “Pride” part I guess is Noah and him not wanting anyone to see behind his public facade, so he smiles even when he’s uncomfortable? (Except, he also never smiles in his posts.) and I guess doesn’t want people to know about his past? The “Prejudice” seems to be Mia assuming she “knows” Noah. “Knowing him” meaning she says him party shirtless at a frat party ONCE, knows he’s an influencer (because she watches his content), and they don’t agree in class.
The plot just felt so clunky (I am not much of a reality tv watcher, admittedly) but it was shocking how poorly thought out the “tv show” (it’s on a YouTube channel but the characters literally refer to it as being on tv constantly) was. And not just because it changed from “Campus Crush” to “The Cuffing Game”. Like, repeatedly the plan of the show falls apart, people go missing, they come up with “challenges” randomly (one challenge was “we had viewers vote based on yesterday’s show for cutest “chuffle” and the loser goes home” and that’s all that happened that day), but at the end, Mia gets praised for how well she planned the show out and how no one can believe a freshman pulled this off. A freshman had an idea and then her upperclassman friends repeatedly saved her ass when shit hit the fan.
I have two final gripes. First, Mia is not written having any romantic feelings towards Noah for the majority of the book. And not in a “oh no, these feelings came out of nowhere, what do I do?” (Which is how Noah’s POV chapters work and while it isn’t great and feels rushed, it’s fine.) No, I mean, from the first chapter, Mia “has a crush” on Noah and by that I mean she stares at him at a frat party and watches his videos. But she isn’t described as feeling drawn to him or getting butterflies. She in fact seems to be openly hostile towards him IN HER OWN HEAD. But then immediately goes “no one can know about MY crush ON HIM” she actually gets joy from seeing him appear to be uncomfortable. There were so many moments when she could be thinking “oh no, I shouldn’t feel this way” but no, she repeatedly only thinks negative things but then goes “if only I didn’t have a crush on him”
Second (and final) gripe: the Lydia/Wickham of it all. In this book, while Mia has four sisters, the actual Lydia character is Celine, Mia’s OLDER roommate (the fact that Lydia is suppose to be SUPER young and inexperienced and easy influenced by the older Wickham is completely irrelevant to this story. And the Wickham is Noah’s grand-little Kyle (a freshman in his fraternity. See previous complaint about Celine’s age). They meet on the second to last film day because Kyle is a “Gamechanger” and joined the show because he thought Celine was hot. (Is this ignoring Wickham first going for Lizzie THEN Lydia, but for the sake of the book, I’ll roll with it) They then run away to Vegas together (lining up) and because neither are 21, everyone immediately assumes they went to get married! They have known each other MAYBE 24 hours, yet all of these seemingly logical people all assume “Vegas wedding”. Noah, in his Darcy role, drives to Vegas, where (and I really fucking wish this wasn’t true) he and Kyle have not one, but two (2) INTENSE DANCE-OFFS. Yes, that’s right, there are multiple “dance-offs” between two characters (one in a club and one in a parking deck) as a way to determine if Celine should call Mia back. I had less than 50 pages left and was considering DNFing the book then and there. And just icing on the cake, Celine stays with Kyle because “real feelings”. Sure, Jane. But also, that’s again, not understanding Lydia and Wickham’s relationship. At all.
Overall, the concept of the book was interesting, but this book REALLY fell flat with not knowing what it was doing (an “only one bed” situation developed and the MCs have the “I’ll take the couch, you take the bad” argument, only for Mia to go “I’ll take the loveseat, Noah goes “great!” And that was it. They’re in college! They should be going at it like rabbits) or how it should market itself.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Inc for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
THE CUFFING GAME BY LYLA LEE (REVIEW): I Need A Season Two!!
The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee
MY Synopsis: The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee is standalone YA romance. :) The Cuffing Game follows Mia Yoon and Noah Jang, two film majors at their university. And the premise of this book couldn't be more adorble! Mia's got a crush she just can't ignore— and how do artists cope with their problems? They make art! So Mia makes The Cuffing Game, a reality tv dating show with contestants from her school. On thing leads to another and Noah, the school's most famous influencer, makes it onto the show. Pretty unique, right? Readers get to watch Mia handle her crush behind the cameras, all while Noah's on screen dating other contestants. The Cuffing Game is filmed in a cozy cabin, making the forced proximity even more meaningful. Check out this reverse grumpy x sunshine for lots of swooning and genuine intrigue into the game show itself. The contestants were great and personally, I'm hopeful they show up again and we get a season two of The Cuffing Game.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5.0/5.0) - I loved getting an insight on Korean culture. This is the first book I've read where BOTH leads are Korean. It was amazing! - You can tell Lyla Lee put her heart and soul into writing this, making it such a fun read! - Genuinely SO much fun watching— well reading— The Cuffing Game. I don't watch reality TV with the exception of Big Brother and it was so much fun to read the competition show. I would read a whole book about this show tbh. - Such a unique setting with them being film students! I texted my film major bestie to read it immediately. - Be prepared to swoon the whole time! - Great queer representation. The game show had bi contestants and the show runner Mia herself is bi.
SPICE: 🍦 (0/3) - College-aged characters, the genre is YA, so there was no more than some on page kisses. No dirty jokes either or cursing. - In general, I was way more interested in the game show aspect itself than the chemistry. That's not to say they don't have chemistry, they totally do, it just wasn't the selling point to me. - Loved the drama of the competition the most. I kept hoping viewers would ship Mia and Noah. - Shared calendars are sexy ;) - Please note, a lower score here does not affect my enjoyment of the book. I love all spice levels and would not consider 0/3 or 3/3, good or bad.
ACCESS: Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC. I'm so buying a physical copy once this book comes out on November 18th 2025.
CLOSING COMMENTS: - When contestants I wanted together got together I would literally squeal!! - No ostracizing pop culture references. Very well placed and written ones. If you didn't get the reference, it did not take away from the dialogue. - I would book mark the cast list, for the first few chapters of Part Two it comes in handy, after that you'll totally have a hang of all their backstories though!
thank you netgalley and the publisher for an advanced e-arc!
unfortunately, this book was so disappointing. i thought it seemed so cute based on the adorable cover art and the whole pride & prejudice inspired, but it completely fell flat for me.
to start, i felt like the characters all lacked depth. even though i just read over 200 pages of mia & noah, i really couldn't tell you much about who they are as individuals besides they're in film school and "hated" each other. that "hate" for each other also makes no sense to me, especially when it's very clear from the beginning that mia is just attracted to noah? at best they were both just annoyed by the other. also, the age gap... it's not really a big deal, but a freshman and a senior is a little bit of an ick for me, just because they're at completely different places in life. he's 6 months from being a real adult going out into the job market with his degree while she's only 18 and 6 months out from high school.
the romance was also pretty flat. i can't even tell why mia & noah like each other behind mia finds him hot and noah likes to argue with her. it doesn't seem like their feelings progress beyond that at all. it came across as more of a wattpad type romance story written by a teenager i would've loved when i was 13 instead of a romance written by someone in her thirties. and i'm not saying i needed this to be a very sophisticated novel, but it failed to meet my expectations when compared to other YA romantic comedy novels out there.
to be honest, i found the small side characters to be 100% more interesting than the main characters, and i found myself wishing that THEY were the main focus of the story. even then, though, the romance between those characters also felt very elementary— why did they all move so fast? everyone was suddenly all loved up even if they'd only known each other for 1-2 days.
overall, this book was just very disappointing. maybe the author's adult romance debut will be a better read, but as of now i don't have any interest in reading her other works. i do believe her writing style seems more fit for a younger audience, even younger than the typical YA reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.