i was graciously given this book as an arc copy from net galley (didn't even realize but i got it on the last day it was available) but unfortunately i physically could not get myself to finish this book. not only was finn entirely unlikable--i mean, his first thought when he saw ash was about how sex with her would be like and what her lips would look like wrapped around his wiener--the plot felt like it dragged on and i just couldn't get myself to like this book at all. for context before the rest of this review, the book is split into jumping between what happened in the past--the one week ash and finn spent together when they met on the tour--and the present--ash just so happening to get a job at the same exact firm finn worked at and being surprised that he was there and happened to own the place (i mean, seriously, could that be any more purposefully placed ??? like girl why are you so surprised YOU'RE THE ONE WHO APPLIED TO A JOB AT THE SAME PLACE HE USED TO WORK AT!!! yeah sure he never told you his dad owned the company but that to me does not matter because you knew he would likely be there??? like be SO fr rn.)
the characters
finn was a beefy, asshole-ish, lust-filled man who literally could not stop thinking about wanting to have sex with ash. it was honestly disgusting at some points, because you cannot tell me that this man fell in love with her in a week when the majority of his thoughts were about screwing her. i especially hate the fact that when he first met her, instead of his first thoughts being something about how pretty she is or whatever, it was immediately wondering what sex with her would be like. in multiple dialogues later on that finn had with ash, when we were in his pov, he'd constantly be thinking about wanting to have sex with her and, once again, the whole "what would her lips look like wrapped around my wiener" shtick. it was getting old, annoying, and just plain icky. i hate that these kinds of male characters in books completely degrade the strong women who are their love interests to objects for screwing. it's disgusting and quite frankly i hated it. i do not care if later on he redeemed himself or if he felt bad for what he did to ash (which, from what i picked up/was explained, he basically ghosted her after that week and never spoke to her again even though they promised to stay in touch) because his intentions from the get-go showed to be sex-motivated. then when theo came along in the present he was acting all self-righteous and like he deserved to be with ash.
news flash--both men suck ass and neither "deserved" to be with her (theo fuck u for using ash for publicity stunts to further ur career and for cheating on her!!!)
ash... i wanted to like her. i really did. she truly wasn't that bad, though often times her actions annoyed and confused me. the main problem i had with her character is something that is more fault of the writing, i think, but i truly disliked the fact that her chronic illness wasn't mentioned until 1/3rd of the book had already been read, and then it was relevant for a little bit and suddenly disappeared again. i mean, truly, that's something that should've been mentioned long before hand. why wasn't it ???? the chronic illness she has is rheumatoid arthritis, and if she was on this trip and walking around a ton, more than she usually would, then that would cause a flare up--even a small one. it should've been mentioned at the start, even with something as small as her mom asking about if she remembered to bring her medicine. having it be randomly mentioned 1/3rd of the way in, and then not again after that, felt like it was added just so it can be said that the main character is chronically ill. i simple wish it was mentioned better. of course chronic illness is not the only part of a character that should be mentioned, and it should not take over every part of their personality/what is mentioned about them, but it's also not something that should be brushed under the rug. i myself am chronically ill, and i am constantly having to manage it, think about if i have my medicine and if i took it, be aware of my surroundings and whether or not there are places for me to sit down if i'm in too much pain or feel faint. in this case i just felt like it was mentioned in that scene but not really seen again afterwards, as though it didn't exist.
the side characters were all fairly likable from what i saw of them. i only was able to get 60% through this book, and i wanted so badly to finish it, but i just couldn't. it wasn't a book i enjoyed and i was truly immediately put off by how finn was acting/thinking about ash. i truly did want to like this, and i wish all the best to the author, but unfortunately this just was not for me.
once again thank you for the arc and i truly do wish i would've like this book more! the concept was one i was really excited for and it's unfortunate that it did not hit home for me. i wish all the best for the author and maybe one day in the future i'll like a different one of her books.