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Chaotic Energy
Watch out world, Artemis Owusu is entering her villain era...
Artemis 'Temz' Owusu has bags of confidence, and plenty of opportunity for hook-ups; she fiercely embraces her beautiful size 26 body and expects any man to do the same. Her marketing career is on fire, and she has a thriving side-hustle as a 'plantfluencer'.
But for some reason, her romantic relationships just won't stick.
So, when sexy California-based tech entrepreneur Ruben slides into her DMs looking for plant care advice, Temz doesn't waste an opportunity. Soon their long-distance digital flirtation is growing roots - until, in an out-of-character bout of self-doubt, Temz commits the cardinal online sin...
Suddenly she's embroiled in a web of deception as her relationship with Ruben gets increasingly serious. When her job lands her the opportunity to visit her man's stomping ground in Oakland, could it be a chance for her to finally come clean - or it could lead to total chaos?
For fans of Bolu Babalola, Bethany Rutter and Candice Carty-Williams, CHAOTIC ENERGY is a romcom with a difference.
Artemis 'Temz' Owusu has bags of confidence, and plenty of opportunity for hook-ups; she fiercely embraces her beautiful size 26 body and expects any man to do the same. Her marketing career is on fire, and she has a thriving side-hustle as a 'plantfluencer'.
But for some reason, her romantic relationships just won't stick.
So, when sexy California-based tech entrepreneur Ruben slides into her DMs looking for plant care advice, Temz doesn't waste an opportunity. Soon their long-distance digital flirtation is growing roots - until, in an out-of-character bout of self-doubt, Temz commits the cardinal online sin...
Suddenly she's embroiled in a web of deception as her relationship with Ruben gets increasingly serious. When her job lands her the opportunity to visit her man's stomping ground in Oakland, could it be a chance for her to finally come clean - or it could lead to total chaos?
For fans of Bolu Babalola, Bethany Rutter and Candice Carty-Williams, CHAOTIC ENERGY is a romcom with a difference.
- GenresRomance
368 pages, Hardcover
Published April 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 11, 2025
2.5
Ok my thoughts on this are strictly objective and I walked into this quite neutral.
First and foremost this isn’t a Rom-com. There’s nothing romantic or funny about it which was disappointing. The romance is not really swoon worthy and he sounds like a man written by a woman. Their conversations aren’t really awww inducing more so cringe and it doesn’t help that the beginning of the chaos happens so early on in which case it’s hard to buy into a relationship that starts like… that.
Artemis being a loser is not a problem (we can all admit, she is. Self esteem issues aside, she just is), but tbh she just isn’t a likeable character. Like at all. Which generally is fine, readers shouldn’t have to always like your main character but in a “Rom-com” you should want people to root for your love interests but at no point did I want her to have anything good. She’s really childish. And I mean childish instead of chaotic is kinda embarrassing when she’s ~ 30. She’s also not a good friend? To anyone one. Jean is a good friend to her but apart from the opening chapter she doesn’t really do anything for him. Also mind you, her saying she feels like his handler or whatever the phrase was… honestly sounds like she uses him to say she has a friend.
I think the book could have been better edited. The showdowns she had with various people were extremely anticlimactic. The blow up with Natalie was silly because her racism came out of nowhere. We were largely told she was bad vibes but didn’t get to see it until then. Likewise with the best friend not best friend. We were told she was a user but didn’t see any examples of it. A lot of this beef seemed one sided, all these friendships and opps and it felt like she was playing victim rather than actually being a victim. Her character wasn’t fleshed out well at all.
Honestly reads like an unedited first draft.
Despite the fact she needed to be sent away, not a therapist, I think this could have been a better Queenie if it was done before Queenie. Probably would make a better TV series too because the content is there. I’d still watch if it was picked up for a show, but as a book? Unfortunately, it feels like a really dated release.
Ok my thoughts on this are strictly objective and I walked into this quite neutral.
First and foremost this isn’t a Rom-com. There’s nothing romantic or funny about it which was disappointing. The romance is not really swoon worthy and he sounds like a man written by a woman. Their conversations aren’t really awww inducing more so cringe and it doesn’t help that the beginning of the chaos happens so early on in which case it’s hard to buy into a relationship that starts like… that.
Artemis being a loser is not a problem (we can all admit, she is. Self esteem issues aside, she just is), but tbh she just isn’t a likeable character. Like at all. Which generally is fine, readers shouldn’t have to always like your main character but in a “Rom-com” you should want people to root for your love interests but at no point did I want her to have anything good. She’s really childish. And I mean childish instead of chaotic is kinda embarrassing when she’s ~ 30. She’s also not a good friend? To anyone one. Jean is a good friend to her but apart from the opening chapter she doesn’t really do anything for him. Also mind you, her saying she feels like his handler or whatever the phrase was… honestly sounds like she uses him to say she has a friend.
I think the book could have been better edited. The showdowns she had with various people were extremely anticlimactic. The blow up with Natalie was silly because her racism came out of nowhere. We were largely told she was bad vibes but didn’t get to see it until then. Likewise with the best friend not best friend. We were told she was a user but didn’t see any examples of it. A lot of this beef seemed one sided, all these friendships and opps and it felt like she was playing victim rather than actually being a victim. Her character wasn’t fleshed out well at all.
Honestly reads like an unedited first draft.
Despite the fact she needed to be sent away, not a therapist, I think this could have been a better Queenie if it was done before Queenie. Probably would make a better TV series too because the content is there. I’d still watch if it was picked up for a show, but as a book? Unfortunately, it feels like a really dated release.
Did Not Finish
March 9, 2026I will be waiting to read and review this book once I'm able to get a published copy as the amount of grammatical errors and misspelled words in the ARC really took me out of the book. I like what I've read so far.
June 2, 2025
I’m sorry, this was just so bad! The storyline itself was great, I truly believe it would be a phenomenal TV series. But as others have said, it seemed like an unfinished/first draft. It needed heavy editing, I love Stephanie and I feel like her publishing team really let her down.
February 24, 2026
Sadly this book just wasn’t for me.
I didn’t particularly find any of the characters likeable. The main character Temz, felt very self entered in all of her relationships. She seems very unlikeable and lacked self awareness. For example I feel we’re led to believe that her housemate is the problematic one however Temz demonstrates selfish tendencies such as making noise in the middle of the night, speaking about her housemate publicly on her prominent social media page, using her housemates things etc.
I felt like the book had some plot holes. For example, Temz, an influencer who is posting videos and photos every day is claiming to have a broken camera so can’t take a video call? It’s one thing Reuben not noticing this but another thing that it’s not acknowledged to the reader. Further, it also felt a bit like there were too many things shoehorned into this book with attempts to lead the reader into believing Temz was a victim in all manners from people she was actively choosing to have in her life or have relations/relationships with - whether it be fatphobia, fetishisation, racism, sexism. An example being her “annoying” housemate is suddenly racist towards her out of nowhere.
For me, the story just dragged on a bit too long with prolonged messages between Temz and Reuben - with no real depth to their relationship, and then an unrealistic ending. Sadly, I didn’t really find it funny or chaotic really. Shame as I had high hopes.
Thanks NetGalley form the arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2026
Let's get this straight: this isn't a love story. I'm being serious about that. Chaotic energy follows the story of Temz, who met a cute-as-hell fine boy on her plants page (@SayAloetoMyLittleFriend). They begin chatting and connected really quick – too quick, actually. And then Temz does something she never meant to do... she catfished him!
I went into this story thinking it was a romance, but I was bit let down because there's no romance going on in this book at all. So, don't raise your hopes. What I did love was the plus-size representation, though! And, aside from that one big slip-up, Temz is actually a great character – a boss babe, a fine babe, a sexy babe, and she knows it. Which is why I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she chose to hide.
Some characters felt unnecessary (yes, I'm looking at you, Anthony!). What worked for me was the book's take on fatphobia, fat fetishism, healthy friendships, and work-life balance. The book was chaotic, but it was an okay read for me. Thank you for the e-ARC.
I went into this story thinking it was a romance, but I was bit let down because there's no romance going on in this book at all. So, don't raise your hopes. What I did love was the plus-size representation, though! And, aside from that one big slip-up, Temz is actually a great character – a boss babe, a fine babe, a sexy babe, and she knows it. Which is why I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she chose to hide.
Some characters felt unnecessary (yes, I'm looking at you, Anthony!). What worked for me was the book's take on fatphobia, fat fetishism, healthy friendships, and work-life balance. The book was chaotic, but it was an okay read for me. Thank you for the e-ARC.
April 29, 2025
I'll give this book props for compelling me to even write a review because I never do. But I just have so many thoughts so here goes.
Man, what a FRUSTRATING protagonist. I do think it's refreshing to read a romance with a female lead who's quite flawed and not strictly likeable all the time. I initially was going to give this book four stars just based on the entertainment value, but coming down to the end, Tems started to irritate me too much for that to be possible.
I can't stand a mfer who can't give in when the jig is up! OMG GIRL. Just tell the TRUTH 😭. Goodness GRACIOUS. I'm so sorry, but she pushed beyond the limits of my sympathy when she got to Cali and was meeting this man in person as herself and STILL wouldn't come clean. Then she has dinner with him, and he CLEARLY knows and she STILL tries to keep lying. Made me wanna throw my phone.
I understood Tems as a fellow fat black girl, but she just took it too far. And she kept talking about how confident she was the whole book and I was just like clearly NOT with how far she's taken this catfish thing. Which, in all fairness, she does acknowledge that she wasn't as confident as she pretended to be near the end.
I also just was never fully on board with the romance like I wanted to be. I feel like all their interactions came across very flatly. Beyond his good looks, I couldn't see what was so interesting or enticing about Reuben.
There was also that whole thing with the roommate being racist that kinda came out of nowhere to me. I low key thought Tems was kinda mean at certain points in the book, and the racism felt like it just got shoved in there to justify her meanness even though things didn't seem that way before.
Lastly, a lot of the writing in here sounds like someone who is very Online, which can be a bit cringe at times. I just mean that there are a lot of jokes and turns of phrase that you would come across on Twitter, and it started to feel like okay, I've read this African parent insult online before.
Overall, I don't think it's a terrible book, but the protagonist made it harder to root for her at times, which isn't ideal for a rom com. I do think it was quite an entertaining read though.
Man, what a FRUSTRATING protagonist. I do think it's refreshing to read a romance with a female lead who's quite flawed and not strictly likeable all the time. I initially was going to give this book four stars just based on the entertainment value, but coming down to the end, Tems started to irritate me too much for that to be possible.
I can't stand a mfer who can't give in when the jig is up! OMG GIRL. Just tell the TRUTH 😭. Goodness GRACIOUS. I'm so sorry, but she pushed beyond the limits of my sympathy when she got to Cali and was meeting this man in person as herself and STILL wouldn't come clean. Then she has dinner with him, and he CLEARLY knows and she STILL tries to keep lying. Made me wanna throw my phone.
I understood Tems as a fellow fat black girl, but she just took it too far. And she kept talking about how confident she was the whole book and I was just like clearly NOT with how far she's taken this catfish thing. Which, in all fairness, she does acknowledge that she wasn't as confident as she pretended to be near the end.
I also just was never fully on board with the romance like I wanted to be. I feel like all their interactions came across very flatly. Beyond his good looks, I couldn't see what was so interesting or enticing about Reuben.
There was also that whole thing with the roommate being racist that kinda came out of nowhere to me. I low key thought Tems was kinda mean at certain points in the book, and the racism felt like it just got shoved in there to justify her meanness even though things didn't seem that way before.
Lastly, a lot of the writing in here sounds like someone who is very Online, which can be a bit cringe at times. I just mean that there are a lot of jokes and turns of phrase that you would come across on Twitter, and it started to feel like okay, I've read this African parent insult online before.
Overall, I don't think it's a terrible book, but the protagonist made it harder to root for her at times, which isn't ideal for a rom com. I do think it was quite an entertaining read though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2025
I wanted to love this one, but it just wasn’t my kind of read.
This book was laced with insecurity. I know there are readers who will relate to Artemis’s story and I agree these kinds of stories need to be told , but for me, it didn’t land. Artemis never actually felt confident, no matter how much the book tried to present her that way. The more I read, the more unlikeable she became.
The fallouts with her roommate and best friend lacked depth, and the romance with Reuben felt surface-level at best. Their conversations had no spark, and the relationship itself felt rushed. I also really disliked the ending. As someone who’s watched way too many episodes of Catfish, I just couldn’t buy into the “and then we lived happily ever after” vibe - it felt unrealistic and gave me Wattpad energy.
On the plus side, it was a quick read and I actually think it could work better as a TV show. It reminded me a lot of Queenie, which I also didn’t enjoy - though in that case, I thought the TV adaptation worked much better than the book.
This book was laced with insecurity. I know there are readers who will relate to Artemis’s story and I agree these kinds of stories need to be told , but for me, it didn’t land. Artemis never actually felt confident, no matter how much the book tried to present her that way. The more I read, the more unlikeable she became.
The fallouts with her roommate and best friend lacked depth, and the romance with Reuben felt surface-level at best. Their conversations had no spark, and the relationship itself felt rushed. I also really disliked the ending. As someone who’s watched way too many episodes of Catfish, I just couldn’t buy into the “and then we lived happily ever after” vibe - it felt unrealistic and gave me Wattpad energy.
On the plus side, it was a quick read and I actually think it could work better as a TV show. It reminded me a lot of Queenie, which I also didn’t enjoy - though in that case, I thought the TV adaptation worked much better than the book.
June 28, 2025
“This whole situation was messy, but admittedly, a part of me couldn’t help but feel a bit of a thrill in what I was doing.”
Never has a book title been SO fitting..
Tems is an aspiring plantfluencer and tech guy Reuben who lives across the pond slides into her DMs just chatting about plants but soon they both realise how much they get along until he asks for a pic.. & Tems decides to catfish him.. from this point delusions begin.
She was so chaotic and delusional, some of her choices were extremely questionable!! I could not cope with her 🙄🙄🙄 I nearly had to DNF because of her. As a protagonist she was so frustrating and took it too far, like girl you’re 30!
& the ending?! How!
I liked how it delved into issues of fat phobia and self esteem.
Never has a book title been SO fitting..
Tems is an aspiring plantfluencer and tech guy Reuben who lives across the pond slides into her DMs just chatting about plants but soon they both realise how much they get along until he asks for a pic.. & Tems decides to catfish him.. from this point delusions begin.
She was so chaotic and delusional, some of her choices were extremely questionable!! I could not cope with her 🙄🙄🙄 I nearly had to DNF because of her. As a protagonist she was so frustrating and took it too far, like girl you’re 30!
& the ending?! How!
I liked how it delved into issues of fat phobia and self esteem.
March 6, 2026
Listen, Stephanie Yeboah, you can fill me iiinnnnnnnn!! Or better yet, let me fill you in! If that Craig David reference doesn’t hit you with nostalgia, you need to update your playlist immediately! I loved how music was used throughout the book to trigger emotional responses. It was a beautiful blend of story and song. There was a scene, where Ruben (MMC) was performing at an open-mic event singing Musiq Soulchild's "Love", and tears just started rolling down my face. 🎤😭 Somebody help a Sista out and send me all the songs referenced in this book, please and thank you!
The breakout star was Artemis's (FMC) mom. When she told her daughter, "It seems like sense has chased you your entire life, but you are faster," I flatlined! 💀😂 This was definitely a comedy with romance, not a romantic comedy, but I can see where the author was going. The spice was not hot and the romance was MIA, but the laughs were numerous and that made it very enjoyable.
I loved watching the FMC navigate the micro-influencer life. It felt like the author was leaving breadcrumbs for anyone aspiring to explore that world. She showed the dedication it takes to build a brand and kept it cute with plants in the process.
On a serious note, this book tackles heavy themes regarding body image and the challenges of being a plus-size woman in a world that can be cruel. From being fetishized by men to the unsolicited advice from strangers, the FMC went through a lot. I don’t condone her choice to be a catfish, but I do understand why she did it. The author showcased how trauma can lead someone to make desperate and messy decisions just to protect themselves.
The Aftermath 🌷:
I’m giving this 4 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. Artemis and Jean were hilarious (their backstory will blow your mind) and Ruben was the perfect catch; it’s a shame that Artemis felt the need to mask herself because Ruben deserved so much better. Even though I wanted more romance (let's be honest, I wanted more spice), the laugh-out-loud moments and the wonderful use of song made this a win for me. I'm a fan!
Thank you to NetGalley, Trapeze, and Stephanie Yeboah for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The breakout star was Artemis's (FMC) mom. When she told her daughter, "It seems like sense has chased you your entire life, but you are faster," I flatlined! 💀😂 This was definitely a comedy with romance, not a romantic comedy, but I can see where the author was going. The spice was not hot and the romance was MIA, but the laughs were numerous and that made it very enjoyable.
I loved watching the FMC navigate the micro-influencer life. It felt like the author was leaving breadcrumbs for anyone aspiring to explore that world. She showed the dedication it takes to build a brand and kept it cute with plants in the process.
On a serious note, this book tackles heavy themes regarding body image and the challenges of being a plus-size woman in a world that can be cruel. From being fetishized by men to the unsolicited advice from strangers, the FMC went through a lot. I don’t condone her choice to be a catfish, but I do understand why she did it. The author showcased how trauma can lead someone to make desperate and messy decisions just to protect themselves.
The Aftermath 🌷:
I’m giving this 4 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. Artemis and Jean were hilarious (their backstory will blow your mind) and Ruben was the perfect catch; it’s a shame that Artemis felt the need to mask herself because Ruben deserved so much better. Even though I wanted more romance (let's be honest, I wanted more spice), the laugh-out-loud moments and the wonderful use of song made this a win for me. I'm a fan!
Thank you to NetGalley, Trapeze, and Stephanie Yeboah for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 17, 2026
Chaotic Energy is a contemporary romance that explores modern dating, self-image, and vulnerability in the age of social media. Stephanie Yeboah presents a character-driven story that prioritizes emotional realism over idealized romance, which will resonate strongly with some readers while challenging others.
The novel follows Artemis “Temz” Owusu, a successful marketing professional and plant influencer whose outward confidence contrasts with deep insecurities around love and desirability. When a long-distance connection begins through social media, one impulsive decision complicates the relationship and forces Temz to confront her fears around honesty, visibility, and self-worth.
Temz is intentionally flawed, and her behavior reflects the novel’s themes of self-sabotage and fear-driven decision-making. However, the middle portion of the book leans heavily into her internal conflict, and similar emotional beats are revisited multiple times. While realistic, this repetition slows the pacing and may frustrate readers who prefer clearer forward momentum.
Additionally, the story focuses so strongly on Temz’s inner world that some secondary characters and external plot elements feel underdeveloped. Greater exploration of these relationships may have helped balance the introspective tone and added narrative depth.
The dialogue feels natural, and the commentary on online intimacy and identity is relevant and thoughtfully handled. Readers expecting a light or escapist rom-com should be aware that the tone is more emotionally dense and introspective, emphasizing personal growth over romantic fantasy.
Overall, Chaotic Energy offers meaningful insight into modern relationships and self-perception, but its pacing and heavy internal focus may not work for every reader. It is best suited for those who appreciate character studies and emotionally grounded contemporary fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The novel follows Artemis “Temz” Owusu, a successful marketing professional and plant influencer whose outward confidence contrasts with deep insecurities around love and desirability. When a long-distance connection begins through social media, one impulsive decision complicates the relationship and forces Temz to confront her fears around honesty, visibility, and self-worth.
Temz is intentionally flawed, and her behavior reflects the novel’s themes of self-sabotage and fear-driven decision-making. However, the middle portion of the book leans heavily into her internal conflict, and similar emotional beats are revisited multiple times. While realistic, this repetition slows the pacing and may frustrate readers who prefer clearer forward momentum.
Additionally, the story focuses so strongly on Temz’s inner world that some secondary characters and external plot elements feel underdeveloped. Greater exploration of these relationships may have helped balance the introspective tone and added narrative depth.
The dialogue feels natural, and the commentary on online intimacy and identity is relevant and thoughtfully handled. Readers expecting a light or escapist rom-com should be aware that the tone is more emotionally dense and introspective, emphasizing personal growth over romantic fantasy.
Overall, Chaotic Energy offers meaningful insight into modern relationships and self-perception, but its pacing and heavy internal focus may not work for every reader. It is best suited for those who appreciate character studies and emotionally grounded contemporary fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2026
Chaotic Energy by Stephanie Yeboah definitely lives up to its name. From the very first chapter, it throws you straight into the whirlwind and makes it clear you’re in for a ride.
That said, this one didn’t fully land for me. The story has a lot of potential, but I struggled to really connect with Artemis or feel invested in where things were going. At times, it felt like the writing leaned a bit too heavily on modern-day slang and references, which pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me in.
I also found myself wanting more depth when it came to Tems. I kept waiting to see meaningful growth or evolution, but some of her choices made that hard to track or fully believe in.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, just one that didn’t quite come together the way I’d hoped. I’d call it an okay read with moments that hint at something stronger underneath.
That said, this one didn’t fully land for me. The story has a lot of potential, but I struggled to really connect with Artemis or feel invested in where things were going. At times, it felt like the writing leaned a bit too heavily on modern-day slang and references, which pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me in.
I also found myself wanting more depth when it came to Tems. I kept waiting to see meaningful growth or evolution, but some of her choices made that hard to track or fully believe in.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, just one that didn’t quite come together the way I’d hoped. I’d call it an okay read with moments that hint at something stronger underneath.
May 6, 2026
3.5 ⭐ rounded up
I’ve never been so stressed in my life, could not put this book down because I needed to know what the heck Temz would get up to next. There was plenty of funny moments, I laughed out loud multiple times, but very little in terms of heartwarming or toe-curling romance.
The ending was cute but a little anticlimactic after all the chaos in the build up. A solid read so long as you’re there for the Chaotic Energy (see what I did there?) and not to feel butterflies.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for the ARC!
I’ve never been so stressed in my life, could not put this book down because I needed to know what the heck Temz would get up to next. There was plenty of funny moments, I laughed out loud multiple times, but very little in terms of heartwarming or toe-curling romance.
The ending was cute but a little anticlimactic after all the chaos in the build up. A solid read so long as you’re there for the Chaotic Energy (see what I did there?) and not to feel butterflies.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for the ARC!
July 10, 2025
Chaotic Energy follows the life of Artemis ‘Temz’ Owusu who is thriving in her marketing career and side hustle as a plantfluencer. She uses her Instagram to share her love for plants and giving out advices to other plant lovers.
Temz is a plus-sized woman who has been battling with insecurities and finding the right guy.
It was a huge surprise to her when a handsome tech entrepreneur (Ruben) slides into her DMs looking for plant care advice. These two got to know each other and formed a long distance relationship. It started cute until it wasn’t.
When Ruben asked Temz for pictures of herself, she sent him a picture of someone else. That was disappointing. I honestly didn’t like how she kept leading this man on.
The author missed a big chance of telling a story of a black woman finding love regardless of how she looked and viewed herself.
I appreciate that the book was fast paced. I couldn’t just DNF it without getting to the last page. I’m so disappointed that there was nothing romantic and funny about it.
Temz is a plus-sized woman who has been battling with insecurities and finding the right guy.
It was a huge surprise to her when a handsome tech entrepreneur (Ruben) slides into her DMs looking for plant care advice. These two got to know each other and formed a long distance relationship. It started cute until it wasn’t.
When Ruben asked Temz for pictures of herself, she sent him a picture of someone else. That was disappointing. I honestly didn’t like how she kept leading this man on.
The author missed a big chance of telling a story of a black woman finding love regardless of how she looked and viewed herself.
I appreciate that the book was fast paced. I couldn’t just DNF it without getting to the last page. I’m so disappointed that there was nothing romantic and funny about it.
August 12, 2025
Although my rating is not the highest (3.5), I actually do not think this was a bad read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so entertaining and even funny at times, the perfect summer or holiday read. It is nothing serious but that's not a requirement for a good book. I cannot wait to discover another book that entertains me in-between the serious/traumatic books I usually read.
January 14, 2025
This is a great example of how really bad people justify things to themselves, but unfortunately it's not self aware enough to address that. I could say a lot about this book but none of it is nice, so I'll leave my 1 star and be glad it's over.
May 29, 2025
Wanted to enjoy this more and liked the idea but it was just so badly written
July 25, 2025
Really thought this book would be for me based on the plot but struggled to complete it.
September 24, 2025
this fuckass book looooool. everyone was insane. nobody was a good person! it was mess from beginning to end but i did enjoy it
February 27, 2026
"It seems like sense has chased you your entire life, but you are faster."(Temz's mom to Temz LOL)
GENRE: Romance
RATING: 4.5/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc
Overall Impression: I think Chaotic Energy is a brave take in Romance and done in a way that integrates multiple themes with an uncommon concept while being fun, humorous and at times, frustrating (in a good way) because of the characters' actions! It's the perfect book for those of you looking for drama filled, funny Romance book that address racism and fat phobia.
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Review:
See the title and how it has the word CHAOtic energy in it? This book is CHAOS with so much packed into it and I had so much fun reading it! Now, this one isn't going to be for everyone. it's a drama packed book that focuses on Romance, relationships and what it means to live in a world as a Black woman while experiencing racism and Fatphobia. The characters are MESSY and you are going to want to yell at them for what they're doing but that's part of the fun (for me)
With the way the plot is written, Chaotic Energy ends up being a messy, humour filled book that takes us alongside the journey of Temz and her journey of meeting Ruben online on DMs. There is Catfish, there is office politics and imbalanced dynamic between different characters in the book. We see this between Temz and her best friend, Aneni who grew up together. You see the imbalance and this is explained well throughout the story, depicting the reality of being a size 26 Black woman and what that means for some of your friendships.
I think this is a Romance book that shows messy MCs, not necessarily realistically but with multiple themes and layers to the story to address different topics and I think the author, Stephanie Yeboah does this well in Chaotic Energy. Catfishing is done in the story and it's done by Temz, our MC, who is telling the story. This gives us an insight into what is an unacceptable action and the author integrates all the themes I've mentioned above with Temz's actions, resulting in us seeing the issues in a new perspective.
Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy!
March 9, 2026
I loved and hated Chaotic Energy, Stephanie Yeboah’s debut novel. I absolutely loved Temz, our witty, ambitious, brilliant heroine. I didn’t love her deception of Ruben, which was the backbone of her story. Temz sees Ruben on Instagram, and they message each other over a shared love for plants, and become fast friends. They live thousands of miles apart, but become very close and fall for each other. The only problem is that Temz has shared a friend’s photos instead of her own, essentially catfishing Ruben.
I really loved Temz’s spirit. She is fearless and accomplished in her professional life, and is committed to healthy boundaries in her relationship with her parents and friends. She struggles with insecurity about her physical appearance, and this impacts her love life. When she and Ruben meet online, they instantly click and I loved their flirty banter over weeks of messages.
My feelings about this book changed when Temz shares photos of a childhood friend with Ruben instead of her own. She continues deceiving him for months, and seems obsessed with him. She travels to California for work, and stalks him, following him to his home in an effort to see him. Her behavior was unacceptable in many ways. Honesty is essential in online dating, and starting a relationship based on so many lies is not feasible. I quickly tired of reading about Temz’ anxious spiraling over what Ruben might discover or what would happen if she told him the truth.
Another disappointment for me in this book was Anthony, a man Temz meets when out with friends at a pub. He is enamored with Temz from their first meeting, and I hoped that she would end up finding love with Anthony, someone who knew her authentically. Unfortunately, Anthony ends up being a typical “finance bro” who disappoints Temz in many ways. Anthony’s character was a missed opportunity to be a love interest for Temz in an honest and authentic way.
Thank you to Stephanie Yeboah, Trapeze/Hachette Book Group, and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really loved Temz’s spirit. She is fearless and accomplished in her professional life, and is committed to healthy boundaries in her relationship with her parents and friends. She struggles with insecurity about her physical appearance, and this impacts her love life. When she and Ruben meet online, they instantly click and I loved their flirty banter over weeks of messages.
My feelings about this book changed when Temz shares photos of a childhood friend with Ruben instead of her own. She continues deceiving him for months, and seems obsessed with him. She travels to California for work, and stalks him, following him to his home in an effort to see him. Her behavior was unacceptable in many ways. Honesty is essential in online dating, and starting a relationship based on so many lies is not feasible. I quickly tired of reading about Temz’ anxious spiraling over what Ruben might discover or what would happen if she told him the truth.
Another disappointment for me in this book was Anthony, a man Temz meets when out with friends at a pub. He is enamored with Temz from their first meeting, and I hoped that she would end up finding love with Anthony, someone who knew her authentically. Unfortunately, Anthony ends up being a typical “finance bro” who disappoints Temz in many ways. Anthony’s character was a missed opportunity to be a love interest for Temz in an honest and authentic way.
Thank you to Stephanie Yeboah, Trapeze/Hachette Book Group, and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Chaotic Energy follows Artemis (who goes by Temz, or Aloe online), a UK based plant influencer engaged in a long distance digital romance with Reuben, a California based tech entrepreneur.
Everything about Temz was completely chaotic. Her deep seated self-esteem and body issues led her to catfish her love interest, and when faced with her own lies, she simply found ways to lie further. Her mother’s assessment was spot on:
Unfortunately, I wasn’t personally invested in the love story. As their relationship moved from IG to WhatsApp, Reuben repeatedly tried to video call her. Temz claimed her camera was broke, which was a boldfaced lie for a plant influencer who constantly posts photos and sends selfies to Reuben. The fact Reuben never called her out on this made him feel like a walking red flag to me. He seemed desperate enough to ignore obvious lies, flirting with both “Aloe” and Temz simultaneously.
On the friendship side, Temz should have ended things with Aneni much sooner. Aneni was the classic example of someone who has it all: beauty, a thin frame, and plenty of romantic interests, but doesn’t believe you deserve the same. From sleeping with Temz’s ex-boyfriend to going out of her way to befriend Reuben and making cruel comments about Temz’s size, she was never a true friend. You should never befriend someone who can’t support your lows or celebrate your wins. I did, however, appreciate the relationship between Anthony and Temz and how they truly had one another’s back.
If you loved the messy complexity of Luster or Queenie, give Chaotic Energy a read!
Received courtesy of NetGalley.
Everything about Temz was completely chaotic. Her deep seated self-esteem and body issues led her to catfish her love interest, and when faced with her own lies, she simply found ways to lie further. Her mother’s assessment was spot on:
“It seems like sense has chased you your entire life, but you are faster.”
Unfortunately, I wasn’t personally invested in the love story. As their relationship moved from IG to WhatsApp, Reuben repeatedly tried to video call her. Temz claimed her camera was broke, which was a boldfaced lie for a plant influencer who constantly posts photos and sends selfies to Reuben. The fact Reuben never called her out on this made him feel like a walking red flag to me. He seemed desperate enough to ignore obvious lies, flirting with both “Aloe” and Temz simultaneously.
On the friendship side, Temz should have ended things with Aneni much sooner. Aneni was the classic example of someone who has it all: beauty, a thin frame, and plenty of romantic interests, but doesn’t believe you deserve the same. From sleeping with Temz’s ex-boyfriend to going out of her way to befriend Reuben and making cruel comments about Temz’s size, she was never a true friend. You should never befriend someone who can’t support your lows or celebrate your wins. I did, however, appreciate the relationship between Anthony and Temz and how they truly had one another’s back.
If you loved the messy complexity of Luster or Queenie, give Chaotic Energy a read!
Received courtesy of NetGalley.
February 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This was one of those books that kept me reading while also frustrating me, which is why it ultimately lands at three stars.
I appreciated the themes around body image, insecurity, online personas, and modern dating. Tems is a flawed protagonist, and while I didn’t always agree with her choices, I welcomed the complexity and realism of her character.
That said, the catfishing storyline went on longer than I could fully connect with. While her fear was understandable, the continued deception eventually made it difficult for me to empathize with her decisions. The romance also lacked some emotional depth for me, which made the resolution feel a bit rushed.
Still, the writing was engaging and the story sparked meaningful reflection, even when I didn’t agree with the direction it took. Overall, a thought-provoking but uneven read that will likely resonate with readers who enjoy messy characters and complicated emotional journeys.
This was one of those books that kept me reading while also frustrating me, which is why it ultimately lands at three stars.
I appreciated the themes around body image, insecurity, online personas, and modern dating. Tems is a flawed protagonist, and while I didn’t always agree with her choices, I welcomed the complexity and realism of her character.
That said, the catfishing storyline went on longer than I could fully connect with. While her fear was understandable, the continued deception eventually made it difficult for me to empathize with her decisions. The romance also lacked some emotional depth for me, which made the resolution feel a bit rushed.
Still, the writing was engaging and the story sparked meaningful reflection, even when I didn’t agree with the direction it took. Overall, a thought-provoking but uneven read that will likely resonate with readers who enjoy messy characters and complicated emotional journeys.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2026
There's a lot about the premise that seemed irresistible to me, but the book unfortunately becomes too overwhelmed by an overabundance of elements lose sight of its most compelling element. I loved Artemis's energy and her strong inner voice, as well as her lingering struggle with self-confidence. However, the plot diverts for so many other characters and storylines — Artemis' day job and coworkers, her roommate, her fair-weather friend, her side-hustle as a plantfluencer — that by the time the book needs Artemis to confess her deception to Ruben, there's less room for them to work their way up to an HEA that ultimately feels satisfying and well-earned. Trimming some of the side features might have resulted in this one being tighter, but overall, it was a little too overwhelmed by its chaos, so to speak.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2026
I really enjoyed this book with Temz, her confidence and brazen boldness of a plus sized woman.
She catfishes an American man because somehow she is no longer confident in her look for a black man over the internet but for the white British man she was all go. (HHMM). Anyways, the plot of the catfishing finally comes forth because Mr. Ruben figured it out as well as the ex bestie, it took too long to come forth. The aftermath went into a different storyline that I ultimately did not see coming and dragged the story along.I don't think there was one part of this book Artemis was deemed to have low-self esteem at all so that whole "I need a therapist" bit took me out. When was she was not the confident bubbly person she has been through the whole book.
Anywho, the banter between Artemis and Ruben was the best, loved it down, including as her talking under Aloe, a plant baddie.
She catfishes an American man because somehow she is no longer confident in her look for a black man over the internet but for the white British man she was all go. (HHMM). Anyways, the plot of the catfishing finally comes forth because Mr. Ruben figured it out as well as the ex bestie, it took too long to come forth. The aftermath went into a different storyline that I ultimately did not see coming and dragged the story along.I don't think there was one part of this book Artemis was deemed to have low-self esteem at all so that whole "I need a therapist" bit took me out. When was she was not the confident bubbly person she has been through the whole book.
Anywho, the banter between Artemis and Ruben was the best, loved it down, including as her talking under Aloe, a plant baddie.
February 15, 2026
This is the second book I have read from this author (and her first go at fiction!), and I enjoyed this, so much. Having followed her for years on social media, the autobiographical bits were fun to identify as I read! I could hear her voice as the character of Artemis, truly. Artemis is a girl on the way up: killing it at her job, living the life, so to speak. But who can blame her for wanting a little romance? And maybe…fibbing just a little, when the perfect guy appears? This story is both very human, as Temz navigates not feeling like enough as she is and wanting to appear desirable, and it is a criticism of a culture that limits what is perceived as beautiful and sexually appealing. It’s heartbreaking as much as it’s a fun romp. I also learned that I have a very limited grasp of British slang (though this does not impede one’s ability to enjoy the story).
March 20, 2026
Plus-sized FMC
Long-distance pining
Self-discovery
Temz is a young, successful woman looking for love and discovering herself along the way. She battles with maintaining confidence and maintaining a positive self-image while navigating society's body image standards.
She's killing it at her corporate job and has established a social media presence as a houseplant expert. This leads her to Ruben, her "perfect" guy. Except he doesn't know the person behind the account and he's a pond away.
Temz's approach to love/relationships was very immature and misguided. Despite many claims of being confident, she let low self-image and the opinions of others dictate most of her actions. It was quite frustrating and I would have enjoyed a quicker pace through these poor decisions. Cute story overall.
Long-distance pining
Self-discovery
Temz is a young, successful woman looking for love and discovering herself along the way. She battles with maintaining confidence and maintaining a positive self-image while navigating society's body image standards.
She's killing it at her corporate job and has established a social media presence as a houseplant expert. This leads her to Ruben, her "perfect" guy. Except he doesn't know the person behind the account and he's a pond away.
Temz's approach to love/relationships was very immature and misguided. Despite many claims of being confident, she let low self-image and the opinions of others dictate most of her actions. It was quite frustrating and I would have enjoyed a quicker pace through these poor decisions. Cute story overall.
February 21, 2026
This story was about Temz’s inner world. The author explored relationships about a plus-sized woman who has been battling with her insecurities and finding the right guy.
Chaotic Energy was an okay book, the author missed a lot with this one. She didn't really tell the story about how being a black plus sized woman who finds love. I struggled getting through this one. There was no romance at all in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Chaotic Energy was an okay book, the author missed a lot with this one. She didn't really tell the story about how being a black plus sized woman who finds love. I struggled getting through this one. There was no romance at all in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2026
I liked and disliked Artemis. Loved her being a plus sized woman that is living her life how she feels is best. I absolutely hated what she did to Ruben! However, I think the author did a good job at giving us that introspective view of Artemis's feelings that does help the reader understand why some things happen the way they do in the story. I will say I love that these characters are complex and complicated so not only do they entertain they also invoke thought.
March 11, 2026
3.5/5 This is one of those relatable books where you feel like you have to be somebody other than yourself. Would I catfish a guy, no. But will I mentally overthink my flaws and try to be somebody I’m not (totally relatable). Even with the false narrative the FMC was selling the MMC, I enjoyed seeing how this long-distance relationship played out. Laugh out loud moments that I had second hand embarrassment, but overall good story. Definitely a good book to pick up when you are going through a slump.
April 15, 2026
This was so cringey to read— like this took me entirely WAY too long to get through. Ruben? Dumb as rocks no shade.
Artemis? I’ve never seen such delusion. Like it just kept getting worse and worse. Like how did we get here… Also I really hate when social media is HEAVILY involved in my book. This book dragged. I’m super mad about the ending tbh.
Artemis? I’ve never seen such delusion. Like it just kept getting worse and worse. Like how did we get here… Also I really hate when social media is HEAVILY involved in my book. This book dragged. I’m super mad about the ending tbh.
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