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Septembers
How to keep a best friend: No kissing. No pining. No falling in love.
When Theo Walker arrives at university, he doesn’t expect to find the cute, hoodie-clad enigma from his high school as his new roommate. But it turns out Dae isn’t quite as mysterious as Theo always thought, he’s just painfully shy. So Theo makes it his mission to help Dae come out of his shell… and maybe his hoodies, too.
Dae quickly becomes the most important person in Theo’s life; one he’d do anything to hold onto. Which means the feelings bubbling under the surface need to simmer down. Theo is not the relationship type. Everyone he’s ever been involved with ends up broken, and he refuses to do that to Dae.
So what if Dae only gets more and more fascinating? So what if his eyes sometimes linger a bit too long on Theo’s lips? So what if Theo can't stop imaging him during…
So what? It’s fine!
Told one autumn at a time, Septembers is a steamy, slow-burn, mm romcom serving ‘friends to lovers’ with falling leaves and a crisp breeze.
When Theo Walker arrives at university, he doesn’t expect to find the cute, hoodie-clad enigma from his high school as his new roommate. But it turns out Dae isn’t quite as mysterious as Theo always thought, he’s just painfully shy. So Theo makes it his mission to help Dae come out of his shell… and maybe his hoodies, too.
Dae quickly becomes the most important person in Theo’s life; one he’d do anything to hold onto. Which means the feelings bubbling under the surface need to simmer down. Theo is not the relationship type. Everyone he’s ever been involved with ends up broken, and he refuses to do that to Dae.
So what if Dae only gets more and more fascinating? So what if his eyes sometimes linger a bit too long on Theo’s lips? So what if Theo can't stop imaging him during…
So what? It’s fine!
Told one autumn at a time, Septembers is a steamy, slow-burn, mm romcom serving ‘friends to lovers’ with falling leaves and a crisp breeze.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2026
About the author
Michela Starr
1 book6 followersMichela writes queer romantic comedies and laughs way too hard at her own jokes.
She lives in Toronto, and if she’s not way too caffeinated in a café somewhere, then she’s standing in the pit of a concert or getting into shenanigans with the amazing queer community she has surrounded herself with.
Her greatest loves besides reading and writing are long walks (but not on the beach, sand is gross), ice-cream, and K-pop (Stray Kids, hoo!).
If she sees you on the street with your dog, she will say hello to your dog first. Please don’t take this personally.
She lives in Toronto, and if she’s not way too caffeinated in a café somewhere, then she’s standing in the pit of a concert or getting into shenanigans with the amazing queer community she has surrounded herself with.
Her greatest loves besides reading and writing are long walks (but not on the beach, sand is gross), ice-cream, and K-pop (Stray Kids, hoo!).
If she sees you on the street with your dog, she will say hello to your dog first. Please don’t take this personally.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 29, 2026
From college to adulthood, this book follows Theo and Dae through a series of "Septembers" as they navigate friendships, relationships, and what happens when the line between those two things begins to blur.
I usually love a slow burn, but this one drove me crazy🤣. I was almost shouting at Theo through my Kindle to see sense. This book was full of humour, friendships, a bit of spice and too many will-they-won't-they chapters. Outgoing, chatty Theo and shy, quiet Dae were the perfect duo, I loved the chemistry between them. Their characters developed well throughout, and the ending was just perfect. If you're a fan of a friends-to-lovers romance or Heartstoppers, this book is for you.
I usually love a slow burn, but this one drove me crazy🤣. I was almost shouting at Theo through my Kindle to see sense. This book was full of humour, friendships, a bit of spice and too many will-they-won't-they chapters. Outgoing, chatty Theo and shy, quiet Dae were the perfect duo, I loved the chemistry between them. Their characters developed well throughout, and the ending was just perfect. If you're a fan of a friends-to-lovers romance or Heartstoppers, this book is for you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was SO freaking cute. I went into this expecting a sweet MM rom-com, but I wasn't prepared for just how much I would end up loving Theo and Dae.
The way this story follows them from college into adulthood and lets their relationship develop over the course of ten Septembers was such a unique choice. This is a TRUE slow burn, and while it definitely takes patience, the payoff is completely worth it. There’s no rushing their feelings or forcing instalove; just years of friendship, pining, little moments, and that constant “do they or don’t they?” tension that had me rooting for them the entire time.
Theo and Dae were such a great pairing. Theo is outgoing, chaotic, hilarious, and incredibly caring, while Dae is quiet, reserved, and shy. Watching Theo help Dae come out of his shell while Dae slowly becomes such an important part of Theo’s life was genuinely adorable. Their banter and text conversations had me smiling so much, and I especially loved how their friendship felt like the foundation of everything.
I also really appreciated how much the story allows these characters to grow. We're not just watching them fall in love...we're watching them grow up, figure themselves out, navigate their twenties, and experience life together. The longer I read, the more invested I became in both of them and the people around them.
There were definitely moments early on that took a little getting used to, especially with the pacing and Theo's larger-than-life personality, but once I settled into the structure, I completely understood what the author was going for. For a debut, I was genuinely impressed by how polished and thoughtfully put together this book felt.
And the pining?? THE PINING. Watching Theo slowly realize that maybe his feelings for Dae aren't exactly as platonic as he keeps insisting was everything. The romance takes its sweet time, but when it finally starts paying off, it feels earned.
Overall, this was such a heartwarming, funny, and wonderfully slow-burn romance. If you love friends-to-lovers, college-to-adulthood romances, ridiculous banter, yearning, and couples who take approximately forever to figure out they're in love, definitely give this one a try. I completely understand the hype, and I'm already curious about Octobers because that sapphic love story is definitely calling my name! 💕
The way this story follows them from college into adulthood and lets their relationship develop over the course of ten Septembers was such a unique choice. This is a TRUE slow burn, and while it definitely takes patience, the payoff is completely worth it. There’s no rushing their feelings or forcing instalove; just years of friendship, pining, little moments, and that constant “do they or don’t they?” tension that had me rooting for them the entire time.
Theo and Dae were such a great pairing. Theo is outgoing, chaotic, hilarious, and incredibly caring, while Dae is quiet, reserved, and shy. Watching Theo help Dae come out of his shell while Dae slowly becomes such an important part of Theo’s life was genuinely adorable. Their banter and text conversations had me smiling so much, and I especially loved how their friendship felt like the foundation of everything.
I also really appreciated how much the story allows these characters to grow. We're not just watching them fall in love...we're watching them grow up, figure themselves out, navigate their twenties, and experience life together. The longer I read, the more invested I became in both of them and the people around them.
There were definitely moments early on that took a little getting used to, especially with the pacing and Theo's larger-than-life personality, but once I settled into the structure, I completely understood what the author was going for. For a debut, I was genuinely impressed by how polished and thoughtfully put together this book felt.
And the pining?? THE PINING. Watching Theo slowly realize that maybe his feelings for Dae aren't exactly as platonic as he keeps insisting was everything. The romance takes its sweet time, but when it finally starts paying off, it feels earned.
Overall, this was such a heartwarming, funny, and wonderfully slow-burn romance. If you love friends-to-lovers, college-to-adulthood romances, ridiculous banter, yearning, and couples who take approximately forever to figure out they're in love, definitely give this one a try. I completely understand the hype, and I'm already curious about Octobers because that sapphic love story is definitely calling my name! 💕
Review of advance copy received from Author
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC of Septembers by Michela Starr in exchange for an honest review.
Septembers by Michela Starr is a steamy, slow-burn contemporary MM rom-com. The story follows Theo Walker, who arrives at university only to discover that his new roommate is the cute, hoodie-clad, painfully shy enigma from his high school named Dae. Eager to help Dae come out of his shell, Theo makes it his mission to bridge the gap between Dae and the world—unaware that Dae will quickly become the most important person in his life.
Governed by the rule of "no kissing, no pining, no falling in love," their friendship is tested as feelings bubble under the surface. Terrified of repeating his father's mistakes and breaking anyone who gets too close, Theo fights his growing obsession. Meanwhile, Dae—terrified of spooking Theo like all his (Theo's) past brief boyfriends—tries to protect their bond, even going as far as moving to Korea to try and get over him. Spanning across ten autumns, it takes years of yearning, a near-death experience, and forced distance for Theo to finally realize that his fear of being his father was the only thing holding him back.
Michela Starr delivers a masterclass in emotional pacing. The friends-to-lovers arc is packed with excruciatingly sweet pining, longing looks, hidden feelings, and top-tier banter. The juxtaposition between Theo’s social butterfly nature and Dae’s shy vulnerability creates an incredible dynamic, while the themes of generational trauma, found family, and unlearning fear add profound emotional weight to the romance.
Septembers is an absolute masterpiece of emotional storytelling. If you love slow-burn pining, friends-to-lovers tropes, and books that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, this is an unmissable read.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC of Septembers by Michela Starr in exchange for an honest review.
Septembers by Michela Starr is a steamy, slow-burn contemporary MM rom-com. The story follows Theo Walker, who arrives at university only to discover that his new roommate is the cute, hoodie-clad, painfully shy enigma from his high school named Dae. Eager to help Dae come out of his shell, Theo makes it his mission to bridge the gap between Dae and the world—unaware that Dae will quickly become the most important person in his life.
Governed by the rule of "no kissing, no pining, no falling in love," their friendship is tested as feelings bubble under the surface. Terrified of repeating his father's mistakes and breaking anyone who gets too close, Theo fights his growing obsession. Meanwhile, Dae—terrified of spooking Theo like all his (Theo's) past brief boyfriends—tries to protect their bond, even going as far as moving to Korea to try and get over him. Spanning across ten autumns, it takes years of yearning, a near-death experience, and forced distance for Theo to finally realize that his fear of being his father was the only thing holding him back.
Michela Starr delivers a masterclass in emotional pacing. The friends-to-lovers arc is packed with excruciatingly sweet pining, longing looks, hidden feelings, and top-tier banter. The juxtaposition between Theo’s social butterfly nature and Dae’s shy vulnerability creates an incredible dynamic, while the themes of generational trauma, found family, and unlearning fear add profound emotional weight to the romance.
Septembers is an absolute masterpiece of emotional storytelling. If you love slow-burn pining, friends-to-lovers tropes, and books that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, this is an unmissable read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved the humor in this, especially with the text messages throughout the years because they really showed how Theo and Dae fit together. The dynamic between them is so good and with the way that the book is structured, it’s so visible how much they change over the years but they care about each other from the very beginning. It was also nice to discover step by step what happened between every september, not only with the main couple but also for the side characters who all did their own thing while still being important.
I was actually surprised that, while being a slowburn, both of them have feelings from the get-go, but the reason for why they don’t get together are valid on both sides and there is SO MUCH YEARNING. Painful in a good way because I was on the edge of my seat and never grew tired of it.
Unfortunately, and I know that’s just a personal taste thing, the entire yearning phase had me hooked a lot more than the resolution of it did. They are a very sweet couple and I was happy to finally see them together, but even if it took them years to get there, to me it felt like their relationship had a bit too much glitter sprinkled on top. I’m a sucker for shipping but maybe just not the person for romcoms.
The ending left me a bit confused because it was a lot shorter than I expected for a finale, it’s very much an epilogue and I would’ve been okay with it if the label had been there. Instead I went back and forth between the last page and the acknowledgements twice, wondering if some pages are missing. To me it felt like there was a lot of buildup for a very abrupt ending. On that note, it would have been nice if Theo had gotten a bit more time when he was finally facing his demons in the end, the very reason for why it took them so long to be together.
I was actually surprised that, while being a slowburn, both of them have feelings from the get-go, but the reason for why they don’t get together are valid on both sides and there is SO MUCH YEARNING. Painful in a good way because I was on the edge of my seat and never grew tired of it.
Unfortunately, and I know that’s just a personal taste thing, the entire yearning phase had me hooked a lot more than the resolution of it did. They are a very sweet couple and I was happy to finally see them together, but even if it took them years to get there, to me it felt like their relationship had a bit too much glitter sprinkled on top. I’m a sucker for shipping but maybe just not the person for romcoms.
The ending left me a bit confused because it was a lot shorter than I expected for a finale, it’s very much an epilogue and I would’ve been okay with it if the label had been there. Instead I went back and forth between the last page and the acknowledgements twice, wondering if some pages are missing. To me it felt like there was a lot of buildup for a very abrupt ending. On that note, it would have been nice if Theo had gotten a bit more time when he was finally facing his demons in the end, the very reason for why it took them so long to be together.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A huge thank you to Michela Starr for the ARC of Septembers!
This book was so freaking cute! It's an MM rom-com that begins in college and follows Theo and Dae into adulthood, making their journey feel incredibly rewarding.
Theo is hilarious, outgoing, and endlessly caring, while Dae is reserved, quiet, and painfully shy. I absolutely loved watching Theo gently help Dae come out of his shell. And the nickname Dae and his family have for Theo? It was one of the sweetest parts of the story, especially since Theo doesn't learn its meaning until much later.
The banter between these two had me smiling the entire time. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the longer chapters or the unique structure at first, but I completely changed my mind. The setup perfectly matches the title and beautifully captures the progression of this slow-burn romance. Watching their relationship grow one September at a time made every chapter feel meaningful.
The pining, yearning, and unwavering devotion between Theo and Dae were everything. Even before either of them realized they were in love, you could feel how deeply they cared for each other. It's the kind of romance that has you rooting for them from beginning to end.
If you love best friends to lovers, slow-burn romance, hilarious banter, and a relationship that builds over the years, you'll absolutely want to pick this one up. And when the romance finally gives way to the love and spice? It was so worth the wait! I completely devoured this book.
This book was so freaking cute! It's an MM rom-com that begins in college and follows Theo and Dae into adulthood, making their journey feel incredibly rewarding.
Theo is hilarious, outgoing, and endlessly caring, while Dae is reserved, quiet, and painfully shy. I absolutely loved watching Theo gently help Dae come out of his shell. And the nickname Dae and his family have for Theo? It was one of the sweetest parts of the story, especially since Theo doesn't learn its meaning until much later.
The banter between these two had me smiling the entire time. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the longer chapters or the unique structure at first, but I completely changed my mind. The setup perfectly matches the title and beautifully captures the progression of this slow-burn romance. Watching their relationship grow one September at a time made every chapter feel meaningful.
The pining, yearning, and unwavering devotion between Theo and Dae were everything. Even before either of them realized they were in love, you could feel how deeply they cared for each other. It's the kind of romance that has you rooting for them from beginning to end.
If you love best friends to lovers, slow-burn romance, hilarious banter, and a relationship that builds over the years, you'll absolutely want to pick this one up. And when the romance finally gives way to the love and spice? It was so worth the wait! I completely devoured this book.
September 16, 2026
I have never read a book like this before. I am usually not a big fan of a lot of time jumps in books because it makes me feel like I am missing out on A LOT. However, this was not the case here. Even though this book spans like 10-11 years, it didn't feel dragged on to me.
Friends-to-lovers is one of my least favourite tropes because some of the books I have read with this trope are usually the same and I get tired of it, but I won't lie, it eats sometimes when it wants to and this book is an example of that. Dae and Theo are perfect for one another (pls read this book to see why). They're just SO adorable. I loved both characters and all the other side characters, except Becks and Theo's dad for obvious reasons. Everyone was just one big happy family, and I was eating it up. The writing felt VERY real, and again, it was like nothing I have ever read before.
One thing I wanted to see more of was their relationship after they got together and Dae's POV (I would kill to read his POV to see what he thinks about Theo). At like 75-80% of the book, I wanted to smack them both on the back of their heads because DUDE, you guys LOVE each other. ENOUGH PUSH AND PULL!! Anyway, this is making me want to pick up another friends-to-lovers romance. Also, funny that I found this book in September lmao. On to the next!!
Also where was the damn wedding??
Friends-to-lovers is one of my least favourite tropes because some of the books I have read with this trope are usually the same and I get tired of it, but I won't lie, it eats sometimes when it wants to and this book is an example of that. Dae and Theo are perfect for one another (pls read this book to see why). They're just SO adorable. I loved both characters and all the other side characters, except Becks and Theo's dad for obvious reasons. Everyone was just one big happy family, and I was eating it up. The writing felt VERY real, and again, it was like nothing I have ever read before.
One thing I wanted to see more of was their relationship after they got together and Dae's POV (I would kill to read his POV to see what he thinks about Theo). At like 75-80% of the book, I wanted to smack them both on the back of their heads because DUDE, you guys LOVE each other. ENOUGH PUSH AND PULL!! Anyway, this is making me want to pick up another friends-to-lovers romance. Also, funny that I found this book in September lmao. On to the next!!
Also where was the damn wedding??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance copy from the author for this book. I believe it came to me through my Indie Author Insider group. I gave the book 4 stars, & 1 chili pepper.
The chemistry between Dae and Theo is so freaking adorable, yet steamy, & at times tear inducing.
The book follows the boys as they meet as kids who go to the same school but never really connected. Then a brief encounter in their teens. After which Dae and his family move away. Theo always wondered where he went? What happened?
But, what can only be fate puts the boys back into each others life when they are paired up to share a dorm room at college. Watching them grow as individuals and as best friends was emotional to say the least. The ups and downs of the chaos that is Theo usually blocking any chance for them as lovers. The side characters were great and entertaining. The banter was on point with all. I did cry several times so if you are kind of sappy like me have tissues ready. But don't worry it's all worth it in the end.
The chemistry between Dae and Theo is so freaking adorable, yet steamy, & at times tear inducing.
The book follows the boys as they meet as kids who go to the same school but never really connected. Then a brief encounter in their teens. After which Dae and his family move away. Theo always wondered where he went? What happened?
But, what can only be fate puts the boys back into each others life when they are paired up to share a dorm room at college. Watching them grow as individuals and as best friends was emotional to say the least. The ups and downs of the chaos that is Theo usually blocking any chance for them as lovers. The side characters were great and entertaining. The banter was on point with all. I did cry several times so if you are kind of sappy like me have tissues ready. But don't worry it's all worth it in the end.
August 31, 2026
*I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
This story is the definition of a SLOW BURN. Each September is a year passed. There are situations when authors skip spaces of time and you feel like you've missed out on so much information. Each September chapter just felt like the highlights and the readers were getting an update on how Theo was fighting being honest with his feelings.
In Septembers, we are introduced to Theo and Dae who end up reconnecting in college after so many years separated for reasons not known to Theo. While I love the banter between Theo and Dae, I found myself screaming internally more than once. For as much as Theo likes to talk he sure doesn't like to communicate his actual feelings. It only takes a near death experience for him to spill his feelings to Dae.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and I cannot wait for Octobers to see the next one.
This story is the definition of a SLOW BURN. Each September is a year passed. There are situations when authors skip spaces of time and you feel like you've missed out on so much information. Each September chapter just felt like the highlights and the readers were getting an update on how Theo was fighting being honest with his feelings.
In Septembers, we are introduced to Theo and Dae who end up reconnecting in college after so many years separated for reasons not known to Theo. While I love the banter between Theo and Dae, I found myself screaming internally more than once. For as much as Theo likes to talk he sure doesn't like to communicate his actual feelings. It only takes a near death experience for him to spill his feelings to Dae.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and I cannot wait for Octobers to see the next one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an ARC directly from the author. The blurb that caught my attention was "how to keep a best friend, no kidding, no pining, no falling in love." Well from every romance comedy we have every watched or read, we know that Pining is the best part of love. When I filled out the interest form, the author asked for our favorite mm rom com, and "The Charm Offensive" immediately came to mind. This reads very similarly, we are thrown into a friendship, where one of the characters might feel a little something something for the other. Theo and Dae are adorable main characters, and I finished this in quickly because I was invested in how their "friendship" would turn out. A great 5/5 debut book by Michela. I'm excited for the sequel, Octobers, who will feature a character from this first book, who really needs her own love story book ending.
August 29, 2026
I’m writing this with brain fog so excuse any nonsense/bad grammar. Autocorrect please don’t let me down!
This book is sheer perfection.
I feel like the characters are now personal friends of mine, they will stay with me long after I’ve now finished the book. I was cheering them on through the years, and sighing the mmcs missing how obvious it was to everyone else that they were perfect. For each other. The only thing I won’t accept is that this isn’t part of a series and I don’t get to see the characters again. I want to see everyone get their HEAs, but mainly I just want to spend more time in their world.
UPDATE:
Brain fog me just needed to turn one more page to find out that there is another book coming called Octobers!!
This book is sheer perfection.
I feel like the characters are now personal friends of mine, they will stay with me long after I’ve now finished the book. I was cheering them on through the years, and sighing the mmcs missing how obvious it was to everyone else that they were perfect. For each other. The only thing I won’t accept is that this isn’t part of a series and I don’t get to see the characters again. I want to see everyone get their HEAs, but mainly I just want to spend more time in their world.
UPDATE:
Brain fog me just needed to turn one more page to find out that there is another book coming called Octobers!!
August 15, 2026
This is a definition of a slow burn for sure like i feel
like i could never wait 8 years for someone. I loved Dae & Theo there adorable honestly i loved every character and im ready for “October” for Jordan’s story.
I like the concept of the story only taking place every year in the month September i’ve never read something that did that, i do wish we got a little more details of what happened outside of the single month but it was still good either way.
like i could never wait 8 years for someone. I loved Dae & Theo there adorable honestly i loved every character and im ready for “October” for Jordan’s story.
I like the concept of the story only taking place every year in the month September i’ve never read something that did that, i do wish we got a little more details of what happened outside of the single month but it was still good either way.
September 3, 2026
Found this book by randomly stumbling on a TikTok from the author and I am so glad I did! Theo and Dae are an adorable couple and I really enjoyed the concept of time jumping from one September to the next.
October 6, 2026
It took me a while to get into this book but once I did it was a sweet adorable read although there were some major communication issues that got a little bit ridiculous.
Overall, it was a nice read and a cute love story.
Overall, it was a nice read and a cute love story.
October 18, 2026
Ew
Put it in the right fucking category
For fucks sake
#notsafeforme
Put it in the right fucking category
For fucks sake
#notsafeforme
August 30, 2026
Beautiful MM Coming of Age Story
My heart feels so full after finishing this story. I am going to miss all of the characters. Thats when you know the story really touched you. Following the journey of Dae and Theo over the years and seeing their friendship and love grow into something deeper was so wonderful to witness. I loved the premise of having snapshots of their lives every September. The side characters were so well thought out and I enjoyed following their lives as well. The romance and spice were chef’s kiss. I am looking forward to future books!!
My heart feels so full after finishing this story. I am going to miss all of the characters. Thats when you know the story really touched you. Following the journey of Dae and Theo over the years and seeing their friendship and love grow into something deeper was so wonderful to witness. I loved the premise of having snapshots of their lives every September. The side characters were so well thought out and I enjoyed following their lives as well. The romance and spice were chef’s kiss. I am looking forward to future books!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Varying my reading helps reduce burnout, and in equal measure, allows other books starving for valuable reviews to be seen. Either I switch readings between English and Spanish and/or genres. On this occasion, I saw a Reddit post offering ARCs for a cozy queer slow burn roommate friends to lovers story and I requested a copy.
Despite being a debuting author, I was surprised by the polish in this work. The author took nice strides in getting quality beta reading, editing and possibly also sensitivity writing to confirm Korean phrases are correctly written. To be honest, I would have assumed the author had a long prior repertoire of books because of how polished the book is.
Getting from the starting point is a bit rough because of our character baseline. Theo can be too over-the-top at times. As an introvert, it was a bit difficult for me to vibe with him. Even more so because the first 15% of the novel focuses so much energy on the socializing aspect of fresh college students. My college experience was militarized, cutthroat, and with seemingly none of the ‘fun’ factor displayed here. In my defense, it was my fault for choosing one of my school’s hardest majors because the easy degree students certainly enjoyed the social aspects of college far more than I did. Readers with a US style upbringing that could afford the bells & whistles of the college party scene will feel most identified. In fact, for a good chunk of the early novel, I felt like this book took inspiration from that cartoon called Undergrads because it focuses 100% of its attention on 4 male roommates and 0 scenes happen in a class setting.
Even though we are presented with several characters early on, the good news is this book avoids the mishap of other novels of creating revolving doors of NPC characters. Almost everyone we meet becomes an important supporting character that interacts with our protagonists Theo & Dae in one way or another as we see 10 Septembers go by. I thought the idea of creating a romance spanning so many years was clever because it is indeed a very, very, very slow burn romance. Readers that hate instalove and prefer things going slow will feel most welcome with this novel.
If readers are patient, they will be rewarded with a book that soon becomes hard to put down as we see the cracks forming on Theo’s cheerful veneer and Dae stepping out of his shell. Readers that enjoy seeing romance from the POV of a person interacting with an ESL migrant will also enjoy this book, given 100% of the scenes happen in Theo’s POV.
A peculiar sense of humor increases as the story advances and I was laughing a lot with certain scenes, which… I can’t reveal here because they are a spoiler. What I can certainly mention in the review is that the conflict trudges early on as Theo is primarily motivated by the allure of getting to know his estranged high school acquaintance Dae better. As expected, Dae’s handsome face, soft voice and overall personality begins crossing that forbidden border between ‘good roommate’ to ‘forbidden infatuation’. In a way, the novel works very well keeping things on Theo’s pov as he spends more than one cold night shower definitely not imagining Dae kissing him. We are offered even more fun because Theo suffers from forbidden puppy love syndrome so badly that he doesn’t even know who Dae is dating.
Readers that yearn for 50 spice scenes scattered everywhere will find this book to be frustrating, since most of Theo’s weekly flings veer into the fade-to-black territory. They are more a stage setter showing his character flaws, forcing readers to trudge along for that promised slow burn. In the meantime as a fun appetizer, prepare for tons of hilarious text messaging scenes where readers will be taunted with ‘do they love each other?’ bite-sized snacks. All of this within the confines of the cast spending their 20’s growing up, getting to know what they want in life in the Toronto downtown bustle.
I had a great time reading this book and would certainly be interested in reading a potential standalone sequel Octobers that will offer its own heartwarming rom-com story to one of the book’s sapphic female characters.
4.5 stars!
Varying my reading helps reduce burnout, and in equal measure, allows other books starving for valuable reviews to be seen. Either I switch readings between English and Spanish and/or genres. On this occasion, I saw a Reddit post offering ARCs for a cozy queer slow burn roommate friends to lovers story and I requested a copy.
Despite being a debuting author, I was surprised by the polish in this work. The author took nice strides in getting quality beta reading, editing and possibly also sensitivity writing to confirm Korean phrases are correctly written. To be honest, I would have assumed the author had a long prior repertoire of books because of how polished the book is.
Getting from the starting point is a bit rough because of our character baseline. Theo can be too over-the-top at times. As an introvert, it was a bit difficult for me to vibe with him. Even more so because the first 15% of the novel focuses so much energy on the socializing aspect of fresh college students. My college experience was militarized, cutthroat, and with seemingly none of the ‘fun’ factor displayed here. In my defense, it was my fault for choosing one of my school’s hardest majors because the easy degree students certainly enjoyed the social aspects of college far more than I did. Readers with a US style upbringing that could afford the bells & whistles of the college party scene will feel most identified. In fact, for a good chunk of the early novel, I felt like this book took inspiration from that cartoon called Undergrads because it focuses 100% of its attention on 4 male roommates and 0 scenes happen in a class setting.
Even though we are presented with several characters early on, the good news is this book avoids the mishap of other novels of creating revolving doors of NPC characters. Almost everyone we meet becomes an important supporting character that interacts with our protagonists Theo & Dae in one way or another as we see 10 Septembers go by. I thought the idea of creating a romance spanning so many years was clever because it is indeed a very, very, very slow burn romance. Readers that hate instalove and prefer things going slow will feel most welcome with this novel.
If readers are patient, they will be rewarded with a book that soon becomes hard to put down as we see the cracks forming on Theo’s cheerful veneer and Dae stepping out of his shell. Readers that enjoy seeing romance from the POV of a person interacting with an ESL migrant will also enjoy this book, given 100% of the scenes happen in Theo’s POV.
A peculiar sense of humor increases as the story advances and I was laughing a lot with certain scenes, which… I can’t reveal here because they are a spoiler. What I can certainly mention in the review is that the conflict trudges early on as Theo is primarily motivated by the allure of getting to know his estranged high school acquaintance Dae better. As expected, Dae’s handsome face, soft voice and overall personality begins crossing that forbidden border between ‘good roommate’ to ‘forbidden infatuation’. In a way, the novel works very well keeping things on Theo’s pov as he spends more than one cold night shower definitely not imagining Dae kissing him. We are offered even more fun because Theo suffers from forbidden puppy love syndrome so badly that he doesn’t even know who Dae is dating.
Readers that yearn for 50 spice scenes scattered everywhere will find this book to be frustrating, since most of Theo’s weekly flings veer into the fade-to-black territory. They are more a stage setter showing his character flaws, forcing readers to trudge along for that promised slow burn. In the meantime as a fun appetizer, prepare for tons of hilarious text messaging scenes where readers will be taunted with ‘do they love each other?’ bite-sized snacks. All of this within the confines of the cast spending their 20’s growing up, getting to know what they want in life in the Toronto downtown bustle.
I had a great time reading this book and would certainly be interested in reading a potential standalone sequel Octobers that will offer its own heartwarming rom-com story to one of the book’s sapphic female characters.
4.5 stars!
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