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#Blocked
Fashion influencer, Winter Smith, portrays a picture-perfect lifestyle to her many followers. In reality, she’s plagued by anxiety, panic attacks, and the memories of an abusive past relationship. Winter’s best friend Mia, a health and fitness influencer, finally convinces her to get out of the house and attend the grand opening of a hipster-tech bowling alley in Portland, Oregon. There she meets the charming, tattoo-covered owner, Bo Blaine. No matter how hard she resists, Winter can’t deny the electricity between them.
When Bo Blaine, the youngest member of the powerful Pacific Northwest Blaine family, meets Winter Smith, he’s instantly infatuated. Their connection is undeniable, but when he tries to contact her again, he hits a brick wall. Email. Phone. App. Every social media platform. BLOCKED. Bo has worked hard to shake his “bad boy” reputation, but he knows that anything posted or written about him online will be there forever.
How can Bo convince Winter that he’s more than his digital footprint? And if he ever does get unblocked online and IRL, will the demons of both of their pasts derail what they could have together?
When Bo Blaine, the youngest member of the powerful Pacific Northwest Blaine family, meets Winter Smith, he’s instantly infatuated. Their connection is undeniable, but when he tries to contact her again, he hits a brick wall. Email. Phone. App. Every social media platform. BLOCKED. Bo has worked hard to shake his “bad boy” reputation, but he knows that anything posted or written about him online will be there forever.
How can Bo convince Winter that he’s more than his digital footprint? And if he ever does get unblocked online and IRL, will the demons of both of their pasts derail what they could have together?
281 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
1 person is currently reading
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 16, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#Blocked: A Social Media Love Story was okay. Nothing really sparked or connected with me so it was just an okay book. In it, you will meet Winter. She suffers from anxiety and PSTD. Then there's Bo who has a lot going on - like anger issues and stuff.
At first, I was a little intrigued in these two and I was wondering what road this book was going to take me on. Yet, after a while things were just okay and I was most definitely bored with what I was reading. Don't get me wrong, these two had potential to make this a way better story but nothing really happened.
Honestly, they just annoyed me like most people do when it comes to social media. They were immature at times and I just wanted to slap or punch them throughout most of the book. All I can really say is that I tried to find something likable and in the end - that was the actual ending of the book.
#Blocked: A Social Media Love Story was okay. Nothing really sparked or connected with me so it was just an okay book. In it, you will meet Winter. She suffers from anxiety and PSTD. Then there's Bo who has a lot going on - like anger issues and stuff.
At first, I was a little intrigued in these two and I was wondering what road this book was going to take me on. Yet, after a while things were just okay and I was most definitely bored with what I was reading. Don't get me wrong, these two had potential to make this a way better story but nothing really happened.
Honestly, they just annoyed me like most people do when it comes to social media. They were immature at times and I just wanted to slap or punch them throughout most of the book. All I can really say is that I tried to find something likable and in the end - that was the actual ending of the book.
January 11, 2021
https://avanikshah.wordpress.com/2021...
2.75 stars
#Blocked: A Social Media Love Story (A Social Media Love Story, #1) by Savannah Thomas is a contemporary romance set in the digital world of texts, Nanogram and blogs. It starts with a wrong assumption, full of misunderstanding and one person blocking the other.
Winter Smith, is a huge blogger and a fashion influencer who portrays a pitch perfect life online, but is it really that perfect in reality? Bo Blaine, the youngest member of the powerful Pacific Northwest Blaine family, meets Winter Smith, he’s instantly infatuated.
I did not like how the story started. It started with Winter not confronting Bo Blaine, but rather blocking him on a clear misrepresentation of him online. The story was not plotted well. It suddenly goes from this two not taking and end up again talking after I guess a Marathon or Volunteering event.
We see Winter Smith and Bo Blaine both suffering from their own mental health issues because of their past, which hasn't been addressed very well in the book. I would rate this one as a one time book, but wasn't really hooked on to it. The characters and the romance felt a little bit immature.
____
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher for sending me the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
2.75 stars
#Blocked: A Social Media Love Story (A Social Media Love Story, #1) by Savannah Thomas is a contemporary romance set in the digital world of texts, Nanogram and blogs. It starts with a wrong assumption, full of misunderstanding and one person blocking the other.
Winter Smith, is a huge blogger and a fashion influencer who portrays a pitch perfect life online, but is it really that perfect in reality? Bo Blaine, the youngest member of the powerful Pacific Northwest Blaine family, meets Winter Smith, he’s instantly infatuated.
I did not like how the story started. It started with Winter not confronting Bo Blaine, but rather blocking him on a clear misrepresentation of him online. The story was not plotted well. It suddenly goes from this two not taking and end up again talking after I guess a Marathon or Volunteering event.
We see Winter Smith and Bo Blaine both suffering from their own mental health issues because of their past, which hasn't been addressed very well in the book. I would rate this one as a one time book, but wasn't really hooked on to it. The characters and the romance felt a little bit immature.
____
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher for sending me the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
November 25, 2020
Thank you to Net Galley, the Publisher and Savannah Thomas for offering me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Winter Smith is a Fashion influencer on Nanogram and Stylesnap. Bo Blaine comes from a very wealthy family and has opened his own bowling alley. They both have issues. Winter has social anxiety and panic attacks, though the reader is not told why until later in the story. Bo has extreme anger issues and the reader is not really told why but they are extensive. They meet at the opening of Blaine's Lanes, which is Bo's bowling alley. It is insta-attraction until Winter googles him and realizes he has anger issues and blocks him everywhere, Which no one understands until later in the story. There are other characters ,which are very funny and lighten up the book extensively.
I was so excited about this book and devoured it in one day. In the end, I was left a little wanting. This could have been a great story with just the romance between Blaine and Winter and the situation with Lyle being resolved, but in the end a whole other situation is added in order to lead into another book, where I thought it was wrapped up nicely just as it was.
Winter Smith is a Fashion influencer on Nanogram and Stylesnap. Bo Blaine comes from a very wealthy family and has opened his own bowling alley. They both have issues. Winter has social anxiety and panic attacks, though the reader is not told why until later in the story. Bo has extreme anger issues and the reader is not really told why but they are extensive. They meet at the opening of Blaine's Lanes, which is Bo's bowling alley. It is insta-attraction until Winter googles him and realizes he has anger issues and blocks him everywhere, Which no one understands until later in the story. There are other characters ,which are very funny and lighten up the book extensively.
I was so excited about this book and devoured it in one day. In the end, I was left a little wanting. This could have been a great story with just the romance between Blaine and Winter and the situation with Lyle being resolved, but in the end a whole other situation is added in order to lead into another book, where I thought it was wrapped up nicely just as it was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 23, 2021DNF at 65%
I really tried to push through and finish this book, but I just really didn’t enjoy it anymore. There were just some things in this story that weren’t it for me. I didn’t like how the love was insta-love and the pacing just didn’t feel right to me. I really wanted to enjoy this story and in the beginning I did, but I guess that after some time the story kind of fell flat and lost its charm for me.
I really tried to push through and finish this book, but I just really didn’t enjoy it anymore. There were just some things in this story that weren’t it for me. I didn’t like how the love was insta-love and the pacing just didn’t feel right to me. I really wanted to enjoy this story and in the beginning I did, but I guess that after some time the story kind of fell flat and lost its charm for me.
February 4, 2021
I got this eARC from Netgalley in exhange for a honest review
DNF 59%
Sadly, this book just wasn`t for me. I had so high hopes, because it sounded so interesting and good. But as people has written in their other reviews: The plot and pacing fell flat and the characters seemed so uinteresting? And just meh. i couldn`t connect with them at all. I did not feel the romance either.
DNF 59%
Sadly, this book just wasn`t for me. I had so high hopes, because it sounded so interesting and good. But as people has written in their other reviews: The plot and pacing fell flat and the characters seemed so uinteresting? And just meh. i couldn`t connect with them at all. I did not feel the romance either.
January 5, 2021
”He wanted you to believe you were worthless. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
#Blocked is a fast, sweet read about Winter, a social media influencer who lives with crippling anxiety, and Bo, a wealthy entrepreneur with mental health issues of his own. Their instant chemistry is undeniable when they meet for the first time, but Winter’s protective instincts take over, and she shuts Bo out - but he’s not giving up that easy!
I think I need to preface my feelings about this book with a disclaimer: while I frequently try to convince my local librarian that, why, yes, I am still young enough to borrow books from the Young Adult section, thankyouverymuch, the truth is that I am a 30-year-old suburban soccer mom, elbow-deep in lunchboxes to pack, uniforms to wash, PTA responsibilities to tackle, homeowner's association dues to pay, and wrinkle creams to put on auto-ship.
And after reading this book, it shows.
So much of #Blocked felt too young for me. From the social media terminology that goes way beyond your aging-millennial's standard Facebook & Instagram, to the colloquial slang and referenced trends that "the young people these days" are using, I clearly was not the intended audience for this book. (That's okay; I don't ever expect authors to write with my specific demographic in mind, but I struggled to connect because Savannah Thomas’s writing style did little to introduce me to any of this. Instead, she simply assumed that her readers would already be familiar with the youthful colloquialisms and trends, and that's what fell flat for me.)
In keeping with the book’s youthful vibe, the characters and their relationships came off as a bit shallow and immature. Again, it felt like a young adult read (despite being billed as “Contemporary Romance”). Even though the characters are clearly older than high-school/college, their personalities, interactions, and dialogue felt incredibly young. At least, too young for me, at 30, to be able to connect or identify with at all.
Even though the book felt a bit young for my reading taste, I appreciated the author’s endeavor to speak into deeper issues, using her characters’ lives and backstories to incorporate themes of anxiety, abusive relationships, toxic family dynamics, and more - the characters may have seemed a bit shallow, but there is more depth to the overall subject matter than I initially realized, and for me, that redeemed the book in some ways.
—-
Thank-you to Savannah Thomas, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
—-
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!
#Blocked is a fast, sweet read about Winter, a social media influencer who lives with crippling anxiety, and Bo, a wealthy entrepreneur with mental health issues of his own. Their instant chemistry is undeniable when they meet for the first time, but Winter’s protective instincts take over, and she shuts Bo out - but he’s not giving up that easy!
I think I need to preface my feelings about this book with a disclaimer: while I frequently try to convince my local librarian that, why, yes, I am still young enough to borrow books from the Young Adult section, thankyouverymuch, the truth is that I am a 30-year-old suburban soccer mom, elbow-deep in lunchboxes to pack, uniforms to wash, PTA responsibilities to tackle, homeowner's association dues to pay, and wrinkle creams to put on auto-ship.
And after reading this book, it shows.
So much of #Blocked felt too young for me. From the social media terminology that goes way beyond your aging-millennial's standard Facebook & Instagram, to the colloquial slang and referenced trends that "the young people these days" are using, I clearly was not the intended audience for this book. (That's okay; I don't ever expect authors to write with my specific demographic in mind, but I struggled to connect because Savannah Thomas’s writing style did little to introduce me to any of this. Instead, she simply assumed that her readers would already be familiar with the youthful colloquialisms and trends, and that's what fell flat for me.)
In keeping with the book’s youthful vibe, the characters and their relationships came off as a bit shallow and immature. Again, it felt like a young adult read (despite being billed as “Contemporary Romance”). Even though the characters are clearly older than high-school/college, their personalities, interactions, and dialogue felt incredibly young. At least, too young for me, at 30, to be able to connect or identify with at all.
Even though the book felt a bit young for my reading taste, I appreciated the author’s endeavor to speak into deeper issues, using her characters’ lives and backstories to incorporate themes of anxiety, abusive relationships, toxic family dynamics, and more - the characters may have seemed a bit shallow, but there is more depth to the overall subject matter than I initially realized, and for me, that redeemed the book in some ways.
—-
Thank-you to Savannah Thomas, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
—-
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!
January 18, 2021
This book was super cute! It definitely had its issues, but when I picked this up, I wasn't looking for something written extremely well. I was looking for something cute, fluffy, and sweet, which is exactly what I got.
I do want to say that I went into this completely blind, but with my own set of expectations. I really though Bo would be an actual "bad boy" and that this would be more of an enemies to lovers. That's totally on me though, I should've read the blurb!
The relationship between Bo and Winter was super sweet. Sure, it was immature at times, but I really loved how much Bo cared about her. I do wish Winter's past relationshuo had been explored a bit more considering it was a fairly large part of this, but all in all, this was a solid read!
Thanks to Savannah Thomas for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I do want to say that I went into this completely blind, but with my own set of expectations. I really though Bo would be an actual "bad boy" and that this would be more of an enemies to lovers. That's totally on me though, I should've read the blurb!
The relationship between Bo and Winter was super sweet. Sure, it was immature at times, but I really loved how much Bo cared about her. I do wish Winter's past relationshuo had been explored a bit more considering it was a fairly large part of this, but all in all, this was a solid read!
Thanks to Savannah Thomas for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
December 14, 2020
It was okay. A little too shallow and cliched to be overly enjoyable.
Winter (Awesome name) is a shy, reserved incredibly popular style icon and social media influencer. Bit of an oxymoron of a character but okay. Bo is a Billionaire’s son with an anger issue. Which he constantly assures everyone is under control. Even though he punches someone out in the first few chapters and has a constant diatribe in his head of wanting to beat up people. So...I digress.
Everything was just fine. I didn't mind the storylines and would have actually preferred fewer of them if the author had taken the time to lay them out and wrap them up better. Everything felt a tad rushed and shoved in for maximum drama.
Winter (Awesome name) is a shy, reserved incredibly popular style icon and social media influencer. Bit of an oxymoron of a character but okay. Bo is a Billionaire’s son with an anger issue. Which he constantly assures everyone is under control. Even though he punches someone out in the first few chapters and has a constant diatribe in his head of wanting to beat up people. So...I digress.
Everything was just fine. I didn't mind the storylines and would have actually preferred fewer of them if the author had taken the time to lay them out and wrap them up better. Everything felt a tad rushed and shoved in for maximum drama.
December 4, 2020
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book was fine. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the setting of Portland, Oregon. I go back and forth on how I feel about the MCs, Winter and Bo. I kind of hated that Winter had been offered therapy and her reaction was "why bring up the past?" when all she focuses on is...the past. However, I enjoyed her friendship with Mia and Jeremiah. But having her job be a social media style influencer bored me. I think it would be different if bigger aspirations were given, such as her wanting to become a designer or an artist. But hearing about her posts and trying to make it sound like it is really hard work just had me rolling my eyes.
Bo is interesting. But it did not make sense to me that he was still working with his family given how toxic their relationship seemed. His character seemed more like the type that would have truly broken off on his own. His job sounded interesting, at least, and hearing about his creativity was fun.
I can't decide if I will read the next book in the series or not. I think if I do, I will just have to skim all the parts about Winter's "job".
This book was fine. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the setting of Portland, Oregon. I go back and forth on how I feel about the MCs, Winter and Bo. I kind of hated that Winter had been offered therapy and her reaction was "why bring up the past?" when all she focuses on is...the past. However, I enjoyed her friendship with Mia and Jeremiah. But having her job be a social media style influencer bored me. I think it would be different if bigger aspirations were given, such as her wanting to become a designer or an artist. But hearing about her posts and trying to make it sound like it is really hard work just had me rolling my eyes.
Bo is interesting. But it did not make sense to me that he was still working with his family given how toxic their relationship seemed. His character seemed more like the type that would have truly broken off on his own. His job sounded interesting, at least, and hearing about his creativity was fun.
I can't decide if I will read the next book in the series or not. I think if I do, I will just have to skim all the parts about Winter's "job".
December 13, 2020
This ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Blocked: A Social Media Love story is a story about Winter, a fashion & lifestyle blogger with anxiety and PTSD because of her past abusive relationship, and Bo, a multi-million dollar techie with shady secrets. Winter meets Bo at the opening of his unique bowling alley and you have an insta-love there where they just "knew." Winter who is still fresh out of an abusive relationship is hesitant to take a leap especially when Bo's reputation isn't as clean as she'd like. I'm not a fan of this trope but I still enjoyed the sparks in their conversations. After all, I requested this ARC knowing it'll be a quick romance read.
I go back and forth on how I feel about Winter and Bo. I hated how Winter refused to get therapy even though she's clearly hung up on her past. It was triggering. I wished for more depth to the characters only to realize I was already at the end of the book. :v
The title is a bit deceiving and most parts of the book are really corny and feel kind of forced. The ending was a cliffhanger, leaving the story open for a second book, which I'm not sure I look forward to reading. Overall, it was a fun quick read, exactly how I'd thought it would be, so I wasn't disappointed per se, but I wish it had surprised me. Nonetheless, good luck to the author.
Blocked: A Social Media Love story is a story about Winter, a fashion & lifestyle blogger with anxiety and PTSD because of her past abusive relationship, and Bo, a multi-million dollar techie with shady secrets. Winter meets Bo at the opening of his unique bowling alley and you have an insta-love there where they just "knew." Winter who is still fresh out of an abusive relationship is hesitant to take a leap especially when Bo's reputation isn't as clean as she'd like. I'm not a fan of this trope but I still enjoyed the sparks in their conversations. After all, I requested this ARC knowing it'll be a quick romance read.
I go back and forth on how I feel about Winter and Bo. I hated how Winter refused to get therapy even though she's clearly hung up on her past. It was triggering. I wished for more depth to the characters only to realize I was already at the end of the book. :v
The title is a bit deceiving and most parts of the book are really corny and feel kind of forced. The ending was a cliffhanger, leaving the story open for a second book, which I'm not sure I look forward to reading. Overall, it was a fun quick read, exactly how I'd thought it would be, so I wasn't disappointed per se, but I wish it had surprised me. Nonetheless, good luck to the author.
January 7, 2021
I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.
#Blocked tries to be a book about living the life of a content creator, and it surely achieves that.
But.
The writing is very simple and reads as an obvious first attempt. Simple sentences like "{Character name} stood up. {Character name} thought for a second" occur far too often. This book seems to be an example of telling the reader what's happening rather than showing.
Some of the descriptions were cringe-worthy, one being a reference to "that mixed guy", a description that is unnecessary and not exactly appropriate.
At no point was I invested in the characters nor the plot. The characters were flat and the plot didn't seem to have a point but wandered around quite a bit. I just did not care what happened to the characters other than the few animals mentioned.
Perhaps this book will work well for a readership in their late teens/early 20s who are obsessed with social media and are looking for a simple romance.
#Blocked tries to be a book about living the life of a content creator, and it surely achieves that.
But.
The writing is very simple and reads as an obvious first attempt. Simple sentences like "{Character name} stood up. {Character name} thought for a second" occur far too often. This book seems to be an example of telling the reader what's happening rather than showing.
Some of the descriptions were cringe-worthy, one being a reference to "that mixed guy", a description that is unnecessary and not exactly appropriate.
At no point was I invested in the characters nor the plot. The characters were flat and the plot didn't seem to have a point but wandered around quite a bit. I just did not care what happened to the characters other than the few animals mentioned.
Perhaps this book will work well for a readership in their late teens/early 20s who are obsessed with social media and are looking for a simple romance.
February 28, 2021
'Blocked: A Social Media Love Story' was an okay book. The premise of this book interested me a lot but I found myself not really enjoying reading the actual book. I felt like all of the characters were kind of flat and I could not find myself connecting or caring about any of them. The romance between Bo and Winter lacked chemistry in my opinion, probably because you rarely ever see them together and when they finally get together, you only get to read one scene of them together before the book ends.
I don't think this book is a bad book, just simply not a book that I personally enjoyed but I am sure someone else would enjoy this book a lot more than I did because it has a lot of potential. The book did leave on a cliffhanger though which did intrigue me but I don't think I will ever pick up the next book as I don't think I care enough about the characters.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don't think this book is a bad book, just simply not a book that I personally enjoyed but I am sure someone else would enjoy this book a lot more than I did because it has a lot of potential. The book did leave on a cliffhanger though which did intrigue me but I don't think I will ever pick up the next book as I don't think I care enough about the characters.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2020
This ARC was kindly provided in exchange of an honest review.
I enjoyed the book all things considered. The characters are good, romance feels genuine, the setting is very atmospheric. What bugged me where some little details that didn't seem to add, to be something that would happen in real life. The abusive relationship seems not very well explained. Also the way her ex just seems to track them down, specially at the coffeeshop, out of all the places they could have gone he guesses that one and is right?
I liked that the ending left a cliffhanger and showed us a new "villain". Overall an enjoyable read as a romance goes.
I enjoyed the book all things considered. The characters are good, romance feels genuine, the setting is very atmospheric. What bugged me where some little details that didn't seem to add, to be something that would happen in real life. The abusive relationship seems not very well explained. Also the way her ex just seems to track them down, specially at the coffeeshop, out of all the places they could have gone he guesses that one and is right?
I liked that the ending left a cliffhanger and showed us a new "villain". Overall an enjoyable read as a romance goes.
March 20, 2021
When you live your entire life on social media for the public to examine, your audience may get the wrong impression of who you really are.
According to social media Winter had the perfect outfit, the perfect meals, the perfect outings but inside she’s dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and remnants of an abusive relationship.
.
What she does have on her side is a best friend that drags her out to a high tech bowling alley where she meets Bo. However, Bo’s bad boy reputation precedes him and when he tries to reach out to Winter she has him blocked across all platforms.
.
These two need to break down their public image and get to know who they really are in real life. This is a social media love story that shows a true picture of what happens when the filter is lifted and they get to know each other for who they really are not just behind the screen.
.
Thank you #NetGalley and #Satin for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
According to social media Winter had the perfect outfit, the perfect meals, the perfect outings but inside she’s dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and remnants of an abusive relationship.
.
What she does have on her side is a best friend that drags her out to a high tech bowling alley where she meets Bo. However, Bo’s bad boy reputation precedes him and when he tries to reach out to Winter she has him blocked across all platforms.
.
These two need to break down their public image and get to know who they really are in real life. This is a social media love story that shows a true picture of what happens when the filter is lifted and they get to know each other for who they really are not just behind the screen.
.
Thank you #NetGalley and #Satin for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2022
DNF at 50%. Skimmed the remaining 50%. I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t continue reading. I’m glad I checked out some reviews that said this ended in a cliffhanger because then I was validated in my decision to cut bait. The book was already way too long to not have a HEA.
The pacing was extremely slow at times and the characters were flat and lacking any kind of interesting qualities. I actually liked the side characters Mia and Jeremiah more than the MCs.
The plot twist / cliffhanger seemed odd for how the entire storyline went. Not sure where the author plans to take the story.
The pacing was extremely slow at times and the characters were flat and lacking any kind of interesting qualities. I actually liked the side characters Mia and Jeremiah more than the MCs.
The plot twist / cliffhanger seemed odd for how the entire storyline went. Not sure where the author plans to take the story.
January 12, 2021
#Blocked follows Winter a social media influencer who meets 'bad boy' Bo at his inauguration event. After her previous traumatic relationship, Winter has to learn how to relearn how to trust someone new. The characters are quite relatable as they all have their own issues and past experiences that have helped shaped who they are today, as well as following what it's like dating in the digital age. The abrupt ending was what threw me off a bit but I am glad to know that #Blocked will be a two-book series. This was a quick read that I definitely would recommend!
February 1, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was such a cute love story, and I love all of the characters. I think how far Winter has come in the book is great, but I do wish we had seen a tad more from her perspective on that, as a few of her ‘freak outs’ as Mia called them happened with Bo’s perspective.
If you love social media represented in a contemporary romance story then you should definitely pick this up!
I can’t wait for the sequel! (Because please, there must be a sequel!)
If you love social media represented in a contemporary romance story then you should definitely pick this up!
I can’t wait for the sequel! (Because please, there must be a sequel!)
April 28, 2025
My Rating - 0.5/5
I hate this book. Not dislike but actually hated it. I mean, did anyone actually read this book before publishing? Why? Seriously, why? There's so many great books out there that usually don't get published. I don't know what to say.
Winter is an influencer. She met Bo. They were infatuated with each other. But after googling Bo, Winter saw his bad reputation and blocked him. Then they met again and start dating. Her abusive ex-boyfriend tried to sabotage their relationship but failed. Now in the next book, I'm pretty sure it's gonna be Bo's dad who's gonna try to break them apart.
My Ranting -
I seriously am pissed and annoyed and angry at myself for picking this book up even though I had no idea what I'm getting myself into. I never rated any book half. Not that I remember anyway. I need to read a good book ASAP.
I hate this book. Not dislike but actually hated it. I mean, did anyone actually read this book before publishing? Why? Seriously, why? There's so many great books out there that usually don't get published. I don't know what to say.
Winter is an influencer. She met Bo. They were infatuated with each other. But after googling Bo, Winter saw his bad reputation and blocked him. Then they met again and start dating. Her abusive ex-boyfriend tried to sabotage their relationship but failed. Now in the next book, I'm pretty sure it's gonna be Bo's dad who's gonna try to break them apart.
My Ranting -
I seriously am pissed and annoyed and angry at myself for picking this book up even though I had no idea what I'm getting myself into. I never rated any book half. Not that I remember anyway. I need to read a good book ASAP.
January 12, 2021
3.5🌟. Relatively slow paced but cute love story in a digital age. Also I love that this book gives hope to those who have been in a tormenting relationship that there are better days and better people ahead.
December 20, 2020
Thank you @netgalley for this arc.
This was a cute and fairly quick read.
The characters were ok; a bit dramatic for young adults but hey who am I to judge. 🤷♀️
I also hear it is going to be a series which is cool.
And p.s who doesn’t love finding a new author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫3.5
This was a cute and fairly quick read.
The characters were ok; a bit dramatic for young adults but hey who am I to judge. 🤷♀️
I also hear it is going to be a series which is cool.
And p.s who doesn’t love finding a new author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫3.5
January 17, 2021
A huge thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I read the premise for this book and was so excited to read it. A book about an anxious social media influencer? Sign me up! However, I was left feeling disappointed after this one. First of all, I felt that the premise didn't really align with what the entire story was about and most of it had absolutely nothing to do with Winter's past, her career as an influencer, and the blocking. The story felt pretty slow and the writing wasn't as descriptive and in-depth as I'd like. The also characters felt difficult for me to connect to, although I could see their potential and appreciated their growth. It was a quick read for me, but overall just not enough substance there.
I read the premise for this book and was so excited to read it. A book about an anxious social media influencer? Sign me up! However, I was left feeling disappointed after this one. First of all, I felt that the premise didn't really align with what the entire story was about and most of it had absolutely nothing to do with Winter's past, her career as an influencer, and the blocking. The story felt pretty slow and the writing wasn't as descriptive and in-depth as I'd like. The also characters felt difficult for me to connect to, although I could see their potential and appreciated their growth. It was a quick read for me, but overall just not enough substance there.
January 2, 2021
Unfortunately for me, this book was a DNF. I loved the premise of the book and the synopsis really drew me in. However, it was difficult to connect to the characters. I appreciate that Winter and Bo both suffered with mental health problems because that is a relevant social topic, however, it became increasingly difficult to connect with the characters. The plot also started to feel immature and overall was a bit flat.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 2, 2020
This book was like a bad CW show. I really have nothing else to say that about it. Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy.
Read
February 7, 2021Set in Portland Oregon, which by all accounts appears to be one rainy place, #Blocked unpacks the soul mate-ish romance that brews after Bo Blaine, son of a multi-million dollar investment mogul, and Winter Smith, social media influencer cross paths at the opening night event of his future wonderland bowling alley. Our two Insta-famous lovers are immediately drawn to each other, yet when Bo makes the effort to reach out to Winter after their initial meeting, he unfortunately finds that she has blocked him across all platforms, no doubt in response to his less than savoury reputation. Having recently exited an abusive relationship, Winter suffers some form of PTSD and is understandably resistant to enter another wherein her sense of self could be destroyed at yet anther man’s hands. But as fate, or her best friend Mia would have it, those that are destined to be together, will always find a way.
#Blocked initially presented as a satire, or at least a tongue-in-cheek view of Social Media and how it is we came to have ‘influencers’ as a job title in our lives. But alas, no. By the close of the 4th chapter, it was evident it was taking itself seriously, which in many ways was a little disappointing because it had all the markers of being a fantastic parody of our tech influenced world – or at least a 20s something generation who literally make no sense when they communicate. And whilst the romance was sound, if not a little cliched, there were so many elements that were by and large incongruous. For one, the characters appeared to have the cultural capital that is typically of the thoroughly educated middle class, wherein they all had a rich appreciation of visual arts, literature, and philosophy. However, their vernacular and dialogue was mostly incoherent gabble, and would have been better placed in a Boganised high school for the strangely rich. Furthermore, so much of the character backstories weren’t described to give credence to their motivations and behaviour, particularly with regards to Winter. This was paramount through her bizarre relationship with her mother who seemingly encourages Winter’s narcissistic and antagonist ex-boyfriend Lyle to further perpetuate domestic violence against her. There were however, a handful of incredibly funny and laugh out moments wherein the incongruity just kind of worked for a beat or two and there were aspects of both Bo and Winter that were quite likeable, most notably were the Animal Rescue scenes. Despite the often weird dialogue, it was clear that both Bo and Winter could actually use their ill-begotten fame for a genuinely good cause.
Given this is the first novel in a series, it’s highly likely some of the unanswered questions and the nonsensical aspects will be addressed throughout the rest of the series to ensure enthusiasm for the duo remains high. Overall, this is a relatively amusing read with tonnes of potential. Naturally, it may have been more fully realised if it had of shifted genres and played it’s hand as comical social commentary – or perhaps, and I can only hope, that that is where it is heading!
1.5 rating!
#Blocked initially presented as a satire, or at least a tongue-in-cheek view of Social Media and how it is we came to have ‘influencers’ as a job title in our lives. But alas, no. By the close of the 4th chapter, it was evident it was taking itself seriously, which in many ways was a little disappointing because it had all the markers of being a fantastic parody of our tech influenced world – or at least a 20s something generation who literally make no sense when they communicate. And whilst the romance was sound, if not a little cliched, there were so many elements that were by and large incongruous. For one, the characters appeared to have the cultural capital that is typically of the thoroughly educated middle class, wherein they all had a rich appreciation of visual arts, literature, and philosophy. However, their vernacular and dialogue was mostly incoherent gabble, and would have been better placed in a Boganised high school for the strangely rich. Furthermore, so much of the character backstories weren’t described to give credence to their motivations and behaviour, particularly with regards to Winter. This was paramount through her bizarre relationship with her mother who seemingly encourages Winter’s narcissistic and antagonist ex-boyfriend Lyle to further perpetuate domestic violence against her. There were however, a handful of incredibly funny and laugh out moments wherein the incongruity just kind of worked for a beat or two and there were aspects of both Bo and Winter that were quite likeable, most notably were the Animal Rescue scenes. Despite the often weird dialogue, it was clear that both Bo and Winter could actually use their ill-begotten fame for a genuinely good cause.
Given this is the first novel in a series, it’s highly likely some of the unanswered questions and the nonsensical aspects will be addressed throughout the rest of the series to ensure enthusiasm for the duo remains high. Overall, this is a relatively amusing read with tonnes of potential. Naturally, it may have been more fully realised if it had of shifted genres and played it’s hand as comical social commentary – or perhaps, and I can only hope, that that is where it is heading!
1.5 rating!
January 21, 2021
#Blocked: A Social Media Love story by Savannah Thomas is a truly fashion focused, modern day romance novel. The author brings to readers a story that those who are hooked on social media should be able to follow and even relate to on a few levels.
#Blocked is a story about Winter Smith, a young woman who has taken to social media after a nasty relationship and break-up and has found her niche there posting about style, fashion, fitness and fun. She's doing pretty well with it, and she enjoys what she does. Then she meets Bo Blaine. A guy with a bit of a reputation because of his anger issues and a less than pristine past due to those same issues and him turning to the wrong vices.
I enjoyed this story overall as Winter and Bo cross paths and have a bit of an instant connection/attraction towards each other. Winter sees something good about Bo, but when she goes on-line and read some of the articles on there...she's quick to backtrack and immediately thinks "oh he's like my ex...blocked." I was disappointed, because anyone who knows anything knows that things that get posted on-line...tend to be sensationalized. She'd spent time with the guy and he didn't push himself on her...unlike another individual in the story. Bo, is no saint by any means, but I did like him. When he got angry or upset he worked to control it. He worked really hard to show the type of person that he truly was and I wanted her to get to know him based on his own merits and not what she read through articles. I mean, she could have at least talked to people who actually knew him before playing judge and jury.
Now, I loved this book overall, because it kept me engaged and wanting to know more, but I was disappointed in how Winter handles stressful situations. She literally falls apart, and I needed her to be stronger than that. I've been in a bad relationship myself, but I felt she was written to be too weak and frail for her own good. Not every guy is her ex, and I didn't like how she was such a wilting violet when she encountered him. There were a couple of editorial errors as well "waived" when it should have been "waved."
I'm hopeful that the next book in this series improves upon the first because I did enjoy this story very much. I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.
#Blocked is a story about Winter Smith, a young woman who has taken to social media after a nasty relationship and break-up and has found her niche there posting about style, fashion, fitness and fun. She's doing pretty well with it, and she enjoys what she does. Then she meets Bo Blaine. A guy with a bit of a reputation because of his anger issues and a less than pristine past due to those same issues and him turning to the wrong vices.
I enjoyed this story overall as Winter and Bo cross paths and have a bit of an instant connection/attraction towards each other. Winter sees something good about Bo, but when she goes on-line and read some of the articles on there...she's quick to backtrack and immediately thinks "oh he's like my ex...blocked." I was disappointed, because anyone who knows anything knows that things that get posted on-line...tend to be sensationalized. She'd spent time with the guy and he didn't push himself on her...unlike another individual in the story. Bo, is no saint by any means, but I did like him. When he got angry or upset he worked to control it. He worked really hard to show the type of person that he truly was and I wanted her to get to know him based on his own merits and not what she read through articles. I mean, she could have at least talked to people who actually knew him before playing judge and jury.
Now, I loved this book overall, because it kept me engaged and wanting to know more, but I was disappointed in how Winter handles stressful situations. She literally falls apart, and I needed her to be stronger than that. I've been in a bad relationship myself, but I felt she was written to be too weak and frail for her own good. Not every guy is her ex, and I didn't like how she was such a wilting violet when she encountered him. There were a couple of editorial errors as well "waived" when it should have been "waved."
I'm hopeful that the next book in this series improves upon the first because I did enjoy this story very much. I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.
February 16, 2021
Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book! This did not affect my review
If you're looking for an easy, cute NA contemporary, this is your book! The book follows Winter Smith and Bo Blaine, both incredibly famous on social media, but struggling with their personal lives. When Winter and Bo meet at the opening of Bo's new bowling alley (called Blaine's Laines, I just had to mention that because I love the name so much), they're immediately attracted to each other. However, Winter's past and Bo's bad name on social media make it hard for Winter to trust him. Even though Bo is straightforward with his feelings, Winter doesn't know who to trust: Bo or everything the social media says about him?
I. Couldn't. Put. This. Book. Down. It was easy to get into, as the situation of both main characters becomes clear in the beginning of the book. The writing style was good to follow as well, I mostly appreciate that the author describes everything. The chapters are quite short, which makes it easy to sneak in a little more Bo Blaine while you're waiting for someone (I mean come on, his body is filled with tattoos based on well-known paintings, like Starry Night!! I'm a sucker for tattoos).
I'll admit, this book isn't a complicated masterpiece, but it's a perfect, hard to put down refresher filled with cliches, and I'm a sucker for cliches. It's definitely not a bad book, it's just really hard to impress me with a contemporary romance. Contemporary romance books are usually in-between books for me, but #Blocked is a little more than that for me. I truly hope that the sequel will tell us more about their back stories. I'll definitely reread this book, and you can count me in for the sequel!
3.5 stars
If you're looking for an easy, cute NA contemporary, this is your book! The book follows Winter Smith and Bo Blaine, both incredibly famous on social media, but struggling with their personal lives. When Winter and Bo meet at the opening of Bo's new bowling alley (called Blaine's Laines, I just had to mention that because I love the name so much), they're immediately attracted to each other. However, Winter's past and Bo's bad name on social media make it hard for Winter to trust him. Even though Bo is straightforward with his feelings, Winter doesn't know who to trust: Bo or everything the social media says about him?
I. Couldn't. Put. This. Book. Down. It was easy to get into, as the situation of both main characters becomes clear in the beginning of the book. The writing style was good to follow as well, I mostly appreciate that the author describes everything. The chapters are quite short, which makes it easy to sneak in a little more Bo Blaine while you're waiting for someone (I mean come on, his body is filled with tattoos based on well-known paintings, like Starry Night!! I'm a sucker for tattoos).
I'll admit, this book isn't a complicated masterpiece, but it's a perfect, hard to put down refresher filled with cliches, and I'm a sucker for cliches. It's definitely not a bad book, it's just really hard to impress me with a contemporary romance. Contemporary romance books are usually in-between books for me, but #Blocked is a little more than that for me. I truly hope that the sequel will tell us more about their back stories. I'll definitely reread this book, and you can count me in for the sequel!
3.5 stars
July 9, 2021
Winter Smith is a popular social media influencer, but her real life is so much more complicated than the perfect life she portrays online. Fired from her job after breaking up with her boyfriend Lyle, she barely leaves her house, suffering from anxiety, panic attacks and ptsd from an abusive relationship. When her friend Mia convinces her to come to the opening of a new bowling alley, she reluctantly agrees. There she meets handsome tattooed Bo Blaine, the owner, and they are instantly attracted to each other. When he asks for her number she tells him to contact her on her social media accounts. But when he tries he's BLOCKED! What happened between the time they met and now? Winter googled his name and found out that Bo Blaine was the bad boy son of a large important family, known for his anger issues and even had time in prison. She just got out of a controlling relationship with her angry abusive ex and Bo's similarity to her ex scares her. But every time they meet in person, he seems totally different that the online reports would have her believe. Can she get over her fear and learn to trust her own judgment?
This book sounded so promising but I felt that the characters just seemed flat and uninteresting. I felt like if Bo thought or said how beautiful she is one more time, I'm done! I'm glad I finished it because I think the end of the book was more interesting than the middle. but overall it was just an ok read for me.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
This book sounded so promising but I felt that the characters just seemed flat and uninteresting. I felt like if Bo thought or said how beautiful she is one more time, I'm done! I'm glad I finished it because I think the end of the book was more interesting than the middle. but overall it was just an ok read for me.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
November 24, 2020
Blocked: A Social Media Love Story
A New Adult title that will appeal to fans of Gossip Girls…with steamy scenes. A very modern love story.
Blocked: A Social Media Love story opens with the female MC, Winter, a fashion & lifestyle blogger whose days are punctuated by the shots she takes and the work she puts into getting the perfect social media posts.
You won’t be surprised that this book does explore the realms of the self-image and what we project to the world: what is real and what is imagined by others.
In terms of Bo, the male protagonist, we can see how people judge on appearance and hearsay.
Winter seeks to protect herself from being hurt, reluctant to trust, hesitant to show her true self. We slowly learn how past experiences in life lead her to act the way she does.
The book does not go into too much detail about the issues from the past that leads both Winter and Bo to behave how they do (Bo having anger issues that are obvious from his opening sections). It is positive that the author goes some way to demonstrate both characters grappling with these issues. (Some people may be triggered by the descriptions of the MC anxiety).
Description is all around this novel: whether that be the characters, clothing, places. Good pacing retained my interest throughout.
A modern love story with a few steamy descriptions – the only disappointment being the abrupt ending, although to be fair it is obvious in its description that it is one of two books in a series.
A New Adult title that will appeal to fans of Gossip Girls…with steamy scenes. A very modern love story.
Blocked: A Social Media Love story opens with the female MC, Winter, a fashion & lifestyle blogger whose days are punctuated by the shots she takes and the work she puts into getting the perfect social media posts.
You won’t be surprised that this book does explore the realms of the self-image and what we project to the world: what is real and what is imagined by others.
In terms of Bo, the male protagonist, we can see how people judge on appearance and hearsay.
Winter seeks to protect herself from being hurt, reluctant to trust, hesitant to show her true self. We slowly learn how past experiences in life lead her to act the way she does.
The book does not go into too much detail about the issues from the past that leads both Winter and Bo to behave how they do (Bo having anger issues that are obvious from his opening sections). It is positive that the author goes some way to demonstrate both characters grappling with these issues. (Some people may be triggered by the descriptions of the MC anxiety).
Description is all around this novel: whether that be the characters, clothing, places. Good pacing retained my interest throughout.
A modern love story with a few steamy descriptions – the only disappointment being the abrupt ending, although to be fair it is obvious in its description that it is one of two books in a series.
December 3, 2020
Thank you to Net Galley and Savannah Thomas for the advanced copy in return for my honest review! #Blocked: A Social Media Love Story is available December 7, 2020 – be sure to grab yourself a copy!
Winter is a social media influencer and Bo is a multi-million dollar techie. They meet on opening night of one of Bo’s latest projects and instantly form a connection. The book follows their relationship of back and forth. Winter is still coming off of a tough break up and Bo has a bit of a shady past. Even though they can’t deny the spark between them – they keep finding reasons why they won’t work as a couple.
I was really excited about this read! I will say that the title is a bit deceiving but overall I ended up enjoying this book a lot! I found that I couldn’t put it down and finished it in less than 24 hours. There are some parts of the book that are really corny and feel kind of forced (like some of the conversations at the Halloween Party) but I liked the main characters a lot. I wish they would have given Winter a bit more depth but I found myself rooting for the couple from the start. I didn’t like how quickly Winter would change her mind about Bo over nothing. Ultimately, I thought this was a quick, fun read and there was a cliffhanger at the end – leaving the story open for a second book. I would definitely recommend this book!
Winter is a social media influencer and Bo is a multi-million dollar techie. They meet on opening night of one of Bo’s latest projects and instantly form a connection. The book follows their relationship of back and forth. Winter is still coming off of a tough break up and Bo has a bit of a shady past. Even though they can’t deny the spark between them – they keep finding reasons why they won’t work as a couple.
I was really excited about this read! I will say that the title is a bit deceiving but overall I ended up enjoying this book a lot! I found that I couldn’t put it down and finished it in less than 24 hours. There are some parts of the book that are really corny and feel kind of forced (like some of the conversations at the Halloween Party) but I liked the main characters a lot. I wish they would have given Winter a bit more depth but I found myself rooting for the couple from the start. I didn’t like how quickly Winter would change her mind about Bo over nothing. Ultimately, I thought this was a quick, fun read and there was a cliffhanger at the end – leaving the story open for a second book. I would definitely recommend this book!
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