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A Question of Us
Winner of the Romantic Novelists' Association's Romantic Comedy of the Year Award 2020
Two best friends. Eight pub quizzes. One shot at love...
There are some people who seem like they have all the answers in life. Clarrie Midwinter isn't one of them.
At the age of 26, tomboy Clarrie is still struggling to become a 'proper' grown-up. She's eternally strapped for cash, she hasn't had a date in nearly a year and her attempts to quit smoking tend to take a nosedive after the second pint. Most annoyingly of all, her ladykiller best friend Simon just won't stop asking her out. The only thing keeping her sane is her pub quiz team, the Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers.
But when Simon bets her a date their team will win the quiz league, Clarrie is forced to confront what she really wants out of life – and love. Is it finally time for her to grow up?
Gloriously irreverent, badly behaved romantic comedy from the author of Meet Me at the Lighthouse.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2019
101 people are currently reading
3498 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jayne Baker
14 books296 followersMary Jayne Baker grew up in rural West Yorkshire, right in the heart of Brontë country... and she's still there. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature, she dallied with living in cities including London, Nottingham and Cambridge, but eventually came back with her own romantic hero in tow to her beloved Dales, where she first started telling stories about heroines with flaws and the men who love them.
Mary Jayne also writes uplifting, feelgood romances under the pen name Lisa Swift.
Mary Jayne also writes uplifting, feelgood romances under the pen name Lisa Swift.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
August 18, 2019
This was such an odd reading experience for me. From the moment I picked this up, I was hooked and did not want to put it down. The friend group was so charming and the main character, Clarrie, and her love interest, Simon, had SO MUCH CHEMISTRY. Seriously, SO MUCH. I was positively buzzin' over how much I was enjoying this. HOWEVER. Clarrie ended up becoming SO INSUFFERABLE. She was her own worst enemy and kept ruining things for herself and I am never gonna be over it. BLAH. Also worth noting: this book is VERY British. I didn't really mind it, but if you're not into that, this is definitely not the book for you. Also also worth noting: there is a fair amount of cheating in this book. None of it is between the main couple, but it happens at two different times and is a lil unsettling, so just keep that in mind if you want to read this as well. ANYWAY overall I did enjoy this book, but I can't pretend that I didn't have quite a few issues with it in the end.
TW: cheating, miscarriage, cancer
TW: cheating, miscarriage, cancer
July 27, 2019
Many thanks to Netgalley and Aria for an E-arc in exchange for an honest review.
A sweet, funny and unapologetically British friends to lovers romance
Before I start my review I would like to address some of the negative reviews on this, as some of the comments have mentioned readers being distracted or annoyed by the Britishness of this book...Now this is very British, and I'm not talking about Hugh Grant, princes, lords or the posh stereotype of British people, but proper northern working class people. And I loved it! The jokes, banter, friendships, scenery was ace! The fact that it was set in a small town/village like I grew up in, where there is literally nothing to do but go to the pub (or drink in a field being judged by cows lol). It was so relatable to me! Now I understand that it won't be to some people who um aren't British, but I feel like that's a lame and lazy excuse! I read a lot of books, and most of them are set in the USA and that's fine. BUT I know nothing about American football, ice hockey and other USA sports, the school or college system, etc. It's a completely different culture to us, and uses a lot of different words, but that's ok. I have google! I have urban dictionary! I have had to look up so much over the years to understand what's going on, but I did it. Now along comes a book set in northern England, and all of a sudden people don't like it because its different, and the Britishness is distracting?! WTF man?!
Alright so this was a delightful friends to lovers romance, and it was sloooooow burn, so if you like that then it will be right up your street! It also features pub quizzes, which are one of my favourite things to do with a group of friends! So much fun!
This was about Simon and Clarrie, best friends since they were 4. Simon keeps asking Clarrie out but she thinks he's joking so keeps turning him down (even though she's really into him) He then makes a bet with her that if their pub quiz team wins the league, she has to finally let him take her out on a date! Simon and Clarrie were the best! I loved Simon, what an amazing book boyfriend! Such a good friend to Clarrie and the rest of the gang, he wasn't afraid to cry and show his emotions. And he's fit! He and Clarrie had such a great connection, and great chemistry! Clarrie was the narrator and she's great! A bit rough around the edges, she suffers from anxiety but was a very likeable character. I do wish the anxiety had been explained a bit earlier, and the book had delved in a bit deeper into that though. My only negative about Clarrie was how long it took her to realise that Simon had feelings for her, and how long she took to decide, it was a bit frustrating.
Anyway, even though the book was about Simon and Clarrie, it was also about their group of friends Sonny, Gem and Dave. I loved the friendship dynamics in this! They loved and supported each other and it was so nice to see! These characters were so precious! They clawed their way into my heart throughout the book and I love them all. They could be quite immature at times, but they felt like real people in their late 20's, struggling with the types of issues that you do at that point in your life.
This book was so funny! The humour was really dry, and the banter was relentless! It was spot on to be honest! I grew up with a group of lads and girls in my friendship group, and we're still mates now. Our WhatsApp group could be straight out of this book. Lots of swearing, boobs, penis and your mum jokes etc very immature but still funny lol. I snorted and laughed out loud a few times reading this! That's just what it's like here, we take the piss out of each other constantly if we love you! I loved the back and forth and snarky wit!
The book was also about family, and about the tightknit community which these characters live in. I also liked that. So many romances just focus on the main couple, whereas this book felt so raw, messy and real. All of the characters were important in this, and they had their own lives and storylines.
So yes I loved this slow burn friends to lovers romance! It was the perfect beach read for me. I had such a smile on my face after reading it, and was on such a high! If you do decide to read this and don't understand parts, then either look it up, or message me friends!😂
A sweet, funny and unapologetically British friends to lovers romance
Before I start my review I would like to address some of the negative reviews on this, as some of the comments have mentioned readers being distracted or annoyed by the Britishness of this book...Now this is very British, and I'm not talking about Hugh Grant, princes, lords or the posh stereotype of British people, but proper northern working class people. And I loved it! The jokes, banter, friendships, scenery was ace! The fact that it was set in a small town/village like I grew up in, where there is literally nothing to do but go to the pub (or drink in a field being judged by cows lol). It was so relatable to me! Now I understand that it won't be to some people who um aren't British, but I feel like that's a lame and lazy excuse! I read a lot of books, and most of them are set in the USA and that's fine. BUT I know nothing about American football, ice hockey and other USA sports, the school or college system, etc. It's a completely different culture to us, and uses a lot of different words, but that's ok. I have google! I have urban dictionary! I have had to look up so much over the years to understand what's going on, but I did it. Now along comes a book set in northern England, and all of a sudden people don't like it because its different, and the Britishness is distracting?! WTF man?!
Alright so this was a delightful friends to lovers romance, and it was sloooooow burn, so if you like that then it will be right up your street! It also features pub quizzes, which are one of my favourite things to do with a group of friends! So much fun!
This was about Simon and Clarrie, best friends since they were 4. Simon keeps asking Clarrie out but she thinks he's joking so keeps turning him down (even though she's really into him) He then makes a bet with her that if their pub quiz team wins the league, she has to finally let him take her out on a date! Simon and Clarrie were the best! I loved Simon, what an amazing book boyfriend! Such a good friend to Clarrie and the rest of the gang, he wasn't afraid to cry and show his emotions. And he's fit! He and Clarrie had such a great connection, and great chemistry! Clarrie was the narrator and she's great! A bit rough around the edges, she suffers from anxiety but was a very likeable character. I do wish the anxiety had been explained a bit earlier, and the book had delved in a bit deeper into that though. My only negative about Clarrie was how long it took her to realise that Simon had feelings for her, and how long she took to decide, it was a bit frustrating.
Anyway, even though the book was about Simon and Clarrie, it was also about their group of friends Sonny, Gem and Dave. I loved the friendship dynamics in this! They loved and supported each other and it was so nice to see! These characters were so precious! They clawed their way into my heart throughout the book and I love them all. They could be quite immature at times, but they felt like real people in their late 20's, struggling with the types of issues that you do at that point in your life.
This book was so funny! The humour was really dry, and the banter was relentless! It was spot on to be honest! I grew up with a group of lads and girls in my friendship group, and we're still mates now. Our WhatsApp group could be straight out of this book. Lots of swearing, boobs, penis and your mum jokes etc very immature but still funny lol. I snorted and laughed out loud a few times reading this! That's just what it's like here, we take the piss out of each other constantly if we love you! I loved the back and forth and snarky wit!
The book was also about family, and about the tightknit community which these characters live in. I also liked that. So many romances just focus on the main couple, whereas this book felt so raw, messy and real. All of the characters were important in this, and they had their own lives and storylines.
So yes I loved this slow burn friends to lovers romance! It was the perfect beach read for me. I had such a smile on my face after reading it, and was on such a high! If you do decide to read this and don't understand parts, then either look it up, or message me friends!😂
August 4, 2019
There is no contesting the fact that enemies to lovers is my favourite trope, but friends to lovers can always bag the second position. And this lovely book undoubtedly goes straight to my favourite shelf. Set in a typically British village, the story had me in the hooks from the very beginning and the pages flew by . . . just like that.
When I said 'village' that doesn't mean the story is all about a cosy, little Edenic place. On the contrary, most of the story surrounds a tightly knit group and pub quizzes and so we see more booze and talk than any real village life. The humour is irresistible and the banter (with sexual overtones) is spot on. Yup, if you want to pick some British slangs, this is your right pick.
Main characters are Clarrie and Simon aka Si. They are close since their birth but never could manage that final leap to love, all thanks to Carrie's anxiety. Now, at the age of twenty-six, she is finally cornered into a bet. Well, let fate make a decision and all that. Si is not your typical macho guy (with all his cockiness, he sobs when he learns that his mom is ill) and I just love him for that.
The other members of the gang have their own major parts too with stories going on their own. We have Sonny (or Sunil) an Indian Sikh, Dave and Gemma. Everyone knows practically everything about each other and that creates the whole fun scenario. Couples are made (not unmade, fortunately) and life goes on.
I am practically jealous of them all actually. One of the drawbacks of village life is that there are no secrets, but the support of the tight-knit community can never be replaced. They make you appreciate the little things. I loved the way the story turned out, expected but still quite romantic. Wooh!
So what are you waiting for guys? Stock your drink cabinet and keep your tissues at hand; this cute little story is going to make you misty-eyed one moment and howling with laughter the other. A great comfort read for the weekends!
When I said 'village' that doesn't mean the story is all about a cosy, little Edenic place. On the contrary, most of the story surrounds a tightly knit group and pub quizzes and so we see more booze and talk than any real village life. The humour is irresistible and the banter (with sexual overtones) is spot on. Yup, if you want to pick some British slangs, this is your right pick.
Main characters are Clarrie and Simon aka Si. They are close since their birth but never could manage that final leap to love, all thanks to Carrie's anxiety. Now, at the age of twenty-six, she is finally cornered into a bet. Well, let fate make a decision and all that. Si is not your typical macho guy (with all his cockiness, he sobs when he learns that his mom is ill) and I just love him for that.
The other members of the gang have their own major parts too with stories going on their own. We have Sonny (or Sunil) an Indian Sikh, Dave and Gemma. Everyone knows practically everything about each other and that creates the whole fun scenario. Couples are made (not unmade, fortunately) and life goes on.
I am practically jealous of them all actually. One of the drawbacks of village life is that there are no secrets, but the support of the tight-knit community can never be replaced. They make you appreciate the little things. I loved the way the story turned out, expected but still quite romantic. Wooh!
So what are you waiting for guys? Stock your drink cabinet and keep your tissues at hand; this cute little story is going to make you misty-eyed one moment and howling with laughter the other. A great comfort read for the weekends!
September 15, 2019
3 quizzical ★★★✩✩
⇝Overall.
I was very happy when Aria Publishing granted my request. The synopsis sounded super promising as it depicted a new version of the friends to lovers-narrative. I must admit that this book somewhat disappointed. The lines were funny and made me laugh out loud a lot and the general plot idea was really original.
It was, however, executed poorly and that the first 40 to almost 50 (!!)% of the book were a total drag. Although the whole plot is designed around pub quizzes at one point I just thought Oh my goodness, not another pub quiz. The characters were unique, distinct (from one another) and quirky enough, however, that they made it bearable and even fun in the end. I also liked that feminism has been addressed a couple of times:
⇝Was mental health addressed properly?
To be fair, I don't have a qualified answer for that. What I have is a feeling of uneasiness. From the beginning, Mary hints at the fact that the main character Clarrie deals with one or several mental problems such as trust and commitment issues (?). I expected that topic to take off throughout the book - as underrepresented as it is in common literature. I waited in vain, though. I would have wished for Clarrie to actually take a leap and seek professional help. The storytelling and plot repeatedly made clear she probably needed it. Instead this "problem" solved itself, so to say when I honestly don't feel too good about this.
➺What’s happening.
Clarrissa and Simon have been friends ever since they were little troublemakers. It has been just as long - or so it seems to Clar - that Si made a fun game of mockery out of asking her out on dates. It has always been clear as crystal that it was never a series question. Or has it?
All of a sudden (at least from Clarrie's viewpoint), Simon gets very serious about dating her - he makes a bet. If their team wins the Pub Quizz league this year, Clar will have to go out on a date with him. Should he lose, he will stop asking her out for good.
While the bet is running, Clarrie suddenly loses confidence in her belief that Simon has only ever been joking all this time. Because, if she's being totally honest, she has thought about Si as more than just a friend herself. After all, there is a reason why she never failed to find something to break up over with her past boyfriends.
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 4*
pace = 2.5*
plot development = 2.5*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 3*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
This eArc was provided by Aria via NetGalley/Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!
This book is for you if… you enjoy light chick lit and are able to deal with a very slow start + one too many pub quizz nights. You'll be in for many funny lines but should be warned that mental issues are not addressed properly.
⇝Overall.
I was very happy when Aria Publishing granted my request. The synopsis sounded super promising as it depicted a new version of the friends to lovers-narrative. I must admit that this book somewhat disappointed. The lines were funny and made me laugh out loud a lot and the general plot idea was really original.
She was about to put out her hand when Greg spread his arms.
Oh God, he was a hugger.
It was, however, executed poorly and that the first 40 to almost 50 (!!)% of the book were a total drag. Although the whole plot is designed around pub quizzes at one point I just thought Oh my goodness, not another pub quiz. The characters were unique, distinct (from one another) and quirky enough, however, that they made it bearable and even fun in the end. I also liked that feminism has been addressed a couple of times:
How come Si had got away with a nice, civilized handshake while she had to have her personal space invaded. Honestly, you'd think feminism had never happened.
⇝Was mental health addressed properly?
To be fair, I don't have a qualified answer for that. What I have is a feeling of uneasiness. From the beginning, Mary hints at the fact that the main character Clarrie deals with one or several mental problems such as trust and commitment issues (?). I expected that topic to take off throughout the book - as underrepresented as it is in common literature. I waited in vain, though. I would have wished for Clarrie to actually take a leap and seek professional help. The storytelling and plot repeatedly made clear she probably needed it. Instead this "problem" solved itself, so to say when I honestly don't feel too good about this.
➺What’s happening.
Clarrissa and Simon have been friends ever since they were little troublemakers. It has been just as long - or so it seems to Clar - that Si made a fun game of mockery out of asking her out on dates. It has always been clear as crystal that it was never a series question. Or has it?
All of a sudden (at least from Clarrie's viewpoint), Simon gets very serious about dating her - he makes a bet. If their team wins the Pub Quizz league this year, Clar will have to go out on a date with him. Should he lose, he will stop asking her out for good.
While the bet is running, Clarrie suddenly loses confidence in her belief that Simon has only ever been joking all this time. Because, if she's being totally honest, she has thought about Si as more than just a friend herself. After all, there is a reason why she never failed to find something to break up over with her past boyfriends.
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 4*
pace = 2.5*
plot development = 2.5*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 3*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
This eArc was provided by Aria via NetGalley/Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!
dnf
July 18, 2019dnf @ 57%
i'm literally in love with these characters and the romance but it's SO BORING i CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE
i'm literally in love with these characters and the romance but it's SO BORING i CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE
July 13, 2019
Oh my goodness!! What an absolutely wonderful and fantastic story. I have literally laughed my head off.
I have just one question for the author- where can I get a Simon? Right from the start of the book, the connection is genuine. The characters are extremely likeable both together and separate.
Mary-Jayne has a way of writing which makes you feel as though you are watching the story unfold. This is a book I haven’t wanted to put down- it truly is fantastic.
I have loved the friendships in this book, the fun and support amongst the group has made me smile on numerous occasions.
Simon and Clarrie are just fab, I can’t imagine any reader not rooting for them from the start. The book has its ups and downs but it wouldn’t be the same without any of them. I can honestly say this should be on everyone’s must read list.
I am a huge fan of Mary-Jayne’s books, I haven’t read any that I dislike. She is definitely a talented author and deserves recognition for the fantastic stories she produces.
Truthfully, I cannot give this book five stars because it just isn’t enough. Five stars doesn’t show how fantastic and wonderful this book is. I wish I could give more than five! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I highly recommend this book as well as Mary-Jayne’s other books. Each one will get you hooked but they are definitely worth the read.
I have just one question for the author- where can I get a Simon? Right from the start of the book, the connection is genuine. The characters are extremely likeable both together and separate.
Mary-Jayne has a way of writing which makes you feel as though you are watching the story unfold. This is a book I haven’t wanted to put down- it truly is fantastic.
I have loved the friendships in this book, the fun and support amongst the group has made me smile on numerous occasions.
Simon and Clarrie are just fab, I can’t imagine any reader not rooting for them from the start. The book has its ups and downs but it wouldn’t be the same without any of them. I can honestly say this should be on everyone’s must read list.
I am a huge fan of Mary-Jayne’s books, I haven’t read any that I dislike. She is definitely a talented author and deserves recognition for the fantastic stories she produces.
Truthfully, I cannot give this book five stars because it just isn’t enough. Five stars doesn’t show how fantastic and wonderful this book is. I wish I could give more than five! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I highly recommend this book as well as Mary-Jayne’s other books. Each one will get you hooked but they are definitely worth the read.
August 4, 2019
This was one of the proper British reads which reflected their humor and banter. It took me some time to traverse through it so it was an extremely slow read, but the core story of a group of friends was very sweet and warm.
Plot arc of friends turning into lovers caught my fancy. Simon and Clarrie were the best of friends, though he wanted something more and she kept refusing him till he makes a bet with her – if their team won the pub quiz, she would go out with him. And the story rolled on…
My first book by Mary Jayne Baker, the story was warm with the depth of their friendship. Told in the POV of Clarrie, I got to know Simon who was a great guy, absolutely apt for her. Their chemistry was well shown in their banter. Mary Jayne’s writing gave these characters a depth.
I love when a book explores and shows me different facets of friendships and family. This had a group of friends and their dynamics with each other. Their byplays were childish but came from a place of familiarity. Their conversations were a hoot when they got together, though not my kinda humor. Family is everything and the book exemplified that. Each character had a tale to tell.
This was one of my different reads and had its own sweet tale to tell… Slowly… Very slowly.
Plot arc of friends turning into lovers caught my fancy. Simon and Clarrie were the best of friends, though he wanted something more and she kept refusing him till he makes a bet with her – if their team won the pub quiz, she would go out with him. And the story rolled on…
My first book by Mary Jayne Baker, the story was warm with the depth of their friendship. Told in the POV of Clarrie, I got to know Simon who was a great guy, absolutely apt for her. Their chemistry was well shown in their banter. Mary Jayne’s writing gave these characters a depth.
I love when a book explores and shows me different facets of friendships and family. This had a group of friends and their dynamics with each other. Their byplays were childish but came from a place of familiarity. Their conversations were a hoot when they got together, though not my kinda humor. Family is everything and the book exemplified that. Each character had a tale to tell.
This was one of my different reads and had its own sweet tale to tell… Slowly… Very slowly.
September 18, 2019
Cheeky, hilarious, and authentically British!
A Question of Us is an engaging, humorous, friends-to-more romance that features the determined, fun-loving Simon who finally wants something more than friendship with his best mate, and the hesitant, stubborn Clarrie who may finally have to take the risk and acknowledge her true feelings for her best friend.
The writing is amusing and witty. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are gregarious, lovable, and well developed. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, humour, spirited dialogue, pub trivia, competitive rivalry, romantic gestures, and the complex dynamics between friends.
Overall, A Question of Us is a quirky, sweet, entertaining tale by Baker that’s full of laughs, creative characters, and touching moments.
Thank you to Aria for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A Question of Us is an engaging, humorous, friends-to-more romance that features the determined, fun-loving Simon who finally wants something more than friendship with his best mate, and the hesitant, stubborn Clarrie who may finally have to take the risk and acknowledge her true feelings for her best friend.
The writing is amusing and witty. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are gregarious, lovable, and well developed. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, humour, spirited dialogue, pub trivia, competitive rivalry, romantic gestures, and the complex dynamics between friends.
Overall, A Question of Us is a quirky, sweet, entertaining tale by Baker that’s full of laughs, creative characters, and touching moments.
Thank you to Aria for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2019
Well, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed A Question Of Us!
I loved the story.
I loved the banter between the characters.
I loved how I laughed out very noisily it made my dog jump!
I loved the other emotions, the sad moments, the angry moments and the understanding between the friends.
I loved the visits to the pubs, bars, ale houses.
And, I LOVED the Britishness around the whole story.
Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Jane Baker, who I would love to go to the pub with, as I think that we would have a giggle and Aria Publication.
I loved the story.
I loved the banter between the characters.
I loved how I laughed out very noisily it made my dog jump!
I loved the other emotions, the sad moments, the angry moments and the understanding between the friends.
I loved the visits to the pubs, bars, ale houses.
And, I LOVED the Britishness around the whole story.
Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Jane Baker, who I would love to go to the pub with, as I think that we would have a giggle and Aria Publication.
August 13, 2019
DNF. Well, that was disappointing.
sigh another ARC I've had to DNF. I've had no luck at all with them this year.
First off, this book was mostly just dialogue. I don't recall much scene-setting or backstory, it was just so much dialogue. And so much British slang. That's weird for me to point out too because I'm British myself so it takes a lot for me to complain about that but uggh. Every other word was something like 'bloody/bloody hell' or calling someone a git and even things like 'HP-lavished bacon sarnie' which I do know what it is but why. Remember, Baker, that your audience is everyone, not just Brits. They won't understand what you're talking about. Sometimes I didn't. (Sidenote: a HP-lavished bacon sarnie is a bacon sandwich with brown sauce :) just so you know). It just seemed more like she was trying to prove she/the characters were British or something. We get it. I mean, Harry Potter is British but you don't see J.K shoving all that slang in there. It felt like a bit too much, even for me. Just felt a little odd.
The friendship group was fine but it was the same conversations over and over and over and over again. In the same setting. I genuinely felt I was just reading about someone's pub night out and the bullshit you push around with your friends. But very dull bullshit.
And why were these friends the worst to Sonny? Trying to convince him to get back with a girl that cheated on him. Like, is he even your best mate? They did nothing to help him out with this, he's still struggling and telling him to 'get over it' isn't helping. What kind of friends are you though
#judgingyou
This book was just a bit of a mess. The pacing was bad as it dragged so much, the conflict was barely a conflict (being Simon's insistence of Clarrie going out with him) which made Simon look more like a sex pest than a guy in love with his best mate. Repetitive conversations including her sulking about why she won't go out with him, and endless chats about nothing at all. Also, there was so much sex talk - sorry, talk of 'shagging' - that was off-putting because oh my god please stop talking about it. It's not even interesting.
Also there's mention of Clarrie being a feminist. Hmmm. Not sure I agree with this. I don't see her being friends with these guys either as they said some questionable things. (Sidenote: why did Clarrie's mum refuse to let her daughter have a beer at dinner but Simon and her new bf could? She had to stick to wine? Lads? Just felt weird.)
Clarrie owns a bookshop and she has three customers a day. How does she even keep the shop going? She is doing something wrong and needs to address this instantly or she'll go out of business. Bookshops are wasted on her, that's my dream. Do some marketing or something, woman! Disappointing that we hardly get anything from said bookshop too.
Thanks but no thanks.
sigh another ARC I've had to DNF. I've had no luck at all with them this year.
First off, this book was mostly just dialogue. I don't recall much scene-setting or backstory, it was just so much dialogue. And so much British slang. That's weird for me to point out too because I'm British myself so it takes a lot for me to complain about that but uggh. Every other word was something like 'bloody/bloody hell' or calling someone a git and even things like 'HP-lavished bacon sarnie' which I do know what it is but why. Remember, Baker, that your audience is everyone, not just Brits. They won't understand what you're talking about. Sometimes I didn't. (Sidenote: a HP-lavished bacon sarnie is a bacon sandwich with brown sauce :) just so you know). It just seemed more like she was trying to prove she/the characters were British or something. We get it. I mean, Harry Potter is British but you don't see J.K shoving all that slang in there. It felt like a bit too much, even for me. Just felt a little odd.
The friendship group was fine but it was the same conversations over and over and over and over again. In the same setting. I genuinely felt I was just reading about someone's pub night out and the bullshit you push around with your friends. But very dull bullshit.
And why were these friends the worst to Sonny? Trying to convince him to get back with a girl that cheated on him. Like, is he even your best mate? They did nothing to help him out with this, he's still struggling and telling him to 'get over it' isn't helping. What kind of friends are you though
#judgingyou
This book was just a bit of a mess. The pacing was bad as it dragged so much, the conflict was barely a conflict (being Simon's insistence of Clarrie going out with him) which made Simon look more like a sex pest than a guy in love with his best mate. Repetitive conversations including her sulking about why she won't go out with him, and endless chats about nothing at all. Also, there was so much sex talk - sorry, talk of 'shagging' - that was off-putting because oh my god please stop talking about it. It's not even interesting.
Also there's mention of Clarrie being a feminist. Hmmm. Not sure I agree with this. I don't see her being friends with these guys either as they said some questionable things. (Sidenote: why did Clarrie's mum refuse to let her daughter have a beer at dinner but Simon and her new bf could? She had to stick to wine? Lads? Just felt weird.)
Clarrie owns a bookshop and she has three customers a day. How does she even keep the shop going? She is doing something wrong and needs to address this instantly or she'll go out of business. Bookshops are wasted on her, that's my dream. Do some marketing or something, woman! Disappointing that we hardly get anything from said bookshop too.
Thanks but no thanks.
August 4, 2019
full july romance wrap-up on my blog: here!
"All that time I was worried I’d mess things up with you the way I did with the others. But now I know I only messed up with them because they weren’t the right ones – I mean, because they weren’t you."
I read this book in ARC format, and the blurb really spoke to me. Best friends to lovers is my romantic tropey JAM, so I was super excited to tuck into this. A question of Us centers around two best friends who compete with a team in their local pubquiz league. Simon has been wanting to ask Clarrie out since forever, but Clarrie keeps turning him down because she thinks he's just joking. What if he's not, though? The two of them agree on a bet that if they manage to win the pubquiz cup, Clarrie will go out with him. What happens if you put your future in the hands of fate?
This book wasn't bad per sé, I enjoyed the majority of it, but the ending felt a lot anti-climactic. It was also excruciatingly slow at times, and a lot of the writing-style kept me from enjoying the characters to their maximum potential. I enjoyed Simon and Clarrie as a couple, but Clarrie's unwillingness to listen to Si and her, dare I say, selfishness while stringing him along kind of made this a less enjoyable experience. I really enjoyed the use of the childhood friends to lovers trope, but I also felt very frustrated with the female character which didn't help matters. Taking all of this into account, this turned into a final rating of 3 stars, but this certainly had potential and I would love to read the author's other books.
**Review copy provided by Netgalley
"All that time I was worried I’d mess things up with you the way I did with the others. But now I know I only messed up with them because they weren’t the right ones – I mean, because they weren’t you."
I read this book in ARC format, and the blurb really spoke to me. Best friends to lovers is my romantic tropey JAM, so I was super excited to tuck into this. A question of Us centers around two best friends who compete with a team in their local pubquiz league. Simon has been wanting to ask Clarrie out since forever, but Clarrie keeps turning him down because she thinks he's just joking. What if he's not, though? The two of them agree on a bet that if they manage to win the pubquiz cup, Clarrie will go out with him. What happens if you put your future in the hands of fate?
This book wasn't bad per sé, I enjoyed the majority of it, but the ending felt a lot anti-climactic. It was also excruciatingly slow at times, and a lot of the writing-style kept me from enjoying the characters to their maximum potential. I enjoyed Simon and Clarrie as a couple, but Clarrie's unwillingness to listen to Si and her, dare I say, selfishness while stringing him along kind of made this a less enjoyable experience. I really enjoyed the use of the childhood friends to lovers trope, but I also felt very frustrated with the female character which didn't help matters. Taking all of this into account, this turned into a final rating of 3 stars, but this certainly had potential and I would love to read the author's other books.
**Review copy provided by Netgalley
dnf
August 4, 2019DNF at 16%
I nearly DNFed this one at the first page, but decided to persevere and see if I’d like the ARC more. Nope. The friend group acts like middle schoolers, every word that comes out of their mouths is a sex joke, the “hero” won’t stop pestering and asking out heroine despite her repeated denials, there’s very little trivia (which is all that I was interested in), and I was unamused that the MCs were trying to get their friends back together (relationship ended because of cheating). Not for me on all levels but it might be your thing. Try a sample: you can figure out if this is for you on the first page.
I nearly DNFed this one at the first page, but decided to persevere and see if I’d like the ARC more. Nope. The friend group acts like middle schoolers, every word that comes out of their mouths is a sex joke, the “hero” won’t stop pestering and asking out heroine despite her repeated denials, there’s very little trivia (which is all that I was interested in), and I was unamused that the MCs were trying to get their friends back together (relationship ended because of cheating). Not for me on all levels but it might be your thing. Try a sample: you can figure out if this is for you on the first page.
July 23, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The plot of this book caught my attention. Childhood friends to possibly more, especially when there's a bet involved? Who wouldn't love that?
Me, apparently. The pacing of this book is godawful slow. It's also so British that it's distracting and off-putting. I nearly marked this as DNF on a few occasions. At times, the conversations seem hectic and hard to keep track of. Then other times, my eyes glazed over because the characters are rambling. This book could do with a fair bit of editing. Multiple chapters for one event? Just get to the point already. Simon has been in love with Clarrie for forever and asks her out whenever possible. It's cute in theory but I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. There has to be a better way of telling your childhood best friend that you've been in love with her for ages than to jokingly ask her out constantly and then turn around and date other girls. The reason this even gets two stars is because when the book DOES get to the point, it's decent. There are great sweet moments with Simon and Clarrie where you can clearly see how much he loves her. Every time she's drunk, she wants him but then doesn't realize that's what she wants once she sobers up? It gets very tiring and boring. The pacing is just too uneven throughout to earn more than 2 stars from me. I really wish this book was better than it was.
The plot of this book caught my attention. Childhood friends to possibly more, especially when there's a bet involved? Who wouldn't love that?
Me, apparently. The pacing of this book is godawful slow. It's also so British that it's distracting and off-putting. I nearly marked this as DNF on a few occasions. At times, the conversations seem hectic and hard to keep track of. Then other times, my eyes glazed over because the characters are rambling. This book could do with a fair bit of editing. Multiple chapters for one event? Just get to the point already. Simon has been in love with Clarrie for forever and asks her out whenever possible. It's cute in theory but I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. There has to be a better way of telling your childhood best friend that you've been in love with her for ages than to jokingly ask her out constantly and then turn around and date other girls. The reason this even gets two stars is because when the book DOES get to the point, it's decent. There are great sweet moments with Simon and Clarrie where you can clearly see how much he loves her. Every time she's drunk, she wants him but then doesn't realize that's what she wants once she sobers up? It gets very tiring and boring. The pacing is just too uneven throughout to earn more than 2 stars from me. I really wish this book was better than it was.
July 17, 2019
All that time I was worried I’d mess things up with you the way I did with the others. But now I know I only messed up with them because they weren’t the right ones – I mean, because they weren’t you.
On my blog.
Rep: mc with anxiety, Indian Sikh side character
Galley provided by publisher
A Question of Us is one of those books that hooks itself onto your heart while you’re not looking and ends up dragging you into an emotional investment in its characters. And then it’ll leave you wondering how exactly you review a book you loved to pieces.
At heart, this book is a best friends to lovers story, where the best friends in question are physically affectionate and everyone but them is aware they’re in love with each other and kind of wondering why they haven’t yet got together. So it was already right up my alley. Simon, though, who is quite blatantly in love with Clarrie even though she’s convinced he’s taking the piss, decides that he’s going to bet a date on the outcome of a quiz tourney. Clarrie takes him up on this, and what follows is a slowburn romance that will have you tearing out your hair despairingly just because you want the two characters to get together already.
What I loved most about this book was the central role that friendships played in this story. Obviously there’s Si and Clarrie, but they’re surrounded by other friends and the rapport between all of them is so funny. There was one point I laughed out loud about five times and my sister kept giving me weird looks (to be fair, this book played right into my fairly childish sense of humour. And it was so English with the slang and everything it felt more familiar than about 90% of other romance books I’ve read. Honestly, just seeing the phrase “arse over tit” in a book… Priceless).
Si as a love interest was also so refreshing. Sure, he was a womaniser, and cocky, but he was also happy to confide in Clarrie and cry in front of her and, after having read a book where the male main character was busy holding everything inside and not even confiding in his close friends because he figured they’d pity him? That’s so refreshing. I want more of it, to be honest, because this book has shown me what I’m missing and now I’ll never be able to go back.
So yeah, I hope this has convinced you to read this book. All it’s done for me is make me want to reread.
September 7, 2020
read on my blog
**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
A Question of Us caught me by surprise. It’s been a couple of months since an adult romance has fully captured my attention, and this book definitely did. I couldn’t put this down, and when I finally finished it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. A Question of Us is an adorable read, with best friends who become lovers and an amazing cast of characters.
I usually don’t love-love the best-friends-to-lovers trope because it’s always one person long-term dating someone else before they realize they’re in love with their best friend or something similar that I don’t really vibe with. This book is a bit of a departure from that; Simon has so obviously been in love with Clarrie for so long, but since she’s scared of change, of commitment, of screwing things up, she’s refused to see it. They’ve been best friends since they were four, and there wasn’t a come-to-terms moment, that Clarrie loved Si. It was much more gradual, and I really liked that.
Also, I totally felt how Clarrie wanted to use the quiz as a means to say yes, despite knowing she likes Si romantically. Sometimes it feels better having a big decision made for you even when you know what you want. Change is scary and I definitely relate to wanting no responsibility for your feelings.
The characters were so detailed; they truly felt like real people to me. Clarrie being a mess and just trying to get her life together is such a mood. I also loved that Si is hot and a playboy, yet he’s not overly masculine. He studied history and became a teacher and isn’t afraid to cry in front of Clarrie. I love him! Also, let’s ignore the fact that The Bachelorette has corrupted me and I picture him as one of the contestants that I like . . .
I wholehearted loved the friend group. Please give me more adult romances where the friends get up to no-good-hijinks and know each other so well! They’re all so supportive of each other, and there’s just so much love.
You all know that I love books where the main character likes living in their small town, and this book was no exception. Reading the characters joking with their parents and being really open with them…it was nice, it was so soft.
I think the summary makes Si asking out Clarrie to be little “can’t take no for an answer,” but in reality, it’s much healthier than that. They’re friends, and Clarrie treats it as a running joke, rather than it being unwanted advances.
And this book was genuinely so funny! It’s a very British humor, which my sense of humor is very much in line with, because it’s dry and witty.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, but I still can’t stop thinking about this book. Please, Mary Jayne Baker, I need a sequel…I’ll take a novella, I’ll even take a long extended scene… A Question of Us is definitely one of my favorite romances this year! Pick it up today.
original review:
I’m crying, honestly
**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
“Anyway, in answer to your question, Dave, yes, only I may ask Clarrie out,” Si said. “In fact, I invented asking Clarrie out. You get your own rejection complex.”
A Question of Us caught me by surprise. It’s been a couple of months since an adult romance has fully captured my attention, and this book definitely did. I couldn’t put this down, and when I finally finished it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. A Question of Us is an adorable read, with best friends who become lovers and an amazing cast of characters.
I usually don’t love-love the best-friends-to-lovers trope because it’s always one person long-term dating someone else before they realize they’re in love with their best friend or something similar that I don’t really vibe with. This book is a bit of a departure from that; Simon has so obviously been in love with Clarrie for so long, but since she’s scared of change, of commitment, of screwing things up, she’s refused to see it. They’ve been best friends since they were four, and there wasn’t a come-to-terms moment, that Clarrie loved Si. It was much more gradual, and I really liked that.
Also, I totally felt how Clarrie wanted to use the quiz as a means to say yes, despite knowing she likes Si romantically. Sometimes it feels better having a big decision made for you even when you know what you want. Change is scary and I definitely relate to wanting no responsibility for your feelings.
No, I mean I want him to win the bet. I want to be told it’s okay to go without him. That I’m not doing something wrong or fucking both our lives up or all the other things I’ve been angsting about pretty much since the first time he asked me . . . I want to be…I want to be allowed.
The characters were so detailed; they truly felt like real people to me. Clarrie being a mess and just trying to get her life together is such a mood. I also loved that Si is hot and a playboy, yet he’s not overly masculine. He studied history and became a teacher and isn’t afraid to cry in front of Clarrie. I love him! Also, let’s ignore the fact that The Bachelorette has corrupted me and I picture him as one of the contestants that I like . . .
I wholehearted loved the friend group. Please give me more adult romances where the friends get up to no-good-hijinks and know each other so well! They’re all so supportive of each other, and there’s just so much love.
You all know that I love books where the main character likes living in their small town, and this book was no exception. Reading the characters joking with their parents and being really open with them…it was nice, it was so soft.
I think the summary makes Si asking out Clarrie to be little “can’t take no for an answer,” but in reality, it’s much healthier than that. They’re friends, and Clarrie treats it as a running joke, rather than it being unwanted advances.
And this book was genuinely so funny! It’s a very British humor, which my sense of humor is very much in line with, because it’s dry and witty.
He slipped his hand into hers and she squeezed it tightly, feeling the pull of an unspoken bond called home.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, but I still can’t stop thinking about this book. Please, Mary Jayne Baker, I need a sequel…I’ll take a novella, I’ll even take a long extended scene… A Question of Us is definitely one of my favorite romances this year! Pick it up today.
original review:
I’m crying, honestly
September 3, 2019
This was pretty much everything I was hoping for!
This book had so much to love! Cute illustrated cover, off-the-charts chemistry between not only the love interests, but also the friend group, bookstores, pub trivia, best friends secretly in love with each other…seriously, it ticked all of my boxes.
I was hooked on this book immediately and not a lot happens plot wise, which honestly was fine for me. I love a good slice-of-life book and that is exactly what this is!
Clarrie and Simon have been best friends basically since birth. They’ve grown up together, seen each other at their best and worst, and have totally fallen in love along the way, they’ve just been too scared to do anything about it. Or, well, Clarrie has been too scared. Simon cannot stop asking her out, even though she repeatedly turns him down. Clarrie thinks it’s a joke to Simon. He could have anyone he wanted, so why her? But when a bet over their pub trivia league is made, everything begins to change and Clarrie starts to realize that maybe her very really feelings for Simon ARE actually real on his end too. (Spoiler alert: obviously they are!)
This book is very British and I loved that! I don’t often read a lot of British authors, so it was nice getting to experience that writing and world and slang and humor.
There were definitely some downfalls, like Clarrie constantly getting in the way of her own happiness, but I also understand why she felt certain ways about certain things. It was just hard to watch her ruin things for herself when she could have had it all a loooot earlier. Everything else worked so well for me though, so it still gets 5 stars. I loved the friend group and their dynamic immensely, and of course Simon and Clarrie too, because as mentioned earlier, their chemistry was EVERYTHING.
*Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
This book had so much to love! Cute illustrated cover, off-the-charts chemistry between not only the love interests, but also the friend group, bookstores, pub trivia, best friends secretly in love with each other…seriously, it ticked all of my boxes.
I was hooked on this book immediately and not a lot happens plot wise, which honestly was fine for me. I love a good slice-of-life book and that is exactly what this is!
Clarrie and Simon have been best friends basically since birth. They’ve grown up together, seen each other at their best and worst, and have totally fallen in love along the way, they’ve just been too scared to do anything about it. Or, well, Clarrie has been too scared. Simon cannot stop asking her out, even though she repeatedly turns him down. Clarrie thinks it’s a joke to Simon. He could have anyone he wanted, so why her? But when a bet over their pub trivia league is made, everything begins to change and Clarrie starts to realize that maybe her very really feelings for Simon ARE actually real on his end too. (Spoiler alert: obviously they are!)
This book is very British and I loved that! I don’t often read a lot of British authors, so it was nice getting to experience that writing and world and slang and humor.
There were definitely some downfalls, like Clarrie constantly getting in the way of her own happiness, but I also understand why she felt certain ways about certain things. It was just hard to watch her ruin things for herself when she could have had it all a loooot earlier. Everything else worked so well for me though, so it still gets 5 stars. I loved the friend group and their dynamic immensely, and of course Simon and Clarrie too, because as mentioned earlier, their chemistry was EVERYTHING.
*Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
July 24, 2019
A question of us is a fantastic chicklit and romance book. I absolutely loved this one. Simon has been in love with Callie since the first time that he saw her at primary school. But because of his jack the lad attitude, his gorgeous good looks and his kind and caring personality. Simon is a catch with all the ladies and has had his fair share of hook ups over the years. But everytime he sees Callie he asks her out multiple times. Because of his natural way with the ladies Callie just thinks Simon is trying to be funny. Not really understanding that he is crazy about her and is only going out with the other people because she keeps saying no. Simon devises a plan if they win the pub quiz tournament Callie has to go out on a real date with him. Which Callie agrees too. But will love finally blossom between these two before the quiz tournament has finished? And will they walk off into the sunset on their happily ever after?
I absolutely loved this gorgeous book. The characters in this book are fantastic and it has a great dry sense of humour that I loved. One that I highly recommend to all.
I absolutely loved this gorgeous book. The characters in this book are fantastic and it has a great dry sense of humour that I loved. One that I highly recommend to all.
August 27, 2019
I adore quizzes and I love this authors works, so combined this was a fabulous book for me.
Featuring a local quiz league Clarrie and her friends are determined to win this year, as there is the outcome of a big bet riding on it.
The connection between Si and Clarrie is obvious to everyone apart from Clarrie and at times I wanted to knock some sense into her, to see the obvious.
I loved the whole group of friends, and seeing their dynamic at play.
And their competitiveness was amusing to see too. I loved the various quiz questions and can't help but wonder how much research was done in the compilation of the quiz snippets seen.
Filled with great humour, really relatable to character and loads more besides, A Question of Us is another fantastically enjoyable story from Mary Jayne Baker.
Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Featuring a local quiz league Clarrie and her friends are determined to win this year, as there is the outcome of a big bet riding on it.
The connection between Si and Clarrie is obvious to everyone apart from Clarrie and at times I wanted to knock some sense into her, to see the obvious.
I loved the whole group of friends, and seeing their dynamic at play.
And their competitiveness was amusing to see too. I loved the various quiz questions and can't help but wonder how much research was done in the compilation of the quiz snippets seen.
Filled with great humour, really relatable to character and loads more besides, A Question of Us is another fantastically enjoyable story from Mary Jayne Baker.
Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
July 24, 2019
eArc graciously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Question of Us is a romance novel set in the UK, where long-time friends Clar(issa) and Si(mon) decide to make a bet on their pub quiz league results. If they win, Clar will go out with Si like he's been bugging her to for the last several years. With a loss, he'll never ask her out again. But as things progress, Clar finds herself questioning if she really wants Si to lose, or if she actually wants him to win.
Let's start with the pros, shall we? This book felt authentic, for starters. You get the sense from the beginning that all the characters are friends who actually care about each other, while having fun. There's a lot of banter, playful teasing, and overall good friendship moments in this book. I wouldn't call it exactly a found family, but the MC has relationships that are important to her besides the Love Interest, which I found really important. It wasn't perfect, but it felt realistic.
Second off, all the characters felt well-rounded. Every one of them had their own story and life going on, and it didn't feel like they were just there to care or comfort the MC. They had their own stories unfolding alongside the MC's, which I think gets really overlooked in a lot of romance novels, unless the author wants to use them for a sequel.
Finally, the MC in this book suffers with anxiety. As I do myself, there were some lines that Clar mentions that I just related to strongly. Despite this, the anxiety representation — well, it's not that I think it was bad, per se. I just don't think it lived up to the potential it could have had. It is mentioned a couple times, but I don't think we ever got enough perspective from the MC on her feelings with anxiety. It was there, and we were told it was an issue, but I didn't feel like there was enough events to show there was an issue. Clar keeps talking about her insecurities with dating and how she gets anxious, but that's it. She tells and we listen. I wanted more.
Sadly, I just didn't like this book as much as I wanted to, so let's get into some of the complaints I have.
First off, if you're from the UK or really like listening to UK banter, you will probably appreciate how British this book is. It's filled with UK slang terms. However, if you're like me, a Canadian without a lot of knowledge of UK slang terms, you'll either have to do some googling (which I did) or just power on (which I also did, at times.) It can be a little experience breaking to see a completely foreign word, but it's manageable.
Besides that, though, I just really did not vibe with the writing style. It felt very — stilted, is the word I think works best in this scenario. Most of the this novel is simply dialogue. It was realistic dialogue, mind you, but at times it felt like I was reading a transcript more than an actual book. I wanted details, feelings and emotions. Instead, the writing made everything feel bland and vague. Like I mentioned with the anxiety, we are always told things, and very, very rarely shown things at all.
This isn't even just for feelings, but also for what the characters are doing. How they act. Where they're sitting. It made the whole thing hard to imagine, again like I was just reading a transcript. There's a mention later in the novel of the Love Interest having this one specific nervous habit — I did not find a single mention of him doing it anywhere in the book. Not once. I searched for it.
I also don't think this book delivered comedy like it wanted to. As a member of an LGBTQIA+, I didn't really appreciate how this book decided on using girl-on-girl action as a punchline sometimes. Or how it was only brought up for the male gaze — specifically to make one of the MC's friends get a hard on imagining it. I'm not kidding. Here's a quote from early in the novel.
This isn't the only time it happens in the book, either; it's brought up at least one other time. I don't actually care how authentic this is to real life; wlw sex isn't for men's fantasies, ever. I wish this just hadn't been in the book at all; it put a really sour taste in my mouth.
Another thing I disliked was the use of f*g for cigarettes. Before I get any comments: I 100% know it is slang in Britain for a cigarette. I just don't know why it had to be used in this novel, especially several times, when cigarette or going out for a smoke would have worked just fine. Don't you think it'd be better, that someone can read a book without getting blindsided by a word that is very much a slur for a lot of people? It doesn't seem worth it to me. I would have edited that out entirely.
Finally, let's get to the most important bit: the romance. There wasn't any amount of particular tension I felt between these characters. Obviously they're friends, and obviously they banter. But for being in love? It didn't really feel like they were falling in love, or like they'd been in love for years. I wish there was more emphasis put on it — feelings described, instead of just being told. The Love Interest says he loves her so much, but showing it? They only really did it in ways that could have just been read 100% as platonic. I wanted eyes staring at lips. I wanted brushes of touching that left a fire in its wake. I wanted passion. This book offered none of it besides the sex scene.
In the end, I found this book was just lacking, overall. The writing style wasn't engaging; while the characters were interesting, the romance was not; and not enough emotion was put into this novel to pack a punch. Furthermore, I felt like it could have been shorter; some scenes, I felt, weren't just particularly necessary.
A Question of Us is a romance novel set in the UK, where long-time friends Clar(issa) and Si(mon) decide to make a bet on their pub quiz league results. If they win, Clar will go out with Si like he's been bugging her to for the last several years. With a loss, he'll never ask her out again. But as things progress, Clar finds herself questioning if she really wants Si to lose, or if she actually wants him to win.
Let's start with the pros, shall we? This book felt authentic, for starters. You get the sense from the beginning that all the characters are friends who actually care about each other, while having fun. There's a lot of banter, playful teasing, and overall good friendship moments in this book. I wouldn't call it exactly a found family, but the MC has relationships that are important to her besides the Love Interest, which I found really important. It wasn't perfect, but it felt realistic.
Second off, all the characters felt well-rounded. Every one of them had their own story and life going on, and it didn't feel like they were just there to care or comfort the MC. They had their own stories unfolding alongside the MC's, which I think gets really overlooked in a lot of romance novels, unless the author wants to use them for a sequel.
Finally, the MC in this book suffers with anxiety. As I do myself, there were some lines that Clar mentions that I just related to strongly. Despite this, the anxiety representation — well, it's not that I think it was bad, per se. I just don't think it lived up to the potential it could have had. It is mentioned a couple times, but I don't think we ever got enough perspective from the MC on her feelings with anxiety. It was there, and we were told it was an issue, but I didn't feel like there was enough events to show there was an issue. Clar keeps talking about her insecurities with dating and how she gets anxious, but that's it. She tells and we listen. I wanted more.
Sadly, I just didn't like this book as much as I wanted to, so let's get into some of the complaints I have.
First off, if you're from the UK or really like listening to UK banter, you will probably appreciate how British this book is. It's filled with UK slang terms. However, if you're like me, a Canadian without a lot of knowledge of UK slang terms, you'll either have to do some googling (which I did) or just power on (which I also did, at times.) It can be a little experience breaking to see a completely foreign word, but it's manageable.
Besides that, though, I just really did not vibe with the writing style. It felt very — stilted, is the word I think works best in this scenario. Most of the this novel is simply dialogue. It was realistic dialogue, mind you, but at times it felt like I was reading a transcript more than an actual book. I wanted details, feelings and emotions. Instead, the writing made everything feel bland and vague. Like I mentioned with the anxiety, we are always told things, and very, very rarely shown things at all.
This isn't even just for feelings, but also for what the characters are doing. How they act. Where they're sitting. It made the whole thing hard to imagine, again like I was just reading a transcript. There's a mention later in the novel of the Love Interest having this one specific nervous habit — I did not find a single mention of him doing it anywhere in the book. Not once. I searched for it.
I also don't think this book delivered comedy like it wanted to. As a member of an LGBTQIA+, I didn't really appreciate how this book decided on using girl-on-girl action as a punchline sometimes. Or how it was only brought up for the male gaze — specifically to make one of the MC's friends get a hard on imagining it. I'm not kidding. Here's a quote from early in the novel.
"What do twenty-six-year-olds talk about at sleepovers?"
She shrugged. 'Just the usual. [...] Girl-on-girl oral sex techniques involving banana yogurt.'
Dave winced heavily. "What did you have to go and say that for?"
'[The bar-owner] has got a shower upstairs. Want me to ask if he'll run you a cold one?'
Si laughed. 'Stop teasing him, Clarrie.' [Chapter 6 / Page 39]
This isn't the only time it happens in the book, either; it's brought up at least one other time. I don't actually care how authentic this is to real life; wlw sex isn't for men's fantasies, ever. I wish this just hadn't been in the book at all; it put a really sour taste in my mouth.
Another thing I disliked was the use of f*g for cigarettes. Before I get any comments: I 100% know it is slang in Britain for a cigarette. I just don't know why it had to be used in this novel, especially several times, when cigarette or going out for a smoke would have worked just fine. Don't you think it'd be better, that someone can read a book without getting blindsided by a word that is very much a slur for a lot of people? It doesn't seem worth it to me. I would have edited that out entirely.
Finally, let's get to the most important bit: the romance. There wasn't any amount of particular tension I felt between these characters. Obviously they're friends, and obviously they banter. But for being in love? It didn't really feel like they were falling in love, or like they'd been in love for years. I wish there was more emphasis put on it — feelings described, instead of just being told. The Love Interest says he loves her so much, but showing it? They only really did it in ways that could have just been read 100% as platonic. I wanted eyes staring at lips. I wanted brushes of touching that left a fire in its wake. I wanted passion. This book offered none of it besides the sex scene.
In the end, I found this book was just lacking, overall. The writing style wasn't engaging; while the characters were interesting, the romance was not; and not enough emotion was put into this novel to pack a punch. Furthermore, I felt like it could have been shorter; some scenes, I felt, weren't just particularly necessary.
January 17, 2022
wtf is a ‘soppy mare’????????????????? is that really how the British talk? Cheers in every damn sentence?
All in all, the story was okay. Wish she would’ve actually addressed her problems in a more…mature way but that’s fine.
All in all, the story was okay. Wish she would’ve actually addressed her problems in a more…mature way but that’s fine.
September 11, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
A Question Of Us
By: Mary Jayne Baker
*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟
A Question Of Us is a British contemporary romance. I say British because it's a bigger part of the story than I'm used to, and I got annoyed at some point. Clairre and Simon are friends, late twenties, pub quiz team, secretly in love with each other. Simon asks Clairee out repeatedly,and she always says no. Clairre is extremely self conscious and, honestly, a bit insufferable. It's like get over yourself! Eventually, a bet is made for a date. Then, so many pub quizzes and too many characters at once. This story is fun and interesting, but it's also tedious at times. Certain personalities just don't translate well in any story, and Clairee is one of those. The group of friends are fun to read. Simon seems desperate and ridiculous at times. In the end, if none of these things bother you, it's a solid modern day romance that you will likely enjoy. I found it slightly below average.
A Question Of Us
By: Mary Jayne Baker
*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟
A Question Of Us is a British contemporary romance. I say British because it's a bigger part of the story than I'm used to, and I got annoyed at some point. Clairre and Simon are friends, late twenties, pub quiz team, secretly in love with each other. Simon asks Clairee out repeatedly,and she always says no. Clairre is extremely self conscious and, honestly, a bit insufferable. It's like get over yourself! Eventually, a bet is made for a date. Then, so many pub quizzes and too many characters at once. This story is fun and interesting, but it's also tedious at times. Certain personalities just don't translate well in any story, and Clairee is one of those. The group of friends are fun to read. Simon seems desperate and ridiculous at times. In the end, if none of these things bother you, it's a solid modern day romance that you will likely enjoy. I found it slightly below average.
August 19, 2019
I really wanted to like this book more. The premise is good, the setting was nice and I had no problem with it being ‘too British’ as other reviewers have said. Having read a lot of books of this genre we all know the formula and this followed it to the t. However I found it largely narrative based, driven by chats between characters and no real inner monologues or detailed descriptions of anything else. Si and Clarrie spend a lot of time having the same conversation over and over and over again. If I were Si I’d have definitely given up!
I liked the idea of a group of best friends that really relied and confided in each other, but considering the fact that they are all 26 their conversations seemed to be 98% innuendo and sex chat, nothing else of any depth or interest.
I really had to push myself to finish this book as I didn’t really feel invested in the outcome either way.
Thank you to netgalley for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the idea of a group of best friends that really relied and confided in each other, but considering the fact that they are all 26 their conversations seemed to be 98% innuendo and sex chat, nothing else of any depth or interest.
I really had to push myself to finish this book as I didn’t really feel invested in the outcome either way.
Thank you to netgalley for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2019
I can't believe I am saying this, but I was sooo HOOKED from the very first page. The dynamic vitality between the friends, the easy going humor, and the teasing and the feel of solidarity just sucks you in. It started off as a chick flick with romance and chemistry and friendship and challenges but ended up being a little insufferable. Even though the story was easy going and chic, the narrative became haywire in the second half and the "British" part began getting on my nerves. Clarrie, a fun and kind girl has issues of her own and even though she is secretly in love with her best friend, Simon, she has a hard time accepting his proposal. So this is the story of a bet and a quiz which made her realize what she always wanted.
A fun, easy book to read at the end of the day. I enjoyed it a lot, but kind of expected more.
A fun, easy book to read at the end of the day. I enjoyed it a lot, but kind of expected more.
April 13, 2020
DNF @15% | No Rating or Fans
I'm not sure what to say about this story. The opening is exciting that we have a group of friends that enjoy competing in pub trivia nights. Between the friends, some crushes are harbored within the group, and there is a lot of British banter that drags down the story. Another thing that dragged down the story making it unbearable for me to read was that it was a very slow-moving story, and it felt as if you should know information about these characters already. This story just was not my cup of tea.
Video review available in Week 3 Jan 12 – 18 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
I'm not sure what to say about this story. The opening is exciting that we have a group of friends that enjoy competing in pub trivia nights. Between the friends, some crushes are harbored within the group, and there is a lot of British banter that drags down the story. Another thing that dragged down the story making it unbearable for me to read was that it was a very slow-moving story, and it felt as if you should know information about these characters already. This story just was not my cup of tea.
Video review available in Week 3 Jan 12 – 18 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
July 26, 2019
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
4.5 stars
This book was just what I needed! I absolutely loved the characters and the dynamics between them. They were always horsing around and I loved it.
Si is absolutely swoon-worthy and may have just become my favourite book boyfriend. *sigh*
I also liked that they dealt with important topics such as anxiety and cancer (though maybe a bit too lightly).
Recommend it for anyone looking for a hilarious romance!
4.5 stars
This book was just what I needed! I absolutely loved the characters and the dynamics between them. They were always horsing around and I loved it.
Si is absolutely swoon-worthy and may have just become my favourite book boyfriend. *sigh*
I also liked that they dealt with important topics such as anxiety and cancer (though maybe a bit too lightly).
Recommend it for anyone looking for a hilarious romance!
July 13, 2019
The first thing to know about this book is that it is extremely English. Personally I found this a little distracting, but I’m sure a lot of people will love this style!
That being said, I love the couple in this book, Clarrie and Simon. It’s the classic friends-to-lovers scenario and Simon has been asking Clarrie out for years. The transition is sometimes awkward in other books, but it felt just right in this one.
And I love the banter, not only between Clarrie and Simon, but also amongst the whole friend group. The secondary characters in the book have their own stories, but it doesn’t feel like it does in other novels, like every other character is just being developed so there can be other books in a series. They have their own stories because the friends in this book are just as important as the main couple.
If you are a fan of friends-to-lovers, and especially a fan of English books, then I definitely recommend this book to you!
ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, I love the couple in this book, Clarrie and Simon. It’s the classic friends-to-lovers scenario and Simon has been asking Clarrie out for years. The transition is sometimes awkward in other books, but it felt just right in this one.
And I love the banter, not only between Clarrie and Simon, but also amongst the whole friend group. The secondary characters in the book have their own stories, but it doesn’t feel like it does in other novels, like every other character is just being developed so there can be other books in a series. They have their own stories because the friends in this book are just as important as the main couple.
If you are a fan of friends-to-lovers, and especially a fan of English books, then I definitely recommend this book to you!
ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2019
An adorable read , this is an addictive and fast paced read with loveable characters, a lovely friends to lovers romance and amazing humour. The banter is so good, it’s a quirky and fun read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
September 18, 2022
Bad. Very bad. This is not, and I really want to emphasize this, a romcom. This is a tragi-comedy. Everything in this book is tragic, except it has a happy ending, i guess. In theory.
Only thing it has going for it is that it’s not quite AS bad as “Love at First Fight”. Barely.
Only thing it has going for it is that it’s not quite AS bad as “Love at First Fight”. Barely.
August 20, 2019
*4.25*
I was provided with a digital ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house, Aria, in exchange for an honest review.
I will be part of the blog tour of this book, so my full review will be on there, but this book really is cute and adorable.
"A Question of Us" tells the story of Clarrie and Simon, best friends since childhood, and among three other of their friends, are participating in a trivia quiz competition. Simon has always asked Clarrie to go out with him, but the girl, taking it as a joke, always refused right away. But what if behind these jokes there actually is some seriousness and most importantly a true feeling?
Like I said in the beginnin, "A Question of Us" is, in my opinion, completely adorable. I'm a sucker for Friends!ToLovers romance books and this surely was a very good one. I enjoyed the dynamics between the two of them so very much, and I also adore when romance books are set in England, so that was a plus. I've seen people complain about the large use of English slang, but for me that was only a bonus, cause I love English sayings.
The relationship between our two main character did not feel rushed at all. Surely they have known each other for their whole life, so there was no need to build the chemistry, they already have that, and I adored this aspect.
Simon and Clarrie were very touchy and affectionate for being only friends, and I really like that in book. I mean when two characters are in love, but they do not acknowledge it.
Simon, on his part, was very sure about his feelings for Clarrie, while the girl was totally oblivious. She has always taken Simon's invitations as jokes, and the poor guy has to always specify that he's being utterly serious about it.
I also think that the book dragged a little bit too much in the middle part. I know they did not communicate for the sake of the plot, but in real life they would have seem quite the idiots, and I say that with all of my love. They were in love with each other and it showed, but oh well, let's just put 100 pages of them looking languidly at one another without acknowledging the facts.
One thing I did not enjoy very much was how the guys in the team, Clarrie's friends, basically made jokes about her in a sexual way ALL THE TIME. Maybe it's just me, I've been the only female in a group of friends for a long time, and I would have been okay with a joke or two (or let's just stay on one), but I would not have suffered through this kind of jokes, all the freaking time. They're quite disrespectful and honestly they did non make me laugh.
I loved the ending, I really did like it. I loved how the fought and confronted each other but realized their love in the end was stronger. I'm a sucker for happy endings, I really am, escpecially in romance books.
After all I would really recommend this book, if you're in search of a lovely Friends To Lovers romance set in the English countryside. My full review will be out on the blog in the blog tour.
I was provided with a digital ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house, Aria, in exchange for an honest review.
I will be part of the blog tour of this book, so my full review will be on there, but this book really is cute and adorable.
"A Question of Us" tells the story of Clarrie and Simon, best friends since childhood, and among three other of their friends, are participating in a trivia quiz competition. Simon has always asked Clarrie to go out with him, but the girl, taking it as a joke, always refused right away. But what if behind these jokes there actually is some seriousness and most importantly a true feeling?
Like I said in the beginnin, "A Question of Us" is, in my opinion, completely adorable. I'm a sucker for Friends!ToLovers romance books and this surely was a very good one. I enjoyed the dynamics between the two of them so very much, and I also adore when romance books are set in England, so that was a plus. I've seen people complain about the large use of English slang, but for me that was only a bonus, cause I love English sayings.
The relationship between our two main character did not feel rushed at all. Surely they have known each other for their whole life, so there was no need to build the chemistry, they already have that, and I adored this aspect.
Simon and Clarrie were very touchy and affectionate for being only friends, and I really like that in book. I mean when two characters are in love, but they do not acknowledge it.
Simon, on his part, was very sure about his feelings for Clarrie, while the girl was totally oblivious. She has always taken Simon's invitations as jokes, and the poor guy has to always specify that he's being utterly serious about it.
I also think that the book dragged a little bit too much in the middle part. I know they did not communicate for the sake of the plot, but in real life they would have seem quite the idiots, and I say that with all of my love. They were in love with each other and it showed, but oh well, let's just put 100 pages of them looking languidly at one another without acknowledging the facts.
One thing I did not enjoy very much was how the guys in the team, Clarrie's friends, basically made jokes about her in a sexual way ALL THE TIME. Maybe it's just me, I've been the only female in a group of friends for a long time, and I would have been okay with a joke or two (or let's just stay on one), but I would not have suffered through this kind of jokes, all the freaking time. They're quite disrespectful and honestly they did non make me laugh.
I loved the ending, I really did like it. I loved how the fought and confronted each other but realized their love in the end was stronger. I'm a sucker for happy endings, I really am, escpecially in romance books.
After all I would really recommend this book, if you're in search of a lovely Friends To Lovers romance set in the English countryside. My full review will be out on the blog in the blog tour.
August 11, 2019
I mainly had to request this book on Netgalley UK because of the cover, that was what attracted me the most. But then I read the synopsis and it became even more interesting that I just had to request and read it.
This story has a love trope from best friends to lovers and that is honestly one of my favourite tropes. Best friends mean so much to us and if there is even a chance of them to split apart in the future is honestly scary but its just a risk that they just have to take. Best friends are the ones who know us the best and to be able to live where they're right beside us one day and gone the next is terrifying. So I understand why Clarrie was very hesitant to start a romantic relationship with her lifelong best friend, Simon.
The trivia plot of getting Clarrie to date him is actually golden right there. It was brilliant and it just shows his determination that he's all in for it. He has to work so hard to win that its so sweet and is willing to bare it all for the woman he loves.
I cannot deny that I was also screaming and trying get her to stop being so scared like some the side characters where Clarrie's family and friends would tell her to just go for it. The things that she's went through and seen affects why shouldn't really commit to Simon but they love each other too much and I suppose that is more than enough for them to go along.
The banters between the gang was honestly one of the main reasons why I couldn't pick this book down. Even though they're always insulting one another, childish and so much more but deep down they care so much. The kind of friendships that they have is so precious and priceless. Its the kind where we seek to have and these kind of friends are the ones whom we will always have close by us.
Honestly, this was all in all a very fun and exciting read. I really couldn't believe that I finished it in a day but I did. I would really recommend to anyone looking for funny banterings between friends in pubs, shifting the love from best friends to couples and a whole lot of trivia!
This story has a love trope from best friends to lovers and that is honestly one of my favourite tropes. Best friends mean so much to us and if there is even a chance of them to split apart in the future is honestly scary but its just a risk that they just have to take. Best friends are the ones who know us the best and to be able to live where they're right beside us one day and gone the next is terrifying. So I understand why Clarrie was very hesitant to start a romantic relationship with her lifelong best friend, Simon.
The trivia plot of getting Clarrie to date him is actually golden right there. It was brilliant and it just shows his determination that he's all in for it. He has to work so hard to win that its so sweet and is willing to bare it all for the woman he loves.
I cannot deny that I was also screaming and trying get her to stop being so scared like some the side characters where Clarrie's family and friends would tell her to just go for it. The things that she's went through and seen affects why shouldn't really commit to Simon but they love each other too much and I suppose that is more than enough for them to go along.
The banters between the gang was honestly one of the main reasons why I couldn't pick this book down. Even though they're always insulting one another, childish and so much more but deep down they care so much. The kind of friendships that they have is so precious and priceless. Its the kind where we seek to have and these kind of friends are the ones whom we will always have close by us.
Honestly, this was all in all a very fun and exciting read. I really couldn't believe that I finished it in a day but I did. I would really recommend to anyone looking for funny banterings between friends in pubs, shifting the love from best friends to couples and a whole lot of trivia!
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