Breakup, Makeup

by Stacey Anthony

Glow Up meets Comic Con in this bold, queer second chance romance where a special effects makeup artist must compete against their ex-boyfriend in a unique makeup and cosplay competition to win the scholarship of their dreams . . . and maybe their ex's heart. 

Eli Peterson is a self-taught, up-and-coming makeup artist in the cosplay scene who is just barely making ends meet. While they might be slaying it with their breath-taking, innovative looks, they're also trying to save up enough money for top surgery and convince their parents that taking a gap year to focus on their dream of being a makeup artist is worthwhile. During a convention, Eli hears about Makeup Wars, a cosplay makeup competition that could change everything because the grand prize is a scholarship to Beyond, the best SFX school on the West Coast. The problem is that they be going head-to-head with some of the most talented up-and-coming makeup artists--including rival influencer Zachary Miller, who also happens to be their ex-boyfriend.

As the competition gets underway, Eli pushes themselves to be the best in the competition, while also trying not to get tangled up in the complicated feelings they have for Zach. Now Eli will have to juggle their makeup brushes, their rekindled feelings for Zach, and their self-doubt, in order to win and achieve everything they have ever wanted: a chance to chase their dream and the courage to accept that maybe they deserve a second chance at love after all.

Genres: LGBT, Young Adult, Romance, Queer, Contemporary, Transgender, Young Adult Contemporary

384 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2023

Reviews

[Anniek · Rating 1 out of 5]

Removed my review and rating as this author was revealed to be abuser Taylor B. Barton, a white person pretending to be trans Latinx person Freydis Moon and also publishing under this pseudonym.

https://twitter.com/porterotica/statu...

[kiiara]

Stacey Anthony is one of many aliases of Freydis Moon/Taylor Barton/Taylor Brooke

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: accidental deadnaming
3.8

If you enjoy cosplaying books like La Sala's Be Dazzled or competition romances, then you'll like this book. This is a con-heavy second chance romance of special effects makeup and tough choices, and it carries both the joyful, fun, parts of it and the tender, nervous parts of it equally.

Second chance romance can be tough to make believable, but there was no issue here! You can 100% see these characters as exes- as well as former best friends- and their reason for breaking up is understandable not to feel unbelievable but also easy enough to work past that you're immediately rooting them on. Their chemistry is great, the tension from the start and the way it breaks with so much relief- this is just really well done!

I also think the cosplay and makeup had just enough detail. It doesn't overload you with information that would overload and/or bore the uninitiated, but it gives enough to paint a strong picture. The same goes for conversation about fandom in general.

This book is mostly fluff, with some personal growth and self-doubt mixed in, and that makes it a quick and fairly straight forward, flatter type of story. It's not one that will necessarily stay with me, but I did have fun reading it.

[isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

extremely wholesome and cheesy and sweet

just a feel good read and i love that for us trans people! trans people deserve wholesome feel good lighthearted reads too! had some lovely moments that meant a lot to me as a transmasc person and was just overall very nice

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This was a low stress, fun and sweet read. Really liked the whole cast of characters.

[˙⋆✮ Anny ✮⋆˙ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a review copy from Netgalley.Dnf around 50%. Not because I didn't like it, but because it's not a priority right now.
This book is very niche, and if you're not at least mildly interested in cosplay and fan conventions, you'll probably be lost. For me, the topic was perfect, and I even started it while I was looking forward to a con. While I'm nowhere near as professional as these characters, I'm also a cosplayer, and this book made me smile soo much.
To be fair, I mostly picked this up because of this topic, but I learned to like the characters and their relationship. There's of course a lot of drama, otherwise we wouldn't have this book, and I dnfed it before I can say where it all goes, although I have an idea.
I liked that the main character is nonbinary and generally how queer this is, but the German pronouns for they/them just felt so weird to me, because I'm not used to them. It sadly threw me off.
Can't really say more here because I didn't finish it.

[Lovely Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Running Press Kids and Stacey Anthony for providing me with an ARC for Breakup, Makeup. I was so happy to have this in my NetGalley Shelf to start for #transrightsreadathon.

I really really enjoyed this book. It made me realize that 'right person, wrong time' is absolutely a trope that gets me hard! I loved Eli, they were such an actualized MC for me. They were genuine to us as readers, certainly not to Zach, but where would the story be without some drama.

I also enjoyed the minor dramas/overreactions from Eli that were understandable and relatable. We have all been there thinking some ones platonic best friend is their lover., right....?

I enjoyed the fast pace of the competition and the book in general. I am not a cosplay guy, except for Bears cosplaying Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians! BUT this is not the sort of thing that you need to be completely across to understand the work and imagery that goes into the competition side of the story.

Will post to socials closer to release date. Available 9 May 2023.

[Jenn]

DNF. This one isn't working for me. It should. I love an NB character and the fandom background. I don't cosplay, but usually that's not a problem. But there are so many mentions of things I have no clue what they're talking about, not to mention the fandoms they're mentioning are all either made up or unfamiliar to me (except you Sherlock). So, I'm out. This one is too niche for me to connect with.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH A CUTE BOOK and I love the “Right Person, Wrong Time” trope. I loved how Eli & Zach felt like real people. I have been part of different fandoms over the years but have never participated in any cosplays and I love how this book didn’t dumb down what goes into everything while still making it able to be understood. I recommend this to anyone looking for a queer-geeky love story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

[Ocean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a great insight into make up artists, cosplay, conventions, and influencers. It's a story of love, heartbreak, and competition. When Eli applies for Makeup Wars, all they want is to win, because winning means a scholarship to Beyond, which will boost their career as a make up artist. When they realise their ex-boyfriend, Zach, has also applied for Makeup Wars - and they both make the top five - the competition ramps up, along with their feelings for each other. Who will win? Who will lose? And can love conquer all?

[Lolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this one, but unfortunately they aren't achieved.

First I didn't connect with the characters very well, idk ,they're a little annoying.

And the second reason why I gave this note, who is actually the main reason , is about the writing.
Through the boom the author often which from third to second person and then to first person, and English not being my native language, I struggled a bit with that

[Lee [Bibliophile Tings] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Running Press Kids for sending me a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's a second chance, competitors-to-lovers romance. What's not to love?

⸻ᥫ᭡
my blog!

[Dr. Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t read this one or support this author 🌚

[Raaven💖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love how many nerdy themed books are coming out this year. I need more and more books about anime and fandom asap. It makes me feel seen. I also really liked Eli & their friends. They were super cute. These types of books make me sad that the super tight high school friend group isn’t real.

This book reminded me of Face Off. Did anyone else watch that show? I loved that show. I would watch the live streams from this book too. I love cosplay makeup and this concept is very fun. I appreciated how open everyone was with pronouns, top surgery, & being trans. Everyone was super accepting of Eli.

My only real pet peeve was not really knowing what a lot of cosplays were supposed to be because the anime was made up. I noticed real fandoms alongside fake ones, but it’s hard to visualize what someone will look like if you can’t reference the character. Also “PRINCESS MONONOKE’S” NAME IS SAN!!! I was screaming on the inside during that scene. It was such a cute moment and it was ruined for me.

This was really great for a debut book and I hope there’s more nerdy books to come from this author.

[El · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love most queer romances but I also love the world of drag, cosplay & SFX makeup (despite not doing it myself) so knew I had to read this!

It was after I was approved that I discovered it has trans/nonbinary rep which was such a pleasant surprise! Nothing makes me happier than seeing queer people be people & living lives like anyone else with the good, the bad & the ugly all rolled into one. The mc is called Eli & the plot is about them wanting to compete in a makeup competition where the prize is a scholarship to the best SFX school in the country. But the problem is their head to head opponent is their online rival…and ex boyfriend… And how do you juggle your emotions, passions, personal life & career all in one big glittery mess?

If you like YA/NA romances that focus on more than just romance then this is definitely the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Wil · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so upset to write this review because I actually legitimately enjoyed this book, and was so excited to find a queer author that I could truly enjoy. I've never felt more betrayed to find out that not only was Stacey a fake identity, but was also a person posing to be latinx and trans/queer under other fake identities. I hope Taylor feels horrid for what was done, and knows exactly how many people have been hurt by their actions.

More info about Taylor B and their many fake identities including Stacey Anthony and Fréydis Moon can be found at these links: https://twitter.com/porterotica/statu... and here: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/...

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! As a cosplay and special effects makeup enthusiast myself, I found myself fully immersed in this story.
Eli, a non-binary main character, finds themself entangled in a makeup contest with their ex, Zach. Eli struggles with anxiety and money issues as they fearlessly pursue their dream of becoming a special effects makeup artist. Eli is trying to save money to follow their dreams and finally get top surgery while navigating the rocky waters of competing against their ex in the contest.
This "Right Person, Wrong Time" trope is filled with vibrant and believable characters.
Will the competition end in a heated screaming match between the exes or will sparks between them ignite on stage?!
#BreakupMakeup #NetGalley

[Andrew Knudsen]

*I received a free copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I like the two main characters relationship, however this book was just not my vibe. Even though I relate to the main character being trans. It was hard to finish, not because of the writing, I just found the storyline not engaging enough. However, I can see how others might actually really be interested in it, especially since theres not many books out there about cosplay.

#Netgalley #Breakup,Makeup #Breakup,MakeupbyStaceyAnthony

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a queer nerd, I absolutely loved the representation in this book. A lot of the book happens at a con or preparing for a con which I thought was so fun. The MC, Eli, is non-binary, and enters the Makeup Wars competition for a scholarship to a school which will skyrocket their credentials, and ends up competing against their ex. Awkward. Eli is still harboring feelings for Zach, though, and it seems Zach is, too, though he doesn't understand why Eli broke up with him in the first place. Such a sweet, light-hearted read.

[Joanna]

**3.5**

This was really sweet, I loved the premise and thought it was well executed. The author did a good job of creating an interesting influencer plot without it being too much of the story. I loved the second chance romance plot, the break up while unnecessary wasn't born from nothing and felt like a very realistic thing that could happen to two young people in love.

Thank you to NetGalley, Running Press and Running Press Kids for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- this was a cute read that explored identity and queer love at a special effects makeup competition, which was low conflict and adorable to read. the characters felt human and their wants and goals were real, which made me invested in their romance. the writing style was slightly off, but it didn’t deter me from reading.

- overall, a soft story filled with queer love and longing.

- tw/ deadnaming

[Gillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an adorable little romance that was perfect to take me out of my life right now. I loved all of the makeup and cosplaying costumes, and the romance was super cute. I do have to admit that I couldn't connect with it as much as I would have liked to because I have never had a horrendous breakup that I can't get over or had to deal with money troubles or trying to get top surgery. So even though this was a really good read, I couldn't like it as much as I possibly could have.

[Will Sandkvist · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, a very nerdy, feel-good book. Can def recomend to anyone who ever spent a day at a convention, stessing about a cosplay, or just struggeling with finding the balance between a "real" job and their dream.

As a cosplayer myself it was fun to read a story that mostly toutch on that subject, while also bringing up problems with love/relationships, transitionen from a child into an adult, and the pressure from the people around you to conform to the norm.

[Jenn Meijer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc that I read during the #transrightsreadathon!

I loved this book! It was such a nicely paced book and I LOVED that this was about cosplaying, especially because it’s something I love dearly. It had the perfect amount of geekiness and I would really recommend this to anyone that wants a fun read!

[Halcyon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear, I finished reading the book and found myself liking it so-so. I had higher expectations for a cosplay competition ex-relationship rivals to lovers, then I see that this author was part of that Freydis Moon scandal?? Absolutely not.

The story is 3 Stars, but for the author being a terrible person, it will get 1 Star.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, sweet and funny romance. I enjoyed the details about the world of cosplay and special effects makeup. At times I wasn't sure if I liked the relationship between the two main characters, but they won me over in the end.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

ACTUAL: 4.35 stars

Perfect for fans of lovers to rivals to lovers, anime and cosplay references, and a diverse character cast!

* Thank you to HBG Canada for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review *

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good nerd love story! I learned a lot about cosplay and loved the beautiful second chance love story. Eli never gives up and fights for what they want-even against someone they love. 🩵 Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Bill Sting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makeup competition!! Such a fun concept and a satisfying read. I was fascinated by the whole cosplay process and tbh even tho I didn’t know a lot of the references to anime etc. I still really enjoyed. This is overall a fun easy read

5/5

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Breakup, Makeup: DNF. More NA than I was expecting--a lot of talk about money/jobs, and on-page drug use/smoking. I think I also wanted to hear more about fandom, and less about social media influencers, and just generally wanted a more upbeat mood.