**Spoilers Ahead, Read On With Caution**
I preordered this forever ago, as the blurb really jumped out at me and seemed like something right up my street. I’m so happy I finally got to read it. The cover is eye-catching, vibrant, and within my favourite design style. I’ve never read anything by this author before but I have high expectations.
In this book we got to jump into the world of game design, specifically to the life of Melody Joo, a junior game developer who’s overheard joke with her colleague Kat about a zombie apocalypse game where the protagonists are male strippers, and the women are the badasses they need to help them survive, gets made a reality. And she’s the one who has to see it through to completion. Through this she meets Nolan Mackenzie, the nephew of the CEO, who’ll be working as her MBA intern.
I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was “loathing” at first sight for Nolan and Melody, more like a misunderstanding at first sight really. There was no really argumentative passion or enemies-to-lovers vibes. I assumed from the title that this is what I’d be, and also because Helen Hoang, author of THE KISS QUOTIENT and THE BRIDE TEST, reviewed it. It’s kind of what I was hoping on, if Melody loathed anyone at first sight it would be Asher, the guy she has to share an office with so that Nolan can have her cubicle. Now they HATED each other, and I did check the blurb a couple times to check who it assumed would be the love interest as Asher and Melody had instantaneous hatred, but with no undertones of attraction, whereas Nolan and Melody just got off on the wrong foot.
I did really enjoy the writing, and the concept as I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it, but I didn’t feel that this was a true romance. There was no slow build of tension, or tension at all really. This book doesn’t really fit a romance trope, as there’s not a lot of romance happening. I think that it could be considered a slow-burn romance, but the romance happens in the last few pages. I’d really hoped from the title we’d get a similar plot and structure as YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER.
I really liked Melody and Nolan as characters, it’s just unfortunate that we don’t get to see any romantic progression with them. The most action we saw was two kisses, and both were in the final quarter of the book. I liked the dynamic between Melody and her best friends Jane and Candice, and her relationship with her parents added some much needed comedy. Overall I enjoyed the book, but needed more.
BECAUSE BOOKS 