Funny You Should Ask

Maybe I had expectations going in with this, maybe because how cute the cover is (I know you shouldnt judge a book by its cover but i think this one is exceptionally well made) but this was really...bland. The MCs didnt even have any chemistry in the start when they first meet, I felt nothing, no tingling feelings, no sexual tension whatsoever. Perhaps, I did when they met ten years later. I feel like the story had no point whatsoever, it didn't make me go like woah or omg sweet and romantic. It was just...meh?

Really disappointed

This was a great story that was hard to put down. It was cute and fun to read! The story was told with chapters on both the past and present, interleaved with blog posts and articles about or by our two main characters.

The romance in the book was a slow burn, but done right. It didn't feel unnecessarily stretched out. The story did a great job justifying the time and distance between the two main characters.
The second chance romance between them is really quite beautiful. I especially loved the way Gabe loved Chani. They both make mistakes in their long history together, but you can feel their connection throughout, their love always feels honest and real. The author also does a great job in building up the tension and chemistry between them, and showing how much they care for each other even when apart, even when they can't see it themselves.

I also really appreciated the issues that Chani faced being a woman journalist, people's assumptions around her success, and her own self doubt.

Some of the side characters really shined too! Especially Ollie immediately stole my heart. And of course the doggy, Teddy!

On the other hand, I'm not convinced that reading full chapters on the past was that necessary. Especially considering the fact that we first got a summary via characters talking about it, then a longer summary via the article talking about it, then actually reading it happen, I kind of would have preferred to just focus in the present.

Also, It did bother me a little how incompetent Chani seemed during her first interview of Gabe. Sure, it makes for a cute and funny story and maybe makes her more relatable, but I love reading about capable women doing amazing things.

This was a slow-burn, second-chance romance with lots of chemistry and many real moments.
Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you very much to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC for this great read!

Did I really enjoy this book?? Yes. Can I acknowledge that this is essentially very well written fanfiction?? Yes. This was a delightful, yet incredibly unbelievable book to read. Some of the plot points made no sense to me, but that's okay :D. I had fun and I wish that I had a beach somewhere nearby to read this book on. Lovely!!

At first the story draws you in trying to piece together what happened between Chani and Gabe and the external forces at play. But as you get closer to finishing, you realize that this isn't living up to expectations, borderline problematic, and it's disappointing. Because this book could have been way better.  I also wasn't a fan of the constant time jumps & news articles. It made the book confusing and repetitive.