**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley.**
Title Loathe at First Sight
Author Suzanne Park
Description from Amazon
Melody Joo is thrilled to land her dream job as a video game producer, but her new position comes with challenges: an insufferable CEO; sexist male coworkers; and an infuriating—yet distractingly handsome—intern, Nolan MacKenzie, aka “the guy who got hired because his uncle is the boss.”
Just when Melody thinks she’s made the worst career move of her life, her luck changes. While joking with a friend, she creates a mobile game that has male strippers fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Suddenly Melody’s “joke” is her studio’s most high-profile project—and Melody’s running the show.
When Nolan is assigned to Melody’s team, she’s sure he’ll be useless. But as they grow closer, she realizes he’s smart and sexy, which makes Melody want to forget he’s her intern. As their attraction deepens, she knows it’s time to pump the brakes, even with her Korean parents breathing down her neck to hurry up and find a man.
With her project about to launch, Melody suddenly faces a slew of complications, including a devastating trolling scandal. Could the man she’s falling hard for help her play the game to win—in work and in love?
Release Date August 18, 2020
Initial Thoughts
I read some bad reviews of this book before I read it and I think that’s why it took me so long to read it. It’s been pending in my NetGalley queue for months. But, I’m glad my forever buddy reader suggested we read it together!
Some Things I Liked
- Nolan. He’s the only thing that was tolerable about this book. He was a treasure.
- The gaming plot. I thought that was an interesting plot and something I wasn’t super familiar with. I liked the idea of a woman breaking into a man’s industry and I thought the technical aspects of the gaming industry were illustrated well.
Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About
- Every single male character was an absolute horror. Except Nolan. Seriously, why was every person Melody interacted with a human dumpster fire?
- Jane was kind of the worst. In order to tolerate that kind of minor character growth, I would need a prequel story all about Jane just to understand why on earth Melody put up with her.
- I was expecting enemies to lovers. What did I get? Nuisances to friends? Where was the banter? I was very disappointed in both the lack of enemies to lovers snark as well as the romance altogether.
- Melody’s parents were essentially extreme caricatures of Korean parents and I kind of hated that. They were definitely funny characters but they felt so extreme, they were unrealistic.
Series Value
There is no series value to this book. There is not a single character that I would want to know more about.
I have read another of Suzanne Park’s books and I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t let my lack of enjoyment of this book stop me from reading her works in the future.
Final Thoughts
I was not a fan of this book. There was a lot that literally made me cringe. This is not what I look for in a rom-com.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – that’s what I thought this book was going to be. Snarky, fun, romantic. If that’s what you wanted, try this book.
- The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park – if you’re interested to see Suzanna Park tackle a YA rom-com, look no further. This was a quick, fun read.
Books Over Everything 