This was so disappointing. I loved Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston so incredibly much that I was sure this would be a similar situation...I was very wrong.
Synopsis: A breakup at the airport just before leaving for a European tour leaves longtime friend turned couple Kit and Theo single. They both go on their own, not taking the trip. Until Theo decides not to waste it, and heads out for Europe anyway, except the person they sit by on the train isn't a stranger, but Kit...also deciding not to waste the pre-paid trip. Denying their feelings they decide to hold a competition on who could get the most hookups over their trip. Will they win the bet? Or lose each other in the process?
Plot: The plot was pretty much non-existent here. Second chance romances I suppose are just not for me, especially when all of the romance and building is done years and years ago off page. There was no tension building or real background together as characters to make me care about them or want them to get back together. All of their scenes together are about sex, will be about sex, are jokes about sex, or they are having sex. WE GET IT YOU'RE HORNY. I need more substance in my romances than just characters that have good sexual chemistry. If you are only going into this for meaningless smut, and that is it, then definitely pick this up. I was also hopeful that the European background and the food and wine elements would bring some wanderlust elements to this. However, these elements did not do anything for me or the plot. They were...simply there. This was the least romantic romance I've ever read.
Characters: As I mentioned, there is no real plot. But I can easily get over that and enjoy a good character study if the characters are likable. But they were most definitely not. Theo is a nepo baby refusing to acknowledge that they are a nepo baby. But in a backward way where they won't accept the help they absolutely need. The main issue they are trying to overcome throughout the novel is that they are unable to finish anything that matters to them because they are scared, BUT in the end, they walk away AGAIN from the one thing they had been working toward. Growth?? No. Kit's only personality trait is that he bakes, is French, and is dreamy. That's it. Side characters are very important to me. They make the world seem more real and direct the characters when they are lost in the plot. But none of the supplementary characters here made any impression on me. They were all forgettable...and they were in abundance. Why and how is it that literally every single person Kit and Theo meet wants to have sex with them within the first five minutes? Flat characters, no building. It also painted Europeans in a tasteless way, only caring about hookups since again, everyone they meet wants to sleep with them. The main point of this story was their hookup competition, but that was just so annoying and childish to me. For reference, these characters are 28! This bet seems like something 18-year-olds would do. Grow up and have a conversation!
Really expected more here, especially after hearing Casey talk about it herself at a book signing.
2.5/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
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