Hi fellow readers! Don’t you just love it when things are aligning in your life? Like when your bookmark coincidentally matches your current read’s cover or when you see the novel you want on sale or when you get a Book mail at the right time.
Speaking of wonderful things happening, I was given the beautiful gift of being one of the first readers of Amy Lea’s new book Exes and O’s before its official release on January 10, 2023.
I bet you’re wondering if it’s good or if it’s spicy. Well, I just finished it and let me tell you all about it.
What is Amy Lea’s New Book About?
Exes and O’s is Book 2 of Amy Lea’s The Influencer Series. It’s a forced proximity romance trope. Think The Ugly Truth and What’s Your Number? movies together in one fun romance comedy book.
Tara is a nurse, booktoker, and bookstagrammer. Her Grandma Flo reunited with her childhood sweetheart Martin and they got married. Tara got inspired by her Grandma Flo’s story that she decides to track down her exes and find her own second chance romance with one of them and be her date for the Valentine’s Day Gala.
Trevor, a firefighter and Tara’s roommate, isn’t really looking for a relationship. Tara asks for Trevor’s help in her mission. The more time they spend together, the more Tara falls hard for Trevor. But is Trevor falling hard too for Tara?
Exes and O’s Review
Exes and O’s reminds me of The Ugly Truth because Trevor helps Tara what to say and what to text to her exes just like how Gerard Butler’s character helps Katherine Heigl’s character in The Ugly Truth but PG. And there’s this line in Exes and O’s that is like in The Ugly Truth’s hot air balloon scene.
Exes and O’s also reminds me of What’s Your Number? because Tara tracks down the men from her past just like what Anna Faris’ character did in What’s Your Number? but Tara did not sleep with all of her exes.
Just like the main characters in these movies, Tara wants to be in a relationship and Trevor is not the kind of man who is currently looking a relationship.
How many days did I read this?
I didn’t really count but it feels like around three or four days. Exes and O’s is a delightful, exciting romance comedy to read that I could finish in less than two days if I weren’t reading it on my smartphone.
Narration?
Single POV, Tara’s POV. It works for this romance book because it adds excitement and a little mystery because I don’t know what Trevor is thinking or feels about Tara.
Do I like the author’s writing?
Yes! Amy Lea superbly included the supporting characters and issues like gaslighting, being with an emotionally abusive person, death, absent family members in the story. They didn’t take so much page time (book version of screen time) that this still feels like a romance comedy but still incorporating some depth.
I don’t know about you but when I read romance I want it to be entirely focused on the two main characters and their development not about the story of their friends too much. That is achieved here. I like it.
Is it a slow burn romance?
YES. This book has 34 chapters with epilogue. Nothing really happens between the main characters until the second half of the book. So that’s somewhere in chapters 18-34.
Even when this book is a slow burn it doesn’t feel like it. Each chapter is fun and exciting. I love Tara and Trevor’s chemistry.
Is it spicy?
YES. There are two spicy chapters, if I counted correctly and if we have the same definition of spicy.
Is the ending good?
A little too cheesy but didn’t bother me much. If you’re a bookworm like Tara, you might find the ending sweet and romantic.
Do I recommend this?
YES! A must read for romance book lovers!
Even if you haven’t read Set on You, Book 1 of the series, it’s ok. I haven’t read it actually and I easily got on with Book 2.
Thank you to PenguinUK for approving my request on NetGalley to be one of the first readers of Exes and Oh’s. I had a great time reading it!
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