I like rivals-to-lovers. I like MCs who start off hating each other. I like the tension.
So the first 40% of the book is right up my alley with the two MCs competing and antagonizing each other.
But then around halfway the relationship starts becoming sweeter and more romantic, and I start to get bored. I'm a sucker for tense relationship, and I wish the MCs had stayed antagonistic for another 20%-30%
It didn't help that Iggy Toma's narration was extra slow and monotone in places, which made his chapters' pacing too slow and sluggish. (The tone doesn't fit Jacobs' character or the general vibe of the story. He's a serious person and he overthinks about everything, but he's not brooding or apathetic.) There was some real hot and cold effect with the narration voices alternating between Iggy Toma's voice and Cendese's usual energetic tone.
All that said, I still like the book and the characters overall. I get that this pair of authors probably just weren't interested in writing a prolonged antagonistic relationship, and I do like that the dislike never strays into anything too mean-spirited or unpleasant.
I like rivals-to-lovers. I like MCs who start off hating each other. I like the tension.
So the first 40% of the book is right up my alley with the two MCs competing and antagonizing each other.
But then around halfway the relationship starts becoming sweeter and more romantic, and I start to get bored. I'm a sucker for tense relationship, and I wish the MCs had stayed antagonistic for another 20%-30%
It didn't help that Iggy Toma's narration was extra slow and monotone in places, which made his chapters' pacing too slow and sluggish. (The tone doesn't fit Jacobs' character or the general vibe of the story. He's a serious person and he overthinks about everything, but he's not brooding or apathetic.) There was some real hot and cold effect with the narration voices alternating between Iggy Toma's voice and Cendese's usual energetic tone.
All that said, I still like the book and the characters overall. I get that this pair of authors probably just weren't interested in writing a prolonged antagonistic relationship, and I do like that the dislike never strays into anything too mean-spirited or unpleasant.
