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Green Valley Library #7
Dewey Belong Together
Librarian Maxine Peters lives her life behind the scenes. By day, she's a buttoned-up cataloguing whiz in the basement of the Green Valley Public Library. By night, she's secretly dominating in an online role playing game as the legendary Maximus_Damage. Her in-game persona has the skills to back up the hype. But every hero has an enemy; every saga,a villain. And by her own invitation, Maximus’ arch nemesis, Wrath, has just landed in Green Valley.
Jonathan Owen is not at all who Maxine expects when she meets Wrath face to face. Eager to leave the past in the game, Jonathan takes this golden opportunity to win Maxine's heart. There's just one wrench in that plan: he may have, on a few occasions, acted like a bit of a jerk online. And to his puzzlement, she has taken their fun rivalry to the level of epic dislike.
When Jonathan and Maxine are unexpectedly alone for a weekend, secrets are revealed that make love hard and hatred even harder. Jonathan quickly learns fighting his own demons will take more than one elite gamer. And Maxine, who is busy rebooting her life in Green Valley, might not be up to the task.
When real life starts to override the game, can Maxine and Jonathan find a way to make it work? Or will it be game over for this player versus player adventure?
'Dewey Belong Together' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #7 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Jonathan Owen is not at all who Maxine expects when she meets Wrath face to face. Eager to leave the past in the game, Jonathan takes this golden opportunity to win Maxine's heart. There's just one wrench in that plan: he may have, on a few occasions, acted like a bit of a jerk online. And to his puzzlement, she has taken their fun rivalry to the level of epic dislike.
When Jonathan and Maxine are unexpectedly alone for a weekend, secrets are revealed that make love hard and hatred even harder. Jonathan quickly learns fighting his own demons will take more than one elite gamer. And Maxine, who is busy rebooting her life in Green Valley, might not be up to the task.
When real life starts to override the game, can Maxine and Jonathan find a way to make it work? Or will it be game over for this player versus player adventure?
'Dewey Belong Together' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #7 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2021
249 people are currently reading
952 people want to read
About the author
Ann Whynot
4 books122 followersAnn Whynot is pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a published author. She is a voracious reader and book collector, and used book stores are her kryptonite. She also is passionate about video games, crafting, baking, laughter, and travel, especially to Sweden. She lives with her family and two cats on the Canadian east coast, and is inspired by both the forest and sea.
FOLLOW ANN:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ann.whynot
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567...
Website: www.annwhynot.com
Last Release:
April 19, 2022: Checking You Out, Green Valley Library Series, Penny Reid Universe
Next Up:
The Magnificent Mind of Olly McLeod (Coming in 2025)
FOLLOW ANN:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ann.whynot
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567...
Website: www.annwhynot.com
Last Release:
April 19, 2022: Checking You Out, Green Valley Library Series, Penny Reid Universe
Next Up:
The Magnificent Mind of Olly McLeod (Coming in 2025)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
March 18, 2021
Dewey Belong Together has an amazing premise - Maxine is a wallflower in real life, but online she is Maximus-Damage the level 100 Dwarf Warrior in League of Magecraft. She's been playing for over 10 years when she decides to host a get-together with her fellow guild members in Green Valley.
There's a few important details though: 1. Maxine never told her online friends that she is a woman. 2. Last-minute all of her online friends bail, except for her archenemy Jonathan aka Wrath.
Stuck together for four days, can 10 years of online banter become a forever type of love?
I love the representation in this book, it's own voices and it does a great job of explaining and showing mental illness. It's so important to be accurate with these themes because unfortunately, I've seen far too many books vilify mental illness in the past. And here we get to see honest depictions of anxiety, agoraphobia and bipolar disorder.
However, even though the idea of this book is interesting on paper the execution to me was lacking.
We hear a lot about the rivalry between Maximus and Wrath, but we don't get to see any of it. When they meet for the first time it feels very insta-lovey from Jonathan's perspective, just because we don't get to see them interact before, we don't experience the falling in love process, the pining or push and pull.
This happens a few more times in the book where we hear characters talking about certain events, but we don't experience them with them. Other times the book starts building tension only to be deflated before we could get more emotionally involved. Or, going from 0 to 100 so fast we don't get to make the leap with the characters, feeling the same emotions as them.
This leads to some anticlimactic moments, like their first kiss. It came so out of left-field that I was surprised - "Oh, I guess they are kissing already - huh... How about that..." Which is sad because I'm such a big stan of great first kisses.
After the halfway mark the plot got a bit lost and I just didn't feel invested in their romance anymore. The pacing was off and it dragged until the very end.
If you're not into online gaming and pop culture I don't think you will be able to get invested in Dewey Belong Together. If you are a self proclaimed geek with a passion for romance novels you might be able to enjoy it.
I think overall this book had the potential to be amazing, but unfortunately I just couldn't connect with it the way I wanted to.
Thank you so much Smartypants Romance for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgaxb
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/33aJo00
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3pTw3D1
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3nRrDuA
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/39ykwmU
Audible: http://adbl.co/2O9Lfxc
Audiobook: https://bit.ly/2Zn6XAk
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2X42dyg
Check out the Green Valley Library series of standalones!
Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited
http://bit.ly/3r75tq0
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There's a few important details though: 1. Maxine never told her online friends that she is a woman. 2. Last-minute all of her online friends bail, except for her archenemy Jonathan aka Wrath.
Stuck together for four days, can 10 years of online banter become a forever type of love?
I love the representation in this book, it's own voices and it does a great job of explaining and showing mental illness. It's so important to be accurate with these themes because unfortunately, I've seen far too many books vilify mental illness in the past. And here we get to see honest depictions of anxiety, agoraphobia and bipolar disorder.
However, even though the idea of this book is interesting on paper the execution to me was lacking.
We hear a lot about the rivalry between Maximus and Wrath, but we don't get to see any of it. When they meet for the first time it feels very insta-lovey from Jonathan's perspective, just because we don't get to see them interact before, we don't experience the falling in love process, the pining or push and pull.
This happens a few more times in the book where we hear characters talking about certain events, but we don't experience them with them. Other times the book starts building tension only to be deflated before we could get more emotionally involved. Or, going from 0 to 100 so fast we don't get to make the leap with the characters, feeling the same emotions as them.
This leads to some anticlimactic moments, like their first kiss. It came so out of left-field that I was surprised - "Oh, I guess they are kissing already - huh... How about that..." Which is sad because I'm such a big stan of great first kisses.
After the halfway mark the plot got a bit lost and I just didn't feel invested in their romance anymore. The pacing was off and it dragged until the very end.
If you're not into online gaming and pop culture I don't think you will be able to get invested in Dewey Belong Together. If you are a self proclaimed geek with a passion for romance novels you might be able to enjoy it.
I think overall this book had the potential to be amazing, but unfortunately I just couldn't connect with it the way I wanted to.
Thank you so much Smartypants Romance for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgaxb
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/33aJo00
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3pTw3D1
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3nRrDuA
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/39ykwmU
Audible: http://adbl.co/2O9Lfxc
Audiobook: https://bit.ly/2Zn6XAk
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2X42dyg
Check out the Green Valley Library series of standalones!
Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited
http://bit.ly/3r75tq0
Blog Post
Bookstagram
Want to read
February 18, 2021
** NOW AVAILABLE IN KU **
GAH! Dewey Belong Together by debut author Ann Whynot is now available in Kindle Unlimited! If you are looking for a Green Valley fix, well we've got it <3
** LINKS **
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgaxb
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/33aJo00
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3pTw3D1
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3nRrDuA
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/39ykwmU
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2X42dyg
**BLURB**
Librarian Maxine Peters lives her life behind the scenes. By day, she’s a buttoned-up cataloguing whiz in the basement of the Green Valley Public Library. By night, she’s secretly dominating in an online roleplaying game as the legendary Maximus_Damage. Her in-game persona has the skills to back up the hype. But every hero has an enemy; every saga, a villain. And by her own invitation, Maximus’ arch nemesis, Wrath, has just landed in Green Valley.
Jonathan Owen is not at all who Maxine expects when she meets Wrath face to face. Eager to leave the past in the game, Jonathan takes this golden opportunity to win Maxine’s heart. There’s just one wrench in that plan: he may have, on a few occasions, acted like a bit of a jerk online. And to his puzzlement, she has taken their fun rivalry to the level of epic dislike.
When Jonathan and Maxine are unexpectedly alone for a weekend, secrets are revealed that make love hard and hatred even harder. Jonathan quickly learns fighting his own demons will take more than one elite gamer. And Maxine, who is busy rebooting her life in Green Valley, might not be up to the task.
When real life starts to override the game, can Maxine and Jonathan find a way to make it work? Or will it be game over for this player versus player adventure?
‘Dewey Belong Together’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #7 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
February 27, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
His scent evoked sandalwood, cut grass, and sunshine. It made me want to snuggle him and breathe in that delicious, manly smell over and over. The jerk. Of course he would just happen to smell like catnip for my ovaries.
I was as angry as an armadillo stuck in a screen door…
Each time Wrath brought up his childhood, it sounded like something out of a Southern version of Dickens…
I hoped that this wasn't some big rager we were headed to because being the only sober person at a party is about as much fun as watching paint dry, only the wall sometimes vomits and tries to get into your pants.
I’d shown him the trifecta of disdain: snark, sarcasm, and derision.
You’re a man of many layers. Like an ogre.
My Review:
While I have never seen the Great Smoky Mountains, I have delighted in every virtual trip I’ve taken through Penny Reid’s various series of Smartypants Romances that feature the uniquely quirky residents of Green Valley, Tennessee. I am continuing to discover a wealth of crafty authors who are new to me as well as some who are new to publishing, as is the case with this artful wordsmith with an obvious yet wily pen name of Ann Whynot.
Ms. Whynot has delivered a welcome and refreshing change from the high angst and contrived conflict of most romance tropes. I reveled in how her characters struggled with myriad issues yet consistently displayed patience, clever humor, and thoughtful support for each other. However, I am most impressed with how this shiny new author deftly nuanced the complex shadings of emotional and mental illness and embedded these insights within several entertaining, crisply written, and engaging storylines.
Through ten years of online gaming and an out of the ordinary and shocking real-life meeting, a merging of their online game personalities and off-line hearts fueled a profound transformation for the basement dweller librarian known as Mousy Maxine, while Jonathan’s challenges caused “The Bipolar Express” to jump the track. I am not a gamer and not at all interested in taking it up, but that didn’t hamper my ability to follow their story as they engaged each other in play, although those segments probably didn’t mean as much to me as it would to someone in the know.
I was unsure how to rate this tale so I did what I always do when indecisive and checked my saved highlights and favorite quotes, which left no doubt. Ms. Whynot’s amusing levity, evocative and insightful observations, and unique and clever arrangements of words clearly rate 5-stars.
His scent evoked sandalwood, cut grass, and sunshine. It made me want to snuggle him and breathe in that delicious, manly smell over and over. The jerk. Of course he would just happen to smell like catnip for my ovaries.
I was as angry as an armadillo stuck in a screen door…
Each time Wrath brought up his childhood, it sounded like something out of a Southern version of Dickens…
I hoped that this wasn't some big rager we were headed to because being the only sober person at a party is about as much fun as watching paint dry, only the wall sometimes vomits and tries to get into your pants.
I’d shown him the trifecta of disdain: snark, sarcasm, and derision.
You’re a man of many layers. Like an ogre.
My Review:
While I have never seen the Great Smoky Mountains, I have delighted in every virtual trip I’ve taken through Penny Reid’s various series of Smartypants Romances that feature the uniquely quirky residents of Green Valley, Tennessee. I am continuing to discover a wealth of crafty authors who are new to me as well as some who are new to publishing, as is the case with this artful wordsmith with an obvious yet wily pen name of Ann Whynot.
Ms. Whynot has delivered a welcome and refreshing change from the high angst and contrived conflict of most romance tropes. I reveled in how her characters struggled with myriad issues yet consistently displayed patience, clever humor, and thoughtful support for each other. However, I am most impressed with how this shiny new author deftly nuanced the complex shadings of emotional and mental illness and embedded these insights within several entertaining, crisply written, and engaging storylines.
Through ten years of online gaming and an out of the ordinary and shocking real-life meeting, a merging of their online game personalities and off-line hearts fueled a profound transformation for the basement dweller librarian known as Mousy Maxine, while Jonathan’s challenges caused “The Bipolar Express” to jump the track. I am not a gamer and not at all interested in taking it up, but that didn’t hamper my ability to follow their story as they engaged each other in play, although those segments probably didn’t mean as much to me as it would to someone in the know.
I was unsure how to rate this tale so I did what I always do when indecisive and checked my saved highlights and favorite quotes, which left no doubt. Ms. Whynot’s amusing levity, evocative and insightful observations, and unique and clever arrangements of words clearly rate 5-stars.
Want to read
February 18, 2021** NOW AVAILABLE IN KU **
Spring Launch 2021 continues!!! DEWEY BELONG TOGETHER by debut author Ann Whynot is now available in Kindle Unlimited!! Come hang out in Green Valley for a bit. It’s nice over here. <3
** LINKS **
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgaxb
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/33aJo00
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3pTw3D1
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3nRrDuA
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/39ykwmU
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2X42dyg
**BLURB**
Librarian Maxine Peters lives her life behind the scenes. By day, she’s a buttoned-up cataloguing whiz in the basement of the Green Valley Public Library. By night, she’s secretly dominating in an online roleplaying game as the legendary Maximus_Damage. Her in-game persona has the skills to back up the hype. But every hero has an enemy; every saga, a villain. And by her own invitation, Maximus’ arch nemesis, Wrath, has just landed in Green Valley.
Jonathan Owen is not at all who Maxine expects when she meets Wrath face to face. Eager to leave the past in the game, Jonathan takes this golden opportunity to win Maxine’s heart. There’s just one wrench in that plan: he may have, on a few occasions, acted like a bit of a jerk online. And to his puzzlement, she has taken their fun rivalry to the level of epic dislike.
When Jonathan and Maxine are unexpectedly alone for a weekend, secrets are revealed that make love hard and hatred even harder. Jonathan quickly learns fighting his own demons will take more than one elite gamer. And Maxine, who is busy rebooting her life in Green Valley, might not be up to the task.
When real life starts to override the game, can Maxine and Jonathan find a way to make it work? Or will it be game over for this player versus player adventure?
‘Dewey Belong Together’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #7 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Read
February 18, 2021
Dewey Belong Together is now LIVE on Amazon and free to read in Kindle Unlimited!
** LINKS **
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgaxb
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/33aJo00
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3pTw3D1
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3nRrDuA
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/39ykwmU
Audiobook: http://bit.ly/2Zn6XAk
** BLURB **
Librarian Maxine Peters lives her life behind the scenes. By day, she’s a buttoned-up cataloguing whiz in the basement of the Green Valley Public Library. By night, she’s secretly dominating in an online role playing game as the legendary Maximus_Damage. Her in-game persona has the skills to back up the hype. But every hero has an enemy; every saga,a villain. And by her own invitation, Maximus’ arch nemesis, Wrath, has just landed in Green Valley.
Jonathan Owen is not at all who Maxine expects when she meets Wrath face to face. Eager to leave the past in the game, Jonathan takes this golden opportunity to win Maxine’s heart. There’s just one wrench in that plan: he may have, on a few occasions, acted like a bit of a jerk online. And to his puzzlement, she has taken their fun rivalry to the level of epic dislike.
When Jonathan and Maxine are unexpectedly alone for a weekend, secrets are revealed that make love hard and hatred even harder. Jonathan quickly learns fighting his own demons will take more than one elite gamer. And Maxine, who is busy rebooting her life in Green Valley, might not be up to the task.
When real life starts to override the game, can Maxine and Jonathan find a way to make it work? Or will it be game over for this player versus player adventure?
‘Dewey Belong Together’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #7 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
https://smartypantsromance.com/books/...
January 29, 2021
Dewey Belong Together by Ann Whynot
‘“Would it unnerve you if I told you that seeing the excited expressions on your face while you watched Pokemon turned me on? That you looked so beautiful, it was all I could do to wait until the end to kiss you?”
Dewey Belong Together by debut author Ann Whynot holds a lot of promise for this writer. In this instance however the book fell a little flat for me but the potential, talent and ability to bring forth real life situations and write each subject with sensitivity and aplomb, is evident. What didn’t work for me was the disconnect from our main protagonists, I didn’t feel any real heat or passion or any real reason for their relationship. It felt foggy. The chemistry was missing. The friendship, the banter and the gaming community spirit and rivalry is all there, but it never transpires as a real enemies to lovers romance story, it seems to skip a few steps along the way and rather than having the readers fully immersed and involved in the story and the hero and heroine’s lives, we’re told a lot of things but never really shown them. There are a couple of holes that just didn’t make sense to me and even when I sat and thought back over certain sections of the story, it felt that something was missing within the story as a whole.
We never really get to know Max and Jonathan, the heart of their personalities, what makes them tick and love and laugh, we do however know that each is dealing with mental health issues and that colours a lot of their behaviours and reactions. Max’s reserved nature is apparent because of her tragic past, Jonathan hides behind a snarky facade sometimes, often on the defence, but underneath both heroine and hero are sweet, loyal and wounded people, who deserve love and happiness. I think Jonathan’s mental health issues were very well done, detailed, emotional and you could feel his struggles and embarrassment regarding this, however I feel like Max’s issues were pushed to the wayside and slightly glossed over, her issues were just as important, however different and I would have liked maybe a little more insight into her mind and thoughts. I liked that they trusted one another enough to divulge these burdens but again Max and Jonathan were just missing that essential element of chemistry, something that is vital for any romance story.
I enjoyed the story up to a point but there was one particular moment that didn’t sit right with me and as the quintessential romantic “moment” that we were waiting for within the story, it felt slightly dubious to me, as well as being a moment that came out of nowhere, there was no build up or tension indicating anything was headed in that direction. Then at the halfway point I was starting to feel a little deflated as the storyline was stagnating, I wasn’t sure exactly where the plot was going to go. For me, there were just some scenes that didn’t move the story along, I wanted to see more personal interactions with Max and Jonathan, I wanted to watch them touch and sigh and glance longingly at each other, to see the moments that highlighted how and why they fell in love with each other but this never really happened.
Dewey Belong Together shows a lot of potential for Ann Whynot’s future and just because I didn’t enjoy this particular story, doesn’t mean that others aren’t going to absolutely love it. Every reader is different, we all have different tastes and view things in different lights. It didn’t work for me this time but I am one hundred percent excited to see what this author has in store for us in the future.
‘“Would it unnerve you if I told you that seeing the excited expressions on your face while you watched Pokemon turned me on? That you looked so beautiful, it was all I could do to wait until the end to kiss you?”
Dewey Belong Together by debut author Ann Whynot holds a lot of promise for this writer. In this instance however the book fell a little flat for me but the potential, talent and ability to bring forth real life situations and write each subject with sensitivity and aplomb, is evident. What didn’t work for me was the disconnect from our main protagonists, I didn’t feel any real heat or passion or any real reason for their relationship. It felt foggy. The chemistry was missing. The friendship, the banter and the gaming community spirit and rivalry is all there, but it never transpires as a real enemies to lovers romance story, it seems to skip a few steps along the way and rather than having the readers fully immersed and involved in the story and the hero and heroine’s lives, we’re told a lot of things but never really shown them. There are a couple of holes that just didn’t make sense to me and even when I sat and thought back over certain sections of the story, it felt that something was missing within the story as a whole.
We never really get to know Max and Jonathan, the heart of their personalities, what makes them tick and love and laugh, we do however know that each is dealing with mental health issues and that colours a lot of their behaviours and reactions. Max’s reserved nature is apparent because of her tragic past, Jonathan hides behind a snarky facade sometimes, often on the defence, but underneath both heroine and hero are sweet, loyal and wounded people, who deserve love and happiness. I think Jonathan’s mental health issues were very well done, detailed, emotional and you could feel his struggles and embarrassment regarding this, however I feel like Max’s issues were pushed to the wayside and slightly glossed over, her issues were just as important, however different and I would have liked maybe a little more insight into her mind and thoughts. I liked that they trusted one another enough to divulge these burdens but again Max and Jonathan were just missing that essential element of chemistry, something that is vital for any romance story.
I enjoyed the story up to a point but there was one particular moment that didn’t sit right with me and as the quintessential romantic “moment” that we were waiting for within the story, it felt slightly dubious to me, as well as being a moment that came out of nowhere, there was no build up or tension indicating anything was headed in that direction. Then at the halfway point I was starting to feel a little deflated as the storyline was stagnating, I wasn’t sure exactly where the plot was going to go. For me, there were just some scenes that didn’t move the story along, I wanted to see more personal interactions with Max and Jonathan, I wanted to watch them touch and sigh and glance longingly at each other, to see the moments that highlighted how and why they fell in love with each other but this never really happened.
Dewey Belong Together shows a lot of potential for Ann Whynot’s future and just because I didn’t enjoy this particular story, doesn’t mean that others aren’t going to absolutely love it. Every reader is different, we all have different tastes and view things in different lights. It didn’t work for me this time but I am one hundred percent excited to see what this author has in store for us in the future.
June 14, 2021
I just can't get into it..
love the premise and rep for mental health but the rest..
love the premise and rep for mental health but the rest..
Read
February 3, 2021Finished at 3am!
I really applaud Ann for letting us get inside Jonathan's head. Having a close family member who suffers from a severe case of bipolar disorder, I appreciate getting to experience that perspective. It'll only make dealing with these episodes in my own life better because I understand so much more.
I really applaud Ann for letting us get inside Jonathan's head. Having a close family member who suffers from a severe case of bipolar disorder, I appreciate getting to experience that perspective. It'll only make dealing with these episodes in my own life better because I understand so much more.
February 14, 2021
I absolutely loved this story. In Dewey Belong Together a couple of gaming nerds meet outside of the online forum.
Jonathan (Wrath) has had a crush on Maximus for ten years but when they meet he finds out that Maximus is really quiet unassuming librarian Maxine.
Max has hated Wrath since their first encounter in the games. He is the closest thing to an arch nemesis.
“Prior to the weekend, I would have called Max one of the most confident people I knew. But seeing her vulnerable side and learning about her past had changed my perception of her. I now thought she was the strongest person I knew. A survivor, a real-life warrior offline who was taking tentative steps to spread her wings and fly.”
My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jonathan (Wrath) has had a crush on Maximus for ten years but when they meet he finds out that Maximus is really quiet unassuming librarian Maxine.
Max has hated Wrath since their first encounter in the games. He is the closest thing to an arch nemesis.
“Prior to the weekend, I would have called Max one of the most confident people I knew. But seeing her vulnerable side and learning about her past had changed my perception of her. I now thought she was the strongest person I knew. A survivor, a real-life warrior offline who was taking tentative steps to spread her wings and fly.”
My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 3, 2021
A heartfelt debut from an all-new author in the Smartypants Romance family. This story features perhaps the most unique main characters I've ever encountered in a romance novel. Maxine and Jonathan have a history, a past, and a complex set of obstacles that make their journey and subsequent romance that much sweeter. Nerds rejoice for an engaging plot that builds around the gaming world. It was such a unique and compelling premise, and I really enjoyed how it wove itself throughout the story.
Dewey Belong Together brought all the feels and delivered on this new addition to the Green Valley Library series. It was obvious Ann was a Penny Reid fan and that level of authenticity always contributes to these Smartypants stories, in my opinion. The author bravely chose to address topics in her narrative that are often overlooked in contemporary romance...but remain prevalent in real life. If you enjoy reading about "real" people, this story is perfectly authentic. I loved the level of inclusivity and the education for the reader in topics seldom addressed. People with mental illnesses CAN and DO fall in love. While the plot could have been emotional and heavy dealing with such issues as mental health and PTSD, there is so much joy, levity, and nerdy goodness that the story achieves a delicate heartfelt balance.
Ann Whynot is an author to watch and Dewey Belong Together is a welcome addition to the Penny Reid Universe.
Dewey Belong Together brought all the feels and delivered on this new addition to the Green Valley Library series. It was obvious Ann was a Penny Reid fan and that level of authenticity always contributes to these Smartypants stories, in my opinion. The author bravely chose to address topics in her narrative that are often overlooked in contemporary romance...but remain prevalent in real life. If you enjoy reading about "real" people, this story is perfectly authentic. I loved the level of inclusivity and the education for the reader in topics seldom addressed. People with mental illnesses CAN and DO fall in love. While the plot could have been emotional and heavy dealing with such issues as mental health and PTSD, there is so much joy, levity, and nerdy goodness that the story achieves a delicate heartfelt balance.
Ann Whynot is an author to watch and Dewey Belong Together is a welcome addition to the Penny Reid Universe.
April 15, 2021
In her debut book Whynot addresses a lot of tough issues with thoughtfulness and compassion. But I’m going to be honest, I read for the romance.
I have read romances with the craziest, most unbelievable premises. I loved sparkly vampires, for goodness sake. But I didn’t believe in the romance between Max and Wrath.
I felt like the conflict between them was too big to resolve in one weekend. No matter the reason for the behavior, 10 years of bullying doesn’t go away in a weekend. In addition, I had a hard time understanding how Wrath could “love” Max without knowing her as a person rather than an on-line character. It wasn’t like they were having meaningful conversations outside of their gameplay. She hated him.
For me, their first kiss happens in a dubious consent moment while Wrath is having a anxiety spiral and Max is drunk. She kisses him out of nowhere and then suggests they have sex. And happens to have condoms in her purse after 10 years of celibacy. It all felt very hurried and forced, and not in a good way.
I loved the premise of gaming enemies to lovers, but this just didn’t romantically work for me. I loved that there was so much inclusion in the story and thought the mental health issues were especially well written.
My favorite character was Norman, Wrath’s friend who orchestrates their weekend together and allows Wrath to to kiss him as a test of his sexual preferences. Now that’s a bestie!
I have read romances with the craziest, most unbelievable premises. I loved sparkly vampires, for goodness sake. But I didn’t believe in the romance between Max and Wrath.
I felt like the conflict between them was too big to resolve in one weekend. No matter the reason for the behavior, 10 years of bullying doesn’t go away in a weekend. In addition, I had a hard time understanding how Wrath could “love” Max without knowing her as a person rather than an on-line character. It wasn’t like they were having meaningful conversations outside of their gameplay. She hated him.
For me, their first kiss happens in a dubious consent moment while Wrath is having a anxiety spiral and Max is drunk. She kisses him out of nowhere and then suggests they have sex. And happens to have condoms in her purse after 10 years of celibacy. It all felt very hurried and forced, and not in a good way.
I loved the premise of gaming enemies to lovers, but this just didn’t romantically work for me. I loved that there was so much inclusion in the story and thought the mental health issues were especially well written.
My favorite character was Norman, Wrath’s friend who orchestrates their weekend together and allows Wrath to to kiss him as a test of his sexual preferences. Now that’s a bestie!
Want to read
February 3, 2021January 31, 2021
Sometime Our Day To Day Lives...
Are Not All They Are Cracked Up To Be...
Enter The World Of Online Gaming...
A Place Where One Could Be Whatever One Wants...
Be A Brave, Crafty, Snarky, All-Knowing Being...
Not The Buttoned-Up Cataloguing Whiz...
Librarian Maxine Peters...
Her Hidden Persona Maximus_Damage...
Has A Reputation To Uphold...
And Challenging Her Arch Nemesis, Wrath...
To Put Up Or Shut Up Was Thrown Down...
Come To Green Valley, Sucker...
Jonathan Owen, Wrath, Not One To Hide...
Arrives And Decides Maxine's Heart Is What He Wants...
No More Online Game On...
Oh, No...
He Wants To Know...
Dewey Belong Together (Green Valley Library, #7)-February 18, 2021
Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Crime and Periodicals
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Prose Before Bros
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shelf Awareness
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Carpentry and Cocktails
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love in Deed
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dewey Belong Together
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Sometime Our Day To Day Lives...
Are Not All They Are Cracked Up To Be...
Enter The World Of Online Gaming...
A Place Where One Could Be Whatever One Wants...
Be A Brave, Crafty, Snarky, All-Knowing Being...
Not The Buttoned-Up Cataloguing Whiz...
Librarian Maxine Peters...
Her Hidden Persona Maximus_Damage...
Has A Reputation To Uphold...
And Challenging Her Arch Nemesis, Wrath...
To Put Up Or Shut Up Was Thrown Down...
Come To Green Valley, Sucker...
Jonathan Owen, Wrath, Not One To Hide...
Arrives And Decides Maxine's Heart Is What He Wants...
No More Online Game On...
Oh, No...
He Wants To Know...
Dewey Belong Together (Green Valley Library, #7)-February 18, 2021
Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Crime and Periodicalshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Prose Before Broshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shelf Awarenesshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Carpentry and Cocktailshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love in Deedhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dewey Belong Togetherhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
February 10, 2021
4.5 stars
Enemies to lovers trope is one of my favourites and going back to Green Valley especially at the library, was the highlight of my day.
This is a debut novel and one that I enjoyed so much that I must admit, it didn’t felt like a debut at all.
It deals with triggering and much-talked topics because of the complexity and how not everyone lives/feels the same regarding bipolar disorder and anxiety, it’s really difficult to express ideas but I can see how the author has given her best into this character’s experiences and difficult moments.
The first half of the book was full-on fast-paced and action and scenes that made me laugh and grin like an idiot.
Now, on the second part, the heartbreaking moments are given full disclosure and while the paced was slowed down and got a bit over the top with his obsession, I loved how everything wrapped up in the end.
Arc review
Enemies to lovers trope is one of my favourites and going back to Green Valley especially at the library, was the highlight of my day.
This is a debut novel and one that I enjoyed so much that I must admit, it didn’t felt like a debut at all.
It deals with triggering and much-talked topics because of the complexity and how not everyone lives/feels the same regarding bipolar disorder and anxiety, it’s really difficult to express ideas but I can see how the author has given her best into this character’s experiences and difficult moments.
The first half of the book was full-on fast-paced and action and scenes that made me laugh and grin like an idiot.
Now, on the second part, the heartbreaking moments are given full disclosure and while the paced was slowed down and got a bit over the top with his obsession, I loved how everything wrapped up in the end.
Arc review
February 4, 2021
This book is one of those books that you don't know how meaningful it is until you're mid chapter, not willing to let yourself put the book down.
This book was different. I've never read a book that took such a deep dive into this type of mental health. I definitely came away from this book having new information, and I feel like I understand more. For me the romantic aspect of Max and Jonathan's relationship wasn't the forefront of the book. These characters had a lot of growing to accomplish, and love is definitely not a fix all.
One of the things I loved about this book, is the level of nerd love. Legos, gaming (computer/console), cosplay, and board games. This is a love letter to let your nerd flag fly! My husband and brothers all enjoy these hobbies, and I've seen the love and friendships they've made through it.
This book was different. I've never read a book that took such a deep dive into this type of mental health. I definitely came away from this book having new information, and I feel like I understand more. For me the romantic aspect of Max and Jonathan's relationship wasn't the forefront of the book. These characters had a lot of growing to accomplish, and love is definitely not a fix all.
One of the things I loved about this book, is the level of nerd love. Legos, gaming (computer/console), cosplay, and board games. This is a love letter to let your nerd flag fly! My husband and brothers all enjoy these hobbies, and I've seen the love and friendships they've made through it.
February 16, 2021
Publication Date: February 18, 2021
"4- Games bring people together, and those people can become your friends, and your friends can become your chosen family." Stars!
-Maximus_Damage
This was a good enemy-to-lovers story by debut author Ann Whynot, but what was most inspiring about the story was how the author addressed the issue of mental illness particularly bipolar disorder and anxiety.
It was incredible seeing things through Jonathan's eyes. How he was feeling and how he reacted to stressful situations and realizing that having a mental illness doesn't make you weak.
Maxine was also a wonderful character to meet.
It was great reading her transformation to a confident, secure, intelligent, strong woman.
Her relationship with Johnathan was wonderful (once she stopped hating him).
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books by this author.
August 30, 2021
Meh. Cute but I had to stop @30% because I had to go to sleep. Then work the next day. Then came home , got everybody sorted, made dinner, cleaned up, played a game with the kids and by the time it was night... I realised that I wasn't really invested in the story or the characters to keep going.
DNF @ 30%
DNF @ 30%
February 17, 2021
2.5 stars
I liked representation of metal health but romance was flat for me.
I liked representation of metal health but romance was flat for me.
January 30, 2021
Whenever there is a new author in the Reidverse I happily request a ARC. I was hesitant to pull the trigger on this one because it is a gaming based "nerd" book but that was actually the best executed part of the book. The game and the lingo was well explained, and I never felt lost in a world I don't know well.
Unfortunately, in the romance department the book fell short. For representation of mental health, anxiety issues, trauma survival and falling on different spectrums of sexuality there is an A+ score. However, it fell flat for me in the passion, heat, progression that is needed in a enemies to lovers romance which is truly my favorite trope in the genre. We get tons of internal monologing but the banter, the growing connection and the slowly dawning attraction isn't there. Jonathan is in love with her from the first moment, from before they even met and we get tons of descriptions of activities they do together but not how they get from point A to B.
I feel as though the author could have benefitted from from chart where each chapter is mapped out and the question is asked, how did their relationship progress? Not what happened, because tons of stuff is happening they are horseback riding, they are playing games and going to bars but there is a chunk of the story where the hero and heroine never truly seem to connect beyond sexual attraction and physical proximity. So that when the first kiss comes it's anticlimactic, like oh, so their kissing now I guess...
I would read another book by the author, it is a promising debut but I think the necessary chemistry and connection in this debut was lacking.
Unfortunately, in the romance department the book fell short. For representation of mental health, anxiety issues, trauma survival and falling on different spectrums of sexuality there is an A+ score. However, it fell flat for me in the passion, heat, progression that is needed in a enemies to lovers romance which is truly my favorite trope in the genre. We get tons of internal monologing but the banter, the growing connection and the slowly dawning attraction isn't there. Jonathan is in love with her from the first moment, from before they even met and we get tons of descriptions of activities they do together but not how they get from point A to B.
I feel as though the author could have benefitted from from chart where each chapter is mapped out and the question is asked, how did their relationship progress? Not what happened, because tons of stuff is happening they are horseback riding, they are playing games and going to bars but there is a chunk of the story where the hero and heroine never truly seem to connect beyond sexual attraction and physical proximity. So that when the first kiss comes it's anticlimactic, like oh, so their kissing now I guess...
I would read another book by the author, it is a promising debut but I think the necessary chemistry and connection in this debut was lacking.
February 18, 2021
We are back in Green Valley and to the library we shall go to meet Maxine. She is a bit of a loner and works behind the scenes but at night in her world of gaming she comes alive.
Johnathan and Maxine may have known one another since they were kids but it is not in the live world. They have met in the world on online gaming and they are able to hid behind that cloak of anonymity. They have been nemesis in that world for as long as they can remember but now the real world have them meeting face to face. This book dealt with so many underlying issues and mental health can be so difficult for the individual living with it and the family, friends and lovers that face it and the loved one each day. Their story was different from what I was used to in this series but i still enjoyed them and their world.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Johnathan and Maxine may have known one another since they were kids but it is not in the live world. They have met in the world on online gaming and they are able to hid behind that cloak of anonymity. They have been nemesis in that world for as long as they can remember but now the real world have them meeting face to face. This book dealt with so many underlying issues and mental health can be so difficult for the individual living with it and the family, friends and lovers that face it and the loved one each day. Their story was different from what I was used to in this series but i still enjoyed them and their world.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
January 10, 2022
Ok, this was a pleasant surprise!!! This was perfectly nerdy and addressed mental health issues so well! I adored it!
March 3, 2021
🎮 Enemies to lovers
🎮 Small town
🎮 Gamers
Both characters are gamers and a lot of their interactions take place in game before we meet them. As a huge video game lover I love how the issues females often times face in a male dominated space, this space being video games was addressed. While a lot of people might not know the gravity of this, it is indeed an issue.
With that being said we watch Maxine and Jonathan as they find themselves amidst trauma, mental health issues and various other challenges. While some aspects of the story could have used a little more insight, a lot of the issues that were presented are well done. I'm looking forward to more of this author whether in the smartypants universe or otherwise.
I received an ARC for an honest review and this has in no way influenced my review
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IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLXKy8Pgv...
Available in Kindle Unlimited
January 30, 2021
This book is excellent. It’s geeky and nerdy and moving. I cried. This book made me take a look at my life and reevaluate. If that doesn’t make a good book, idk what does.
It was funny and sweet and just fucking wonderful. I suck at reviews, so just believe me, okay?
It was funny and sweet and just fucking wonderful. I suck at reviews, so just believe me, okay?
April 24, 2022
2.5 stars. I wanted to love this one. I loved the idea of gamers meeting and falling in love but it just didn’t hit the mark for me.
As a mental health professional, I will say this book did a better job than most portraying mental illness but the book overall, I don’t know how to explain it, just didn’t do it for me 🤷🏽♀️
The best part of the book was Norman. He was kind, loyal, supportive, accepting, and genuinely wanted his friend to be happy and mentally healthy. Norman was definitely my favorite.
As a mental health professional, I will say this book did a better job than most portraying mental illness but the book overall, I don’t know how to explain it, just didn’t do it for me 🤷🏽♀️
The best part of the book was Norman. He was kind, loyal, supportive, accepting, and genuinely wanted his friend to be happy and mentally healthy. Norman was definitely my favorite.
March 14, 2021
2.5/5
The story was okay, but I didn't really connect with the characters and their relationship
The story was okay, but I didn't really connect with the characters and their relationship
February 8, 2021
gros coup de coeur pour cette romance de geek *_* les deux héros vont très bien ensemble, l'histoire est bien écrite, les personnages secondaires sont supers, les challenges à relever cohérents avec les histoires personnelles de chacun.
J'ai bien aimé le contexte de l'histoire : des geek qui ne se connaissent qu'en virtuel décident de se rencontrer en réel (même si je ne suis pas une accros aux jeux vidéos, on peut se reconnaitre quel que soit son mode de geekage ^^). Un malheureux concours de circonstances fait que Maxine ne va accueillir finalement qu'une seule personne au lieu d'un petit groupe, et cette personne c'est Jonathan aka Wrath, son arch nemésis dans le jeu, le seul du groupe qu'elle peut pas encadrer tellement il la saoule xD. Mais Maxine a caché pendant 10 ans qu'elle était une "elle" alors que son avatar dans le jeu est un mec, et que tous les joueurs n'en ont aucune idée, et encore moins Wrath...
Jonathan a une idée bien précise en tête en venant à Green Valley : rencontrer pour de vrai Maximus_Damage, le joueur à qui il vaut une admiration sans limite, mais également un amour inconditionné. Pour lui c'est l'occasion de déclarer enfin ses sentiments... quelle n'est donc pas sa surprise en découvrant que Maximus est une femme, et qu'elle le déteste xD. Jonathan va en faire sa mission de conquérir sa guerrière, car homme ou femme il s'en fou, c'est la personne qui compte pour lui.
L'ambiance général du livre est très décomplexée, il y a beaucoup d'humour, beaucoup de références geek, et de la répartie dans les dialogues. Mais on y trouve quand même de la gravité avec les vies personnelles de Maxine et Jonathan. Maxine a été agressée et s'est coupée de vie sociale, elle a peu d'amis en vrai, elle ne sort pas, s'occupe de sa mère agoraphobe et le jeu vidéo est son exutoire ; Jonathan, lui souffre de bipolarité et doit faire attention à son traitement, il s'occupe également de sa mère dépressive et de ses soeurs, son meilleur ami et le seul qui connait sa maladie.
La balance est très bien fait entre le gros délire geek et les soucis de la vie réelle, la romance n'est pas too much et on est pas dans un "l'amûûr sauve tout". J'ai passé un bon moment avec ce bouquin, lu en 2 jours !
**********
this geek romance is a favorite *_* the two heroes are good together, the story is well written, the secondary characters are great, the challenges met are consistent with each characer's personal stories.
I really liked the context of the story : geek people who only know each other in virtual reality decide to meet in real life (even if I'm not a video games player, we can recognize our geek self regardless of our geek means ^^). An unfortunate combination of circumstances means that Maxine will welcome only one person instead of a small group, and this person is Jonathan aka Wrath, her arch nemesis in the game, the only one in the group that she can not put up with as he annoys her so much xD. But Maxine has been hiding for 10 years that she was a "she" when her avatar in the game is a guy, all players have no idea, let alone Wrath...
Jonathan has a very specific idea in mind when he comes to Green Valley : to meet Maximus_Damage, the player to whom he has a limitless admiration, but also an unconditional love. For him this is the opportunity to finally declare his feelings... what a surprise it is to discover that Maximus is a woman, and that she hates him xD. Jonathan will make it his mission to conquer his warrior queen, he doesn't care if is she's a man or woman, it is the person who matters to him.
The general atmosphere of the book is very uninhibited, there is a lot of humor, a lot of geek references, and repartee in the dialogues. But there is still some seriousness with the personal lives of Maxine and Jonathan. Maxine has been assaulted and cut herself off from social life, she has few real friends, she does not go out, takes care of her agoraphobic mother and the video game is her outlet ; Jonathan, suffers from bipolar disorder and must be careful with his treatment, he also takes care of his depressed mother and his sisters, his best friend is the only one who knows his illness.
The balance is very well made between the big geek delirium and the worries of real life, the romance is not too much and we are not in a "love saves everything" storyline. I had a good time with this book, read in 2 days !
-read as an ARC-
J'ai bien aimé le contexte de l'histoire : des geek qui ne se connaissent qu'en virtuel décident de se rencontrer en réel (même si je ne suis pas une accros aux jeux vidéos, on peut se reconnaitre quel que soit son mode de geekage ^^). Un malheureux concours de circonstances fait que Maxine ne va accueillir finalement qu'une seule personne au lieu d'un petit groupe, et cette personne c'est Jonathan aka Wrath, son arch nemésis dans le jeu, le seul du groupe qu'elle peut pas encadrer tellement il la saoule xD. Mais Maxine a caché pendant 10 ans qu'elle était une "elle" alors que son avatar dans le jeu est un mec, et que tous les joueurs n'en ont aucune idée, et encore moins Wrath...
Jonathan a une idée bien précise en tête en venant à Green Valley : rencontrer pour de vrai Maximus_Damage, le joueur à qui il vaut une admiration sans limite, mais également un amour inconditionné. Pour lui c'est l'occasion de déclarer enfin ses sentiments... quelle n'est donc pas sa surprise en découvrant que Maximus est une femme, et qu'elle le déteste xD. Jonathan va en faire sa mission de conquérir sa guerrière, car homme ou femme il s'en fou, c'est la personne qui compte pour lui.
L'ambiance général du livre est très décomplexée, il y a beaucoup d'humour, beaucoup de références geek, et de la répartie dans les dialogues. Mais on y trouve quand même de la gravité avec les vies personnelles de Maxine et Jonathan. Maxine a été agressée et s'est coupée de vie sociale, elle a peu d'amis en vrai, elle ne sort pas, s'occupe de sa mère agoraphobe et le jeu vidéo est son exutoire ; Jonathan, lui souffre de bipolarité et doit faire attention à son traitement, il s'occupe également de sa mère dépressive et de ses soeurs, son meilleur ami et le seul qui connait sa maladie.
La balance est très bien fait entre le gros délire geek et les soucis de la vie réelle, la romance n'est pas too much et on est pas dans un "l'amûûr sauve tout". J'ai passé un bon moment avec ce bouquin, lu en 2 jours !
**********
this geek romance is a favorite *_* the two heroes are good together, the story is well written, the secondary characters are great, the challenges met are consistent with each characer's personal stories.
I really liked the context of the story : geek people who only know each other in virtual reality decide to meet in real life (even if I'm not a video games player, we can recognize our geek self regardless of our geek means ^^). An unfortunate combination of circumstances means that Maxine will welcome only one person instead of a small group, and this person is Jonathan aka Wrath, her arch nemesis in the game, the only one in the group that she can not put up with as he annoys her so much xD. But Maxine has been hiding for 10 years that she was a "she" when her avatar in the game is a guy, all players have no idea, let alone Wrath...
Jonathan has a very specific idea in mind when he comes to Green Valley : to meet Maximus_Damage, the player to whom he has a limitless admiration, but also an unconditional love. For him this is the opportunity to finally declare his feelings... what a surprise it is to discover that Maximus is a woman, and that she hates him xD. Jonathan will make it his mission to conquer his warrior queen, he doesn't care if is she's a man or woman, it is the person who matters to him.
The general atmosphere of the book is very uninhibited, there is a lot of humor, a lot of geek references, and repartee in the dialogues. But there is still some seriousness with the personal lives of Maxine and Jonathan. Maxine has been assaulted and cut herself off from social life, she has few real friends, she does not go out, takes care of her agoraphobic mother and the video game is her outlet ; Jonathan, suffers from bipolar disorder and must be careful with his treatment, he also takes care of his depressed mother and his sisters, his best friend is the only one who knows his illness.
The balance is very well made between the big geek delirium and the worries of real life, the romance is not too much and we are not in a "love saves everything" storyline. I had a good time with this book, read in 2 days !
-read as an ARC-
March 3, 2021
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/03/...
I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — For me, this was a book with very diverse ratings depending on what I’m talking about. The characters/story/depth/emotion were like 4-4.5. The writing could sometimes be more at a 3, and maybe it’s just me. I’m left feeling very torn, b/c the thing I loved I LOVED!
Let’s start with the writing, b/c seriously: who actually likes talking about the less fun stuff? For me there were moments where the flow of the writing didn’t work for me. It wasn’t the pacing of the story as a whole, but the actual way it was written. It was most noticeable for me in the dialogue. There would be these large almost monologues without any break in between with subject changes. I’m not a writer, so I don’t know any technical descriptions, I just know that I kind of want them to pause…maybe shuffle their feet, or brush their hair back, or look at the other person, or have some internal thought. That’s the only way I know how to describe it, but in those instances it felt more like the debut novel that it is.
Now the characters I loved, despite them being super flawed for me. But there was so much going on there, it just kept me on the hook. Maxine was pretty easy for me to love right from the beginning, and in a strange twist for me I found myself getting cranky with her in the middle. There was so much to her, and I didn’t expect some of the emotional damage she had and how that would manifest into hangups. In some ways she was the stereotypical “guy” in this romance novel. I still love her, but I think by the end I found it harder and harder to connect with her (just personally). But I did appreciate how different she was from your typical romance heroine, and all the different things she brought to the table. She was that beautiful mix of strong and vulnerable, sassy and kind. And I loved that she was a plus sized woman who wasn’t hung up on her weight — the little bits of body positivity made me cheer!
On the other hand, I was worried I wasn’t going to love Jonathan at all. He starts off so cocky, and as a bit of a jerk. It took me much longer to warm up to him. But I kind of like that we got to see that whole perspective of him, b/c I think I judge some peacocky guys pretty harshly, and this gave me someone to humanize the guy behind the peacock (if that makes sense). PLUS, OMG, what he was dealing with?? Wow. I have a brother who suffers from the same mental illness, and I could see pieces of him in Jonathan. I LOVED Ms. Whynot’s note at the end about how she put pieces of her own experiences into Jonathan, but that it is just one manifestation. Regardless, it gave me so much to think about. And as someone who suffers from my own mental illness, I really loved the inherent positivity of this story — of showing that everyone deserves their own love story if they want it.
I will also say that through Jonathan we also got some great LGBT positivity as well. This book was just full of examples of how I want the world to look, how I want people to be.
I will admit that I was only so so on their steamy chemistry…there were some awkward moments there that might have been the writing thing that wasn’t working for me. But their connection? Their friendship that turned into love? Oh yeah, that was fantastic.
For the gamers and general nerds out there — I have a feeling this is going to be a love letter to you. I don’t have a whole gamut of nerdy tendencies, but I love watching folks geek out on what they love…and there was a shitton of that in this book. It was delightful, and I have a handful of friends I am IMMEDIATELY going to recommend this book to.
So yeah. A bit of a mixed bag, but I might be pickier than most about the writing thing. I think this book has an audience that is going to be clamouring for it, and I can’t wait to hear them geek out about it. And I can’t help but hope there’s a Norman book in the works… *hint hint*
I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — For me, this was a book with very diverse ratings depending on what I’m talking about. The characters/story/depth/emotion were like 4-4.5. The writing could sometimes be more at a 3, and maybe it’s just me. I’m left feeling very torn, b/c the thing I loved I LOVED!
Let’s start with the writing, b/c seriously: who actually likes talking about the less fun stuff? For me there were moments where the flow of the writing didn’t work for me. It wasn’t the pacing of the story as a whole, but the actual way it was written. It was most noticeable for me in the dialogue. There would be these large almost monologues without any break in between with subject changes. I’m not a writer, so I don’t know any technical descriptions, I just know that I kind of want them to pause…maybe shuffle their feet, or brush their hair back, or look at the other person, or have some internal thought. That’s the only way I know how to describe it, but in those instances it felt more like the debut novel that it is.
Now the characters I loved, despite them being super flawed for me. But there was so much going on there, it just kept me on the hook. Maxine was pretty easy for me to love right from the beginning, and in a strange twist for me I found myself getting cranky with her in the middle. There was so much to her, and I didn’t expect some of the emotional damage she had and how that would manifest into hangups. In some ways she was the stereotypical “guy” in this romance novel. I still love her, but I think by the end I found it harder and harder to connect with her (just personally). But I did appreciate how different she was from your typical romance heroine, and all the different things she brought to the table. She was that beautiful mix of strong and vulnerable, sassy and kind. And I loved that she was a plus sized woman who wasn’t hung up on her weight — the little bits of body positivity made me cheer!
On the other hand, I was worried I wasn’t going to love Jonathan at all. He starts off so cocky, and as a bit of a jerk. It took me much longer to warm up to him. But I kind of like that we got to see that whole perspective of him, b/c I think I judge some peacocky guys pretty harshly, and this gave me someone to humanize the guy behind the peacock (if that makes sense). PLUS, OMG, what he was dealing with?? Wow. I have a brother who suffers from the same mental illness, and I could see pieces of him in Jonathan. I LOVED Ms. Whynot’s note at the end about how she put pieces of her own experiences into Jonathan, but that it is just one manifestation. Regardless, it gave me so much to think about. And as someone who suffers from my own mental illness, I really loved the inherent positivity of this story — of showing that everyone deserves their own love story if they want it.
I will also say that through Jonathan we also got some great LGBT positivity as well. This book was just full of examples of how I want the world to look, how I want people to be.
I will admit that I was only so so on their steamy chemistry…there were some awkward moments there that might have been the writing thing that wasn’t working for me. But their connection? Their friendship that turned into love? Oh yeah, that was fantastic.
For the gamers and general nerds out there — I have a feeling this is going to be a love letter to you. I don’t have a whole gamut of nerdy tendencies, but I love watching folks geek out on what they love…and there was a shitton of that in this book. It was delightful, and I have a handful of friends I am IMMEDIATELY going to recommend this book to.
So yeah. A bit of a mixed bag, but I might be pickier than most about the writing thing. I think this book has an audience that is going to be clamouring for it, and I can’t wait to hear them geek out about it. And I can’t help but hope there’s a Norman book in the works… *hint hint*
January 30, 2021
I enjoyed this debut novel by author Ann Whynot.
The first half of this book really drew me in. The pacing felt right and kept me engaged. I fell in love with Jonathan, a.k.a. Wrath within the first few chapters. Maxine, a.k.a. Maximus_Damage, is a beautiful, strong woman overcoming a traumatic past. (Read: She's impossible not to cheer for.) I loved the tension and the epic nerdom. (Seriously, the next-level geekiness had me grinning from ear-to-ear.)
Whynot brings back some characters from previous Green Valley Library books that readers don't see very often, including Thuy (Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley) and Finley and Zeke (Shelf Awareness by Katie Ashley). She also introduces several new characters who are just begging to have their stories told.
One of the things I really liked about this book was the inclusion of voices I don't read often in romance.
I feel like much of this story takes place before the book begins. Wrath and Maximus_Damage have known each other for a decade. While he has never heard her voice, they've chatted in-game almost daily for ten years. They also met at a pretty vulnerable time in each of their lives when I imagine it's easy to form an attachment to someone who shows up day-after-day. I also think it's easy to form strong attachments to (maybe even love) someone you've only chatted with online. Ten years of nearly daily interactions can tell you a lot about someone. What's fascinating is Wrath sees his online antics as fun camaraderie while Maximus views Wrath as her arch nemesis. I guess that goes to show how much body language and tone - two things that don't come through a screen well- both matter.
While I loved the first half of the book, I got tripped up a bit in the second half. The pacing seemed to slow quite a bit, and the ending felt abrupt.
I'm eager to see what Whynot writes next.
3.5 stars
The first half of this book really drew me in. The pacing felt right and kept me engaged. I fell in love with Jonathan, a.k.a. Wrath within the first few chapters. Maxine, a.k.a. Maximus_Damage, is a beautiful, strong woman overcoming a traumatic past. (Read: She's impossible not to cheer for.) I loved the tension and the epic nerdom. (Seriously, the next-level geekiness had me grinning from ear-to-ear.)
Whynot brings back some characters from previous Green Valley Library books that readers don't see very often, including Thuy (Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley) and Finley and Zeke (Shelf Awareness by Katie Ashley). She also introduces several new characters who are just begging to have their stories told.
One of the things I really liked about this book was the inclusion of voices I don't read often in romance.
I feel like much of this story takes place before the book begins. Wrath and Maximus_Damage have known each other for a decade. While he has never heard her voice, they've chatted in-game almost daily for ten years. They also met at a pretty vulnerable time in each of their lives when I imagine it's easy to form an attachment to someone who shows up day-after-day. I also think it's easy to form strong attachments to (maybe even love) someone you've only chatted with online. Ten years of nearly daily interactions can tell you a lot about someone. What's fascinating is Wrath sees his online antics as fun camaraderie while Maximus views Wrath as her arch nemesis. I guess that goes to show how much body language and tone - two things that don't come through a screen well- both matter.
While I loved the first half of the book, I got tripped up a bit in the second half. The pacing seemed to slow quite a bit, and the ending felt abrupt.
I'm eager to see what Whynot writes next.
3.5 stars
January 30, 2021
What a delicious treat by Ann Whynot!
Maxine has been a gamer for a long tome, and she was respected as one of the best out there, though no one knew she's actually a woman. She used online games as a way of empowering herself after a violent incident in her past, but now she has organised an off-line meeting between some of the gamers in her guild, and that means outing herself, even to Wrath, her arch-nemesis and most hated guy around.
Things get a little complicated when the time of the meeting arrives, and the only one arriving to Green Valley is no other that Wrath, as all the rest have bailed out. And he's gorgeous as hell.
From there, we have two people who have known (and annoyed) each other for more than ten years and now have to spend four days together.
There are so many great things in this book that I'm not sure I'll be able to mention all of them. Maxine is a strong, sweet, caring and corageous woman trying to get over a nasty incident, and the anxiety and doubts about her physical appearance. Jonathan has been struggling with bipolar disease and anxiety for all his life, and he's excited to finally meet Maximus_Damage after ten years of friendship. But things didn't turn out as he expected, and all the mental work he's been doing for ten years went to nothing as soon as he saw Maxine holding a sign with his name. The second chapter is simply glorious.
Then we have wonderful friendships, and enemies to lovers romance, misogyny in the gamer world and how Maxine deals with it, all the mental health issues every character suffer from, and how they deal with them, long distance relationships, family, obligations, cosplays, games, and even a medieval fair and some Cletus Winston's sausages.
Seriously, it can't get better than this. This books was sweet, and cute, and funny, and raw, showing a character's meltdowns and how they deal with medications, therapists and family members. It's a delicious book, wonderfully written, and I hope they find great narrators for the audiobook, because I'm going to listen to this one quite a lot.
Maxine has been a gamer for a long tome, and she was respected as one of the best out there, though no one knew she's actually a woman. She used online games as a way of empowering herself after a violent incident in her past, but now she has organised an off-line meeting between some of the gamers in her guild, and that means outing herself, even to Wrath, her arch-nemesis and most hated guy around.
Things get a little complicated when the time of the meeting arrives, and the only one arriving to Green Valley is no other that Wrath, as all the rest have bailed out. And he's gorgeous as hell.
From there, we have two people who have known (and annoyed) each other for more than ten years and now have to spend four days together.
There are so many great things in this book that I'm not sure I'll be able to mention all of them. Maxine is a strong, sweet, caring and corageous woman trying to get over a nasty incident, and the anxiety and doubts about her physical appearance. Jonathan has been struggling with bipolar disease and anxiety for all his life, and he's excited to finally meet Maximus_Damage after ten years of friendship. But things didn't turn out as he expected, and all the mental work he's been doing for ten years went to nothing as soon as he saw Maxine holding a sign with his name. The second chapter is simply glorious.
Then we have wonderful friendships, and enemies to lovers romance, misogyny in the gamer world and how Maxine deals with it, all the mental health issues every character suffer from, and how they deal with them, long distance relationships, family, obligations, cosplays, games, and even a medieval fair and some Cletus Winston's sausages.
Seriously, it can't get better than this. This books was sweet, and cute, and funny, and raw, showing a character's meltdowns and how they deal with medications, therapists and family members. It's a delicious book, wonderfully written, and I hope they find great narrators for the audiobook, because I'm going to listen to this one quite a lot.
February 2, 2021
Straight up, I loved this book. I love...LOVE...when an author writes real life issues into their characters and gives me the opportunity to learn something. I don’t suffer from bipolar disorder like Jonathan, or know the extreme PTSD that Maxine has, but I could relate to these two characters on such an emotional and personal level. Reading this book was like meeting new friends for me.
That being said, the level of geekdom in this book is super high! I personally loved that about this book. The references in this book may be over some people’s head’s a bit, but that should not deter you from reading this fantastic debut work of art from Ann Whynot. She knocked it out of the park for me. I look forward to whatever other books in the future that will be coming from this author.
That being said, the level of geekdom in this book is super high! I personally loved that about this book. The references in this book may be over some people’s head’s a bit, but that should not deter you from reading this fantastic debut work of art from Ann Whynot. She knocked it out of the park for me. I look forward to whatever other books in the future that will be coming from this author.
February 15, 2021
***4 Stars***
New book in the Green Valley/Pennyverse? Yes, Please.
New to me author? Sure, I’m always down.
Enemies to lovers? Sure.
Characters that are a librarian and apart of the gaming world? Yup, my interest is definitely peaked.
And I gotta say, I really enjoyed this book. There were a few things that I definitely wasn’t expecting and really made me think, but I found this book to be a fascinating read with characters that definitely packed a punch.
I loved Maxine and Jonathan. Both of them have their own quirks, some that totally endeared me to them and some that had me going “Okay”, but they were both so relatable and fascinating. Both of them are so much more than anyone knows that I loved watching them evolve and become more.
Their journey to their HEA was definitely an interesting one. The whole enemies/frenemies to lovers is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Max and Jonathan’s journey ~ and that little twist tossed in at the beginning was definitely a good one ~ but once they figured out how to communicate with each other, things got a lot more fun and more deep. I honestly loved watching them become friends and then lovers and though they had quite a few obstacles to work through, I loved them together and was very happy with how it all worked out for them.
This was a great read for me in a lot of ways. I thought it was engaging, decently paced and I really liked the dual first person POV’s because Max and Jonathan are very complex characters. There are a few heavy subjects that play a huge part in their story. The obvious one is online relationships and the ups and downs that come with it. The other one is one that I’m not going to spoil for anyone, it’s nothing dark, but it is intense and I will admit that it was overwhelming for me since I have no personal experience with it, but I found it informative and had me honestly taking stock of how viewed it and it was definitely an eye opener.
And as far as the supporting cast of characters. I gotta say the author had some great people who helped to bring this story to life. I loved Norman, Lois and Elaine. We do get to spend a little time with the library crew, which was a whole lot of fun and there was a Cletus sighting ~ so, I’m a happy girl.
So, overall, I’m really happy I was given the opportunity to read this book and I’m going to keep an eye out to see what the author will come out with in the future.
~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
New book in the Green Valley/Pennyverse? Yes, Please.
New to me author? Sure, I’m always down.
Enemies to lovers? Sure.
Characters that are a librarian and apart of the gaming world? Yup, my interest is definitely peaked.
And I gotta say, I really enjoyed this book. There were a few things that I definitely wasn’t expecting and really made me think, but I found this book to be a fascinating read with characters that definitely packed a punch.
I loved Maxine and Jonathan. Both of them have their own quirks, some that totally endeared me to them and some that had me going “Okay”, but they were both so relatable and fascinating. Both of them are so much more than anyone knows that I loved watching them evolve and become more.
Their journey to their HEA was definitely an interesting one. The whole enemies/frenemies to lovers is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Max and Jonathan’s journey ~ and that little twist tossed in at the beginning was definitely a good one ~ but once they figured out how to communicate with each other, things got a lot more fun and more deep. I honestly loved watching them become friends and then lovers and though they had quite a few obstacles to work through, I loved them together and was very happy with how it all worked out for them.
This was a great read for me in a lot of ways. I thought it was engaging, decently paced and I really liked the dual first person POV’s because Max and Jonathan are very complex characters. There are a few heavy subjects that play a huge part in their story. The obvious one is online relationships and the ups and downs that come with it. The other one is one that I’m not going to spoil for anyone, it’s nothing dark, but it is intense and I will admit that it was overwhelming for me since I have no personal experience with it, but I found it informative and had me honestly taking stock of how viewed it and it was definitely an eye opener.
And as far as the supporting cast of characters. I gotta say the author had some great people who helped to bring this story to life. I loved Norman, Lois and Elaine. We do get to spend a little time with the library crew, which was a whole lot of fun and there was a Cletus sighting ~ so, I’m a happy girl.
So, overall, I’m really happy I was given the opportunity to read this book and I’m going to keep an eye out to see what the author will come out with in the future.
~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
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