The Introvert's Guide to Online Dating by Emma Hart -> Starting September 8th, 2021

[Alaina]

Online dating: the act in which you try to avoid the catfishes and D pics. And try not to get caught hooking up with your best friend’s brother.

With all my best friends off the market, it’s time that I, Tori Sussex, join them.
So where better to find my future husband than the internet? It’s great. I get to get all the awkward stuff out of the way and already know if I’m going to like the guy before we meet in person.

It’s a shame nothing is ever that simple.
My relationship with Colton Lane is the very definition of complicated—dirty little no-strings-attached hook-ups we’ve somehow managed to keep secret from all our friends for the past six months. We’re bound to get caught, and if I’m serious about dating, I only have one choice.

Call it quits. End our little covert booty calls for good. Tell him my parking space is off-limits to him.
It should be easy. It should be simple.
And I’m sure it would be… If only I wasn’t in love with him.

[Alaina]

Starting this now!

[Alaina]

16%: (view spoiler)[Wow things are pretty hot and heavy. I also figured that feelings would be developed during these booty calls. Can't wait for them both to acknowledge it. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

40%: (view spoiler)[So much sexual tension between them. Ugh, just be together people! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

74%: (view spoiler)[YAY HE SAID WHAT HE SAID AND NOW THEY CAN BE TOGETHER! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

100%: (view spoiler)[Okay that was a cute romance book. I'm glad that they got together in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Sorry that I'm a little late! I wasn't feeling well for several days and I got off track with my reading. Trying to play catch-up now. =)

19% (view spoiler)[Haha. Oh lord, I loved the intro. Grandmas making penises out of clay. So perfect. I absolutely love quirky and innappropriate elderly people in my romcoms. They make things so interesting.

I've read several of Emma Hart's books and while I really love her writing because her books are always funny, they are way too fast-paced for my liking.

Tori is such a good friend! I really love strong female friendships. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "16%: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, I agree. Things got hot and heavy pretty quickly. But this couple has been hooking up for months now so it's not like they are just getting to know each other. I really love Emma Hart's writing but her books are way too short for my liking. I don't like things are too fast-paced normally, but her books make me smile and laugh so I still read them anyway. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

40% (view spoiler)[I admit, I'm a little confused about this friend group. I feel like there were other books that I missed reading about the other characters. Maybe there are? I'll have to look back and see. So Colton's sister is in a relationship with his best friend. And Tori's best friend is married to Kai, who is also friends with Colton? And then there was another girl, Holly? I don't know. I'm just totally confused about everyone at the moment. Hopefully, it will all click if I read a bit more.

Okay, yes. I checked and there are several other books about the other characters.

Colton got pretty prickly when he heard that Tori went on a date. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "40%: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I have to agree. These two have more feelings than they will admit. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "Sorry that I'm a little late! I wasn't feeling well for several days and I got off track with my reading. Trying to play catch-up now. =)..."

Haha I love the grandma! Also, I'm like always playing catch up when it comes to books.

[Alaina]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "Alaina wrote: "16%: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Yeah, that's true.

[Alaina]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "40% ..."

If there is let me know! That way we can read those books lol

[Alaina]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "Alaina wrote: "40%: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

I just want them to say it loud and proud!

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

60% (view spoiler)[Tori just needs to come clean about how she feels about Colton. She is so upset about Colton's date. And their texting breakup fight later that night was a little immature. But I get it. Suppressed feelings and jealousy makes people lash out. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "Sorry that I'm a little late! I wasn't feeling well for several days and I got off track with my reading. Trying to play catch-up now. =)..."

Haha I love the grandma! Also, I'm l..."

The grandma is the best! I adore eccentric and quirky elderly people in books. They always crack me up or make me smile.

[Alaina]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "60% [spoilers removed]"

Ugh, yes, these two just need to TALK

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "40% ..."

If there is let me know! That way we can read those books lol"

Ooh, here they are. At least, the ones I could find. I don't know if this is all the characters since there were so many side characters.



I'd totally love to read them. The Girl Next Door book and the prequel were first and then the Bookworm series. Did you want to set up any buddy reads for any of these for next month? I am all booked up for the rest of September but I haven't scheduled any buddy reads for October yet. =)

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "Alaina wrote: "40%: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

I just want them to say it loud and proud!"

For real.

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

81% (view spoiler)[Well, Colton was finally the smarter of the two and told her how he feels. Yay for Colton!

Okay, I think I agree that grocery shopping together may not be the best first date. =P

Uh oh. Narrowly avoiding a mishap in their relationship so soon. At least this time they actually talked it out right away and Tori didn't stew about it causing unnecessary conflict. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "74%: [spoilers removed]"

Yes! Finally.

[Alaina]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "81%..."

HAHAH THAT DATE THOUGH

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Finished! (view spoiler)[Haha, oh lord, Colton is REALLY bad with babies. It's actually pretty funny how awkward he is.

Overall, I am kind of on the fence about this one. On one hand, I really love the author's writing style in terms of banter and dialogue. It's witty and funny, which I love. On the other hand, this book felt like it had no plot whatsoever. The story mechanics needed so much work, to me. The couple was already hooking up at the start of the book so we don't get to experience the "getting to know you" phase. I think that took a lot of the emotional connection to the characters away. There also wasn't any real conflict in the story. Other than them realizing that they were probably in love and then one conversation cleared that up. And it felt like the entire story petered out after that anyway. Like, there was almost no point in continuing after that because nothing else really happens. There was no real resolution. I think that I am going to rate this 2.5 stars, which is really low for me. I actually hardly rate a book below a 4, occasionally a three. I am usually pretty good at picking books that I know I will like. Not that I didn't like some things about this story, it is just that there were a lot of things that I didn't like as well. I have read several other books by this author that I enjoyed so I am kind of surprised that I didn't like this one as much as I thought I would. I still want to read the books with the other characters though. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Alaina wrote: "100%: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, I am glad that they sorted things out. Though, I felt that the ending was a little too anticlimactic. (hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

Oh hey, I actually read this over the weekend and didn't realize there was a buddy read. Can I still add comments for this even though I finished it on Saturday?

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Melanie wrote: "Oh hey, I actually read this over the weekend and didn't realize there was a buddy read. Can I still add comments for this even though I finished it on Saturday?"

Sure! This one started less than a week ago so it isn't "expired" yet. Go ahead and add your thoughts. =)

[Melanie]

Forgot to add my comments for this, doing so now (thanking past me for taking notes as I read).

12%
(view spoiler)[
Wow, this is a lot steamier than I was expecting it to be and I am loving it. The chemistry between these two is fantastic.

Also I love the chickens' names so much. More chicken content please.
(hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

46%
(view spoiler)[
Yay more chicken content! I love quirky animals in books, so I think these chickens are great. Their names get better and better. I think Meryl Cheep is my favorite.

There are so damn many side characters in this book. Not reading the original series first was a mistake as I know nothing about these people and I feel like I'm supposed to.

The texts between Tori and Colton while she's on a terrible blind date were cute. This is the kind of banter I want more of in their relationship.
(hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

73%
(view spoiler)[
Took them long enough. I hate communication issues in romances and these two had them in spades. I did enjoy the scene where Colton finally admitted everything though.

But also how is there still a quarter of the book left?! I feel like at most there should be a scenes or two left not this much.
(hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

Finished.
(view spoiler)[
Just have to say I feel like the last 25% of this book was pointless. I don't need to see them struggle on a first date.

Ultimately the communication issues for the first 75% of their romance dropped this a full star. I just kept getting frustrated with them which meant I wasn't enjoying the book as much. It had it's moments so I'll give it a 3 stars but it could have been higher.

Also, the epilogue? Yes Tori, get chickens. Lots of chickens with cute names.
(hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

Also, I would be interested in continuing the series. Would either of you be interested in reading books 2 & 3 in October?

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Melanie wrote: "Forgot to add my comments for this, doing so now (thanking past me for taking notes as I read).

12%"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, I loved the chickens. =) (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Melanie wrote: "46%"

(view spoiler)[I felt the exact same way. I didn't realize that there was another series and another book ahead of this series with connecting characters or I would have read those first. I felt so lost with all the characters in this book, sadly. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Melanie wrote: "73%"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, I didn't like the pacing in this book. It felt like things were resolved but then the book kept on going with no real plot or point. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Melanie wrote: "Finished.

(view spoiler)[Yeah, I felt like the plot could have used some refining. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Melanie wrote: "Also, I would be interested in continuing the series. Would either of you be interested in reading books 2 & 3 in October?

[bookcover:The..."

I think that I am going to go back and read the other series and the other book before this series before I come back to this one. Sorry. And I didn't put any of those books on my October TBR so it will be a while yet before I'm ready.