Comment

May 11, 2020librarianjessica rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This was such a fun, light romp that I think most bookworms can probably relate to. Nina Hill is alone, and she likes it that way. She's a bookworm who works at a bookstore, a trivia master, a perpetual organizer whose life always goes according to schedule. But two things happen in Nina's life at once: she discovers a long-lost family through the father she didn't know she had, and she develops a crush on a rival trivia player, Tom. Nina is forced to decide whether being alone is actually all it's cracked up to be, or whether, if she opens her heart, she may find that people aren't all as bad as she thinks. This one hits home for me in many ways, and I relate really hard with Nina. I suffer from what can be pretty intense anxiety, I love to plan, I'd rather read with my dog at home than go meet friends on a Thursday night. I've had people who make me think that maybe I could include them in my alone time, and most of the time, it falls apart, because I prioritize my me time, and that's just the end of that. For Nina, this changes (spoilers, I guess, but also...you saw it coming), and it's pretty great to experience that change along with her as her new family and her relationship bring her out of her shell. Overall, this one is just a lot of fun - there are some interesting, hilarious scenes, including but not limited to: a wedding with a camel; some cannabis-infused baked goods as well as a food fight; and a K.I.T.T. Knight Rider car (not all at once, don't worry). It's all unexpected and funny while also being very lighthearted and predictable in ways that contemporary fic usually is. A highlight of this one for me were the planner pages at the start of most of the chapters. I LOVE PLANNING. And being able to see Nina plan her days and then read about them unfolding, either in the ways she planned them or not, was so satisfying. Ultimately, I guess, this is good for readers who like fluffy fic that conforms to expectations but also involves them deeply in the MC's life. As a bookworm, I saw a lot of myself in Nina, and I really enjoyed experiencing her days with her. Keeping the hope alive that one day someone will come along who is as good to be with as being alone is a daily struggle, and I think I read this one at the right time, because I often don't enjoy being presented with these ideal situations that never happen in real life. I don't know if I believe they exist, or that those people exist. But for now, for today, I can live in this fun dream world with Tom and Nina.