Still reeling from their excruciating break-up, aspiring journalist Kian is stumped when his ex-boyfriend Hudson reaches out to him, asking for a favour: be his date to a family event with his ultra-rich parents to appease them. Kian is torn: On the one hand, he doesn’t want to let Hudson down but on the other, he doesn’t want to get his heart broken all over again. As the two grow closer again, the question arises: is fake dating your ex maybe the perfect segue into getting back together?
The premise of this book sounded amazing—two exes pretending to date to appease one’s parents? Sign me up! What a way to spin one of my all-time favourite romance tropes—fake dating—into something original. And there were lots of elements to the story I really enjoyed.
There are some really nuanced discussions about intersectionality, race and class (in the workplace and in day-to-day-life) that I thought were so intriguing and showcased Jackson’s talent as a writer. Hudson comes from a well-off family while Kian is struggling to make ends meet as he pursues his dream of becoming a well-acclaimed journalist. Heads butt together more than once and I loved these moments. Beyond that, there is a great cast of diverse secondary characters that could have warranted their own books with all the tidbits we learn about them. Divya, Kian’s best friend, for example, was an absolute highlight for me in this story. I would love to learn more about her in future books. On top of that, if you’re a fan of pop culture references and snappy one-liners, being in Kian’s mind will be a good time for you. Despite some repetitive narration, Kian was actually such a sweetheart to follow. Jackson really showcased the pain yet undeniable attraction Kian was still feeling for Hudson even after all those months. Kian also has this dry wit to him that made me chuckle to myself a few times and definitely made him a unique voice to follow.
Where things kind of fell apart for me was the actual second-chance romance part of this whole novel. This is obviously only my subjective experience, but for me to understand and enjoy a second-chance romance, I need to know what happened the first time around and why one party or both actually want to give their relationship another try. While we learn that it was Hudson who broke up with Kian, not knowing the reason made it hard for me to root for them to get back together. Similarly, we never really learn the motives for Hudson reaching out again and we don’t ever see a real apology for what has happened in the past or real resolution of the hurt that still lingers between them even though it causes Kian to lash out several times. I also had a hard time understanding why Kian would expose himself to all this pain again considering how devastated he was by the breakup. I wish we would have learned about their reasons for breaking up because not knowing made me feel like I was out of my depth and not really invested in Kian and Hudson getting back together. There is so much potential in this story but as a whole, I found myself wishing subplots—as well as the romantic past between Kian and Hudson—had been resolved in more detail instead of simply offering glimpses. Yet there’s still a lot about this story to love and I bet that readers will enjoy the banter between Hudson and Kian and the witty narrative voice!
Putting a fun twist on the beloved fake dating trope, Jackson’s romcom debut I’m So (Not) Over You offers snappy writing, complex characters and an ode to pop culture!
I’m So (Not) Over You is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of February 22nd 2022.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
It’s been months since aspiring journalist Kian Andrews has heard from his ex-boyfriend, Hudson Rivers, but an urgent text has them meeting at a café. Maybe Hudson wants to profusely apologize for the breakup. Or confess his undying love. . . But no, Hudson has a favor to ask–he wants Kian to pretend to be his boyfriend while his parents are in town, and Kian reluctantly agrees.
The dinner doesn’t go exactly as planned, and suddenly Kian is Hudson’s plus one to Georgia’s wedding of the season. Hudson comes from a wealthy family where reputation is everything, and he really can’t afford another mistake. If Kian goes, he’ll help Hudson preserve appearances and get the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in media. This could be the big career break Kian needs.
But their fake relationship is starting to feel like it might be more than a means to an end, and it’s time for both men to fact-check their feelings.
