Reviews

I was pretty disappointed by this, to be honest.
It's about these 2 young girls - cousins - who have the magic to create the chance for people to fall in love, they're sort of Cupids in a way but in a more consensual sort of way? Anyways.

What drawn me to it was that it gave me Zack & Cody vibes. Two cousins basically brought up like sisters, who live in a hotel and find themselves in messy situations. Great, right?
But that's where the appeal ended and so did my enjoyment of the story.

Right from the very beginning, I had the impression that these relationships were forced on me? ("me" as in "the reader"). Cora didn't seem to be interested in boys and yet, at the first chance the author got, there you have it, a boy who talks to her once and now we have a love interest situation that had no business being there, it was so unnecessary.
And the second thing that rubbed me the wrong way was how all the relationships portrayed (the parents, Cora and the boy, the couples the two Cupids are making fall in love) were 100% straight and Claire Kann has so far written YA books with queer characters, so why stop now? Only because it is a middle grade book instead of a YA? Because we couldn't entertain the idea of having queer kids or having queer couples the kids could come in contact with? It really, really irked me.

I dnf'ed on third of the way through.

bookedoncharity's review against another edition

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challenging funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

anniekslibrary's review

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3.0

I'm feeling really conflicted about this book. At first, I thought this might be a 5 star read, because I was so drawn in by the story. It was so cute, so magical, so charming. I also did think this was very well written. However, I thought the book lacked some substance. I thought the plot felt a little boring, a little insignificant. And I truly did think Claire Kann, after having written several books with themes of asexuality, would subvert the matchmaking trope more, and maybe delve into aromanticism. I was kind of counting on it, honestly. And sure, the book did state a couple of times that matchmaking isn't just romantic, but these were all commented in passing, and I was really hoping for a little more of a conversation surrounding that.

jmross10's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Full review withheld in solidarity with the Harper Collins Union.

Post contract resolution update (Jun 2023).

I absolutely adored this story! I thought it was so cute and charming. I love that the two main characters are being empowered on their journeys both separately and together. I really appreciated that it wasn't super predictable and that while it's obviously for a younger audience, it could enjoyed someone beyond that age range.

I think there is real potential in this series and I honestly can't wait to see where it goes next. It really is so wholesome and heartfelt. I can't recommend it enough and I genuinely wish it got more attention than I feel like it does. Claire Kann knocked it out of the park with this one!

This book was provided to my free of charge by NetGalley in turn for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

pussreboots's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

mistressviolet's review

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was a cute, lighthearted, middle grade romance, steeped in magic realism. The adventurous escapades of the main characters, as well as the infusion of magic throughout the book, mark it as one of the more engaging romances that I've read.

Great diversity in the characters. Light and appropriate for middle grade readers.

danaslitlist's review

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I tend to not have any problems reading and enjoying middle grade books, but I did have a bit of trouble getting into this. At the times the dialogue was a bit too young for characters in the 8th grade. I can’t and won’t fault the book too much for this since I’m not the target audience though.

I was impressed by the stakes in this book are incredibly high and I wasn’t expecting such a serious undertone but I was pleasantly surprised.

The jumping between Rose and Cora’s thoughts and actions mid chapter without any distinction was very confusing. And I’m not talking POV, I’m talking it would go from how Rose felt about a situation to how Cora reacted and what Cora was thinking in the next paragraph. There even appears to be a few instances in the text where the names are swapped (or maybe I just was confused).

However I liked the characters a lot. Cora and Rose being so different and yet so similar was adorable. I think the author did a wonderful job of having them feed off of each other’s energies.

The pacing was off for me as well which kinda drags the book down. However I believe most of this has to do with the author establishing a world, rules and magic system. And because of that, I have faith the future books in the series will be better!

Overall this a quick, warm hearted read for anyone who loves love of all kinds. While I didn’t absolutely adore it, I think it’s cute and many readers will enjoy it!

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