Suzanne Park is a unique voice, and this story about gaming companies and culture really blew me away. The characters, particularly Melody, are quirky and interesting, and the pressure of the game launch is a really effective narrative thread that builds tension and had me turning the pages long after I should've stopped for the night.

I really admire the deftness with which the author deals with multiple different issues: the toxicity of male chauvinism in the workplace, nepotism, harmful stereotypes (gender, racial, etc.), and the difficulty of labels. The romance definitely takes a backseat to the previously mentioned issues, and I have to say Nolan is possibly the least interesting guy in the story, but the other males more than made up for it.

I know a little about some of the doxxing that's been leveled at female gamers and female critics of gaming culture over the past decade, and I applaud the author for doing such a great job of demonstrating the mental, emotional and even physical effects of this horrible behavior. This is an important book, one I wish every gamer was forced to read. Four solid stars for this book (and I should mention as well - this author's style reminds me more than a little of Helen Hoang, so Hoang fans, take note!).

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

This was a face-paced, sweet romance. I enjoyed this very quick read with relatable characters. There was a lot of pride and prejudice, haha. I didn't realize until I finished this, but it was a pretty clean read.

A fun and fast-moving romance that features a young woman trying to build a career in the world of computer gaming. I enjoyed the romance, but even more, I appreciated the way the author features the ways women and Asian women are so often stereotyped and overlooked. It wasn't heavy handed, but it definitely added depth to the story. Looking forward to recommending this.

Loved this novel! Original, quirky character with a sarcastic sense of humor who is thrown into a bunch of situations where she has to think on her feet and be willing to speak up or be knocked down and pummeled. She is definitely tough enough; I really liked her! I would read this author again!

I liked this one so much. For a good chunk of it, I saw a lot of similarities with Christina Lauren's Hating You/Dating You but then the plot turned and I enjoyed all of the fresh material. (Because of those similarities though, it was clear that Ian was behind the leaks.)

It was obvious to me that this was well-researched. Though I enjoy video games, I don't know shit about how they are made. Those skills are beyond me, so it was fun to see these characters describe the ins and outs of game production. I also felt this was a very real portrayal of how it is to not be a cis het white man in the world in general.

The romance was sweet. Nolan is lovely. I enjoyed the enemies-to-friends arc with Asher. Kat was a great work friend and mentor. This was a really good read and I'll recommend it to my other nerdy friends.

I got angry at this book for all the right reasons, and I really loved reading it! I like that the romance wasn't the central part of the book and that the characters were actually developed. There were some time skips that weren't super clear at times, but it worked out really well. I loved the ending and how it ties everything together! The look into the gaming industry was cool and I love how much research the author put into it. Highly recommend!

Fast-paced and funny, LOATHE AT FIRST SIGHT is a rom-com that doesn't shy away from serious issues. The protagonist Melody is a new employee at a gaming company who often finds herself trotted out for the company's diversity initiatives, both because she's a woman and because of her Korean heritage. When she becomes lead producer on a game catering to women gamers (a game that she came up with as a satiric joke), she quickly becomes the target of an online smear campaign. The abuse leveled against Melody by these online trolls is awful—and all too real. As much as I enjoyed Melody's dance around a relationship with her attractive, well-connected intern, it was the misogyny and racism she encountered at work and online that really got me fired up. I was rooting Melody the whole way!

Cute little cozy romance, in the same vein as Sophie Kinsella and other fun and easy romance writers. Good for a rainy day when you need a little pick me up.

This book isn’t what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to funny and with an enemy to lovers romance. It went over the top with the toxic work environment (while I absolutely understand and have seen/experienced first hand these type of things) it was just too repetitive in the book. I just felt bad for the main character the entire time, she never gets a break. It’s not a terrible book, it’s just not what I was looking for and the synopsis made me think it would be something different. Barely any romance and just more about work environment and stereotypes.

Melody's character was great and easy to root for (but it was a struggle reading about some of the bad things that happened to her, especially the doxxing), and I really appreciated the depiction of how hard it is being a woman of color in the world but especially in male dominated industries. I could just feel the frustration and uncertainty of figuring out the balance of trying to be assertive and not allowing people to walk all over you while hoping that it's not taking it too far while struggling not to over apologize. It's definitely relatable!

This book could use with a bit more polishing, especially since there was so much unnecessary detail while ultimately some things never felt properly resolved.

Too many women will relate to Melody’s story of being belittled, bullied and bulldozed in the workplace. Melody takes this, along with a horrific case of cyber bullying and harassment, and by the end becomes a polished, respected heroine who works hard to help others struggling with these issues. A great book for women who game, work in tech, or who just need a good wholesome story of a badass lady succeeding at life.

This was kinda an intense book for me to read. I liked the main characters but didn't love reading about how the main character was doxxed so badly. I know it's a main and important plot point, it was just a lot to take in at times. The author did a good job of incorporating all of that in while still maintaining levity to the story. There were a few plot points that ended without enough explanation for me (why did everyone leave the engagement party??) so that was distracting for me a few times. I also wouldn't say this is strictly a romance novel. While that was a key point, I didn't find it to be the main drive of the novel. I would read another novel by this author but I would hope it would be slightly more polished. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

This is the second book by Suzanne Park that I've read lately and I was disappointed. The plot seemed forced and the male interest was somewhat flat.

To be honest, I did not finish this novel.

An eye opening look at the world of video game development and the challenges of being a woman (a minority woman!) in a man's world. It is impossible not to root for Melody. Through her work struggles, medelling parents, and trying not to fall for the intern, Melody's journey is full of frustration, self-revelations, and entertainment!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loathe at First Sight isn't a romance novel. Which is fine! However, it has all the trimmings of a Kiss Quotient, and readers know what to expect when they see the color block covers. The story is more about Melody Joo working in the game industry. She doesn't have a gaming background and is surrounded by boy monsters. I truly felt for Melody. She's funny and smart and Park does a great job writing about that horrible, female thought process of "I need to put my foot down at work but oh God now I've offended someone but I shouldn't apologize because a man wouldn't but I'm still a human being with a heart and ugh."

Pacing in this story also threw me for a loop. There's a lot of detail about getting into cars/finding parking/moving furniture. Little details are great for flavor, but there's more attention to office life minutiae than secondary characters or the love interest. Side plotlines that could span chapters are packed into a couple of pages. All of the drama was done away with so quickly, so when those plot points returned it was hard to stay interested.

First of all, thank you so much for the ARC of this book. I loved the cover and the teaser intrigued me as a potential book for our high school library. Gamer girl, a little flirty romance, both appealing to my YA audience.
Parks' development of Melody Joo is so hilarious and believable. I see her as a woman who could fit into a film like "Bridesmaids." Melody's language, unapologetic love of junk food, and tenacity blend together to make a great basis for the narrative. Her "co-star," Nathan was loveable and said alllllll the things a girl wants to hear (in a romance novel that depicts guys as sensitive, caring, loveable, hunky, sexy, fun creatures). I give him a 10. I think the title was a little misleading, as the most loathsome fellows in the book are her ridiculous boss, Ian, and her officemate Asher.
This book's true conflict centers not squarely on romance but on cyberbullying, internet trolling, and sexism in the workplace and in the 'gaming' world. Parks does a good job and fleshing that out for a 'non-gamer' reader and I felt worried for Melody as things escalated in that realm. I think she balanced Nathan's involvement well, not too 'knight in shining armor, swooping in to take care of things.' There was a great deal of gumption and courage on Melody's part to stick things out and find a positive solution. I like that she spoke her mind and in the end, it all works out for her.
As far as a YA audience goes, I think they would enjoy it. It addresses career speculation and risk-taking, girls standing up for themselves, and the game developing company and Seattle setting are attractive draws. There isn't anything too sexual, even if the game she develops does involve male strippers. Haha!

Nerdy and a cute, I liked the premise for this book. I like the fact that it takes on the issue of gender and gaming, since the stereotype (which is totally mentioned and fully onset in the novel) of gaming and the gaming word being male dominated and without the interest of females. I felt that most of the plot was too much a build up, and it did feel like a very slow read in terms of the story line being slow itself. I still enjoyed it and and thought it a fun and easy read.