𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒚. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅.

Declan is 28 years old and a total commitment phobe.
He had sworn off romance ever since he left his last boyfriend at the altar.
But lately he has grown tired of his no dating policy and wants to dip his toes in the dating pool again.
When he meets Sidney at a party, the first thing that intrigues him about them is their funky, red hipster glasses. When Sidney proposes that he should come onto their YouTube Channel and talk about his recent dating adventures he is certainly interested.
What could go wrong? They would be killing two birds with one stone.
Sydney provides him with dates, and he provides them with content.
A mutually benefitting partnership.

“𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂. 𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉.”
𝑰 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.
“𝑰 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒆.”

So Declan goes on a dating spree and talks about it on Sydney's advice show. But the only problem is, he isn't drawn to any of them as he is to Sydney.

Will Declan realize that the special someone he has been looking for, has been right under his nose all along?

Coupled with quirky meddling friends, geeky banter and failed dating adventures, this was one feel good read!
I loved how the author handled a non binary representation and mental health issues. Each character felt real, unique and relatable. The dialogue was trendy and light.
I especially loved the HFN ending, it fitted well with the characters and the storyline.

If you are looking for an LGBTQ+ book with some great representation, a YA vibe and a sweet romance, I definitely recommend this.

The Love Study is the first book in a new series by Kris Ripper. This book contains so much sweetness and tenderness. This is the hug (in the form of a book) you have been waiting for this whole time. Declan and Sydney are incredibly charming and will have you falling in love with them and their adorable relationship right from the start.

Declan, who swore off dating and romance after leaving his last boyfriend at the altar, finds himself on a Youtube show where he is the subject of a dating advice segment. Sydney, the Youtuber responsible for the show is also a non-dater and the two hit it off immediately. In the Love Study we follow their adorable courtship-friendship and get to swoon the whole way through it.

I enjoyed every part of this fluffy romantic comedy. It was sweet, gentle and involved a lot of open dialogue and communication from both MC’s. The care and understanding both Declan and Sydney gave to one another was really endearing. Unlike some of Kris’s other works, all s3x acts happen off page in The Love Study. Read this story and you’ll find yourself smiling the whole time. The book also contains such a great found family as well. 4 stars from me!

I'll give this a 2.5 rounded to a 3 based on the clever premise.

What I liked:
~ the friends -- both had supportive friends that were both loyal and quirky.

What wasn't as strong:
~everything else -- don't get me wrong, I thought the premise was awesome, and I enjoyed the people, but it just didn't seem to go anywhere. Even the romance (which didn't really gel for me) seemed aimless. It was a little too much like real life (in that there wasn't a strong beginning, middle, climax, resolution, ending).

All in all, I didn't love it, but it was okay.

plot: declan meets a non-binary youtuber, who asks him to be part of their new show: the love study. declan is supposed to go on a few dates and talk about his experiences on sydney's show, but after a while he realises that the only one he really wants to date is sydney.

3.5/5🌟: having a non-binary love interest is so very important and i was so excited to read this one. don't get me wrong, this was an enjoyable fast paced read, but it could have been so much more. nevertheless, there's great representation of all sexualities in this one, there's a bit of non-white representation, as well, but there unfortunately wasn't really a focus on that. the language that was used was amazingly non-binary friendly, as a nb person it felt great to read about a character, who has no problem at all with constantly using they/them pronouns and acknowledging that you can't tell a person's gender by just looking at them. it was the little things that really warmed my heart! for the first 80% the communication between declan and sidney was great and there wasn't really any drama happening, but then the so well known trope of the conflict happened and let's just say that i didn't like the execution of that. at last, finally this was a book not about teenagers, but about 20-something queer people. we need more of this. i started reading queer books when i was 13 and i absolutely adored high school books, but i'm 21 now and a huge part of the queer bookstagram community has grown too, we deserve more relatable reads like this one!

thanks to netgalley i got an early digital access copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'm rating on a curve with this one because I had some issues with how it's written, but it's the sweetest and I love how it puts the importance of communication and finding your own definition of what makes you happy on the forefront.
Poor Declan has so many issues and his friends don't really help when they always make his first introduction to people a poke at the source of those issues. And Sidney is a bit of an enigma that never quite gelled for me, but served as the perfect foil for Declan's neuroses.
In the end, it was more the overall message and Declan and his crazy friends that won me instead of the romance. Not exactly the best endorsement for a romance story, but trust me when I say that it's worth it just to see how well Ripper sets up a message of accepting yourself and being open to communicating your feelings.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for the early read.

"Dec, romance is… paying attention. You know? It’s listening and sharing and enjoying each other."

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Love Study in exchange for an honest review.

To start off with the characters in this book, I loved Declan! He was awkward in a funny way and had hilarious thoughts that we got to experience because this book is in first person. His nervous rambling was relatable and made me connect with his character.

”Have you ever cosplayed before?” Sidney asked.
“A few times, with friends.”
I batted my eyelashes at them. “I make a very fetching Princess Leia.”

Sidney was a bit more mysterious. It took a while for us to learn more about them, but when they opened up near the middle of the book I really enjoyed their personality. I do have to say I wish they opened up more! It still felt like I didn’t really know them well at the end of the book.

Unfortunately, one thing I wasn’t a fan of was Sidney and Declan’s chemistry, especially earlier on. While I enjoyed both of them individually and their interactions were always fun, throughout the novel they just didn’t seem to have a spark.

Of course, maybe that was the point because this book really focused on the mental health aspects of relationships and what makes people compatible. No spark doesn’t mean the relationship won’t ever work out, just like an initial connection doesn’t guarantee the couple will stay together.

That being said, I loved the mental health aspect of The Love Study. It addressed difficult real-life situations in a truthful and honest way and brought attention to things that we need to talk more about in society as a whole. One of my favourite points was how having problems with your mental health can be different for the LGBTQ+ community. The characters voiced concerns over how any advice they got from therapists was usually advice aimed at straight people and that any trained professionals wouldn’t be well versed in things like Body Dysmorphia or feeling pressured to get married when same-sex marriage became legal (in 2015 because the book is set in the US). That whole conversation was so interesting and was something I had never thought about before.

As for the side characters, most of them made up Declan’s friend group. They made this book 100 times better and every single scene with them was HILARIOUS. I loved how every friend brought a different quality to the table, especially because most Romances don’t feature a large cast of friends, just one or two best ones.

Overall: This was a really good read! While I wasn’t a fan of some aspects, overall I enjoyed it!

this was a cute read but the writing style just wasn't for me. the representation is important and parts definitely made me feel seen. but it just wasn't my favourite, i appreciate what it stand for though

I really enjoyed this book. It repeatedly made me laugh out loud, and I did not want in to end. I loved the premise of the YouTube advice show. I would have loved to see more of it when it was not about the protagonists. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

This contemporary romance was different than what I am used to because there was actually a ton of great communication about needs and consent, which is often absent from even the best romances. I really liked watching them figure out what they wanted, what worked for them, and watch didn’t. I love how it redefines what makes a relationship romantic for an individual and shows how toxic trying to mold a relationship into what is expected can be. This makes it sound heavy, but I really did laugh all the time. Declan makes goofy jokes and had puny phrases. And Sidney is so awesome. I highly recommend this is you want an interesting read.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

I absolutely loved this book. It had such a different take on relationships, how the two love interests figure out what they want from each other, and it was a fresh perspective on romance. I really loved that Declan and Sidney were given the space to figure out what they want- both as individuals and as a couple. Both have had some rough experiences and they aren’t taken lightly.

The friendship group in this book is top tier. I loved them so much. Plus their group title made me laugh every time I read it. It was really cool to see our main character and his ex be actual friends. I feel like often those relationships are shown as “friends” but they were both very supportive of each other with no jealousy from Mason.

The Youtube series aspect of the story was so much fun in my opinion. I liked their discussions of the dates and the scale of compatibility for each person. Plus Sidney’s subscribers shipping them and Declan was just so funny for me.

Highly recommend for romance lovers who are looking for something a little new.

This is a classic "it's not the book, it's me" situation. At least I think so.

There was loads that drew me to this book when I first stumbled upon it: the diverse cast of queer characters, the romantic comedy aspect (I've never read a romantic comedy with a genderqueer character and was READY), the premise of the youtube show etc. etc.

Speaking of the Youtube show... I mean, the Love Study is the name of the book, right?
Somehow, the Love Study only went on for three dates because that's how long it took for the Protagonist to confess his feelings for the show's host and so they started dating. I would have loved more build up here. Because two people who both freely expressed that they didn't date, this... happened quite fast?

I did like the negotiations they had about how they wanted to define what they had because every relationship does not need to be textbook. But it sort of just got... A LOT. I felt like half of the book was just discussing the state of the relationship.

A lot of this book is dialogue - which I don't hate! - but it felt often stilted and unnatural to me. More than once I had to read and re-read a sentence and thought "would anyone really say that like that?". Sometimes, the conversations also felt a little like going in circles. There was some definite repetition in here. And for some reason I was really bothered when either the MC or the Love Interest said things like "there is an innuendo in here but I can't find it". Because that happened more than once and I wasn't sure if the author tried and couldn't find it or if ze didn't try?

The fact that they did always try to find innuendo in everything also felt a bit... immature I suppose. I am all for sex positivity in books but in this case I thought it was weirdly inappropriate because they found innuendo in everything (or didn't) while also having very "psychotherapist-y" conversations. Generally they felt more like college students to me. Early 20s instead of almost 30 what with Sidney's "graveyard of veggies" and both of their tiny living quarters. I just found myself not being able to relate to their situation at all, which also added to my confusion.

Lastly, I felt like at this point - after reading this book - all I really know about the characters is the kind of relationship they want to have, that they both live in tiny quarters and that Declan can cook and left his last boyfriend at the alter and that Sidney does Youtube. I wasn't able to connect to them at all, which, seeing as most of the book was dialogue between those two is a bit unfortunate.

I am sure there are a lot of people who will enjoy this, but sadly it just wasn't for me.

<i>Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Declan's chances at love weren't looking too great after he left his to-be-husband at the alter. But when he meets Sidney, a nonbinary YouTuber, a new opportunity arises: he can participate in Sidney's series The Love Study, where they put the participant on dates with various people. However, The Love Study doesn't go exactly as planned...

I'm going to start this review off by simply saying this book just wasn't for me. The premise did sound interesting to me, but I tend to prefer romance novels that have more depth and substance to them than just the central romance. (However, if you are looking for a rather lighthearted, comedic romance novel with great representation, this one is for you!) I really wanted to see conflict that was related to more than just Sidney and Declan. My other issue was with the writing itself. I felt like the characters talked (and in Declan's case, thought) in a way that seemed much younger than the age they were supposed to be. As someone who tends to be a bit more serious, I really wasn't a big fan of vocabulary such as "amazeballs." It didn't necessarily distract me from the story, but I did think it was a bit childish. But hey, that's just my personal preference.

Other than that, I appreciated the diversity in characters. If you're looking for a book that has a wide range of LGBTQ+ identities, this one definitely achieves that. I also thought there were quite a few sweet, touching moments. I'm not exactly sure why I struggled so much with <i>The Love Study</i> (I'm going to assume it was mainly the characters and the writing style), but I do think someone who enjoys a much more casual form of writing would like this one.

<i>This review will also be posted to Goodreads on 8/29/20 and will also be briefly discussed on my YouTube channel at the beginning of September.</i>

‘The Love Study’ centers around our narrator, Declan, and his awesome queer found family. Readers are privy to his every thought, which makes this tale realistic and highly relatable; both for readers within the queer community and for anyone who has ever been slightly awkward or felt anxiety.

The cast of characters are all in their mid- to upper-twenties and use adult language accordingly. Though the actual romance is fade-to-black, the characters are sex-positive and openly discuss various aspects of queer life, both in and out of the bedroom.

I really enjoyed that the plot was centered around Declan’s fear, insecurities, and awkwardness, and also hopefulness about dating and his friends helping him get through it, rather than on the queer identities of the cast. The effects of homophobia and transphobia on their lives is mentioned, but it is not the through-line of the story. There is an actual plot here.

Declan’s best known for leaving his best friend at the altar, something Mason has long since forgiven him for. But even though his tight friend group means well, he’s done with the past. But the past isn’t done with him. He’s not into commitment with people or jobs, and when a new arrival to the friend group suggests Declan come on their YouTube show for a series on dating, it sounds great. Viewers eat it up. But the host, Sidney, is smart, thoughtful, and good at their job giving advice to callers, and the blind dates Sidney sends Declan on aren’t nearly as fun as simply being with Sidney. Can Declan put his anxiety aside and make this thing work out?

The Love Study is heartfelt, earnest, and engaging, and what sets it apart is the close-knit relationships among Declan and the secondary characters. And there’s no way not to root for Declan. The novel is first-person, he’s guileless, and he’s a well-developed character. And a great cook, too. Ripper’s next book takes place in this same universe, focusing on the misanthrope of the group. I’m psyched for that one and think this was a delightful way to spend an evening. Heat level: slow burn, excellent repartee, bunch of double entendres, but nothing explicit. This title is a solid win for Harlequin’s Carina line.

Thank you to the author, Harlequin - Carina Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a strong premise, and I really wanted to like it - my first book with non-binary, GQ people as the main characters. It took me a while to not stumble over the they/them pronouns, but that's all for the good and it helped me gain understanding of the weight pronoun misuse carries in the LGBTQ spectrum. Lots of emphasis in the story on opening up about feelings, and the difference between relationship/friendship and the sexual aspect, which was good. I also enjoyed the ease of the friendship group, and the voice of Declan, who told the story. But, and this is a big but: These are supposed to be people in their mid- to late 20s, and the story reads like they're a bunch of teenagers. I just could not with the giggling, and the teenage issues of identity, awkwardness and emotional maturity would be more at home in a YA format.

The Love Study by Kris Ripper was my first non-binary read. Quite honestly it took me a little bit to get used it. I had to remember that the use of they meant one person and not a group of people. Once I got past that, the premise behind this story was interesting and oozed comic relief and DRAMA.
This book was a whole movement. It read like a coming of age story, we except that the characters were grown. It wasn't so much the exploration piece, but the growing kind, the kind of story that really makes you think about your life and your choices.
The writing style makes it feel almost like a journal where I believe it would be easily enjoyed by teenagers.
I highly recommend this book if only to gain a different perspective and learn a few things.
Special thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review

The Love Study is an experiment in queer dating in the 21st century. With a great friend group, Declan has just about everything he wants. He doesn't want or need a committed relationship like some people and he loves his temp job because he doesn't like to be tied down. When he meets Sidney, a genderqueer Youtuber, he agrees to go on their channel to do a dating experiment to help others. What he doesn't expect is the feelings he develops for them.

This story was super cute! I really enjoyed Declan's forays into dating and his journey to define what a relationship looks like for him. I think the main takeaway from this book is that all types of definitions and dating behaviors are valid, as long as both (or all) parties agree and feel comfortable with the decision! Declan and Sidney's relationship definitely doesn't fit the general "mold" that heteronormative society prescribes to, and that. is. okay.

I enjoyed that both Declan and Sidney tried really hard to be sensitive to each others opinions, feelings, and thoughts. However, it got in the way of their communication most times, because in the effort of being open and accepting to the other person, they stopped being true to themselves. It can be hard to buck traditional gender and dating roles, because it gives structure to the relationship and how to act in it. Finding a good balance is what Declan and Sidney struggled with throughout the book, but their journey to discovering each other was very insightful and informative.

This is a type of relationship that doesn't get written about often because it doesn't fit the general model. But truly, more genderqueer/nonbinary/LGBTQ relationships should be written about so it becomes more accepted, understood, and validated.

**Thank you to Carina Press and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

I really wanted to like this book (the blurb/premise sounded amazing) but I just could not connect with the characters. I struggled to sympathise with them and feel interested in the story.
Thank you to Harlequin Carina Press and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

DNF-ed at 20%

I really tried to get into this book, but I think I wasn't the targeted audience for it. Not the queer representation or the topic, because those are what got me interested anyway, but the characters themselves. I find that there's a stark difference between almost 40-something millenials (like me) and mid- and late- 20's millenials (Declan, Sidney, and crew). I just couldn't really connect with them. I usually try to get through halfway to the book before deciding if I want to finish, but even getting to 20% was a chore. And honestly, if I can move on and forgive my ex-husband for leaving me and be friends and NOT mention it every time we're together, I firmly believe that Mason and Co. could have done the same thing. I was so tired of hearing how Declan left Mason at the altar, especially since it happened SIX. YEARS. AGO. Let's move on, sweeties.

I didn't want to rate it because the book isn't a bad book, it's just not for me. And that's okay. Not every book out there has to be.

J'avais été vraiment emballée par le synopsis de ce roman. Malheureusement, je n'ai jamais réussi à rentrer dedans et pourtant j'ai repris deux fois ma lecture.

J'ai eu du mal avec le style de l'auteur, mais également avec le fait qu'un des deux personnages principaux se caractérise par des pronoms au pluriel (they/them/their). Franchement, à la lecture, j'avais du mal...

J'ai du abandonné ce livre. Comme je le disais, ça avait l'air sympa mais dans ce genre de comédie romantique, si je n'accroche pas un minimum avec les deux personnages, ça ne le fait pas du tout.

I had a hard time with this books grammar. Let me start that I am an English teacher, so I am highly sensitive and do correct everyone’s grammar. Both my best friend and two uncles are gay. No prejudices here.
I have difficulty reading a book with plural pronouns referring to a singular person. I kept stopping and wondering whom they/them/their was referring. Sidney is one person. Not multiple. I’m 45 yrs old, two teen daughters- maybe I still need to get with the times, but I couldn’t get past this to enjoy the storyline.