My feelings regarding I'm So Not Over You are very middle of the road. I was really intrigued by both the cover and the synopsis of this book (i'm a graphic designer so covers are my THING and this one is great!) however, I just don't think the plot or characters worked for me. I so greatly enjoyed the representation of black queer love stories done by Jackson and will try this author again some time!

I wanted to love this book but it just didn't click for me. Without a reason for their break-up, I found it hard to root for Kian and Hudson and Kian isn't a very likable narrator. The premise had a lot of promise but the story didn't deliver.

Really cute and romantic read. Lots of humor and heart! Will definitely recommend to any contemporary romcom fan! 4.5 stars!

The tension and heat are perfectly balanced in this sweet bit snarky rom com. Perfect for new adult collections.

This combination of tropes just did not work for me! This was not only a fake dating trope, but also a second chance romance trope, neither of which I care for. Especially second chance romance, I need a lot of explanation to understand why the characters feel the need to get back together and there was ZERO in here. I also HATED the third-act break up because we were already doing a second chance romance and a third felt so unnecessary.

That being said, I loved the humor in this book. I felt like the author seamlessly wove in pop culture references that didn't make me want to cringe into myself, and the banter between the characters was just the right amount of angsty.

I think this book is for someone, it just wasn't for me!

I enjoyed reading the book. Loved the Black Queer representation. commentary on being Queer in the south & Boston, Class and Racism. but there's some questions that were left unanswered such as why did Kian and Hudson broke up the first time? what problems occurred during the relationship? Kian did make some bad decisions. This is Jackson's first rom-com debut. It was fascinating.

The audiobook of this was really good, but I was not interested in the characters at all unfortunately. The setup of the plot was really well done though and I was interested in that part.

It took me forever to get through this one. My (3-week) library loan expired twice before I could get through it. I didn't like Kian, so I wasn't interested in the story. I'm just too stubborn to DNF a NetGalley book! It would have taken me even longer if my library didn’t have the audio.

In general, second-chance romance isn’t my favorite, so this book was somewhat doomed from the start for me. I didn’t see what Kian saw in Hudson. It takes a lot for me to read a second-chance romance and say “okay, I can see why he forgave you”, and even then, the miscommunication trope doesn’t do it for me either. Hudson never really redeemed himself in my opinion: he just wooed Kian with his magic penis and all was forgiven. (Note: if “magic penis” makes you uncomfortable, this book is definitely not for you. There is a LOT of talk about how big Hudson’s dick is. We get it, he has a hose. You don’t have to beat us to death with it.). Did we ever even find out why they broke up in the first place? I’m pretty sure we didn’t which made it hard to get behind a second chance. What did Hudson change to make a second chance okay? They probably broke up for a reason, and I saw nothing to make me think things would be different this time around.

What I liked: the characters had a lot of cultural depth instead of just seeming like the token Black or token gay. The representation here was great (just check out the long list of tags attached to this post). I loved the commentary on classism, racism, and being queer, both in Boston and in the south. I honestly liked everything about this book except for the characters, but obviously that’s a pretty big thing in a romance.

This book may have been intended for an audience that’s a little younger than me. There were a lot of pop culture references that I vaguely recognized but didn’t totally “get”, like things from TikTok. A lot of Kian’s jokes felt juvenile, and the YA feel of the book clashed with the very steamy sex scenes. I suppose this is what you’d consider a “new adult” book? This is the second “new adult” book I’ve read, and I didn’t love that one either.

I think there was a lot of potential here and would be willing to read something else by this author in the future, but a lot of plot holes and unlikeable MCs made this fall flat.

I really enjoyed Jackson’s debut romance! He has a funny, dry writing voice, and I laughed out loud a lot during this book. There was some excellent banter in here, the steamy scenes were hot, and the novel was a fun take on my favorite trope - fake dating.⁣
⁣
A big thing for me was that there were a few big, obvious questions that never got answered. We never really hear anything about Kian and Hudson's actual relationship prior to the book's events, nor do we ever get the full story of why they broke up. I also felt like we never really got to know Hudson. It's difficult for me to fully invest in a second-chance romance when you don't have context for what went wrong during the first chance. ⁣
⁣
Overall, I had fun with this story, and I loved Jackson’s writing style! I can’t wait to read more from them.

As apparent in the title of I'm So (Not) over You, YA author Kosoko Jackson's first novel for adults, Kian Andrews is so (not) over his ex. So what if Hudson Rivers is handsome, smart and heir to a family fortune? The two didn't stay together when they dated in college, so Kian sees no problem in doing Hudson a favor and showing up for a family dinner as his (fake) boyfriend to appease Hudson's demanding parents. But even Kian knows he's lying to himself: "Look up Bad Idea on Google, and our helpful search engine will bring up, Did you mean: Kian Andrews's choices whenever they involve Hudson Rivers?" When one pretend date spirals into the pair attending a family wedding, emotions run high--and Kian and Hudson are finally forced to reckon with their feelings for one another.

It's never precisely clear why Kian and Hudson broke up in the first place, which can sometimes make the will-they-won't-they tension of their second-chances love story unclear. But Jackson (Yesterday Is History) has a knack for building nuanced and multilayered characters, which makes it impossible not to root for these two. Kian reflects on feeling out of place as a "Black guy in Boston," as well as his desperation as an "overworked, underpaid twentysomething" trying to succeed as a journalist. Hudson's history with his family, one of the richest Black families in the United States, gives depth to his moody, brooding personality. Ultimately, that character development is what makes this queer, Black romantic comedy such a delight. It is, from start to finish, full of laughs and heart. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Discover: Kosoko Jackson's first novel for adult readers is a heartfelt queer, Black romantic comedy about second chances and fake dating.

I'm So (Not) Over You was good. I did enjoy the characters, even if the story was predictable. There were some funny parts to it that made me laugh out loud. I will be purchasing a copy for my library.

I thought I’m So (Not) Over You, was a well written rom-com. My favorite part was the character development. I would recommend to those interested in second chance romance.

(Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the e-ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own.)

I had so much fun reading this book! Kian has a voice that allows you to feel the intersectionality of his varied identities (Black, queer, cisgender) in a way that incorporates them into the story and gracefully points out moments in which he feels his privilege (when he points out that a woman in his position would have greater trouble) and when he feels discrimination based on his race, his sexuality, or both.

In addition to that, Kian is just a great character: he’s full and flawed in way that feels so very human and you just want to be friends with him.

I think the most notable parts of this book were the moments in which the characters stand up for themselves, but also the moments in which they full own their wrongs and apologize for the harm they caused to the people they love.

I LOVE reading contemporary romance. More than that I love rom coms. More than that I love rom coms with illustrated covers. And more than that, I love contemporary romance rom coms with illustrated covers that are diverse and have the diverse couple on the cover. And let me tell you, this book delivered on all of that. I KNEW this was going to be a me book, and I was right.

Just when Kian thought he was getting away from Hudson’s grasp, he appears out of thin air and invites him to play as his fake boyfriend for a dinner with his parents. And even though he shouldn’t have, Kian says yes. And things go downhill from there. So, when invited to a wedding that Hudson’s family is having, Kian almost says no, but Hudson beats him to the punch and says yes. So they continue to have this fake dating fiasco and Kian continues to be terrified of his feelings for Hudson coming back. Little does he know, Hudson might have already beat him there…..

Ok first things first, the romance. I LOVED them together. I was not a fan of them apart. I think because I saw too much of myself in Kian. I also have anxiety, so his spirals were a little much. I had to put the book down every so often because I felt too much. But also I had to put the book down because he was working my nerves. I don’t care if he was a journalist, he was a nosey nellie. The freaking third act break-up (which literally happens at 90% grrrrrrrrrr) didn’t even have to happen. That was none of his business. And I was mad as hell at ol girl to tell on him like she did. She didn’t have to do that. It was just a messy ass way to force the conflict, but after that fight scene, I didn’t feel it was necessary. But I would have appreciated to have Hudson’s smooth talkin, Southern gentleman POV so that we knew what was also going on in his head. (And to get a small break from K’s also lol)

The spice was a slow burn. Which y’all know isn’t my favorite, BUT I adore second chance romance, so this was ok. And more than that, I understood it. If you’re exes you would definitely be guarded with your heart, so I wasn’t shocked that it took them a while to get there. But when they got there?! Yassss! That bathroom scene gave me life lol Sneaking away while there’s people milling around is just hot idk what anyone says lol MOVING ON, the spice level is only at a 2. There is some shown, but it’s like only 2 scenes. And they’re not very long.

The writing style was where I got a little ehhhh about this one. Idk, it just seemed like there was so much going on in this book. Like Kian was trying to be a social justice warrior, and a journalist, and tell people how to run their business, and go on other dates, and trying to keep up with Hudson, and just on and on and on. But when it came to him and Hudson, it was like he kept doing the same thing, turning up at his house in a cab. I get it, someone can have all those things going on, especially a Black (gay at that) man, but I just felt it took a bit away from the story.

This was super cute, for Jackson’s debut into adult romance. I can’t wait to see where he will go from here. Because let’s be honest, we need a Divya and J book after the epilogue lol And with the help you received from all of those amazing rom com authors in your acknowledgements, you deserve to be mentioned with them. This was a hell of a debut, well done.

Wonderful! Second chance romance is my favorite trope and this was unique because it was a recent breakup and paired with fake dating! I was instantly drawn to the characters and the world and the drama! It discussed themes of class and racism tastefully while staying in the RomCom genre. I enjoyed every second. Literally couldn’t put it down.

Kian hasn't seen or heard from Hudson in quite some time. Good riddance. After all, their breakup was terrible, messy, and traumatic. Wait a minute. Why is Hudson texting him to meet up at a cafe? Kian has to find out, whatever the outcome, but he never expected Hudson to want something so unusual at their meetup. Hudson, outrageous man that he is, wants a favor, and not just any favor, he wants Kian to be his fake boyfriend at a family dinner with his parents. Didn't he get out of this when they broke up? Regardless, dinner takes an unexpected turn, and suddenly the faux pair are soon to be showcased at the biggest wedding of the year in Georgia. It's a great opportunity for Kian to launch his media career to sparkling new heights, and for Hudson to keep his family happy. Yet before the extravaganza is all wrapped up, Kian will need to unwrap his heart and figure out where it really belongs. Heartbreak isn't a life sentence, right?

I mostly enjoyed this comedic romance romp through Georgia with Kian and Hudson. Most of the story plays out from Kian's perspective, and he's bitter about their breakup. Many people have felt angry over such things, but I really would have liked to see more of their past relationship, both the good times, as well as what finally pulled them apart and made Kian so bitter. That bitterness spills over into interactions with Hudson and his family, but without more of the backstory, some of it comes across as mean. Fake dating with an ex is a setup that can work, but there has to be a path from the split to reconciliation, and I think only the latter half of that path was illustrated here.

What I did like is how funny the characters are, especially in the back half of the story. Plenty of popular culture references, jokes, and amusing situations abound, and I enjoyed laughing in those moments. Societal and topical issues feature, and even the side characters help bolster the amusement. I'm So (Not) Over You is the story of what happens after the breakup, that leads to a fake date, that then pulls two hearts back toward each other once more. Recommended for readers who appreciate second chance romance, fake dating, and funny stories that finish strong.

While hate/love used to be my favorite romance trope, the fake dating and second chance tropes are quickly becoming my new faves, so it was a treat to see them both featured in this brand new romance, I’M SO (NOT) OVER YOU!

I loved Kosoko Jackson’s writing and the banter between exes Kian and Hudson made for some laughable moments. They were fun characters to read, with plenty of great chemistry and steam, and I was rooting for their fake relationship to turn into more, as it was clear that they still had unresolved emotions from their past.

*many thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This was so unique and I am a sucker for a book that takes place in wedding season. Love the fake dating trope so much and this one was fun -an enjoyable read

This was a hard one for me. I wanted to love this one but it fell a little flat for me. The idea of the second chance romance with an enemies to lovers trope just didn’t do it for me.

While I'm a sucker for fake relationships and second chances, this one was just okay. We never really find out why Hudson and Kian broke up and I really wanted to know. I did enjoy reading this though.

Because it's from Kian's POV entirely, I could never really understand Hudson. Hudson and Kian have good chemistry and I also loved Divya, Kian's best friend.

<i>*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review