Kian was hoping for an apology, or maybe a chance to get back together, when his ex-boyfriend Hudson called. But in reality, he’s looking for a favor: for Kian to pretend to be his boyfriend again when his parents visit town. Kian reluctantly agrees, and the favor spirals into attending a family wedding. But can pretending their relationship isn’t over continue without either of them catching feelings?

Good pacing, lovable characters, and plenty of heat! This was a lovely little jaunt to Georgia, and I enjoyed getting a peek into Kian and Hudson's lives. There were some missed opportunities and plot holes, but I still had a great time reading Kosoko Jackson's adult romance debut.

Queer romcom that missed the mark a bit for me. While the take is something I truly love and a classic trope of ex’s, fake dating and falling for each other, I couldn’t get past the way the main character Kian seemed to glory his ex Hudson who in turn didn’t really have many redeeming qualities? Aside form being drop dead for hours (which we get over explained many times, in many sections) and being rich (again we get this repeated time and time again) there seemed to be a lack of chemistry between the two and we never really got why they broke up in the first place, did they grow from their experience etc?

All in all the pace and tone was good, it was just not for me.

I’m So (Not) Over You is half fake-dating, half second chance romance. This is one of those books that matters. The main characters are Black and they’re gay - how often do we see that? Not enough. And I hope representation like this continues to explode in the book world!

There were things I liked about this book but also a few things I struggled with, and it ended up being a middle-of-the road book for me with 3 stars.

What I liked:
-The diversity, of course! Gay characters and Black romance for the win.
-The observations on race, class, and wealth
-Kian’s growth - there wasn’t a lot, but I tried to remind myself this was a 20-something whose brain might still lean towards selfish, catty, and drama
-The romcom side of the story

What I didn’t like:
-The inconsistencies in the story line**
-The fact that Kian and Hudson had dated, but they seemed to know little about each other
-The lack of explanation for their first breakup and the way the fake dating/second chance scenes unfolded

**I did read a digital arc of this, so there’s a chance that the details that bothered me were edited and tightened up before final print!

I think this book will resonate with a lot of people and I think it’s so crucial for books to be both windows and doors. Finding characters that look, sound, believe, and act like we do is important and reading about characters that are different from us is also important.

3.5⭐

This romance was sweet, funny, and heartwarming. Kosoko Jackson's writing is so endearing and charming. I love the voice he brings to his characters and all the laugh out loud inner moments.

Kian was such a fantastic main character. He was warm and absolutely hilarious - his inner dialogue killed me. His relationships with his friends and family were so realistic and I couldn't help but fall in love with his character.

Hudson was little harder to love. He's standoffish and has so many walls built around him. But watching him and Kian together tugged on my heart and you can't help but fall in love with too.

Where this book fell short was actually in editing. I feel like Kosoko Jackson had all the bones for a knock out book, but the editors kind of dropped the ball. There were just some inconsistencies and overlooked threads that should have been addressed and fleshed out (as many reviewers have already said, their history & breakup is never fully explained or addressed).

I can't wait to see what Kosoko Jackson writes next. His characters are fantastic I loved the GenX voice he brings to romance (although my 31 year old ass takes personal offense to Kian insinuating that 31 is old 🤣🤣)

I’m So Not Over You is a second chance romance between an unemployed journalist, Kian, and the mega rich, Hudson. After breaking up several months ago Hudson asks Kian to pretend to be his boyfriend again for a family dinner. Well that then turns into a wedding invitation and you see where this is going. In true fake relationship/one bed trope form Kian and Hudson cannot deny the attraction.

Y’all I really loved Kian. He is bright, funny and just plain adorable. I found myself routing for him throughout the book and really feel like he could be my friend. I lol’d at so many one liners with this one. Also Hudson is so dreamy with his southern draw. He can call me Darlin anytime. There was also quite the amount of steam 🔥🥵🔥!

My only issue with this book is it did not explain a part of the story that the I needed to know!

All Kian wants is to become a journalist. He knows he’s got the chops, but finding a way, any way, to prove it is hard in this market. And on the very day he gets his umpteeth rejection from an internship, Kian is feeling particularly down. To make matters worse, Hudson Rivers, his ex, reaches out with the worst idea in the history of bad ideas: to fake being boyfriends for three days. Kian knows he should just say no. He even throws a drink in Hudson’s face to make his point. But while Hudson might not act like a wealthy snob, he’s no stranger to using money and calling in favors to get what he wants. In this case, Hudson dangles a job opportunity at a news outlet to convince Kian to play along, all so Hudson can keep a failed relationship a secret from his parents.

It’s not hard for Kian to fake it. After all, Hudson is wealthy and wildly attractive. If all Kian has to do is pretend they never broke up so Hudson can save face when Mr. and Mrs. Rivers come visit their son…well, Kian can handle that. Probably. What he’s not prepared for is the impromptu invite to be Hudson’s plus one for a family wedding. Spending several days in the lap of luxury at the Rivers’ estate, only knowing Hudson? That’s a big task. But Kian wants a shot at being a real journalist more than anything, so he agrees and hopes for the best. Before long, it’s all Kian can do to remind himself none of this is real — both the pleasure of being the center of Hudson’s attention and the pain of knowing Hudson doesn’t really want him back. But as the wedding approaches and Kian starts remembering the kind of strong, confident man Hudson is, it’s hard not to fall all over again. But falling in love is one thing. Staying in love, staying committed, is quite another. When the wedding hits a monumental snag and all eyes turn to Kian, it will be a real test to see if Hudson really can stand by the man he claims to love.

I’m So (Not) Over You is a contemporary romance by author Kosoko Jackson. The setting starts off in Boston where Kian gets propositioned by Hudson to fake getting back together for “maybe three days, tops.” Then we move to the Rivers’ family estate in Georgia. One theme common in both places is how out of place Kian feels. In Boston, there’s the inescapable fact that he is one of very few POCs. In Georgia, it’s the fact that he’s not part of the 1%. The story is told in first person from Kian’s perspective and I liked reading how Kian experiences the world and events as a Black man, a typical middle class person, and a man just trying his best to be over his ex. Another theme is how Kian struggles to balance his banked desire for Hudson with the fact that Hudson broke things off with Kian and the uncertainty of whether Hudson could truly want him back.

These two themes feel so strongly represented on page. I felt like so many exchanges and events were vehicles to highlight Kian’s class-awareness and how conflicted he is over his continuing and possibly one-sided attraction to Hudson. That said, I felt like there was very little progress made in squaring Kian’s relationship two these in pervading themes. For example, it was clear the big question in the book is whether or not Kian and Hudson can make another go of it. But I never felt like I really understood why on earth Kian was interested in getting back together with Hudson and vice versa. The physical chemistry is off the charts, but it was really hard to tell when Hudson was just dropping compliments and cash to ensure he saves face with his parents. Similarly, Kian often came across as sort of guarded or cavalier about sharing so much time and space with the man who broke his heart. The initial break up seems to have devastated Kian, but all that happened off page. It felt pretty incredible that Kian was willing to go along with so much for the shot at using Hudson’s connections to get a foot in the journalism door. I suppose there was a late-in-the-game scene where Hudson literally fights for Kian’s honor, but that good will evaporates in the wake of an even-later-in-the-game drama bomb.

As far as the two-worlds narrative, well, it’s clear that Kian doesn’t really feel at home either in Boston (token Black) or Georgia (token middle-class). But it’s not clear that he ever finds a place where he does feel like he belongs. Unless it was supposed to be at Hudson’s side…but then that whole idea doesn’t work for me given how I viewed the dynamic between Kian and Hudson’s on-page interactions.

The writing style has a sort of stream of consciousness style quality. The extra details gave Kian a strong, distinct voice. I thought this provided a lot of extra emotional connection to him as he narrates his own story. But sometimes, it skirted the line of breaking the fourth wall for me. Also, at times all the attention to detail kind of made the story drag a little bit. The references to very specific cultural markers like blockbuster movies and contemporary slang also felt superfluous. I feel like that level of detail in plain old contemporary work needlessly assigns a specific era to a story.

Overall, I think I’m So (Not) Over You is a gently meandering story that focuses on Kian’s jumbled feelings about his ex/not-ex. He’s clearly still a sucker for Hudson and Hudson still clearly wants to jump Kian, so there’s that. The story of Kian and Hudson really focuses on the will-they/won’t-they aspect of their relationship on many levels: will Kian help Hudson or won’t he? Will Hudson blow up when Kian points out class differences or won’t he? Will they sleep together or won’t they? Will they fall in love or won’t they? If that’s your jam, then you’ll probably tear through this book.

In this queer, Black rom-com, Kian Andrews is soooo over his ex. In fact, he has absolutely and completely moved on!! When said ex, Hudson Rivers walks back into his life and asks Kian to pretend to be his boyfriend for dinner with his parents, what could possibly go wrong? Two hours of potential awkwardness, in exchange for an introduction to help Kian land the journalism job he’s been searching for. But suddenly, what was supposed to be one meal, turns into a five day a trip for a cousin’s high society wedding. Can Kian and Hudson pull off the ruse successfully in front of Hudson’s affluent, appearances-are-everything family? And can they do so while keeping their feelings for one another fully in the past?

I’m So (Not) Over You is an #OwnVoices debut novel and I absolutely loved the representation! Jackson writes with a dry sense of humor, heavy with pop culture references, that will be sure to have you chuckling. However, I wanted to love this book much more than I did. For a second chance romance, I was left with many questions that weren’t addressed… mainly why did Kian and Hudson originally break up? For how hurt Kian supposedly was from this mysterious break up, I found it hard to believe he’d consider even getting a coffee with Hudson, let alone go along with a whole fake dating scheme. I also, didn’t find either of our MCs particularly likable which made rooting for them difficult, though, this could absolutely be personal preference. I do think many readers will enjoy getting to know Kian and Hudson! And again, the representation was wonderful to see.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Twentysomething exes find second-chance love with each other while "fake dating" in Kosoko Jackson's queer Black rom-com, I'm So (Not) Over You.

To please his affluent, hypercritical family Hudson Rivers begs his ex-boyfriend, Kian, to be his "fake boyfriend" in exchange for a job interview with the head of a popular media company. Even though aspiring journalist Kian still struggles with his heartbroken past, he agrees with the hope of securing his future.

Told from Kian's point of view, the narrative follows a running internal dialogue that brilliantly uses pop culture references to concisely describe scenes and explore emotional threads with laugh-out-loud humor. The rekindled love story between Kian and Hudson is beautifully written with heartbreaking honesty and an authenticity that will compel readers to root for the couple's happy ending.

This is fake dating with no basis in reality, as there is zero reason for Hudson to need Kian to be his date for dinner with his parents. It makes you think that Hudson’s parents really love Kian, or they were really close, something. But they seem to have met maybe once prior to this. They don’t hate him, but they certainly don’t love him or know him well.

Honestly, it does neatly explain Hudson in a nutshell though. He will happily take the stupid way out, knowing that it’s going to negatively affect someone else, as long as it makes things easier for him.

I actually like both of these characters though. Kian can be really introspective, and spends a lot of time thinking about his role in past relationships. Even though Hudson is the one who ended things with him and broke his heart, he doesn’t count himself blameless. For me, the problem is that Kian keeps giving Hudson chances, no matter how many times Hudson shows him who he is.

Here’s the thing though–I fully loved this book anyway. The Boston descriptions were so on point. I lived there for two years (yes it was during the marathon bombing and yes the day the city went on lockdown while the National Guard looked for the bombers was as terrifying as it sounded) and it felt like I was right back in any one of the many bars that line the streets but are still always part of what’s going on outside. And the steam was full-on Blanche Devereaux spray bottle level.

This is a cute romance between exes.

Kian is still trying to get over Hudson when he pops up again in his life begging him to pretend to still be together during a dinner with his parents, whom he hadn't informed of the breakup.

3.5.

I think Kian and Hudson had so much chemistry I'm still not sure why it was over. But I did like that Hudson went through this journey to be a better person after he ended the relationship. Then again, why end it? That was a question they obviously give an answer, but I found it superficial. Because of that, the story lacked the thrill of them falling in love again, because honestly they never seemed to fall out of it.

Aside from the romance, we have a sidestory of how Kian is a great journalist, but he can't find a job. It's the promise of one that gets him into Hudson's plan to fool his family. I like how this part developed when it could have been done as just a detail to the romance.

Hudson's family is crazy rich and while there wasn't anything surprising about that, I also enjoyed Kian's interactions with them, for some plot device we see so much, it was still enjoyable and even a little refreshing. With a pint of "OMG, I need this in my life" that we love having while reading romances.

Despite lacking the thrill of seeing them develop their feelings, it was still great to watch both the characters develop in face of their conflicts. It's a cute story, and it isn't everyday I can say it had a realistic feel to a Cinderella-like romance about falling in love with a rich heir, but the author managed to keep it so. Recommended to anyone looking for a heartwarming romance with steamy scenes.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

This was a FUNNY and entertaining second chance at love/fake dating story between two exes, Kian and Hudson. Kian is shocked when his ex calls him up out of the blue begging for him to show up for one last family dinner as his boyfriend (he still hasn't told his parents that they broke up). Kian isn't interested at first but when Hudson promises to help him with a job opportunity he decides what harm could one dinner do?

Cue lots of laughs, pining, steamy chemistry and SOOO many pop culture references! Overall I did enjoy this but a few things didn't work for me. I wished the story would have been a dual POV, but sadly we only get Kian's perspective. Also, we never do learn why exactly these two men broke up to begin with. Kian was also a YOUNG 23 and seemed very immature at times for me (which as a new millennial grad trying to launch his career totally makes sense. I just was expecting more mature characters). The story does end with a fun epilogue and it was SOOOO great to see two gay Black men get their own mainstream love story. This book contains some graphic open door scenes that might not be for everyone but I think a lot of people will feel seen and represented in this story!

Definitely a strong debut and I'm excited to read what's next from Kosoko Jackson! Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for my advance review copy!

I have come to rely on @berkleypub @berkleyromance for publishing so many of the romance books I love and this definitely hit the mark! Even better this book had such perfect representation. I love that romance in books are no longer cookie cutter, boy meets girl, falls in love gets married. Life is not cookie cutter and there are so many more ways to love and these books show that. Life is not a cookie cutter and I love seeing all the different representations of life and love. This book has characters to cheer on, humor and pure heart. It is available today!
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Thank you so much @berkleypub for advanced copy’s in exchange for an honest review.
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I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson is a second chance, fake dating, LGBTQ+ romcom where the difference in wealth definitely plays a part between the characters. Kian is still nursing a broken heart after being dumped by boyfriend Hudson, when Hudson shows up again asking him to pretend to be his boyfriend for one night with his craft-beer-mogul parents. Hudson never told them he and Kian broke up. The single night commitment turns into a weekend of pretending at a family wedding. Will love strike again?

I mean, probably, right? This is not a confirmation, but signs point to yes.

I wanted to love this book. And there are many things to love. It’s funny and steamy and full of my very favorite flavor of pop culture references. Tons and tons of them. And I suspect a lot of people will love this book. More importantly, I think a lot of people need to have the book on the shelf. There aren’t enough mainstream queer adult romances, let alone about characters of color. But for me, a second chance romance doesn’t work if we don’t know what happened the first time around. And we never really find out. We don’t know why Hudson broke up with Kian, so we lose out on appreciating his character arc. And the fake dating trope only makes sense if we understand how fake dating helps anyone, and I didn’t really get that either. Yes, Hudson hadn’t told his parents about the breakup. He tells Kian that his parents loved him. That he makes a great impression. But Kian is a character who, throughout the book, and at the fake dating dinner, blurts out just about everything he thinks including his controversial thoughts. It’s a quality I admire, but not one I think of as a sure-fire way to impress uptight parents. I kept expecting these questions to be answered or explained but they weren’t.

This one is out today, and I really do believe a lot of people will love this book. Thank you so much to @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
What are your favorite tropes?

An excellent debut into the rom-com world, Jackson has hit it out of the park with this one. Equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and heart-wrenchingly tender, I am nothing but excited to see what else Jackson will bring to this genre in the future.

Kian Andrews is the kind of main character you immediately root for. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is perhaps a bit bumbling, but always earnest. He's doing everything he can to be a good friend, brother, and journalist while tending to his still-broken heart after Hudson Rivers dumps him. I really enjoyed following these two on a laughable journey of misadventures that will keep you on your toes and warm your heart as they explore how they got to this place, and what it might take for them to fall back together.

What could have been better?

The only complaint I have about this book is not knowing why the characters broke up in the first place, I think it could have really enhanced it!

What I loved?
Holy moley guacamole. This book was the absolute CUTEST!

I literally binged it in a day and I’m in love with so much of it.

First this has LGBTQIA+ rep with an M/M romance that I haven’t read a lot of in the contemporary/rom com genre.

Secondly, not only is it M/M it’s two Black main men with rep of both light skinned and dark skinned people on the cover, which shouldn’t be so exciting but it is because until recently the rep has been a rare to non existent occurrence.

Thirdly, TO CONTINUE THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF IT ALL we have one rich MC and one not, and it really highlights the different experiences the characters face and thought processes.

Then lastly…IT WAS SO CUTE! So much great banter, so many pop culture references that were spot on and the steam 🥵🥵🥵

If you love second chance romance and fake dating? I would definitely pick this up!

4.5/5 rounded to 5

Kian has the most hilarious inner monologue and as he's trying to get his foot in the door in the journalism world after college his ex turns up out of the blue asking for a favor. Not the favor he was hoping for. To be his fake date to his parents for the weekend since he didn't mention they broke up.

Hudson Rivers is from a wealthy family with expectations and they are quite terrifying, but as handsome and impressive Hudson is to Kian he falls short to his father. Though Kian seems to rile up his family but they enjoy his company since he has no trouble telling it like it is and doesn't hold anything back like all the yes men in their lives.

I loved this gay fake dating rom com and it may not be for everyone but these two were trying to be together through some pushback and some interesting occurrences that happened of Kian's making, well kind of.

I loved how outspoken Kian was those ideals need to be said more often and louder.

I guffawed a few times at the hilarious banter and running commentary in his head and out.

Read if you like:
🌺 Fake Dating
🌺 Second chance romance
🌺 Hilarious banter


Thank  you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I recently read I’m So (Not) Over You which is second chance love romance novel about two Black men in their 20s and was thoroughly entertained. I am clearly too old for some of the references (and the Gen Xer in me wanted Kian to get his act together!) but I always love a good fake dating trope. And I just loved their dynamic, I loved the witty banter, I loved the perfectly placed pop culture references, I loved the relationships and struggles to appease their families and I just loved the power of love in it. It is tender, angsty, sweet and so romantic. My only issue is that it is a second chance romance and I needed more about what went wrong in the first go around - I wanted more background.

I’m so not over you by Kosoko Jackson was a delightful romcom filled with pop culture references! The writing style was fresh and hilarious. Can’t wait for more by this author!

DNF - While I liked the characters, there were too many pop culture references that kept distracting me and made me dislike the story. Overall, I found it hard to get into the story as well.

Thank you Berkley Romance for my finished copy.

What I liked:
Several laugh out loud moments.
Second chance romance.
Fake dating.
Sibling rivalry.
Divya was the best kind of friend you could have! Kept it 100 the whole time.


Issues:
I wanted more insight as to why Hudson and Kian broke up.
It would have been nice to have glimpses of them as a couple in the past.
I wanted more groveling from Hudson.

Triggers: Mentions of racism, classism, alcoholism and homophobia.