I loved everything about it but especially the examination of female friendships. The relationship between Angie and Ricky… what a roller coaster! For me, I even more appreciated how nuanced and important Angie’s relationships with Nia (especially) and Michelle were. I really enjoyed learning more about the lives of medical students, as well as Ghanaian family relationships and traditions. The supporting cast of minor characters… from Ricky’s abuela to Angie’s mom and sister … made the book even better. What a great read…I’m going to miss these characters!

(3.5) This book was a reminder that I shouldn’t read contemporary romance when I’m about to start my period, because my emotions get all gooey, and I feel painfully single. And, man alive, did the two main characters in this book make me realize that I didn’t have a special someone as I read this sprawled across my bed in ratty sweats and with way-too-oily hair.

Our two romantic leads, Angie and Ricky, have chemistry that leaps off the page, and I really enjoyed them both as a couple and as individuals. They’re flawed characters, but they come off as likable, and you’re definitely hoping the two figure things out. I wish Ricky had been a bit more developed; the first-person narrative from Angie’s POV makes it hard occasionally to see him as a fully realized individual and not a figment of his relationship to Angie. That narration style also sometimes came across as monologue-y, which is never my favorite. Angie and Ricky’s will-they, won’t-they, sometimes defined, sometimes undefined situationship was a bit hard to follow, and I occasionally got annoyed with the way things were playing out. Still, you rooted for the couple’s happily ever after.

It’s more than obvious in this book that Shirlene Obuobi knows what she’s talking about when it comes to the medical jargon, but she never gets you get bogged down in it. Instead, everything is approachable. Her conversational writing style and the book’s cheeky tone make this an easy book to move through. It also really adds to the characterizations, especially Angie’s (as we get her every unfiltered thought); you feel like you’re her best friend. Now, this is a weird thing to have an issue with, but I didn’t love all the asterisks in the book. Because I was reading an electronic copy of the book, the asterisks moved me to the back of the book only to then make me find my original place back in the text. Some of the asterisks related to defining fancy terminology, but others were dialogue and asides that could have easily been included in the text. Things might be different in a print copy of the book, but the constant flipping around for no really good reason grated on me.

I thought Obuobi tackled big issues with aplomb — such as the immigrant experience, implicit bias in medicine, challenging family situations, distrust in medical professionals. The heavy topics never took you out of the book because of the wonderful way Obouobi wrote about them, and everything furthered Angie’s journey. And Angie’s journey was most definitely an enjoyable one to be along for; you really care about her (and feel protective of her) and want her to get everything she desires. I think, largely because Angie is such an enjoyable character, this book has a wonderful heart to it and is a fun read — just, maybe, unlike me, don’t read it when you’re about to start your period if you, too, are single.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyage, and Shirlene Obuobi for proving me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 2.5-3 stars

I wanted so badly to love this, but I think the constant will-they-won't-they threw me off. That being said, On Rotation was a decent debut, and I would definitely consider reading Obuobi's next book.

I was very excited to see a book about a medical student and quite impressed when I read the author's note, that the author is currently still in medical training! I can't imagine the workload and also the effort to write a book while doing it!

This is the story of Angie, a medical student, the oldest child in an immigrant family. The nuances of being the child of immigrants, navigating the path between cultures, the interplay of parental expectations and day to day realities and relationships, was quite well done.

Angie is in that time of medical school when one transitions from the classroom to the hospital and patient wards. It's as exhilarating as it is stressful. There are still exams, evaluations, so much detail to the daily rounds and patient management. I think this book told the story of how that training takes over your life--how days are parsed by whether you are on call or post call, how you can never really be counted on to be on time, how the pull of the hospital and the weight of the daily events overshadow so much of your life. It was well delineated here as far as Angie's relationships with family, friends, romantic partners.

There are conflicts in each of those relationships and the resolutions aren't always easy or immediate. When you give so much to others at work, it's sometimes hard to find the energy to give more at home too--be it attention, comfort, companionship. This very much highlights that and Angie's internal monologues about work, patients, her research, tell us how enmeshed she is (as is required by the profession, really) by her studies/goals/aspirations to be a physician.

There is romance as well, but I'd say the focus of this book is more Angie's progression through family/friend/relationship challenges rather than pure romance itself. More Women's Fiction/Own Voices with romance mixed in.

The romantic lead is an intriguing and engaging character. Ricky is smart, funny, empathetic, caring, and like Angie not always the best at communicating. He has his own complicated back story and family history and this is woven into the story as well.
They find each other under what seem to be auspicious circumstances but there are obstacles to overcome along the way, many of them internal and integral to their communication difficulties. The romance was charming but their communication struggles were somewhat frustrating overall. They do get to a good place in the end and Ricky really is an endearing character.

This book held my attention. It did have a different feel when Angie was focusing on the wards/work/studies rather than her friends/family/Ricky, but I did not mind that, having gone through that in my training as well. The themes of burnout, racial disparity of care, the in-jokes and catch phrases, the heartbreaking stories of the wards, all rang very true.

Overall this was a good read. Engaging and kept my interest. Faithful to the medical background. Good themes throughout.

Do you enjoy "why are they both so stupid? COM-UN-I-CATE" romances? Do you enjoy medical drama? Do you want to relive your third year of medical school or learn what that is even like? Have you ever had to redefine a decade long friendship because life changes? Do you like reading about characters with flaws and depth? Have you ever had to balance expectations from yourself AND your family?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, what are you even doing if you aren't ordering this right now?

Wow! I honestly didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did because of the plot twist in the beginning, but I did because it was real and the chemistry between the love interests is tooo good. Sure they went through some obstacles, but they weren’t far-fetched in the slightest. They were real. As was the lovely main character who, in all honesty, got on my nerves at some points. That was until I took the time to realize that all though what I’m reading is fictional, this is an #ownvoices piece and it’s important to realize that so that you can put your judgements into perspective!!

This was a solid 3 star read for me!

There were some things I liked and some things I didn't quite click with. I loved how this book felt like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold wintery day. Seeing Angie and Ricky form their relationship was a fun romantic piece. I liked that Obuobi introduced different issues throughout the story- immigration, cultural traditions, and racial biases (to name a few).

One thing I struggled with were Angie's internal monologues. I know it was the author's intention for us to feel like we can relate to Angie but it dragged the story down at some points. I found myself bored and waiting for something to happen with the plot.

This book would be perfect amongst fans of YA or Colleen Hoover.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this lively romance. It had a lot of depth, touching on burnout, issues of racism in medicine, parental obligation, and the regular romance attributes of love, attraction, friendship and healthy relationships - with yourself and others.

This is sure to be a success with the crowds that like some quality content with their romance!

3.5 out 5. I was very excited to receive an early release of this from NetGalley. First off the cover gives off major Grey’s Anatomy vibes! Angie is a med student and the oldest daughter to immigrant parents. Which means a whole lot of pressure. She takes you on her struggles of being a daughter, sister, friend, student and lover. The reader might not see her as a failure, but she’s at a point of unfulfillment and “WTF, I’ve worked so hard only to get here?!?” Then in comes Ricky…

I found their romance to be charmingly frustrating. These two have an endearing chemistry yet their communication and understanding needed much work!

Thanks to #NetGallery, @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for gifting me a digital #ARC and of #OnRotation by Shirlene Obuobi

Synopsis: This novel follows Angie, a medical student, who seems to have it all together, but the growing pains of life seem to hit her all at once. While starting to pick the pieces up she meets Ricky, a unlikely suitor. But will she decide to listen to her mind or her heart?

This book comes out on June 21,2022 and is Obuobi’s debut novel. This book is excellent. Obuobi’s writing style is engrossing. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. I consumed myself with this book the entire weekend, while neglecting all of my other adulting duties lol.

Angie and Ricky played too many games. Especially Ricky lol, he got on my nerves a little bit. However their conflict was very realistic. It wasn’t the perfect love story (because who wants that anyway), but it was definitely relatable. I enjoyed reading about their progression in their friends turned lovers relationship.

This book had a couple of underlying themes that I appreciated. The importance of friendship and family relationships. The importance of self love. And that this book touched on the necessary topic of racial disparities in the healthcare system.

This is a must add to your TBR for sure!

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

I absolutely LOVED On Rotation. First of all- it is just a phenomenal book. Obuobi has crafted a story of a brilliant young physician in training that you cannot help but love. The main character, Angie, is surrounded by a group of amazing friends that also portray a beautiful picture of platonic intimacy and the importance of strong friendships. Then, there is the romance. The book is your perfect rom com- meaning it is full of witty banter, steamy scenes, and chemistry that is to die for (though this has a hair less spice than I've come to expect from some of the cartoon cover romances, I still thought the romance came through well).

Overall, as a reader, I loved it.

More than that, though, as a female physician in training, just entering the stage Angie is in throughout the book, it tugged on every heart string I have. The jokes about STEP, rotations, PIs, and First Aid had me CACKLING, the descriptions of the atrocities our minority patients face was heartbreaking and so accurate to the experiences of many of my patients, and the strength and trials that warred in Angie's life, in so many ways, mirrored my own. It also exposed me further to how different (and difficult) medical school can be for minorities, in ways that it is not for me as a cis white female. It was everything to see myself and my friends mirrored on these pages. And Nia and Angie's friendship was nearly identical to the relationship I have with my platonic soul mate.

This book was everything, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

This was a really well done book. It took me a little bit before I really got drawn into the story but once I was there I really enjoyed it through to the end. I think I was expecting more of a medical drama based on the cover (I know I’m the worst reading books and not actually knowing the plot going into it.) but Angie’s medical education isn’t really the focus of the book. It’s definitely important but like this isn’t Grey’s in a book or anything. The romance and the life of the characters take the front seat.
The cultural aspects of the book are a really important part of the story. I definitely learned something from reading this. Angie and her family immigrated to the US from Ghana when she was a little girl. From my perspective it was all integrated into the book really well. Angie is a really great character. I’m a white girl so I don’t think it’s my place to make observations or comment about the details of her experience but I wanted to at least mention such a big part of the story.
Back to the romance. Angie and Ricky had my heart. They make a great couple. There are a few open door moments but overall I would not say that this book is spicy. The story is more about the characters and navigating through their lives and seeing them grow over time. The part where they reconnect close to the end really made me feel all the warm lovey feels.
I would recommend this book. It has all the standard romance things but is also much more than that. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. The release date is 6/21/22.
This will be posted on Instagram as well.

I enjoyed this book a lot as the author brought a new and interesting light into the romcom novel. The relatability of the character really jumps off the page, with insecurities about how they look, holding on to the past while trying to look forward to the future.

Angie's relationship with not only Ricky but her family is center fold, making you get a sense of who these people are and the way everything grows organically is refreshing to see in the story.

I definitely recommend this book for others

**Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC**

What a surprise this novel turned out to be! Much more than your typical romcom, this story really touched me. The protagonist was a real person, ambitious yet sensitive, and her struggle to find her spot in the world of immigrants and beyond was beautifully described by the author.

Very refreshing to read a coming of age novel about a twenty something who doesn’t magically have it all figured out. Angie’s anxiety about navigating life, friendships and her changing relationship with her parents all while juggling med school made for a strong plot. My only minor disappointment with the book was her constant self doubt about her looks simply because she’s black, however, i had to remember how much self confidence a twenty can lack and also how much your self confidence can be eroded when you’re the first daughter and the Guinea pig of getting parenting right.

Strong debut with an excellent set of secondary characters who made Angie more tolerable because they weren’t afraid to call out her self centered and self sabotaging tendencies and also acknowledge when she was right to feel how she feels.

This book was captivating and the characters were insanely lovable. I especially loved Angie’s determination and passion and Ricky’s kindness.

I loved how it also looked into her relationship with her parents, and sister and how life was like for her at home as opposed to just focusing on the romantic relationship and her friends.

Thank you to NetGalley, Shirlene Obuobi and Avon/Harper Vogayer for an free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Spice: 1.5/5

Angie is an overachieving, first generation immigrant medical student who has been succeeding her whole life. When a breakup with her boyfriend Frederick overlaps with her sisters' Knocking and bad Step Exam score, Angie finds herself in a garden where she meets Ricky, a graphic artist, who asks to draw her. The story continues through Angie's perspective as she tries to move forward from her professional setback, navigate with overbearing parents, find her own direction in the medical field and fall in love.

This is not a cookie-cutter romance story. This is not a cookie-cutter self-discovery story. This is a unique story in Angie's world full of secondary characters who are built out and interesting, specifically Nia and Tabitha. I also appreciated how this book truly engaged with the messiness of a complicated relationship; Ricky and Angie are start and stop, will-they-won't-they throughout the whole book and I feel like it actually could have gone either way. The plot points around Angie's medical school career trajectory are interesting and fleshed out.

What I think I most enjoyed about this book is how the author lets you into her world, both her Ghanian culture and her medical school experience. Obuobi uses footnotes to explain terms that she assumes her reader wouldn't be familiar with to prevent the book from being a cultural explainer but at the same time, tell an authentic story that reflects how people truly interact with each other (med students talking to each other wouldn't explain what clerkship are).

I really enjoyed this book. I am actually from Naperville so I can relate to the MC wanting to get away from that town. I will say her entire world falling apart gave me anxiety because I was there 10 years ago but I LOVED the redemption arc and her HEA. It was very well told and an accurate depiction of what women of color go through on a day to day basis.

A love story about family, friends, medicine and community. Very much into the niche world of physician training which I think often gets glamorized in novels if its shown at all (its not so glamorous), it was nice to see myself in a protagonist in that regard. I loved this book and the family of characters, hopefully, we get to hear from more of them soon. zero out of 10 on the steam so feel free to give to a younger audience.

I love this charming romance novel. It wove together many important concept and showed our main character trying to find her way in life. I love the dynamics with the MCs family and friends. I enjoyed learning about the different culture. I am always a sucker for a medical field romance.


Solid read