I was unable to read this book before it's release, but my library has purchased a copy. It is currently checked out at my library, and 34 other libraries in my consortia own this book.

There's quite a few layers to this book, and while I enjoyed it, I can't help but feel as though it was marketed incorrectly. I expected something more serious and literary based off the synopsis, while the cover and plot itself definitely allude to something more soapy. I enjoyed it, but for a mood reader, I think marketing this book correctly would've helped.

Slated as a contemporary romance, On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi also adds an adult coming-of-age story aspect to the narrative as we follow the protagonist, Angela “Angie” Appiah, begin to gain her footing as she takes the next steps towards her M.D. title while also doing some introspection, and building boundaries in this beautiful, emotional story of a young woman figuring out what she wants in life and love.

The moment we get introduced to our protagonist Angie, Obuobi manages to welcome the reader with a warmth and clarity of where the character stands that immediately gives you a deep understanding of her life to this point.

Her conflicting feelings about her family’s pushing her, her gradual growth, and her moment of finally coming to terms with her issues of self-worth and confidence are painfully relatable and made me much more invested in the story. It truly felt like we got to see so much insight into her way of thinking that it felt like watching a friend go through it.

I love how much of the Ghanaian culture we get rom the start, immersing the reader in the Appiah family’s world.

The Appiah family’s cultural background may be different. Still, the immigrant family culture is very much universal in a way that feels like you are settling in with them as we read about Tabatha’s boyfriend’s experience at the Knocking, how Angie’s parents reacted to hearing about her Step score, and so many more.

The immigrant, first-generation eldest daughter experience is seemingly universal (lucky for us, right?), making Angie’s issues and resolve to make progress all the more grounded and deeply felt in a way that I was immediately in her corner and stayed there throughout. You feel for her when she has those conversations with her parents about what she’s doing for her med school article submissions.

So, when it came time for her to finally tell her mother about how she really felt, there was a visceral reaction and a sensation of empowerment that I couldn’t help but feel, and it was fabulous!

Between Tabatha and Nia, there is no shortage of un-minced words for our protagonist, and honestly, at specific points, it felt like something Angie needed to hear.

I loved Nia. From the moment she appears on the page, her frankness, comedic timing, and no-nonsense manner when it comes to Angie made her an instant favorite. The fact that we get insight into her inner life beyond just being friends with Angie in the span of On Rotation makes her, much like Ricky, feel like a real person. Her arc through the second part of the book was just as emotional as Angie’s, and you couldn’t help but feel for her and root for her decisions towards the end as you find out that she’s finally getting a chance at following her passion.

Though it’s not a dual perspective novel, you can feel everything Ricky feels throughout the book. Making a protagonist’s love interest that three-dimensional is such a wonderful thing to see and made me appreciate his connection with his grandparents, his aspirations, and his romance with Angie that much more impactful.

Shea’s introduction as Nia’s significant other initially made me think they would just be a random side character. But I loved how Obuobi brought them in, from making them Ricky’s best friend to be the truth bearer for Angie towards the end of the novel.

I anticipated the Sanity Circle, beyond Nia and Michelle, to take more of a central focal point in Angie’s expanded world. But the balance of the entire crew’s presence is well done.

Overall, it was an incredible story and an equally beautiful, messy, and authentic feeling love story as we saw Angie grow independently and her and Ricky’s relationship grow. On Rotation doesn’t shy away from the complex topics, from addiction to mistrust in the medical profession from marginalized communities and medical inequity. But these moments are done in a way that bolsters the central stories and is not shoehorned into the story for the sake of it.

I recommend this emotional, heartwarming, funny story for anyone looking for their next engrossing read about characters with depth and dimension.

Thank you to Avon for providing me a copy of On Rotation for review.

On Rotation was billed as a romance perfect for fans of Grey's Anatomy. As a romance reader who's also was an avid watcher of Grey's, until the 2021 season, I was intrigued by the premise. Angela Appiah is a Ghanaian-American who tries to be the perfect daughter and is currently in medical school. When her boyfriend breaks up with her and an important exam comes back with a less than stellar score, Angela feels like her life is falling apart. It's during this moment her life collides with Ricky Gutierrez, a brilliant, attractive artist who immediately comes to Angela's aid when she needs it. Ricky and Angela keep coming into each other's lives and it'll force Angela to think maybe Ricky is something more than a new friend.

What I liked about On Rotation was the medical life of Angela portrayed in the novel. I really wish we could have seen more of it throughout the novel. I didn't think we got see as much as we could have. I also love the friendship between Angela and her best friend, who each go through their own growing pains throughout the novel. I didn't care for the romance between Ricky and Angela. I thought it felt juvenile and it drove me crazy.

I know it's Obuobi's debut novel and I'd like to see what she writes in the future.

This one was not for me. I found it a drag to get through. The one most notable thing that I despised about this book were the footnotes. I get that they were trying to be "scholarly" with this, like one might see in a medical journal, but honestly their purpose was not clear. Were they there to provide the author's commentary on the story? Were they the main character's bonus internal commentary? Were they there to add clarity to the cultural references of the story to assist me, a dumb white woman, into figuring out what Angie and her family were talking about? I felt it sort of missed the mark on all these points and think the story would have been better off without them.
I didn't like any of the characters. Truly didn't like a single one of them. I thought their drama was petty and boiled quickly and dissolved quickly. Every time we were in the hospital, I found myself wanting to be with Angie in the "real world" and any time we were in the real world I wanted to be back in the hospital. I didn't like her relationship with Ricky, mostly because I didn't like Ricky.
I'd give this author another chance because at the very least I think the character's voices were well established and I enjoyed her writing style, but this story wasn't my cup of tea.

i loved this one! the conflict drove me crazy and was my least favorite kind in a romcom (miscommunications/unfounded distrust) but i loved the main character.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. I really really liked this novel and I am not seeing anywhere near enough love for it on bookstagram/blogs/etc.

Angie is a medical student in Chicago who is dealing with so many of the pressures of being in your mid twenties, a demanding school schedule, pushy parents, and changing relationships with friends. She meets Ricky an artist and graphic designer and has an instant connection, only for him to tell her he is seeing someone. Over time they keep running in to one another and Angie can not make heads or tails of their relationship.

This book had the perfect blend of relatability while also being incredibly informative. The book uses footnotes gloriously to describe both the medical field and terminology, as Angie is a third year medical student, and to explain the Ghanaian culture that is included throughout. Angie's family immigrated from Ghana and she really struggles with the balance of doing what is best for her and being the "perfect immigrant daughter". But I think if you are in your mid 20's like me, the book comes off as incredibly relatable. It perfectly captures the angst and strife of figuring out your career, your new adult relationship to your parents and siblings, and the changing dynamics with friends that can occur at this time. the author also does a nice job of capturing the us and downs and back an forth of situationships or half relationships that happen around this time too. I can not wait to see what Shirlene Obuobi writes next.

This book was a rollercoaster! I went back and forth being so irritated with various characters in the book to being swept away in the story. The story is well written and fleshed out. I really liked the annotations throughout as it added another layer to the story and gave Angie’s voice more authenticity.

A solid 4.5 stars for me. This is the story of med student Angie. She is trying to figure out how to manage medical school and rotations, her immigrant family's expectations, and her friendships. The book opens with her current boyfriend being a jerk and dumping her, but shortly afterwards a new man comes into her life, just maybe not in the way she was expecting. It's a great romance read with a lot of depth and examination of other matters as well. The side characters are great. Oh, and make sure you read the footnotes - they're definitely not your typical footnotes. It's no wonder that it's a darling of the NetGalley world - I loved it! Thanks to NetGalley, Avon/Harper Voyager publishers, and the author for the chance to read this book.

This is a cute story that includes Ghanaian culture. Trying to expand my reading more in to the Romance genre this book easily kept my attention. The self-sabotage trope is not exactly a favorite but glad the plot corrected. I enjoyed the cultural insights and seeing immigrant experience showed in a more realistic light. Of course it has the traditional happy ending!

I really loved this book! It was light hearted and I found myself rooting for Angie and Ricky the whole time. If you work in the medical field you would also love this book. A great read for the Summer.

The premise seemed extremely promising but I almost DNF’d multiple times. This was my buddy read pick with @marensreads and we both had pretty much the same thoughts rating and Ricky wise! Both of the MC’s bothered me. At first, I really felt for Angie and really loved following her journey through her medical education, but that pretty much summed her up. I absolutely loved that she was from Ghana and that her family still upheld many traditions from their homeland. I struggled with trying to like her family because they were very critical of Angie, especially her mother. Honestly, the best part of the book was when Angie told her off and blocked them!

I did not like Ricky at all. Yes, he had some very cute moments but he felt insincere to me. He totally gas lighted Angie more than once. The will they, won’t they aspect was cute at times but also, how many times can someone say they aren’t interested in you for you to take the hint. The way Angie’s best friend and roommate behaved was ridiculous to me. I just didn’t understand how you could have over ten years of friendship and act like it was nothing and then blame Angie for it. Also, her mothers behavior was not likable until the end of the story.

The way that Obuobi included knowledgeable information regarding the immigration experience, bias in medicine, and challenging family dynamics and situations was brilliant. I really loved that she included her own personal experiences of studying medicine in this debut novel.

Thank you @netgalley and Avon and Shirlene Obuobi for this eCopy in exchange for my honest review.

I received “On Rotation” by Shirlene Obuobi from the publisher as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions in this post are my own.

As someone who studied the medical field, I’m always drawn towards books that include it – whether it be doctors, healers, an apothecary, nurses, etc. Reading the book description, I was very much drawn this this book, and then was pulled into the book due to great writing and a fun and strong female main character who is (mostly) unapologetically herself and finds her way to what is self-love and being happy, but in the best way. All I could do was cheer her on.

I loved the fact that this touched on cultural differences, on how it can be jarring to learn about another person’s customs – like those for marriage. The fact that Ricky and Angela connected and addressed those issues felt realistic, and it’s a reminder that sometimes you need to explain things and then take a moment to digest and see why that custom might be important. Being married to someone in a difficult culture, I recognized and appreciated the astonishment and relatable feelings, haha. I also really loved the whole other aspect of the book regarding her trying to please her parents and not be a disappointment – one that I also related to immensely. Be a doctor, but be a doctor who makes the MOST money. The struggle of immigrant parents trying to give their children the best chance to not struggle like they did… it hit home. And the meaningful conversation she had with her parents after was also one I recognized.

Ultimately, this book tackled a TON of issues and themes. It was pretty impressive because the author was good at weaving it all together in such a way where it wasn't ALL in your face. It was digestible and I enjoyed that.

I loved a lot of this book – especially cause I’ve been really loving rom-coms lately! However, one thing that bothered me was how it was progressing. The beginning was immensely strong and I was drawn to Ricky and Angela’s relationship, but around the halfway point there were moments where I was a little less engaged and skimmed some chapters. They just didn’t hold enough tension. However, by the end, it had fully recaptured my interest and I finished the book. I will say, I stayed up and read the book until past 2am despite having to wake four hours later, and so I finished it within 24 hours from starting. So even though not all the scenes were able to keep my attention, the parts that did were 100% worth it and propelled me forward enough to finish it quickly!

I look forward to reading the next book by Obuobi and see what her brilliant mind comes up with! Would definitely recommend this book.

POV and Tense: First person POV in past tense.

I loved Angie and Ricky's story. It felt realistic and highlighted the cultural differences with dating and marriage. I also loved that it had just the right amount of *spice* to it. The characters were really well written and I enjoyed learning about their back stories.

As much as I enjoyed that first meeting with Ricky, by a quarter if the way in, things felt off and kinda bland. Maybe it gets better later but right now I can’t bother to find out.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the strong female lead, the medical aspect and the focus on self-love. The characters were relatable and funny. The relationships were realistic which is something I appreciate. I had mixed feelings about the footnotes- they were super funny but I also found them distracting at times. Overall, the book was beautifully written and I enjoyed the very diverse group of characters. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Grey’s Anatomy, coming of age and women in STEM.

After starting this one, I realized it wasn’t my style- I really wish NetGalley had some kind of preview option so I didn’t have to leave half reviews like this one…

This is the second book I've read recently with a Black woman in STEM, and I am totally here for it. This book touches on a lot of important topics, especially what happens when you try to live up to others' expectations of you. It is an incredibly freeing experience when you learn to let go of those expectations and start living life for yourself. Ricky is the perfect compliment to Angela, and I loved everything about him. He was so sweet to her and challenged her. These are the types of books I wish I was able to read when I was younger, but I'm glad I get to read them now! Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read a digital ARC of this book.

I went into this book pretty blind, but found myself sucked into the story quickly!

Angie is in med school, trying to please her immigrant Ghanaian parents, is ready for her future with her lawyer boyfriend, has great friends... but when she fails a major test, gets dumped, ufights with her parents, and her roommate calls her out on being selfish, Angie questions everything.

In the midst of all these things, she meets Ricky. They have a chance encounter that leads to Angie asking if they could be more than friends, only for him to say he has a girlfriend. 🙄

Angie has to learn that she can’t study her way out of these problems, or say all the right things to fix these relationships. This story is one of friendship, family, love, and finding your way in life. Angie felt so relatable, and her story felt so much like way all of us late 20-somethings are working through life these days!

I’m giving this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and am looking forward to the next book from Shirlene (already announced!). Also she is a cardiology fellow, artist, AND an author! What a queen! You should absolutely pick this one up!

This could have easily been a boring and dry book. It was full of medical school terminology, complicated concepts, and procedures that I have never heard of. And even with all of that, This was probably one of the BEST romance novels that I have read in a longtime.
What I loved most was that outside of her career and education, Angie was a typical person. She just wanted what a lot of us wants- to be loved. But even with her beauty, her body, and her brains she is not been successful in previous relationships and is so afraid if getting hurt. I connected with her feelings deeply and while reading it, I ride the waves of emotions that both Angie and Ricky went through.
This was so different from any romance novel that I've ever read in that it didn't focus on the physical relationship and connection more than it dis the emotional one.
I absolutely cannot wait to read mode by Obuobi, she is a phenomenal wtiter!