I enjoyed this book! After reading Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I was so excited to read another book in the same setting of Bake Expectations. This book followed a different structure from the first book, and we got to see a lot after the show finished and was airing. I think that helped with development of the characters and their relationships a lot.

Our main character, Paris, is dealing with a lot and he doesn't quite know how to manage it. He has undiagnosed general anxiety disorder, was essentially abandoned by his rich and famous parents, and is an excellent baker but cannot get out of his head (ya know, because of the anxiety). He spends most of the novel working through his self esteem and personal issues while on a reality TV baking competition his roommate entered him in. On Bake Expectations, he meets fellow contestant Tariq Hassan — after smacking him in the face with a fridge door — and they really hit it off (pun intended). Their relationship is very young and sweet, while also dealing with a lot of personal issues with each other. Tariq is Muslim and takes his religion and being gay very seriously and doesn't want to minimize either part of himself for anyone.

When reviewing Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I said it read more like women's fiction than a romcom; I would say the same about this book. It focused way more on Paris' anxiety and troubles and having him work through them until he finally gets a diagnosis, therapy and medicine to manage his anxiety. The relationship with Tariq was very cute and important, but to me, didn't feel like the central theme of the story.

Overall, I loved the characters still and thought the bakes and pacing were fantastic. I do think having Tariq's point of view would've been beneficial to the story so we could get a break from all the Parisian thinking — at times it was very overwhelming (and I have anxiety!).

Alexis Hall really does write great representation and characters full of depth. He is an auto-read author for me and I'm excited to see what the third installment of the series will be. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is Book Two in the Winner Bakes All series but could be read as a standalone. There's slight mention of the action from Rosalie Palmer Takes the Cake and there's characters who carryover from the Bake Expectations (TV show) world. What I like about this story a little more is that there is a lot that happens outside of the cooking show structure and I appreciated that.

We follow Paris Daillencourt who suffers from undiagnosed anxiety. And he is really suffering. The mental health journey was painful to read at times, frequently funny and endearing, and as the child of a parent with anxiety, I do feel like I learned a lot about what it can be like to experiencing your brain lying to you. I will say, and I think this is on purpose, that some of the stammering and cut off sentences and the manifestations of Paris' anxiety started to grate on my nerves near the last third of the book. And I think that's completely meant to mirror how those in Paris' life feel.

I love Tariq. He's probably my favorite character and I adored the relationship with Paris because it was so unlike anything I'd ever read.

The only thing I wished had been resolved was what's going on with Paris' family? Honestly, I kept wondering if something had happened to them and Paris had blocked the trauma and that's when his anxiety began spiking but it's just unresolved. And I get that life is like that but I wished I had some insight on why they never responded to his texts or checked in on him.

Really great addition to Hall's previous work. I loved this couple and really wanted to hug Paris most of the time.

I'm choosing to DNF for now at 30%. Being in Paris's head the entire book (it's told entirely from his perspective, third-person) is a LOT. He's a very anxious person, and I am also an anxious person, so it's too much. And I say this as someone who usually likes characters with anxiety in books (for instance, Misha Horne and Erin McLellan do this really well), but I'm not sure what it is here with this particular book. The way Paris's anxiety is written just feels like a drag to read and kind of feels like it keeps the reader at a distance.

Considering the lack of romance in the first book, I wasn't expecting much on that front, but there IS more romance development in this book than Rosaline Palmer? And I'm the weird one who wants more baking and Bake Expectations drama than try to see Paris figure out his feelings with Tariq because all their interactions so far have me cringing more than rooting for them.

Paris is a rich, (tall) white gay guy with parents in fashion. Tariq describes himself as "short gay British Bangladeshi Muslim" and is solidly middle class. And I can't really speak for the rep here for Tariq, but there's moments between Tariq and Paris that has me side-eyeing the book a bit, like their relationship is starting out with Tariq having to school Paris on his ignorance and there's a lot already by the 30% mark where the burden seems to be on Tariq to teach Paris about himself and it gets my hackles up while reading? Because outside of these educational moments, Tariq READS more like he's white. There's just a lot of very in-your-face scenes that LETS the reader know that Tariq isn't supposed to be white, and the whole thing is just very awkward to me and I think perhaps Alexis Hall is not the best person to write a BIPOC character when he himself is not. So, maybe this book will appeal more to white people than those of us who are not.

Like my issues with Husband Material, this book also goes out of its way to address social issues in a way that does not feel organically put into the book, but more like it tries to hammer viewpoints on the reader's head with it. And the thing is, I do agree with the viewpoints in the book, but the way it's presented is just...way over the top? It's too much.

My favorite parts of this book so far have definitely been the actual baking itself on the show, and of course my favorite secondary characters from the first book - Jennifer (the foul-mouthed producer) and Colin (Jennifer's assistant). Jennifer and Colin are great and provide the appropriate amount of entertainment I expected from them. I'm surprised there's no plans for Colin to get his own HEA? I think that could be fun to read about, and seeing Jennifer deal with that if Colin falls in love with a contestant could be interesting.

I should mention that this book is hinting at being very low steam. Rosaline Palmer had some sexy scenes, but based on the conversation between Paris and Tariq in this book, it doesn't seem likely that their relationship will go further than kissing. So, this book won't even be closed door or fade-to-black, unless something major changes. Tariq mentions strongly to Paris that he believes firmly in sex only after marriage. This does cause a misunderstanding and a fight of sorts between them because (since we're only seeing the story from Paris's perspective) Paris doesn't know how to make a relationship work if he doesn't offer the guy he's dating sex. It's messy.

Will I continue this book when it comes out in audio? I don't know. Depends on who's narrating the book, and depends on whether I'll be in the mood for it. Because coming off of reading and being so disappointed in Husband Material, I don't feel as inclined to finish this book when even getting to the 30% mark has felt like a chore.

***Thanks to the publisher for providing me this e-ARC on NetGalley***

Overall, there’s lots to love in Paris. Here are my three takeaways:

1. Readers of Alexis Hall, particularly fans of Boyfriend Material, will love this next iteration of the bake-off series, which started with Rosaline (2021). And readers that didn’t like Rosaline may still like this one (I am one of these). And readers of Rosaline will love this, as it again features elements of what made Rosaline a hit. Auto Buy readers of Alexis Hall (I am also one of these) will enjoy this book, as this book features so much Hall-mark (haha) Alexis Hall brilliance. But they may be disappointed depending on their favorite Hall books (Sigh, this is also me) because of #2 below.

OF NOTE: you can definitely read this book without reading Rosaline, as the setting and a few baking competition-related characters are the only points of continuity.

2. I’d call this more of a Com w/some Rom, than a Rom Com. It’s quite funny, in the quirky and delightful ways Alexis Hall is funny. But it’s much less of a Romance (big “R” genre) with a Happily Ever After, and more of a Personal Journey with Romantic Elements that has a Happy For Now.

This isn’t unusual for Hall’s work – there’s a lot of heartfelt snippets and gentle lovely scenes that remind me of Glitterland (his spectacular debut, one of my faves). And parts remind me of the above-mentioned Boyfriend Material. But unlike Glitterland, Paris has very little – almost zero? – heat. Even less than Boyfriend Material, which I didn’t think was possible since it’s Closed Door. There’s not even A Door in Paris. This book, though, is very very much about Paris and his personal journey. The plot of How Paris and Tariq Are Going to Get Together is very secondary. Again, it works and it's lovely, but it’s best to know this going in, especially if you are looking for/expecting a certain kind of romance. Also, Paris is single POV, like Boyfriend Material, which I know can be divisive in certain Romance reading circles.

3. Mental health, most specifically anxiety and all its manifestations, play a key role in the plot. It’s basically a third MC. CWs are right in the beginning and Hall handles these issues realistically and well, but readers should keep that in mind. The text also makes these issues very accessible and understandable, even when they start to overwhelm the plot. It’s set up well, as readers we begin to feel This Is Just Too Much Mr. Daillencourt just as all the supporting characters are like, “hey Paris this is just too much.” But we get through it, just like Paris + rest of the cast does, and it’s lovely on the other side.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

"I got lucky last week, but what if it goes wrong this time?"
"Then it goes wrong. Things do, you know, people still get by."


1 Sentence Summary: When Paris Daillencourt’s best friend enters him into the popular baking show Bake Expectations he’s positive he’s going to do awful and be sent home, but he actually does well and even starts to become friends (and maybe more?) with cute and sweet fellow contestant Tariq, and yet his constant self-doubt, self-hatred, and fear of failure won’t leave him alone, threatening his relationship, friendships, and even his baking.

My Thoughts: AMAZING AHHH I’M STILL SCREAMING

So the first half of the book was HILARIOUS I was legit laughing out loud like every other page. I have never actively enjoyed secondhand embarrassment but somehow Alexis Hall made it possible.

And then the second half hit me with all the emotions and I teared up multiple times and my chest kept clenching ‘cause of the feels (or is that just heartburn…?). Jokes aside, the emotion was so deep and so realistic and I related/empathized with Paris so much.

I thought this was such a fantastic portrayal of anxiety. Paris’s journey was simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Also, I really loved how Tariq was muslim and it was important to him to wait until marriage to have sex. That is seriously so rare to see represented in the media especially in the adult contemporary romance genre.

Basically I LOVED this book and everything about it was amazing and the fact that it’s all set during a reality TV baking competition made it even a thousand times better.

Recommend to: People who enjoy baking shows, character growth, and great representation of mental illness.

(Warnings: swearing; panic attacks; nudity)

***

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review



Also I just love this excerpt:
"Okay, but how you know? What if you're just wrong? And God's not real and you're living your life like this and it's...I don't know. Pointless?"

"Then it was pointless," Tariq told him, apparently unperturbed by this possibility. "But I'll still have lived my life well, in a way that made me feel loved and free, and part of something beautiful."

For a second, Paris felt an unexpected sting of envy. From inside his world of what-ifs and second guesses, the whole concept of saying this is who I am and I defy anybody to tell me not to celebrate it was unthinkable. But he had no idea how to tell any of that to Tariq. So instead he sat up, took Tariq by the hand, and drew him into a long, lingering kiss.

And right then, for as long as it lasted, for as long as they were touching, Paris, too, felt loved and free, and part of something beautiful.

Alexis Hall’s writing is such a joy to read. I loved this book and appreciated the anxiety rep as someone who has anxiety. This was a really beautiful story and I’m so excited to read anything Alexis Hall writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another Alexis Hall delight. Fun (and funny), with the same sense of absurdity that made Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake so readable. It's not as serious as my favorite of Hall's books (For Real comes to mind), but is filled with humor (and good recipes).

Fun and sweet... tw: on page panic attack, hospitalization, G.A.D


What's both brilliant and challenging about this novel is that the protagonist has an undiagnosed -- and then eventually diagnosed -- anxiety disorder, and we're in his head the whole time, and that's a hard place to be. Alexis Hall captures so well what it's like to have your brain turning against you. So if, like me, you too have challenges with anxiety, this will all feel very familiar and real and hard.

I Haven't read the first book yet and would like too.

CW: Racism, on page panic attack, cyberbullying

Okay. It was really good. Despite it being the second in the Winner Bakes All series it felt completely different to Rosaline. Like, it had the same Bake Expectations characters, and similar structure, but also not. There was a lot more post-show than what was in Rosaline, and I really enjoyed that. I don’t think the book would have worked if it had followed exactly the same structure.

Gah, I’m having such a hard time writing this because I kind of just want to say all the things, but I also don’t want to give anything away and don’t want to stick this behind spoilers.

I think that Paris’ anxiety was really well described/explored. As someone who suffers from anxiety (though not to the extent that Paris does), I completely understood how his brain was working and what he was going through. I really appreciated his mental health journey, it felt very accurate, and I also really loved the realizations that his friends come to over the course of the book, in relation to his mental health.

I also really loved Paris’ relationship with Tariq. It was a bit different and included something I didn’t think I would like in a romance, but that really really worked in this story. I just really loved Paris and Tariq, for different reasons, and my feelings shifted a bit over the course of the book, but overall, really love them.

Very much enjoyed this and am so grateful to have gotten an early copy! I will likely come back when this is out and write a more in depth review, flailing about all the things.

This second installment of the Bake Expectations series does not disappoint! Alexis Hall is a master at writing funny, deep, and emotionally gripping books with characters that are ready to leap off of the page fully formed, and I am always blown away.

This book is a romance at heart, but it's also a deeply insightful story about how mental health affects individuals and the people they love. Paris is anxious - perpetually and all-consumingly. He doesn't really understand that the way he sees the world isn't how other people experience the world and really doesn't understand just how much it affects his own life. Tariq, our delightful out-and-proud queer Muslim man with the best sparkly nail polish, is a perfect foil for Paris. Their story together is tough and full of difficult realizations and hard truths, but ultimately, this kind of representation is so SO important, and I'm beyond delighted to see it handled with such grace and love.

So on the sentence level, this book is through-and-through Alexis Hall - witty, funny, full of joy. But the experience of the entire book is something else. There's just so much in this book that is REAL, and honestly, that's what also made it a challenging read for me. By the time Tariq finally gets that Paris' anxiety is maybe more than a normal case of jitters, we've spent about 70% of the book exclusively in Paris' head, seeing how hard it is for him to live life with his anxiety. Tariq's confusion on how to handle Paris' issues is reminiscent of so many people's reactions to dealing with their loved one's mental health issues in the real world. Which is to say, imperfectly and with good intentions.

As someone who also has anxiety and anxious tendencies, this was a challenging read. Hall's characterization is so on point and so real that I was finding myself also getting anxious while reading. I hasten to add that this is not a criticism of this book - rather, only a truly skilled author could have handled it so deftly, while also balancing the humor and light-heartedness of a charming British baking competition.

As always, I would have liked a little more time at the end of the book to see Paris and Tariq together, but that is not the Alexis Hall way. Final recommendation? A must-read, but with caution for those who have similar mental health struggles. Give yourself some breathing room, and perhaps read it in smaller chunks!

2.5 rounded down

I ended up not finishing the first book in this series, largely because I realized soon after starting it that the genre was just really not for me. I was hopeful that this second installment might be a better fit but, unfortunately, I think it's essentially more of the same, just with a male protagonist instead of a woman.

As always, Hall's writing is charming and the banter witty, though I will admit, I did sometimes find it a little exhausting. There was something almost... Gilmore Girls-y about it at times, which, I loved that show! But it was a lot, and can feel a little unrealistic. And, speaking of exhausting... I'm with most of the reviewers here, and I found it quite a lot to be in Paris's head for most of the book. As somebody with anxiety, I do appreciate the rep and felt like the author did a great job with it, but it's pretty fucking stressful to read and didn't make for a super enjoyable experience. As many have suggested, I think it might have helped if we had a dual POV here, partially to break up the anxiety, and partially because I did find myself wanting to know a bit more of what Tariq was thinking.

But I think my biggest sort of gripe here, is that I was reading this for the romance, and I just... didn't think this was a romance, nor do I really even think the characters should end up together. I'll admit this is partly skewed expectations on my part (which, to be fair, were partly influenced by the blurb & marketing of the book) but also, given the age of Rosaline in the last book, I hadn't realized when I got this one that the characters are so young--like 21ish. And given everything they're going through--fame, competition, mental health crisis--I just didn't buy that they should be together and frankly imagine them splitting up eventually, which isn't exactly the feeling I want upon finishing a romance. I did appreciate the approach of mental health here and that ultimately you are responsible for the way you treat people even if there are mitigating circumstances, but I also found myself super frustrated with Tariq's handling of the situation. Which, thankfully, *was* eventually addressed, but due to the nature of Paris's self-deprecation (even after he starts addressing his anxiety) I personally never really felt it was satisfyingly handled.

As always, there's some great and thoughtful rep here on a number of levels, and while, again, I'm not personally super interested in reading a romance book where one of the characters wants to wait until marriage to have sex, I can appreciate its existence in the world. But given the above factors, even with some of the stuff I thought was well done and important, I just didn't particularly enjoy reading this book. It wasn't a fun experience. And for me, leaving a book feeling anxious and like the two characters who got together at the end probably will be split up within the year is not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Got an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 3.75

Hmmm... First of all, this somehow made me laugh. Second, I love the representations. Third, there are times that it made my heart flutter when the conversation goes right with Paris and Tariq. Fourth, admitting Paris needs help is done well.

What I didn't like was that it wasn't a dual POV. Just being in Paris's mind was exhausting, and I understand that's how it really is with people who have anxiety. I had to keep putting this book off to breathe. Seeing Paris panic and have anxiety attacks was too much. A dual POV would have given the readers a breather.

This book holds a lot of potential, especially it's Alexis Hall's. But I hope, he considered how the readers will read the context of too much anxiety and panic attacks from the very first chapter to the last. It's exhausting and a horrible experience for me. So, it may be me problem.

As someone like Paris, I don't need to see what's in his head. I have a lot on mine too. 😂

"Main character with an undiagnosed anxiety disorder (that does get diagnosed), on page panic attack, hospital stay due to panic attack, treatment plan for anxiety disorder discussed, emotionally unavailable parents, very graphic swearing, cyberbullying, religious and racial microaggressions, Islamophobia (challenged)." - Alexis Hall

I truly loved every teeny tiny second of this book. I saw so much of myself in Paris and so much of my/my partner's journey into understanding mental health in Paris/Tariq's relationship. I absolutely could not put this book down and I know that it is going to be tremendously loved and well received. The unabashed way Paris's inner monologue is put out there for those of us who experience that daily to resonate with....it was beautiful!!!!!

*thank you netgalley and sourcebooks casablanca for this arc in exchange for an honest review :) *

tw: on page panic attack, hospitalization, G.A.D

this book was a lot. in a good way. but heavy nonetheless but not in a depressing oh my gosh i can’t read it kind of way. it’s more heavy in the oh my gosh this development is so real and authentic and gradual kind of way.

let me start off by saying this book actually depicts real characters that have flaws, makes mistakes and aren’t insta-lovey nor are they crazy in love and “you are the one for me”. no. this book isn’t mainly focused on their love story but instead is focused on paris and tariq….more so tariq.

you’re going to dislike them and you’re going to relate to them and you’re going to laugh with them.

the representation of generalized anxiety disorder was done in a way where it wasn’t used as a way to make the story more interesting. i like the inclusion of normalizing mental illnesses in a way where it isn’t daunting or overtly scary.

my only thing was i just wished people were nicer to paris but in reality from the outside looking in they were just acting like how people in the real world would. i cannot stress this enough—this book is so “these are real world characters and this is how people act in the real world”.

some things to note before i finish my review
1) tariq is a hustler! he knew what he wanted and he did what he had to do to get where he needed to be point blank
2) i wish we learned more about tariq
3) i wish we got to see paris’ parents

i liked this book
4/5 stars

even thought I'm an anxious person myself Paris really took it to another level!
honestly reading all of his rambling made it a bit hard to read thru but overall not a bad book

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I tend to gush over pretty much anything Alexis Hall has written- even his blog posts about some video game that I've no idea what he's going on about. This book has all the cleverness, heart, inclusiveness, and love that readers have come to expect with Alexis Hall, and he consistently manages to find fresh ways to express these qualities; however, because he's writing often in the genres of romance or fantasy, I don't think I ever really gave him proper credit for his ... realism?

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble comes with content warnings for generalized anxeity disorder. Readers, especially impatient ones, need to remember this about Paris, the 3rd person limited narrator. Paris Daillencourt may .... get on your nerves or exhaust you. Paris' GAD tends to manifest in compulsively intrusive thoughts of self-doubt and catastrophizing. . This GAD/OCD combination is widely considered one of the mental illnesses that most interferes with daily life. Better than any nonfiction book or podcast I've come across, Hall manages to depict what it's like to try to function with this illness. Paris, who we see and are told is a fundamentally kind and loving person, gets on his own nerves, exhausts himself, and frustrates almost everyone with whom he connects. He doesn't want to think all the thoughts he thinks, but if he doesn't think them,, then how will he prevent walking into a disaster that he may not have thought about or stop himself being an even more crap person? As bad as the thoughts make him feel, what they prevent are, in Paris' mind, infinitely worse- except they really aren't.

Although this book is also a rom-com, with the comedy cathartically placed, Paris doesn't meet and fall for a wonderful guy who heals all his insecurities. He meets and falls for a wonderful guy who gives Paris the idea that caring for his mental health might be something he should consider; however, the wonderful guy doesn't fix Paris. In fact, he eventually can't take anymore, and we as readers understand why. Something has to break; heroically, it isn't Paris' spirit. This is by no means a given though. He's so low at one point, he's on a kind of suicide watch, but Paris musters some of that bravery he has. He gets meds. He starts cognitive behavioral therapy, and he tries again. That's the message of this book that's so important. Paris treats his mental illness and doesn't want it to continue to define so much of him. It's not easy, and Paris, while better, is not "cured" by the end of the book; still, Paris' triumph isn't minimized. Through his detailed portrayal of Paris' struggles, we understand and empathize with him, and hope he gets more chances at life and love.

This book was a joy to read. As a person who also has anxiety and other mental issues this book spoke to me on such a level. I felt seen. The chemistry between the leads is wonderful and the bakers this season will make you wish this was a real show. I am just so excited to read more in this world as soon as I possibly can.

There is a lot about this that I really truly liked. I enjoyed reading it, the characters are well drawn, the side characters are as always amazing. The fact that each characters perspective is given so carefully is really great. I related a lot to Paris because I have somewhat debilitating anxiety and so I have also had these situations and conversations. I like that he didn't magically get better from Tariq's involvement and that Tariq acknowledged that he was overstepping by trying to "fix" him. And I really liked that Paris was able to see how his actions hurt Tariq and take accountability even if it wasn't his *fault* bc it was still his responsibility.
I did think even if his parents were neglectful, unloving, busy etc etc that it was somewhat unrealistic that they'd just ignore his texts entirely. Also seemed weird that the show didn't address the question of his famous parents etc. I guess my main issue with the book is that while it is a good portrayal in many ways in dealing with mental illness, it is somewhat deus ex machina that the show producer would manage to shove him into a CBT therapy thing and that the meds would work so fast etc etc. The book also probably would have been more enjoyable if we got to see more from Tariq's perspective and indeed why he does like Paris. But it was overall pretty good, and I enjoyed this next foray into the Winner Bakes All universe.

This has way too much of my own stupid anxiety in it, and I feel attacked. Being serious, though. I know I have missed the train on Hall. I still have to get around to reading Rosalie Palmer and Boyfriend Material, and his other books. I like his writing here. Not only he has a perfect command of Paris’ voice, the writing is genuinely funny and swoony.

Most rom-coms I’ve read lately are the farthest thing from comedic, and some books that were pitched to me as funny really disappointed. This is lol funny, especially during the baking show, with the judges and host and crew all standing out as complete characters that are also charismatic and quirky enough you could completely see them working on TV.

I do agree with the reviewers who say that being in Paris’ mind is a lot, though. It’s not bad representation, but it is tiring to spend so much time inside the mind of someone who struggles so much with just about every human interaction no matter how commonplace or benign. I would have loved this a lot more otherwise.

I still recommend it, especially for fans of true rom-coms. See if it's something you love. I think this one will divide people, but I also feel that, with Hall's talent and absolutely amazing pace and jokes, he'll make a lot of people fans of Paris.

I think I'm going to recommend people read this book when they asked me what my anxiety feels like just so they can get a glimpse of how exhausting it is. No wonder I'm tired all the time.

I have a lot of feelings about this book. I don't think that I loved it as much as Rosalie Palmer and from an objective perspective, this book isn't as well done, but it still means a lot to me.

As soon as I finished this book I anticipated the reviews. I knew exactly what people were going to say and it had a lot to do with our MC being exhausting and overwhelming and over the top and too much. And maybe Paris is all of that. But I think it's an important side of representation to have.

As someone who has generalized anxiety disorder and has lived with it for 20 years, it was almost too much for me to read the first half of this book. I spent the first 60 to 70% with bouts of sniffling and crying and my vision being blurry from tears but pushing forward anyway. It felt like my own brain on the page and that is terrifying. I mean truly I don't need two anxiety spirals 😅 but it also felt validating in a way. This book is not going to be for everyone and I almost wouldn't recommend it to people with anxiety because of how triggering it could be. There were a lot of moments where I felt exactly the same as Paris and all of a sudden I got worried that in real life people would react to my anxiety the way that they reacted to his and anxiety is a monster. It is a cycle that is moving so quickly that it feels actually impossible to throw yourself out of. I worry that the constant panic and anxiety representation in the first half of this book is going to trigger people with anxiety or it's going to completely put off people who don't have anxiety. I don't know if this was the best choice in writing and perhaps a dual POV would have helped break up that almost exhausting feeling you got when reading.

So even though I know the people are going to shit on this and I will come out and say that it's not as good as Rosaline Palmer, it is still a great book and one that I'm glad to have read. Is it one that I'm going to reread? Probably not for the sake of my mental health but it is one that I am grateful to have read and am excited to see reviews from other people. Also can we just get a round of applause for another cover with a rainbow cake? The queer baker in me is very happy.

A few other thoughts:. Tariq was awesome and I love that he had some own self-discovery moments at the end. I really appreciated seeing representation where sex was not on the table and it's not on the table for the entirety of the book. I love the ending. I really appreciate the discussion about therapy and how it's not okay to use mental illness as an excuse to treat people poorly. There are a lot of great conversations that happen beyond Paris's anxiety and that was great. I do wish there was more conversation about Paris's parents and I don't know how I feel about his flatmate.

Maybe I'll have more thoughts later. Who knows.