this one had me kicking my feet and smiling, as a writer, there is nothing i love more than books about writers, especially romance ones

thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this title (even though it took me a couple extra days to read) in exchange for my honest feedback

This book deserves all of the stars!

I absolutely loved this cute, second-chance romance! It’s more of a lighthearted romance (not what I’ve been reading lately), but it does get a bit steamy and it was well done. That tension was well worth it!

The characters are lovable and relatable and the banter is great! The plot is fun, with the main characters, being exes, competing for a journalism position they both really want. The competition was a great way for the characters to grow, especially Lana.

Will be on the lookout for more books from this author!

Okaaayyyy, Falon, you’ve done it again. Another book where I effortlessly fall in love with the main characters. I loved Jack Thomas from LoL but I’m swoooooooning over Seth Carson 😘 Then we have our FMC, Lana Parker, she is amazing, down to Earth and I would instantly be her friend. The two are reunited and then pitted against each other in a work competition- talk about the perfect second chance romance scenario! Said competition gives majorrrrr How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes, so if that was a comfort watch you’re going to love this! It’s such a nostalgic and comforting read! The banter between Lana and Seth was hilarious to the point where I was literally laughing out loud at points. And I loveeeee Lana’s group of friends. Love, love, love. And the group chat is amazing and I love how inviting everyone was with Seth! Lastly, I big time loved how Lana included a summary of her list and the ways she grew from each activity. If you didn’t know; Falon is an auto read author for me, hugeee fan of her writing! This book and LoL both are 2 of my top favorites since getting back into books 💐🌻

Lease on Love was such an enjoyable read, so I was very excited to dive into Just My Type. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in love with all of the characters. Lana was hard to like, which made it hard for me to enjoy the book. I still love Fallon Ballard’s writing and will look forward to what she puts out in the future!

What an absolute joy to read! I think what made it even better for me is that I could totally relate to the Lana & Seth relationship since my husband & I are also high school sweethearts who found our way back to each other. Sometimes you just never get over your first love!

Lana & Seth were best friends since grade school who started dating in high school. They made all of these grand plans for their future together that fell through because of his pride. Fast forward 12 years and Seth is back, this time competing with Lana for their dream job. Their boss sets up a challenge with tasks that each has to complete and their readers will decide who the winner will be for this coveted job! Some tasks were easy, some harder, some they had to do together and some were solo but they kept finding themselves right back where they started…with each other.

This book is filled with some of my favorite tropes - friends to lovers turned enemies to lovers, second chance romance & workplace romance just to name a few. It is fun and is just loaded with wonderful characters and a great setting. This book is full of banter with several laugh out loud moments. And then there was the miscommunication that was just heartbreaking to me. .

While there were a few times that I thought this book was predictable, it didn’t matter because I just loved it so much! It was a quick read - I just couldn’t put it down because I wanted to see how they were each going to tackle their list of challenges! It was so good to see them get the happily ever after that they deserved.

I am giving this book a 4.5 star but rounding up because for me it was just so relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Falon Ballard for the Advanced Readers copy of this book for my honest opinion!

I went into this blind because I enjoyed her previous book Lease On Love. So I had no idea what to expect with this one.

I felt it was a bit YA even though the MCs were in their 30s. It seemed a bit childish and far fetched, the premise of the two of them making lists and getting the job they wanted. I get that it’s fiction but it felt a little juvenile.

I didn’t love Lana very much. I think that’s where this one fell flat. She didn’t seem relatable or funny, a tiny bit childish (again) and Seth wasn’t memorable either.

Someone else mentioned the enemies to lovers and second chance romance would have been better if it was only one trope to focus on.

However, I’ll still give this author a try in the future. This one just didn’t resonate with me.

Just My Type is a romantic comedy set in the workplace. Journalists and former lovers, Lana and Seth, engage in a work competition with their dream job at stake. Lana must learn to enjoy being alone, while Seth must become long term relationship material. This book also touches on first loves, dependent relationships, and toxic workplaces, and the importance of therapy. I enjoyed watching Lana and Seth’s characters grow and develop as they completed various challenges in the competition.

I enjoyed Lease on Love by Falon Ballard and Just My Type is just as good! I loved getting to know Lana and Seth on the pages.
There were 3 different parts in the book where I cried because I loved the characters so much. I also chuckled out loud at several parts. There are lots of fun pop culture references throughout and the writing is very fresh.

This book is great for anyone who is a fan of rom coms or enjoys the enemies to lovers trope, second chance romances, and How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days!

Many thanks to netgalley and Penguin/Putnam for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I adored Lease on Love last year, and I loved this one just as much!

This was such a beautiful, messy story with SO MUCH going on 😅 there was never a dull moment—and I enjoyed every second of it. I was sick in bed when I read this, and I couldn’t put it down it brought me so much joy. Falon has a way of writing that makes it feel like you aren’t even reading. The conversations feel organic and natural and the pacing is just impeccable.

I adored the initial tension between Lana and Seth; their first reconnection/interaction with each other was so memorable. I loved the things they had in common and the ways in which they were so different. Their banter and chemistry were palpable throughout as we slowly learned about their past.

I loved Lana’s wit, her tenacity, and her nerdiness. Her inner dialogue was right up my alley, and I saw a lot of myself in her—I definitely connected with her professional tendencies. I thought the dynamics of the relationships between her and her mother and her boss were interesting and original, and her therapy sessions were a great element of her personal journey.

Seth was a dream and, well, what else is there to say? I had his number the whole time, and I was waiting for Lana to cash it in.

✨| Oтнer Hιɢнlιɢнтѕ:

- The BF breakup scene
- FMC character growth
- Tourist day
- The bar scene
- Marvel/Star Wars references
- The friend group, especially May
- The sunflowers
- The Epilogue!!

This was a beautiful story about finding yourself and learning to love but also love yourself. I really enjoyed seeing the journey Lana went on from being a serial monogamous dater to learning that she can be fine alone as well.

Lana and Seth are such beautifully written characters with so much depth. We get to see both characters go on a journey of self-discovery and love.

I really liked how much therapy was brought up and that we got to see bits from those sessions. As someone who goes to therapy, I really appreciate seeing it written in such a positive way. I also loved the dynamic the relationship between Lana and her mother. Her mother isnt a bad person but was a neglectful mother. A lot of books paint the parents as the villain, but Ballard wrote about a mother-daughter dynamic that is so real and authentic. So many people out there have a fractured relationship with a parent but are told that they shouldn't be upset because their parent is a good person. Lana had to deal with people in her hometown rave about her mother's good deeds, but she herself was not on the receiving end of those deeds and was basically forgotten.

The only thing I think that could make this better would be a dual POV. I would love to know what Seth was thinking during certain parts. In the beginning he came off as a jerk, but he still loved Lana at that point. I get that this would have given away his feelings too early. But, I would have liked to see what he was going through as well seeing Lana again.

I did not enjoy this. It seemed like they were trying too hard. I couldn't relate to the characters and the storyline seemed forced.

Just when she thought it would be the night of her long awaited engagement, Lana Parker finds herself single and confused. To add to this, when she walks into work the next day (very hungover), she sees her ex-boyfriend, Seth Carson. Seth was the one who got away and she never truly got over. Suddenly, after not seeing each other for years, they both find themselves in the middle of a work competition. Since their break-up, Lana has always been a serial monogamist while Seth has been quite the opposite. Their boss is pitting them together in this friendly competition for potentially a job of their dreams. Can Lana stay single and Can Seth find true Love? Or will something else all together be found?

One of the best things that I enjoyed about this book was how forward the author was with normalizing therapy. This makes characters much more realistic and likable. While this second chance romance had the writing on the wall, it was fun to see both characters grow throughout the book. I think everything in this book is something young adults go through as they navigate the dating world, which just made everything so relatable. This book was published this week, so no need to worry about waiting since you can run out and snag this one now.

BOOK REVIEW: Just My Type by Falon Ballard
2023 Publication Date: February 7

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Best Contemporary Romance Book
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2023

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
"Make your own decisions... And trust others to make their own decisions too..."

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
A Must-Read Romantic Comedy
Looking for romantic comedy and contemporary romance novels that will make you laugh, cry, and leave you with a happy heart? Then I have the perfect book for you — Just My Type by Falon Ballard!

This book is a lighthearted story of two former high school sweethearts who are thrown together by fate. It's an entertaining read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Romantic Comedy At Its Best
Just My Type is a classic romantic comedy that will appeal to fans interested in reading romance with all the feels and all the "reals" too! Meaning you are definitely in for some soul-searching and accountability in how we deal with past relationships.

It follows the story of Lana Parker and her struggle with love and relationships as she strives to achieve her professional goals. The reader is taken along on an emotional roller coaster as Lana tries to figure out how (and why) to stay single while navigating her complicated relationship with Seth Carson, who just started working at the website where Lana is employed.

This romance novel also provides an entertaining look into the world of online dating and the effect social media plays on our expectations for romance, exploring how people can use technology to find romance but also how it can lead them astray.

It is filled with laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt scenes that will tug on your heartstrings. Ballard does an excellent job of creating characters that are both likable and relatable, which makes this book hard to put down... and a stand out in new contemporary romances.

The Plot and Characters
Just My Type follows Lana Parker, a dating and relationships columnist for one of Los Angeles's trendiest websites. She has recently gone through a bad breakup and finds herself single again.

Enter Seth Carson, her high school ex, who is now also working at the website as they both vie for a coveted job in which readers decide who should get it from their head-to-head writing and dating challenge.

As they battle it out over the competition, their old feelings start to resurface with undeniable chemistry and they must choose between love or career success. The plot is engaging and the character development is full of surprises that will keep you guessing until the very end!

The main characters are realistic and relatable. Lana is an independent woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind, while Seth is charming and loyal. The chemistry between them is electric and keeps readers turning the pages to find out what happens next! Throughout their journey, they learn lessons in love and life as their real relationship develops that will stay with them (and you) forever.
A Romance for All Ages
Whether you're in your 20s or your 50s, this book has something for everyone! It explores complex topics such as loyalty, commitment, trust, and forgiveness.

Expect a couple of steamy romance scenes... Earning my T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating: 🌶 (Mild Spicy).

The Writing Style
Falon Ballard has written this book with great skill. She uses humor to bring out emotions in her characters without being too cheesy or cliche. The dialogue is witty and natural, making it easy to imagine the conversations happening in real life.

The pacing is spot-on. Each chapter moves along quickly enough to keep readers engaged without feeling rushed or bogged down by details.

And if you're looking for some laughs, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud funny scenes! The dialogue between the characters is sharp and filled with witty banter. Each conversation feels natural yet full of life lessons that will stay with you long after reading this book.

Ballard also does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the novel so readers can't help but stay glued to every word until they reach its exciting conclusion.

Perfect for readers looking for a lighthearted read that still manages to explore serious topics like love and loyalty in an entertaining way.

With its delightful characters and charming storyline, it will leave you feeling warm inside while also providing plenty of humorous moments throughout.

Whether you’re looking for something sweet or funny, this book offers something for everyone — so don’t miss out on this must-read romantic comedy!...✨😎✨

Pages: 360
Genre: Best Contemporary Romance Novels
Sub-Genre: Second Chance At Love Romance | Steamy Romance
T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ 🌶 (Mild Spicy)
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Los Angeles, CA (US)
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Marlowe Banks, Redesigned by Jacqueline Firkins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Movie: La La Land ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BOOK SYNOPSIS
Dive into the Romance of Just My Type...
This heartwarming and hilarious novel tells the story of Lana Parker, a relationship-prone journalist who needs to learn how to stay single to win the job of her dreams.

When she finds herself suddenly single after a disastrous breakup, she takes a break from relationships — until her first love (and the break-up that defined her habit of "serial long-term relationships") shows up and they both vie for a coveted job determined by a head to head writing and dating challenge where readers decide who wins.

If you're looking for a romantic comedy that will make you smile and give your heartstrings a tug all at once, then Just My Type by Falon Ballard should be your go-to pick!

With its delightful plot and lovable characters, this book offers an enjoyable escape from reality that won't disappoint.

So grab your copy today — you won't regret it!

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION
• You must be secure and confident in yourself before you can expect to attract someone worthy of your affection.
• Holding onto the past can prevent us from enjoying relationships in the present, so it's important to forgive and move on.
• Love should be nurtured and cherished, but it must also be balanced with realistic expectations and personal boundaries.

Just My Type has some very powerful themes regarding relationships and love. It explored how one must learn to be self-sufficient before committing to another person, as well as how forgiving and letting go of previous relationship "baggage" can open us up to new possibilities.

The book also explored the idea that although love is a wonderful thing, it must be balanced with realistic expectations and personal boundaries.

BOOK QUOTE
"Fearless and open: two things I'm trying hard to be in my life..." — Just My Type by Falon Ballard

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This was exactly the rom-com I needed after a spell of serious reads. This is such a cute and fun read! If you love How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days then this is the book for you! Second chance romance + friendly (or a not so friendly competition) + supporting co-workers + an even better BFF make the perfect recipe for this delight of a rom-com!

Just My Type was a really fun read for me. As most people know, I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers trope as well as workplace romances and although Lana and Seth were at times a little juvenile in their banter, I did have fun reading them bouncing off one another.

Some things I loved:

- the discussion around therapy
- the concept of finding oneself/being okay with being alone. This was particularly personal for me and I loved reading about someone learning to be okay with being on their own.
- the friendship dynamics between Lana, May, Corey and Tessa.
- there were some really funny moments - the conversation about IKEA in particular made me LOL.

What I wasn’t the biggest fan of:

- at times, Lana was difficult to like as a character. I did grow to love her but her immaturity at times was a little unbearable.
- the pop culture references. I don’t mind a couple here and there but there were quite a few in JMT and it pulled me out of the story a little bit.
- I wish we could’ve gotten to see a flashback of young Lana and Seth to heighten the angst a little and show how broken they left things off so we could understand why she hated him so much besides her just “telling” the other characters what happened between them at their reunion.
- the amount of times Seth called Lana “Parker”. I wish we coulda seen that switched up a bit, it did get a little repetitive.

Other things I want to note:

- I called Natasha being a B-I-T-C-H from the beginning and I am still so mad at how she straight up lied about Lana’s promotion!!!
- The moment when Lana called her mom made me tear up. I don’t have mommy issues but I do have daddy issues and that scene broke me a little 😅
- again, loved the therapy moments. May have inspired me to look into getting therapy myself for my own trauma.
- the sunflower symbolism is so cute. And now I have Post Malone in my head.
- I loved the slight How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days vibe going on.
- Justice for Jessica

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group Putnam, GP Putnam’s Sons and Falon Ballard for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this read! I don't always gravitate towards second chance romances but this one takes the cake for me. It was the perfect balance of angst but also healthy communication and solid resolution. The main character Lana had true character growth in a way that was not heavy handed. The plot was perfectly paced and as a lover of spice I barely even noticed how somewhat of a low spice read this is because of how much I was enjoying the story and their reconnection. The one thing that could've made this better would've been having Seth's point of view/dual PoV, but that is no fault of the author just my personal opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC (like seriously, thank you, this is such a gift)

I LOVED this story! Reading Lana's inner monologue felt like I was listening to my own, and/or talking to my best friends. I could not get enough of the pop culture references throughout the story as well. As a girl that also loves Marvel movies & Sci Fi franchises, all of the "Thank Thor" references were right up my alley. I found myself smiling and laughing at every page. I easily binged this story in under 24 hours! My only regret with this book is that it wasn't a dual POV. If Ballard ever comes out with a companion novel from Seth's point of view, I will snatch that up in a heartbeat!
What this book truly does so well, is show the importance of being honest with our own selves. How can we be in a healthy relationship if we don't first know and love ourselves first? How do we break unhealthy cycles and patterns in our lives if we don't confront the traumas of our past?
I am so thankful I was chosen by Penguin Group Putnam to receive an ARC of this book!

I enjoyed this romcom!!

I loved Lease on Love, so I was so excited to read this new one by Falon Ballard!

I really enjoyed the relationship of Lana and Seth!

The way their love rekindled was unique and so swoony.

My full review will be posted on my instagram (Bookmarkedfavs) on Friday, 2-10!

I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Well, Falon Ballard just made it into my favorite romance authors list. I read Lease on Love at the end of 2022 and thought it was so well-crafted, that when I had the opportunity to read Just My Type right before it released on February 7, I put all my other reads on pause and prioritized it. And I'm so glad I did! This worked for me on every level. It has some of my favorite tropes (enemies to lovers, second chance love, finding oneself, competition, Los Angeles setting, contemporary nerd culture nods, and snappy writing).

Lana (the MC) is a romance writer columnist for an e-lifestyle magazine based in Los Angeles. It's a bit of a "rinse and repeat" job, where she is a dutiful team member but isn't getting a ton of professional gratification from the articles she writes. We open Just My Type with Lana having her own "Elle Woods" moment, of thinking she's going to get a proposal but it ends up as a break up. From there, she has a bit of a comedy of errors that ends up pitting her in a How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days-esque competition with her high school sweetheart (Seth, who is also a writer). Lana must stay single for 10 weeks, and Seth must take strides to be prepared for forever love at the end of the 10 week challenge. Whoever's articles have the most interaction/likes/comments at the end of the challenge will earn a coveted prize: Their own column at the Los Angeles Chronicle.

Lana learns a lot about herself, her unhealthy patterns in relationships, that she is stronger than she thought, and what she wants out of her love life and her career. I really enjoy the way Lana and Seth ebb and flow in their healing and understanding of their pasts, and fill in the gaps in each other's stories. There are a few things that may not age well (the at-work Slack chat threads, saying your heart is racing at 5G speeds, and the overuse of praying to Thor, Loki, and Hela) but I enjoyed those quirks -- Lana would totally fit in my friend group IRL.

I'm also a sucker for a book set in Los Angeles that highlights a lot of my favorite places - Cabo Cantina (may they rest in peace), The Ripped Bodice, The Farmer's Market at the Grove just to name a few. I could so clearly picture driving up and down Sunset, the smells and sounds and vibes of Los Angeles. I also liked that there was definitely some fluffy fun rom-com antics in this, but there is snappy banter and the writing is also fast-paced and easy to eat up. Looking forward to seeing more books from Ballard in the future!

Thanks PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC!

Second chance romance is normally one of my faves, but this book did not deliver for me. For second chance to work (for me) it needs tension, you need to know what happened to make shit go sideways the first time. And I just wasn't invested in these two. The romance also didn't feel like a major part of the story. This felt more like women's fiction, which was a major let down because I loved Lease on Love.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
It was an okay read- I wanted to like it a lot more than I actually did.