I think Miss Falon may end up being one of my fav romance writers ever. I had high hopes for this arc since I really enjoyed Lease On Love and it did NOT disappointment. I remember my HS English teacher saying how important opening lines are and making an Elle Woods reference is the best way to make your book memorable.

Just My Type is a second chance/office rivals romance. You got your ex highschool sweethearts, Lana and Seth, completing tasks made by the other for a chance to win their own columnist position. Their tasks require Lana to stay single and for Seth to settle down. What could go wrong?

Literally everything. There’s tension and jealousy and confused feelings and nosey coworkers and THERAPY. While I loved everything about their relationship and the rollercoaster ride they went on to find their way back to each other, my favorite part of the entire book was Lana’s growth.

Lana has mommy issues and has a hard time being alone. We get to see her grow and do things alone and learn to love herself. Usually I’m cold hearted and don’t really care about the main characters back story, but Lana’s warmed up my heart and broke it at the same time. “Because if you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?” 😫😫😫

Seth played a huge role in Lana’s development. Even if he was a jerk sometimes and a few of his actions were misguided, you could tell how much he loves Lana and has her best interest at heart.

I loved both characters so much. Ngl this book made me ugly cry and snort laugh and I want her next book like yesterday.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for this arc in exchange for an honest review 💛

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, & Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗬𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗦 ✨

This one hurts, y'all. It really does. I genuinely LOVED her debut book, Lease on Love, but this one didn't feel the same. It had some of the same aspects that made Lease on Love so much fun, but none of them hit in a way that worked.

Second chance romance & miscommunication (or complete lack thereof) are two tropes that have the ability to be amazing when done well, but combining two of the most difficult tropes and not pulling them off made this one pretty difficult at times.

Lana was a really difficult MC to root for, and I didn't particularly care about her relationship with Seth (which, unfortunately, is kind of a big deal in a romcom).

Ultimately, I can't find myself recommending this one - but I still stand by my recommendation for Lease on Love, and I know that I'll give her 3rd book a shot if she writes another!

rating: 3.5/5 ~~~

quick little synopsis: Lana parker, writer and lover of all things movie/pop-culture related, is what some would call a serial monogamist. Not really comfortable with being alone, Lana has jumped from relationship to relationship since she was 14, and she had hopes that her latest one of 4 years would end with a diamond ring. Although she wasn't per se in love with her recent boyfriend, she was nevertheless shocked when instead of getting down on one knee, he broke up with her. Mildly heartbroken, Lana heads to work the next day hoping to forget about the tragedy that is her dating life. That is until her very first heartbreak, her high school sweetheart and maybe even the love of her life starts working at her job. Now, Lana must wrestle with feelings that never went away, all while trying to remain single and win the competition for her dream job.

ahhh! I was so excited to read this one because of lease on love but unfortunately, it fell just a little off the mark for me. i think I'll always enjoy fallon's writing because she's so funny and I especially really loved the first chapter/scene in this book. there was so much potential in that one scene but I think the second-chance romance in this book just didn't really feel right. I wasn't particularly excited about Seth and I think most of my issue with the characters was the miscommunication at every point. it felt like we'd be getting somewhere, making progress, and then we'd be back to square one.

overall, this was a sweet second-chance romance with work rivals to lovers and very quick to read! thank you to netgalley and putnam books for the e-arc!!

To win the job of her dreams, a relationship-prone journalist needs to learn how to stay single in this heartwarming and hilarious new romantic comedy from the beloved author of Lease on Love.

Lana Parker is an expert girlfriend. After a disastrous breakup with her high school boyfriend, she's bounced from long-term relationship to long-term relationship and even works as the dating and relationships columnist for one of Los Angeles's trendiest websites. But when Lana suddenly finds herself single, she's ready to take a break, both personally and professionally.

That is, until her high school ex, Seth Carson, takes an assignment at Lana's site. Having spent years traveling the world as a freelance journalist, Seth's finally ready to put down roots. Seth and Lana's chemistry is just as combative—and undeniable—as ever and quickly leads to a competition that could shape both of their careers. Pitted against each other by Lana's boss, they are each tasked with writing an article series that goes against their usual dating type: Lana needs to write about being single and staying single, while Seth must learn to settle down and become boyfriend material. Whoever's series is most popular wins a highly coveted dream job. But when the two square off, it's not only their careers on the line—it’s also their hearts.
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First off, Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for the generous ARC copy of this book. I have not previously read LEASE ON LOVE by Falon Ballard, so this is a new to me author.

When I first came across the blurb of this book I immediately NEEDED to read it. I thought it was going to be a super cute enemies to lovers trope. Falon did not disappoint me! This book is a second chance, enemies to lovers, workplace competition slow burn romance. It kind of gave me How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes - and I am definitely not complaining about that!

Lana is a thirty-year old writer and serial monogamist. She writes the dating and relationship column for Always Take Fountain. Her character starts off a little immature, but I was happy to see her growth as the novel progressed.

Seth is a thirty-year old freelance writer who recently moved to LA to settle down. He starts working for Always Take Fountain with Lana (his ex high school girlfriend!) where they are pitted against each other in a "friendly" competition.

The storyline from here is as predictable as you can imagine (I won't say it out loud because I don't want to spoil anything), but it was a very fun read. The banter was good and I felt the book was written very well. It is not a spicy books by any means. It is a slow burn with a few spicy scenes in the last 15% of the book.

Definitely would recommend for fans of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Hating Game, and People We Meet on Vacation.

Book releases February 7, 2023.

Ah, this book is SO GOOD! I read it one day because I just couldn’t stop. I started the audiobook while I had some driving around to do. Then once I got home, I switched to ebook because I can read faster than I can listen and I needed to see this story play out. Just My Type has the vibe of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but yet it’s unique. This is a second chance, enemies to lovers, workplace, open-door romance that kept me smiling and laughing the entire time. I mean there are some outrageous things that happen and I was cracking up. The romance is adorable but full of tension. I really enjoyed the workplace competition between Seth and Lana and also the group texts. In Falon Ballard’s debut Lease on Love, the found family friendships were wonderful and this book has a wonderful bestie and some great coworkers. Lana calls herself a pop culture nerd and I loved all the MCU and Star Wars references. The chapter titles as article titles were perfect! This is the kind of book that proves to me that romance books are my jam! I highly recommend reading Just My Type and I hope you love it just as much as I did.

Thank you to Putnam Books for a free digital ARC and to PRHAudio for a free audiobook. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Falon Ballard is a PRO at writing couples that get me emotionally invested. Lana was such a relatable character for me (a pop culture obsessed millennial) and I was so connected with her struggle to feel passionate about her career, doing what she wants to do but thiiiiiiis close to her big break into what she REALLY wants to do. I loved the competition aspect of pitting her and Seth against each other to complete their tasks and win the column but really in the end, win each other.

Lease on Love was one of my favorite reads of 2022 and Just My Type will be up there for 2023!

I had high hopes for this one after absolutely loving LEASE ON LOVE last year. But this story was such a drag in the worst kind of way. Seth and Lana very obviously are so into each other after their split and it was so annoying that they weren't giving in. And of course, that’s definitely an me thing, but I just thought they were so immature at times. Also the challenge they were given to win the column gave me such an ick. They were bumbling idiots in the most annoying way. I was hoping for more but it all was so dragged out and then done all up with a bow.

I really enjoyed Just My Type, I loved the writing context (always a trope I like) and the gentle touches that made the book fun and charming (sunflowers!). This story managed to disrupt the tropes a bit too with characters with more than one plot/story to reveal, while also leaning into exes to lovers, by bringing in past hurts, individual career pursuits and the competition trope, and a vibrant set of secondary characters who added depth and humor to the story.

If you like The Hating Game or similar stories... this one is for you. Thank you to Penguin/Putnam group for the joy and delightful smiles this book brought me. It is perfect for a Valentine's read or the winter blues pick me up you are seeking in.

This one has second chance, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days vibes with a mix of enemies to lovers. Lana and Seth have chemistry that jumps off the page from the very beginning and the character development is fantastic. I really enjoyed reading this sweet Rom Com and I would definitely recommend you get a copy on February 7th!!

Just My Type is an adorably sweet.. enemies to lovers/second-chance romance.. that’s super relatable. This has “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” mixed with “The Hating Game” vibes. There’s a competition between two old flames to land the job of their dreams with unique unexpected twists seldom found in a rom-com. They have to each write articles about their experiences, at the end of the competition the one with the most online clicks wins. Oh.. + I love how these two teamed up and put their boss in her place.. she most certainly deserved it! A fun, clever PERFECT HEA!!! ❥ 5 stars — Pub. 2/7/23

Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

What a quirky and fun romance!

Just My Type follows Lana, a relationship-prone journalist that is now recently single and hoping for an opportunity to write for a highly coveted column. But when her high school ex-boyfriend Seth suddenly takes an assignment at Lana’s site, they now have to compete for this column by writing an article series that goes against both their dating types. Except now they aren’t just competing for their careers, they have to compete for their hearts.

Lana’s POV is a blast! There are some fun references and I love that her character is a little nerdy and loves Marvel! It really feeds into her personality. Plus the workplace banter felt like I was talking to my own coworkers! Everyone has their people at work to make the job bearable and I relate to those relationships.

I love both Seth and Lana, however I feel if we got more information on their high school relationship, it would’ve taken the romance that much further.

Overall, it’s a rom com to check out and I recommend to those that enjoy second chance and workplace romance!

Falon Ballard has done it again! This book was perfection! Gosh dang it I loved everything about this. The second chance/work place romance. The characters. The friendships. The hazelnut lattes! And I loved the plot and the writing. It was all so enjoyable! I will be recommending this to everyone!

Lana Parker has never been single for long and after a break up with her high school boyfriend Seth she had bounced from one relationship to another. She works as a dating and relationship columnist for a trendy LA website. At the age of 30 she finds herself single again and vows to stay that way. This lasts until her former boyfriend Seth starts working at her website also. They enter into a competition of who can write a better column about dating and the winner will get a highly coveted column spot.
This was a great enemies to lovers type, with a second chance aspect also. The banter and tension between the two of them was fun and I loved the love confession as well. It was so sweet. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

3 ⭐️

Just My Type has some cute tropes and good writing but unfortunately the story was a bit dull in my opinion. I really enjoyed the beginning and thought it would be a 4ish star read, but the miscommunication between Seth and Lana became quite frustrating, and I didn't love Lana's character in particular. There was a lot of potential for the co-workers and friends to leave quite an impression but I felt like those relationships were never explored deep enough. The Slack and text communications got redundant, and past 60% I was really just waiting for it to end. It was cute, very lighthearted read, but probably will not be very memorable for me.

One very particular irk was related to all the Marvel references, and this is coming from a Marvel fan. Anyone who does not know much about the MCU will be completely lost at the many many references made.

What you can expect:
🏖️ Set in Los Angeles
💜 Second chance romance
👧 Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
✍️ Writer main characters

🌴Book Review👩‍💻

“Just My Type” by Falon Ballard

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Thank you net galley and Putnam books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review🫶

💓Spoiler-free review:

I BINGED this read and had the absolute best time curling up on my reading chair with a cup of coffee on a rainy day to immerse myself in “Just My Type.”

After absolutely loving Falon Ballard’s first release, “Lease on Love,” I was dying to read her upcoming release and I’m so grateful that I got my hands on this ARC!

Firstly, Lana Parker, our protagonist, is completely relatable. Like me, she’s absolutely obsessed with margaritas, books, fandoms, and coffee. But, Lana also has immense depth as she struggles to carve out the life she wants — both in the workplace and romantically. Lana’s character development throughout the course of the novel was one of my favorite aspects, as she discovered her own strength and independence outside of a relationship and trying to please others.

And then, of course, we have the romance. This book reads like a romantic comedy, which I loved!

When Lana’s first and ultimate love, Seth, unexpectedly returns to Lana’s life, they are pitted against one another in an ultimate love-based journalism challenge. I loved following Lana through each of the challenges that they set for one another and how both of them grew from each of them. And, as the weeks went on, Lana was forced to confront her painful past with Seth and learn to move forward from it. I found it so entertaining to see Seth and Lana act like mortal enemies, but still obviously care deeply for one another at the same time.

I didn’t end up giving this book five stars because I was missing a little bit of insight into the beginning of Lana and Seth’s relationship, which is usually what helps me root for the second chance romance more strongly.

Overall, I would recommend this book especially if you…
♥️Love second-chance romance
😚Want a rom-com-esque read
🌴Love books set in California
👩‍💻Want a book centering journalists

Lease on Love was one of my favorite 2022 reads and I was eagerly anticipating the Falon Ballard's second book! Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

Just My Type is a fun combination of two of my favorite romance tropes--enemies to lovers and second chance romance. Lana is a writer who (begrudgingly) covers dating and relationships for an LA based culture and lifestyle website.. She's eager for a promotion and is shocked when she finds out her ex-boyfriend (also a writer) has moved to LA and is also vying for the same position. They each embark on a "challenge" intended to address some of their biggest relationship misteps and hangups and write about it for the site, with the goal of winning over readers. Whoever gets the most "votes" at the end "wins" the promotion!

I really liked the evolution of Lana's character, and the empowering friendships that supported her along the way. There were also subplots dealing with her relationship with her mother, and a toxic boss which were good, but wish there would have been a bit more character development around these.

Fallon Ballard is definitely becoming one of my must-read authors and I recommend picking up this fun read!

I loved Just My Type so much!! It was sweet and cute and relatable all at once. This was the perfect nod to the romcoms I grew up with, so many classic tropes that were done so well! I don't always go for second-chance romances, so that tells you how great this one was!

Lana felt incredibly relatable (and not just because I am the same age as she is) she is funny, nerdy, and just a little bit of a mess but in the best way possible. And I don't know how anyone couldn't love Seth, there wasn't a second I believed he could possibly be an a**hole, even when you desperately want to hate him for breaking Lana's heart.

Once I started, I could hardly put this down and I'm excited to go back and read Falon Ballard's first book and can't wait for what's to come in the future!

Lana has a Legally Blonde moment where she thinks she's getting engaged but her boyfriend ends up breaking up with her. The next day, her ex-boyfriend/high school sweetheart shows up at her job and they're put against each other for a relationship challenge. Lana has to learn to be single and Seth has to learn how to commit, I really liked the challenge aspect of this book. They were both checking challenges off and that helped the story progress nicely. This is a slow burn romance. It takes a very long time for the couple to get together, which is not my personal favorite. I wanted more from the relationship. Overall, enjoyable while reading but I think it's going to end up being pretty forgettable.

This was my first book I have read by Falon Ballard and I am definitely going to reading her other book very soon!! I honestly couldn't put this book down and read well past my bed time. When this happens, I consider it a good book. I fell in love with Lana and Seth. I adored the Second Chance trope. There were numerous times I wanted to shake them both and make them see what they were doing. I love the growth we got to see for Lana through out the book. She learned that she was able to stand on her own two feet the entire time. She never needed a man to help her. I also love that she was able to stand up to her boss!!

Second chance is one of my all time favorite tropes in romance. Combine that with all the 2000's romcom movie vibes? I adored this book! This was my first from this author, and I quickly prioritized her prior book and everything she writes in the future.

Lana has always jumped from serious relationship to serious relationship ever since her first love broke her heart 12 years ago. She's currently working in a job as a relationship columnist which she isn't happy with and wants to be in more "real world" journalism. I know this might sound familiar (2000s romcom) but the plot is much different. She gets an opportunity to compete to get a spot doing what she wants to do. But her competition just happens to be her first love, Seth.

They have to work together during points in the competition, and the tension and chemistry is still there after not seeing each other for ten years. Which makes for the BEST banter. It is so witty and wonderful. While they are working through their feelings of what happened between them in the past, Lana is also trying to find her own happy. As one of the conditions in the assignment is to remain single and be on her own for once.

The writing easily pulled me in and made me not want to put it down. Lana's character development was exceptional. The message with finding herself and what makes her truly happy, made it feel like it bordered women's fiction and romance. But it was done in the best way!

The only thing that brought it down a star for me, is I did not fully connect to Seth. It is single POV. But I almost feel like a few more flashbacks of their prior relationship could have connected us to him more. Since it only gives little glimpses.

But overall, I highly recommend giving this one a shot! It had me laughing out loud, has a wonderful deeper meaning of loving yourself first, amazing and developed side characters, and the connections to classic romcoms made my heart so happy.