Growing up Evie O’Shea had to share her beloved nana with the boy next door Liam Kelly. As they got older things turned sour for Evie and she fled to Paris. Now her brother is getting married, and to appease her insufferable mother she might just turn to Liam to help her navigate the trip home.

Liam Kelly is swoon worthy! He is absolutely my new book boyfriend!

This was a love story like no other. I appreciated the endometriosis representation. It shed light on something I knew very little about. I also liked how the author made me feel ok about having feelings of sorrow when other people in my life seem to be moving forward, and I feel left behind.

Pick this book up!!! It’s so good! The characters are amazing and funny! The atmosphere is delightful and delicious! I cannot praise this enough!


Thank you to NetGalley for the free Ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, what a wonderful debut novel. It was sweet, funny, sad, heartbreaking, sassy, and more all rolled into one great read.

I loved the characters I want some of them as my friends, the settings you could just imagine being there, and the pastries make you want to indulge in their sweetness. Cherry blossoms, macarons, the eiffel tower, how could you possibly not fall in love with this book and these wonderful characters.

The heartbreak, chronic illness (endometriosis), dealing with past hurts, family members who just don't get it, that all just pulls at your heartstrings. Then you have the sweet wonderful people who want to be there for you not out of obligation, but because you mean something more to them.

I truly enjoyed reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an arc copy of this book.

So here’s the thing, if you can make it past the first few chapters and don’t mind a litany of unnecessary Paris-related name drops, then Finding Gene Kelley is cute and lovable. The love story of Evie, who has Endometriosis, is relatable and very realistic. I appreciated the realism, and the puns. Ultimately I enjoyed this book, it definitely finds it’s pace in the back half.

Finding Gene Kelly - e-ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
PUB DATE: September 20th
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QUICK LOOK: Childhood Friends Who had a falling out, Adult Romance, Chronic Illness Rep, Second Chance Romance, Fake Dating, Romance that gets real and digs deep
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SYNOPSIS:
Evie and Liam grew up next door to each other. Since Liam’s parents were gone a lot, he practically lived at Evie’s house, claiming her Nana as his own. After a falling out in high school, the two grew apart. Now as adults, they find themselves once again in the same city for a month. And that city happens to be Paris.
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Evie’s brother is getting married and the only way to keep her overbearing mother off her back is to bring a date to the wedding. Her only option is Liam. But maybe suffering Liam isn’t as bad as suffering her mother’s wrath.
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WHY 5/5:
This debut novel completely took me by surprise. The window into chronic illness in this book was handled so perfectly. The romance was full of swooning and angst without anything cheesy. These characters grapple with very real, very hard things and grow so beautifully. Amidst all the struggles though, Evie finds a way to carve out some beauty in her life.
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If you prefer sweet, cheesy, Hallmark romances, this might now be for you. It has many sweet and swoony moments, to be sure, but it is also very open about the lifelong struggles associated with chronic illness.
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I personally fall hard for romances that dig deep and I fell hard for this one.
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Well done, @authortoriejean. Thank you for this beautiful gift of a book.
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Thank you @netgalley and @authortoriejean. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When five-year-old Evie O'Shea married her next-door neighbor in the wedding of the century, she had no idea she was swearing an oath to love the man who would grow into the bane of her existence until the end of time. Or that in ten years time, she'd start a long and winding journey to an eventual endometriosis diagnosis.
Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O'Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie's humdrum life needs a shake-up.
Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine.
But when a family announcement shakes up Evie's world weeks before her brother's wedding, Evie seeks Liam's help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact.
Her request? Fake date.
Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam's conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Sunset And Camden Creative
I just reviewed Finding Gene Kelly by Torie Jean. #FindingGeneKelly #NetGalley

Finding Gene Kelly
By Torie Jene

Pub 9/20/22 💕


I always say that I love to read things that make me feel all the feels. When reading Finding Gene Kelly by Torie Jene I felt all the feels.

When Evie talked us through her endometriosis pains I felt it. I myself have PCOS and just a years ago was diagnosed after dealing with horrible period pains, hair loss and hormonal acne for YEARS. I felt seen.

Read if you like:

- [x] Enemies to lovers
- [x] Endometriosis representation
- [x] Paris
- [x] Sweet treats and just carbs in general 🍩
- [x] Second Chances

The spice level:
🌶

My rating:
🍩🍩🍩🍩

I had to rate this Gem with donuts once you read it you will understand why.

❣️I loved this book and think that everyone should get it ! You will feel all the feels❣️

Review:
Evie and Liam's story is so magical. Part of that is the setting of the romance and magic of Paris but part of it is the way they come back together after a lifetime of being forced together and neither one being able to admit their feelings. Evie's stuggle with her endometriosis was gut wrenching to follow. For every moment Evie suffered, Torie Jean explained the true nature of this disease and what its like everyday for some people who have it. It was heart warming to watch Evie standing up for herself and demanding that her life is more difficult than it has to be and she's not willing to only focus on the cloudy parts of her life.
A lot of that comes from Liam's support. It's unwavering and so freaking cute, and I can't say enought about how awesome he is and we need more people, in real life and in books, like him.

Synopsis:
When five-year-old Evie O’Shea married her next-door neighbor in the wedding of the century, she had no idea she was swearing an oath to love the man who would grow into the bane of her existence until the end of time. Or that in ten years time, she’d start a long and winding journey to an eventual endometriosis diagnosis.

Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O’Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie’s humdrum life needs a shake-up.

Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine.

But when a family announcement shakes up Evie's world weeks before her brother’s wedding, Evie seeks Liam’s help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact.

Her request? Fake date.

Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam’s conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.

I finished this book 2 days ago and I can’t stop thinking about it! I loved everything - the writing, the story, the realistic endo representation and curvy protagonist, the facts about Paris! I can’t wait for Torie Jean’s next book.

4.5 stars!

If you're looking for a sweet and fluffy romcom that matches that all-pink cover, look the other way.

Don't get me wrong, this book does have its fair share of cute and swoony moments. I mean, sugar-fight-turned-makeout session in the kitchen and dancing along the Seine? And the copious amount of cuddling? Definitely gave me heart eyes. However, this book also explores the realities of living with a chronic illness, and unfortunately, it's not always sunshine and rainbow sprinkles. The heroine here lives with endometriosis and that for her means living with constant cramping in the lower half of her body. That pain sadly affects how she sees herself as a potential romantic partner.

And then comes Liam Kelly who makes her dream of a happily ever after for the very first time. In my opinion, Liam deserves all the rights for being the best love interest there is. That man just knows how to give the most comforting palm caresses and the warmest snuggles when necessary. If we could just take a page off his book, I honestly think this world will be a much better and safer place to be in.

As for our heroine Evie, I'm not going to say that she's strong (even though she truly is and she deserves to be called as such). All I'm going to say is that her story was raw, vulnerable, and extremely hard to read at times. I do not have endometriosis so I cannot speak firsthand for the representation. However, I can say that as someone who doesn't understand, I feel extremely privileged to have had a glimpse of what she and other people go through, albeit in fiction.

I'd also like to commend the writing in this book because it is very well-written. The imagery did an amazing job making me feel like I'm basking in the sights, sounds, and smells of Paris myself. I even highlighted a number of beautiful quotes that are worth noting and revisiting. Although, some parts became overly flowery that I found myself taken out of the story in order to focus on understanding a particular line. It wasn't a major blip from my general enjoyment of the book, but I would have loved it even more if my read went a bit more smoothly. To add to that, I think chapters from Liam's POV would have added another layer of depth to the romance. It would have been interesting to see the perspective of the sweet man who willingly embraced every bit of our heroine and how that blends with his own experiences.

This story is not for everyone, but I highly recommend this for readers who love and appreciate romances that are heartwarming yet extremely honest. This is a stunningly diverse (and pun-ny!) debut novel that we need more of in the romance genre. I'm very excited to see what this author will bring to the table next!


Many thanks to NetGalley and Tori Jean for generously providing an ARC of this book! All opinions stated above are my own.


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tw: chronic illness, pain, anxiety, panic attacks

Thank you Torie Jean, Sunset and Camden Creative, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Finding Gene Kelly out September 20, 2022!!!

At five years old Evie has her love life figured out, in fact she is married to next door neighbor and five-year old heart throb Liam. Yes she has it all figured out until age seven when she has to divorce Liam after several incidents involving a decapitated American girl doll and a muddy football. What follows is years of animosity between the two, complicated by family members passing away and an endometriosis diagnosis. Evie decides to leave home during college to live in Paris to become a pastry chef. Six years later Evie is still in Paris but due to complications of her endometriosis she is not a pastry chef, instead she is a food blogger and part time bartender. Even though it’s not exactly the dream, everything is fine, that is until her ex-childhood husband shows up in Paris. Let's mix in a startling family announcement weeks away from Evie going home to her brother's wedding, she decided to propose to Liam a fake dating scheme to try and escape her mother's meddling. Will the two be able to resolve the animosity that's in the past and have the future that they both deserve.

I loved this book, it was an amazing combination of romance and angst that kept me on my toes. Multiple times I wanted to just shake both the characters, I just wanted them to talk about the past and move on. That being said, I think that both characters have such growth in different ways. I loved how real and fierce Evie was, and I especially loved how much of a cinnamon roll Liam is. I loved the endometriosis representation in this book, it was startling to think that it was the first time I have read about a female having endometriosis and it's amazing that Torie gave women with this diagnosis a voice. When starting this book I didn't think it would become a new comfort read, but it exceeded my expectations! I hope when reading this book you feel the same way.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Sunset and Camden Creative and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.



Relatable characters, quirky antics, fun story.

Fake dating! Paris setting! Endometriosis rep! All the puns! A cinnamon roll hero perfect book boyfriend! You NEED this book!

Read if you love...
- endometriosis rep (Own Voices)
- brother's best friend
- childhood friends to high school rivals to lovers
- fake dating
- cinnamon roll hero
- caretaking
- open door, but with endo rep
- therapy positive
- texts on page
- chapter titles
- Audrey Hepburn references
- kickass best friends
- Paris setting
- so many puns!
- queer best friend

Reasons you'll love this book...
- LIAM. KELLY. We must protect this perfect man at all costs. Almost everything I want to say about Liam is a spoiler. But y'all. Caretaking during endo flare ups. The plans he makes for her birthday. And so much more!
- The Paris setting for the majority of the book is perfection! Walks along the Seine River. The architecture. The history. The pastries!
- Both the author and the FMC live with endometriosis.
- The best kind of best friends!
- SO MANY PUNS!
- Fake dating with real feelings & chemistry & tension & pining.
- Texts on page!
- Therapy positive!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC an exchange for an honest review!

Finding Gene Kelly was fun with a capital F. I enjoyed the sensitive, swoony, hot-cold romantic moments of the lead couple. Their chemistry was well presented, the Gene Kelly touch and Paris was the cherry on the cake.

Finding Gene Kelly is about Evie O'Shea who has been struggling with endometriosis and the challenges it brings to her life. I enjoyed reading this story overall. However, it took me a while to really get into, and skimmed through a lot of the beginning. However, as the story progressed and we are introduced to Liam I found myself engaged and enjoying the story. I loved Evie's and Liam's relationship from friends to enemies to lovers. Their banter was funny and cute. Liam was the perfect book boyfriend.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I really wanted to like this book and give it 5 stars, but it just didn't hit any marks for me. I did like the endometriosis representation and the romance overall was great. I just wasn't a fan of how slow paced the book was and how toxic /judgy Evie could be towards other women. But, overall a good book just not the book for me.

I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. This book was so cute and sweet. Had me laughing at some parts, crying a bit at other parts! What really drew me to this book was that it wasn’t just another romance book—a big part of it was the endometriosis representation by the main character Evie. As someone who has PCOS I was curious about learning more about endometriosis since they aren’t the same disease but have the similarity of fertility issues/reproductive organs being the main cause of issue. I love how realistic it was in representing just how much of a daily tole the disease takes on woman who have it and how it affects everyday life with no true cure. I could relate to a lot of Evie’s struggles with herself for having this disease effect her whole life and how others don’t fully understand the impacts of it and having a mom who is less than understanding (the struggle is real!). I loved the references to old movies/actors like Gene Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and others. I loved the fake dating and how Liam and Evie find their way to each other and the hardships they had to go through to get to be together at last. I loved that they both were pining for each other without knowing—almost an enemies to lovers feel since they had a rough history but had cute moments like “getting married” at age 5 and being next door neighbours. I loved the side characters of Maria and Eli and the lovely imagery of Paris through the book and the USA too! Man this book also had me so hungry and dying for the beautiful and delicious food in Paris! I really loved this book and can’t wait for it to come out. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC!

Did I read this book in a day? You better brie-lieve I did. I initially requested this book as soon as I read "Evie O’Shea lives in Paris" because Paris was, after all, always a good idea. 😉 And I'm so freaking happy I did because this book is so special. I absolutely adored it.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
✨️ Childhood friends turned semi enemies to lovers
✨️ Fake dating
✨️ Endometriosis rep (Own Voices)
✨️ Cinnamon roll hero
✨️ Set in Paris
✨️ He takes care of her

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙:
🍩 Baby Liam and Baby Evie 🥺🥰
💙 Actually, Liam Kelly period
🍰 All the cheesy puns! 🧀
✉️ The post cards
☕️ The way Torie describes Paris speaks to my soul 🧡
🥐 All the pastries
😍 All the scenic walks

Highly recommend!!! But please see the content warnings provided by the author first.

3.5

friends-to-enemies (at least on ONE end, that is)-to-lovers with a dose of hardcore pining. i didn’t really connect to/love it, but it’s good nonetheless. it kind of irked me how long it took evie to accept how liam felt, but i guess it makes sense based on their history. great ending!

#netgalley

Before I start my review of Finding Gene Kelly, I want to be fully transparent that Torie Jean is one of my dearest friends and this book is WONDERFUL! I also want to state that even if she wasn’t a good friend of mine I would still LOVE this book, and everyone needs to go read it right NOW. What’s not to love when there’s a beautifully written own voices representation of endometriosis, your backdrop is the “City of Love”, you have childhood frenemies who FAKE DATE (but honestly there’s been A LOT of pining/unrequited love), all of the puns, the POSTCARDS and two characters (Evie and LIam) who are reunited in one of my most favorite “meet cutes” EVER (“Nope” – IYKYK). The banter between Liam and Evie is just *chef’s kiss* and just all of the things Liam and Evie do for each other had me swooning throughout the whole book – I mean we even get a grand gesture at the end!

Potential readers should heed the content and trigger warnings that Torie Jean has placed at the beginning of Finding Gene Kelly, which I for one am a huge proponent of. While at its heart Finding Gene Kelly is a romance (and a GREAT one at that), it also deals with many heavy issues that will make people feel seen and need to be in the right headspace before they read. Torie Jean’s own voice representation of living with endometriosis and the effort it takes to be one’s own advocate will strike a chord with many readers and provide an outlet for people who live with endometriosis to feel seen and heard. Also, knowing Torie Jean personally, all the tiny nods to her friends and important people in her life throughout the book also gave me all the feels and made this book even more special and wonderful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Torie Jean, NetGalley and Xpresso Tours for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

I got progressively more and more excited as I read the synopsis for Finding Gene Kelly when I saw chronic illness rep, a P&P reference, and the fake dating trope, but I tried to keep my expectations in check when I got a copy because I've been burned before. Let me tell you, Torie Jean did not disappoint.

Finding Gene Kelly takes you on a grand tour through the City of Love with a love story that's as sweet as it is honest. The romance had me grinning ear-to-ear, and the chronic illness rep had me cheering "yes, yes, YES." Full review to come.