Deeply Personal by Suzanne Collier is a surface level love story concealed by the stereotypical not committing man and the workaholic woman

Meeting by chance at a Turkey Trott in Tennessee, we are introduced to interior designer Jessica and Fitness Instructor Paul. As the story unfolds they yet again have a chance meeting and Paul hires Jessica to redo his apartment as a ruse to painfully unaware newly single Jessica. I found as I continued this story that similarly with other romance novels the protagonist Jessica to be rather insufferable as an individual. The way Collier chose to write her was peculiar to me as it lacked any positives but was also on the flip-side refreshing to see a character so incredibly raw and unedited as normal human beings would be. Paul on the other hand was not only the most perfect character but the route taken was occasionally unexpected. When you uncover a character is struggling to commit you expect them to stick to their guns but to see Paul openly acknowledge his struggle with grief and the connection to lack of commitment left me amazed. Alongside the character of Paul I loved the dual story telling aspect that the author dated in this story as it gave a vast perspective on both characters feelings. Overall I liked this book for its writing style but found the character building rather surface levelled especially with Jessica resulting in me not connecting as such with her.

3 stars - its good! As someone who is currently dealing with anxiety due to heart-health related stress, this may have hit a little too close to home! (Its okay, you can laugh!) I do appreciate a good love story, and an especially good reminder to take it easy and let things come as they may. For Jessica and Paul, their story obviously doesn't fall far from my own personal experience, and it was nice to have a break and enjoy this. I do think it could be so much more, but I am hopeful for Suzanne Collier in her future writing quests. Well done :)

I will start by saying, I don't like third person books. When it's third person writing style, it doesn't impress me at all and I have a hard time following and staying motivated to read the book. But Suzanne Collier did exactly the reserve thing with me, her book was written in the third person, and it didn't disappoint me at all! I was in the book and couldn't put in down, almost addicted on it. When I tell you I've read during work free time, that's exactly what I did.

The story itself was wonderfully well written and such a cute Ron-com that I adored reading.

This book should be in your TBR and read in 2025. If you haven't already read it please do, it's a cute little story.

I rate this book 4 stars just because when I give 5 stars it means the book either, destroyed me, marked me, or I could relate 100% of the book. But Deeply Personal was really close to a 5 stars.

Cheers,
Cass's Bookshelf

When a health scare during a 5k provokes a healthy life change, the stranger that helped her during the 5k becomes a large player in her life and the lifestyle changes don't stop at diet and exercise...
This book was so nice, in addition to having real talk about the mental, emotional, forward movement and backsliding of making big life changes but also what that means when you're improving yourself in all sorts of ways that benefit the person long term. Very relateable.

#arc
#netgalley
#deeplypersonal

Let me start by saying that I had high expectations for this book, especially since it was pitched as being for fans of authors I really enjoy. But it quickly became clear that this story wasn’t anything like the books mentioned in the description. I lowered my expectations and tried to approach it for what it was—but I still ended up disappointed.

The writing didn’t work for me, and the characters felt bland. I pushed through, hoping it was just a rough start, but things didn’t improve as the story progressed. The plot didn’t feel cohesive, with too much focus on unrelated elements rather than personal growth or romance.

It hurts to admit this, but I honestly don’t think the fake dating element was necessary at all (and this is coming from someone who loves fake dating tropes—the wackier, the better). In this case, though, it just didn’t make sense. Paul could have easily introduced Jessica as a friend, and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference to the story. Instead, we got a scene where the leads couldn’t even get their fake story straight, despite supposedly discussing it multiple times. I think it was meant to be funny, but it just made me cringe. Am I really supposed to believe that this super successful couple in their seventies was fooled by this?

To make matters worse, the characters kept mentioning their fake relationship in front of the very people they were supposed to fool—including a scene where the couple’s daughter overhears them. This led to yet another forced comedic moment that fell completely flat.

I hoped the romance might redeem the story, but it didn’t. The characters didn’t spend enough meaningful time together, and when they did, their interactions felt superficial. There was no real connection or chemistry between them, and they didn’t help each other grow.

Jessica has a heart condition, and it’s repeatedly emphasized that she needs to eat healthy and exercise, but she blatantly ignores this advice. And Paul, who is a personal trainer, does nothing to encourage her to take care of herself. Not even her family steps in to help. It made no sense to me. Similarly, Jessica constantly criticizes her mother for being a drunkard, yet she’s shown drinking multiple glasses daily herself.

Paul, on the other hand, supposedly has commitment issues, but he’s repeatedly asking Jessica out with no sign of hesitation. And then his commitment issues and Jessica's health problems just... disappear? Without any effort or resolution?

And don't even get me started on the end, who physically appreciates her twin brother instead of her husband on their WEDDING DAY of all days????? No!!! Just no!

P.S. I also didn’t appreciate the way the author casually brought up cancer without any sensitivity. Descriptions like “He always sounded so upbeat, as if the cure for cancer had just been discovered, like, today” were incredibly triggering for me. These comments felt unnecessary and added nothing to the story.

You don't have to think too hard as it is an easy-going, easy-to-read book. It is not for me, but I can see other people enjoying it. 1.5 stars.

I didn't care for it. The writing wasn't for me. Her brother is a jackass. The characters are caricatures. The dialogue is so corny. Filled with clichés. Not tropes...cliches.. It took too long to get going. 1.5 stars.

Deeply Personal

This is a dual POV story of Jessica, an interior designer and Paul, a personal trainer. I had high hopes for this book and for Jessica and Paul to find what they needed in their lives to make it. From meeting Paul at the Turkey Trot race and having a medical emergency that saw her getting whisked off her feet by the very handsome Paul. We go into a maze of confusion, self sabotage, scheming, interior designing, fake dating and falling in love, but in the end it was an enjoyable read.

They realise that their professions could mutally benefit each other and the scheme of fake dating eventually turns into more then what it was supposed to be, romantic, fun and living life to the fullest. As the characters develop feelings for one another it can seem a little disjointed at times, but in real life it can be that way at times too. I liked how the characters developed and intertwined with one another and within their group of friends and family.

Suzanne Collier has tried to bring these characters to life and dealing with issues that are not normally touched upon in romance stories or stories in general. There were some hilarious moments in the book but the tenderness of affection for even a slow burn was lacking that intensity to make the relationship believable at times.

Deeply Personal has some great scenes that redeem the characters, however they just lack a bit of chemistry to make their love story believable. There is are minor characters that can lead you astray from the real journey of the book but in the end it is a happy ending and we love that for Jessica and Paul.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#deeplypersonal #Netgalley #romcom #book #romancebook #fakedating #booktok #bookgram #books #booknerd #readingchallenge #arc #fyp

DEEPLY PERSONAL by Suzanne Collier is a super fun, laugh-out-loud romance! If you like slow-burn love stories with a dash of humor, this one’s for you. Jessica, an interior designer, literally gets swept off her feet by Paul, a personal trainer, after she collapses at a fun walk. They decide to trade skills—she’ll help him with his man-cave of a condo, and he’ll help her get healthier. Their fake date to impress a client turns into something more, and their chemistry is undeniable. It’s light, funny, and sweet, with just enough depth to keep you hooked. I’ll definitely be recommending this one to my library patrons who are looking for a feel-good, romantic read.

Deeply Personal starts off with such a promising note, with Jessica collapsing during a Turkey Trot and being rescued by personal trainer Paul. The setup was cute, and the storyline held promise, but unfortunately, the slow-burn romance was a bit too slow for my taste. The initial spark between the main characters didn’t fully carry through, leaving me wanting more banter and chemistry after such a strong start.
While the romance fell short, there were still aspects of the book I enjoyed. The side story involving Jessica’s dad was heartfelt and engaging, and I loved Paul’s relationship with his grandparents—it added warmth and depth to his character. Additionally, the scenes depicting Jessica’s health issues were well-written and realistic.
Overall, while the book didn’t fully deliver the romantic tension I was hoping for, it had some touching moments and worthwhile side stories. With more interaction and back-and-forth between the leads, this could have been a much stronger read.

For some reason I didn’t vibe with this book! I really wanted to, but I just couldn’t connect with the main characters. The cover is adorable though and it was still cute!

I tried to like this book. I did. Suzanne Collier has nice prose, but the storytelling in Deeply Personal was deeply lacking. When I read a romance, I want the characters to have such good chemistry that they evoke genuine emotions in me. That's what makes the story come to life. That's what gets someone invested. Jessica and Paul did not have believable chemistry. It made the book quite difficult to get through because their relationship was never compelling.

The story was less a story than a series of loosely-related events. The writers of South Park have talked about how good storytelling involves asking, "this happened, therefore... what?" In other words, engaging stories should be propelled forward by the consequences of each plot point. Deeply Personal was missing that element, and thus it lacked momentum and direction. A lot of the plot points were good, but they never seemed to lead anywhere. They were self-contained and didn't connect well to other parts of the story, which made reading it a rather choppy experience.

My last complaint is how the final chapter (not the epilogue) ended. We were at the main characters' wedding, but the book ended with a (slightly sexually-charged?) tender moment between Jessica and her *twin brother,* who was a *minor* character? Literally, the last line was, "Jessica really did have it all--a soulmate and a wombmate." WHAT? And that was after she compared her brother to Patrick Swayze. Everyone knows you don't compare a blood-relative to Patrick Swayze unless you're ready to open a whole can of Freudian worms. But the most frustrating part of this moment was that Jessica's relationship with her brother Lenny was a minor, MINOR plot point, yet ending the book focused on him made it sound like the whole thing had been about their siblinghood rather than a romance. And again, this was at her WEDDING. Those few paragraphs knocked an entire star off of my rating. Absolutely heinous. Straight to jail.

All this said, I would probably give Suzanne Collier another chance. She has potential, I just think she needs more direction.

Silly, fun , smutty read that was perfect for the start of the holiday season. I read this right before thanksgiving and it was the perfect vibe. I also LOVE that the characters are in their early 30's and not high school students. The story was relatable at times but also so fun.

DNF.

I was promised this book was, "perfect for fans of PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT by Sara Adams, FIX HER UP by Tessa Bailey, and SET ON YOU by Amy Lea." That was an immediate yes from me, because I love all three of those books. The concept was cute. The execution.... was not. I knew on page one this book wasn't going to be for me. The writing was a bit dense and too descriptive. Yes, I want to be in the scene as the reader, but my goodness I don't need that much information. I read to escape and also to use my imagination, and there just wasn't room for either in this story.

Thank you to the author/Splitrail Publishing for the eARC. These is my honest opinion.

This book had the potential to be a cute palette cleanser however the MCs had ZERO chemistry. You did not get a whole lot of build up of their romance or that they even liked each other. FMC had more chemistry with Mrs. Whitmore than with the MMC.

A lot of characters that do nothing to bring the story forward and dont close anything out. A lot of plot holes that dont make sense.

The book was trying to give women empowerment but really missed the mark in my opinion. I would also like to state this book did not make me laugh or kick my feet once.

*Deeply Personal* by Suzanne Collier

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Publisher: Splitrail

Genre: adult romance

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5

When Jessica faints during a Turkey Trot, leading her to discover a heart condition she was unaware of, Paul is the one who scooped her up and brought her to the medical tent. When they meet again by chance, Jessica, an interior designer, ends up agreeing to appraise his condo for some updates— and Paul, a personal trainer, happens to be close with a client whose business Jessica is desperate for. And so: a fake dating plan is hatched, but Jessica's and Paul's feelings may end up being a bit too real.

This was a find in Netgalley's Read Now section, and while I loved the premise, it fell a 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 flat for me. This wasn't a bad book by any means, but the plot wasn't completely consistent at times, and I wish we had seen a bit more of Jessica and Paul getting to know each other and spending time together. But: if you love (sort of) workplace romances and rom coms, give this one a try!

Read if you like:

~ fake dating

~ rom coms

~ workplace-ish romance

~ intriguing first chapters

This book was a little bit disappointing. I was really looking forward to it and it just fell short. The writing style was not for me and it made the story drag a lot.

Deeply Personal by Suzanne Collier is a fun and uplifting contemporary romance!

The story follows Jessica, a workaholic who struggles with heart issues and doesn’t believe in love anymore. Her twin brother Lenny convinces her to run the Turkey Trot, where she faints and meets Paul. Paul is a sweetheart who doesn’t trust himself to commit to a relationship. In a bout of coincidence, the two meet up several times and fake date in order for Jessica to land a new client.

I ended up enjoying this book and the humor sprinkled throughout it! I thought it was an easy read, even though it took me a second to get into it.

However, I did have some issues with the flow of the story and some of the plot points. The story was marketed as the MMC training the FMC to help her get into better shape, and I was sorely disappointed when this never happened. I thought some of the writing went too in depth at the wrong points, which occasionally made the story drag. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect to the characters, which is overall why the rating is lower for me. For me, romance is all about the reader loving the characters and the characters loving each other; I feel like the mark was missed by a bit on both of these. There wasn’t much chemistry between the MMC and the FMC and I was missing the banter I usually love. At parts, it felt kind of insta-lovey. But the fact that I wasn’t able to connect to the characters was a big hit. I also thought the end and the resolution felt very rushed. Both characters were super against a long term relationship until magically they weren’t from one conversation? It didn’t feel realistic.

I would give this a 2.5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley for an early copy in exchange for a honest review!

Jessica and Paul meet at a Turkey Trot race when she has a medical emergency, and he literally sweeps her off her feet. They realize their respective fields can benefit each other and start a fake dating scheme to help her win over a client. Over time, their close interactions cause feelings to develop and grow, despite their initial intentions to stay professional.

*****

This one was set out to be such a cute read, but it heavily missed the mark. The writing style was overly explanatory to the point that it made sections of the book drag. The lead would pause and describe additional details into mundane thoughts and actions that didn't advance the story, and it got tiresome quickly. The internal monologues were also awkward and structured to over explain. There would be a statement and then multiple comments following to reinforce that first statement repeatedly. It ended up feeling like the author was trying to get a word count in, instead of trying to keep a steady pacing and direction.

There were also similies for everything to the point some of them were nonsensical "the crescent moon looked restful and serene in the dark sky, hanging there as if it was ready to lay back for a massage given by one of the stars." I'm not sure if the use of overly flowery language was intentional, but at points, it was baffling and cumbersome.

Moving onto the leads, there was zero chemistry. I didn't find Jessica to be likable, and her constant pessimism while also boasting about how to run a business while running it poorly was exhausting. So much of the book is her being negative and focused on her personal career issues, that not any genuine relationship development between the leads seemed to form. The choice to include so many side stories and heavy details into them and not instead focus on who the book was about was odd. We barely learned about their traumatic pasts or saw them grow, but we have ample paragraphs on past clients.

Due to all of the above, I can't bring myself to rate this higher than two stars. It was billed to be "laugh out loud funny," and it missed the mark by a long shot.

.....

Thank you, NetGalley, and Splitrail Publishing for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF at 25%. This tried way too hard and I struggled to even get through the first few chapters. I'm not into health scare tropes but especially not ones where someone tries to unrealistically overnight their nutrition and habits and yet is also somehow shocked they shouldn't have a giant frappucino on the regular. The characters need therapy, a nutritionist, and a financial advisor. I also felt as if the author decided to stick with ancient archetypes with "women's intuition" and "oh my god, this muscular man reads books" and the constant shallow thought processes and internal monologues from both main characters create outdated and predictably disappointing tropes. I will probably not pick this one up again.

Also, cardinals have orange beaks.