e-ARC, NetGalley
Author: Torie Jean
Elsie O’Shea married Liam Kelly when she was 5, divorced him when she was 7 and he’s become the bane of her existence since then. Grounds for divorce: a mud pile thrown at her when she was reading Eloise in Paris, but he’s done her wrong so many times she lost count.
Now, at 26, she lives in Paris, to where she fled to pursue her dream of becoming a baker and to stay away not only from Liam but from her incredibly toxic mother, who believes her endometriosis is her “little issue”. When Liam shows up in Paris, believing she wanted to see him, Evie has no interest in even talking to him. This was all her brother’s doing, seeing that he wants her at his wedding and he wants them to “make up”. Fate intervenes and a triggering happy announcement has her and Liam deciding to “fake date” for the wedding to get her family off their backs. Too bad none of them are faking anything…
This is a sweet “It’s always been you” romance that is very much an open door to what it is like to live with an “invisible disease”, in this case endometriosis. I can’t speak for representation , but this being an Own Voices story, I’ll take it as accurate. I know what it’s like to live with people thinking you have “little issues” and its spot on. We do have the “I don’t want to be a burden” moment that I particularly don’t like, but Evie has the most wonderful boyfriend and friends! There are so many tender moments of caretaking and of understanding. If you are looking for steam, you will fill something a little different, but equally satisfying.
Now, the mother… Argh… That’s all I’m saying.
It’s not a book about an illness – it’s a book about a FMC who has an illness, like, you know, life. Their childhood friends to enemies to lovers story is very cute and swoony and we get to roam around Paris with Evie and Liam. A wonderful debut novel!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Tori Jean, NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book.
Possible triggers: the author has a very detailed foreword, but you will see mentions of depression, anxiety, vomiting, toxic relationship with a parent, infertility, multiple pregnancy announcements, living with a debilitating chronic illness
