I received a copy of this book from Jonathan Ball publishers in exchange for an honest review. It did take me a while to pick this one up but that is because I heard such great things. I didn’t want to go into this book without being able to binge-read it. Ph.D. candidate, Olive invents a fake boyfriend in order to coax her best friend, Anh into dating the guy she went out with once. Desperate to convince her friend, Olive kisses the first man she sees. Her unsuspecting victim turns out to be Adam, a brilliant professor who has the reputation of being an ass. One thing leads to another and the two are then forced to pretend to be in a relationship. Adam has his own (very valid) reasons for needing to be in a fake relationship. Of course, events transpire that bring them a little too close to each other (which I loved). This book has all the tropes (okay, I lie. Most of the tropes) and does them all beautifully. Adam and Olive have a very clear chemistry and the events that lead to them pretending to be together are genuine. I loved that everything did not seem forced. This was just two people with no interest in dating who needed to appear to be in a relationship. “The Love Hypothesis” was a well-written, fun read that I really enjoyed. If you’re a fan of contemporary romance, definitely give this a go.
In the Summer of 2017 (more specifically, December 2017- a truly magical time in my life), my manager told me about how her manager had spoken to them about how the business set goals for each quarter. Her manager had remarked that it was such a great idea and he thought that the staff should do that too.
I would later go on to practice that method for years, dividing the year into quarters and then setting goals (personal, professional, financial and study goals) throughout the year.
For 2022, I didn’t have any goals. Due to a professional setback, I had decided to step away from my “work, work, work, study, study, study” routine and focus on my health.
Atleast the idea was that for the first quarter, I would focus on my health. But things did not go as expected.
Sure I lost 3KG and the only studying I did was one Hubspot course in Email Marketing. But besides from that my source of stress was still work. Specifically money.
The company that my dad worked at was placed on short-time, my dad was having issues with his heart and I was supposed to still be maintaining a healthy lifestyle because I had graduated from being insulin-resistant to being pre-diabetic (Go me! I guess there was one thing I was excelling at. Food. I was excelling at food). If you’ve been here for a while, you might remember that this is almost exactly like The Horrors of 2019
And then… the department manager told me these very simple words that caused me to melt down. “We’re working on your contract.”
So…some context. In December 2021, the internship contracts were supposed to end but because of some issues the interns were not offered permanent roles. They were given new titles which would be looked at in March. So it should have been an exciting time. How long have I been working and waiting for a role in Marketing? FOREVER! Sure, the manager telling me that it was close to becoming a reality made me slightly ill but that was fine, right? Everyone gets a little nervous.
Except I went home and got violently ill. I threw up everything I ate that day (and was morbidly fascinated by the fact that omg I can projectile vomit wow. Also why didn’t the carrots from my lunch digest completely? Is this why the doctors kept pushing me to eat veggies? Did they come out of me like that always and I just didn’t know? Honestly you would be surprised at the things one thinks of when one is bent over a sink trying to hold oneself upright and not fall face-first into undigested carrots)
I was mildly concerned but was still not going to pursue the issue. Until I realized the next day, I had an abscess the size of a golf ball on my arm. I was horrified. What was going on?
Again, I ignored it. I, champion of the “Listen to Your Body” squad ignored my body. My psoriasis flared up. I started having trouble sleeping. And then the department manager asked me my salary. I gave it to her. But it was then that I knew. I couldn’t do this. My entire body protested at the thought. My stomach gave a lurch that made me wonder if I was going to throw up at work and if so, how would I explain it? No, I’m sorry I just get sick whenever you mention my future job?
Desperate for answers, I went externally. This is a very important life lesson. Have a support system that 1) knows you personally 2) knows you professionally and 3) is calm, rational and non-judging.
I knew that I didn’t want to raise any eyebrows so I sat down with my former manager and explained my issues. She agreed that it might not be a good idea for me to run towards the thing that was making me sick.
I decided to get a second opinion from someone who I didn’t know as well but who seemed level-headed and of sound advice. All this confirmed was what I already knew.
I was devastated and I cried non-stop. I didn’t work for three years to behave like this. What was wrong with me???
But that day, I slept throughout the night without an issue, the abscess had deceased significantly by the next morning and my psoriasis flare-up was paler. I felt lighter and happier. I hated it but I had made the right choice.
At some point I need to figure out what it is I need to do and it terrifies me. I feel like there’s a big gaping hole where my future should be. But I also feel like I need to take the time to heal my mental health. There’s been a lot of things going on behind the scenes that’s been affecting me too so it is important to me that I take the time needed to process.
I received a review copy of this book from Jonathan Ball publishers. There were a few things that drew me to this book- the plot, the mention of the lockdown, the fact that obviously it couldn’t be that the main characters hubby cheated on her with her sister (or did he? Read this book to find out). Megan has an adoring husband that she cannot stand, a beautiful home, bad memory and a sister that loves to steal whatever is hers. But when Megan finds pictures of her twin sister on her husband’s phone, she tracks Leah down for answers. Their relationship has always been strained and their conversation ends with Megan killing her twin. Desperate to hide what she’s done, Megan decides to take over Leah’s life and pretends to be her. The juggling act of living two lives as two people is difficult enough but then lockdown hits and Megan learns that someone knows what she did. And that person plans on using the situation to their advantage. This was a thrilling read that I couldn’t put down. From the very first line I was entranced and eventually ended up buying an ebook copy so I could read on the go. If you’re looking for a gripping read, I strongly recommend “Her Perfect Twin”
“The Girl He Used to Know” tells the story of Jonathan and Annika who used to be college sweethearts until something tore them apart. Now years later the two reunite and Annika is desperate to show Jonathan that she has changed and is a stronger person. I was drawn to this book because I felt like I could relate to Annika (and honestly that didn’t change once I started reading it either). I loved this book but it was also pretty predictable. It was easy for me to predict what tore the couple apart as well as what would bring them together. This is a beautifully sad novel that I enjoyed immensely however I’m rating it four stars instead of five because I thought that the plot twist at the end was just extra. Nonetheless Jonathan and Annika are an adorable couple and I couldn’t stop rooting for them!
Olive and Ethan are enemies who are forced to to on their siblings honeymoon when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning. Neither of them can stand each other however they both desperately need a vacation. Olive and Ethan decide to avoid each other on their fake honeymoon but a series of awkward run-ins with Ethan’s ex-girlfriend and Olive’s future boss leads the two enemies to fake an actual marriage. I was hooked on this book from the very first page. Ethan seemed unlikable at the beginning but I grew to like him especially once the misunderstandings were cleared up. I kept seeing this book recommended on BookTok and I have to say, I definitely think this is a must-read
It’s been way too long since I did a recommended reads post and since I just watched “The Hating Game”, here are my recommendations for fans who are looking for something similar. Note- the links listed below are affiliate links which mean I earn a small commission when you purchase using those links.
1) The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: Sworn enemies Olive and Ethan are forced to pretend to be newlyweds when their siblings get food poisoning and have to forfeit their all-expenses paid vacation. From the first page I was hooked on this novel. The enemies-to-lovers plot is fairly similar to “The Hating Game” and the chemistry between the two main characters is amazing.
2) The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas: Similar to “The Hating Game”, this novel has a pretend relationship in order for one of the main characters to save face at a wedding. There’s always amazing chemistry and once again enemies-to-lovers (so apparently I have a type when it comes to my romance novels?)
3) The Flatshare by Beth O’ Leary: “The Flatshare” doesn’t have any of the same themes as “The Hating Game” however somehow it just conveys the same flawless chemistry and romantic energy.
4) You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle: A quirky lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, “You Deserve Each Other” is another gem that is a quick, easy-to-read with a really cute couple.
Is there any books that you think I missed? Let me know below
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I received an unsolicited copy of this book for review and it was such a pleasant surprise. Look at that cover! Lila Reyes loses her grandmother, her best friend and her boyfriend in a short period of time. When it is clear that Lila is unable to cope with her grief, her parents send her away to England for 3 months. I remember hearing someone on BookTube mention once that kids who are forced to go on vacation and hate it, are plot devices that make no sense. In this case however, I really did feel for Lila. It is clear that she has suffered tremendously and she is genuinely hurt. Like Lila, from the get-go, I wanted her back home with her family. Orion took a painfully long time to appear. Orion has some family issues of his own but when he meets Lila he offers to be her tour guide. It isn’t long between something starts to build between them (and I mean it really isn’t long. From their first few meetings, these two have an instant connection. IT’S ADORABLE!) In terms of plot I feel like this was a story that we have seen before. But I loved it nonetheless. I enjoyed every second of this book and even took it with me to work so that I didn’t miss out on any reading time.
A co-worker lent me this book and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it (actually I am still surprised since it has been a while since I enjoyed a book that wasn’t a romance). “Norse Mythology is a collection of stories about the Norse Gods and their lives. I went in just for Thor and Loki however this isn’t the story that I knew (i.e Marvel). In fact the first few pages were tough on me because my mind kept disagreeing with Gaiman’s series of events and I desperately wanted to follow along the way I would have if this was following the characters we knew from Marvel. Once I managed to shut my brain off however, I enjoyed this book immensely. It moves quickly and you finish a story without even realizing it. I devoured this book in one sitting and it was such an amazing experience. If you are a fan of fantasy or mythology, GIVE THIS A GO!
It’s the most awful time of the year (Sorry, not a fan of January. It is the Monday of the year) and for those who are unemployed or actively looking for a job, January could be the start of a year that brings with it a brand-new career.
But are you really ready? Before you start sending out applications, here are a few things to check.
1. How are your Google results looking?
Before applying for a job, Google your full name and see what comes up. It is also a good idea to Google your full name and your title. You never know what you might find and it helps if you are aware of exactly what pops up when you’re Google’d. For me, I have never found anything besides my social media profiles but I do have an issue where family and friends keep finding me and my blog on Google. Yes I want readers but not people who know me. That just feels weird. Google yourself on your browser and even a friend or family member’s just to ensure that there are no nasty surprises if prospective employers decide to do the same (Trust me, this is a thing).
2. Are your social media profiles okay?
Similar to Google, your social media profiles can tell A LOT about you. Be sure to go through all of your accounts and make sure there is nothing inappropriate such as pictures of you getting drunk/high or wearing something unprofessional. Yes, animal onesies are adorable but is that picture something you want your future employer and co-workers to see? This would also be a good time to set your profiles on private.
3. Are all your documents updated?
This one…is pretty obvious. But do check to ensure that you have the latest copy of your resume. Back when our company was hiring for a Marketing Intern, I was horrified when my former manager told me that one of the staff didn’t update their resume with their latest role (i.e the current role that they were occupying in the company at that time) and Recruitment emailed them back to decline their application. This is a tiny error and it upset me that something so minor cost her.
4. Do you have a cover letter?
Yes, cover letters are not mandatory for all applications. But it feels so good when you can explain to the company more about you and why they should hire you. Try to have a cover letter tailored to each of the jobs you apply for. Hack- have a cover letter template for each industry you are applying in and then simply edit your cover letter for each application.
5. How is your elevator pitch?
“Tell me about yourself” is the ABSOLUTE worse interview question ever. And yet every time it feels like you do not know who you are. Prepare yourself for this by coming up with an elevator pitch- a one or two minute speech about who you are, what your background is (again this is to show why you are the best candidate so make sure you focus on skills you have that will be an asset in your prospective new role) and what you are looking for in a job.
Working on an elevator pitch for yourself is also helpful for when you start a new job and need to introduce yourself to others.
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The Spanish Love Deception tells the story of Catalina Martín who is forced to take her work nemesis, Aaron Blackford to her sister’s wedding as a date. Cat lied to her parents that she was in a relationship and now, desperate to not have her family look at her with pity (and left with no other choice), Aaron is her only choice. At the surface this seems like such a cliche trope. But the book makes it clear why Catalina lied, why her family is so worried about her and why she cannot take anyone else but Aaron to this wedding. Catalina is against the idea 110% but, left with no other option, takes Aaron to meet her family. This book was incredibly well-written and gave me all the feels. I thought Aaron was insufferable but did eventually grow to like him. This was a wonderful and heartwarming read that I recommend to anyone who is looking for a romance novel.
