Book: Isn’t He Romantic by Adib Khorram
Reviewed by ErikaWasReading
Rating: 5/5
As a huge fan of the Love on the Vine series, I could not wait for Arya’s book! We watched him be allergic to relationships in the first two, all while being an incredibly loving and thoughtful friend. So as readers, we knew that when he fell, he’d fall hard.
One thing that stood out to me was how similar Ben and Arya were, and how that showed up in different ways. Neither wanted to be a burden or trouble anyone else, so they kept things to themselves, like Ben not telling his parents the truth about his ex or Arya not telling his best friends about his parents. It was wonderful to see Ben and Arya open up to each other and start building a real friendship out of the fake-dating scenario. Plus, they were absolutely perfect for each other!
Adib Khorram absolutely nails realism in his romcoms in a way that is so absolutely refreshing. Much like “F*cking Todd” in book 2, Justin is not an evil villain. He’s a bad boyfriend who makes some really, really bad choices out of selfishness that impact Arya and Ben, but as much as I didn’t like him, I could understand him. While the main characters have to deal with the impact of the people around them, like Arya navigating situations with Mitchell and his parents, these scenarios feel very real (normal? recognizable?).
Finally, I love the friendship between Farzan, Ramin, and Arya. It’s wonderful to see their circle expand with new characters, but the bond between the three men remains as close as ever.
Isn’t He Romantic was absolutely fantastic and a perfect addition to the series.
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I received an advance copy of this book from Forever and NetGalley at no charge. This is my honest, voluntary review.