22 October 2024

NetGalley Review: Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel

Playing Flirty
Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩

In an opinion not shared by many other readers, this book was not an overall winner for me. I really liked the premise, and it looked like Rose would be geeky-girl representation without the "not like other girls" nonsense. Sadly, that was not enough to carry the rest of the book.

As a personal pet-peeve, dont claim your protagonist is a big board game player, even making a fancy board game, and then have them playing, like, Monopoly or whatever. Settlers of Catan was the closest the group came to a game on par with what Rose allegedly created, so it was a bit incongruous for the group. (And yes I very much do feel like a gatekeeping meanie by saying this, no offense intended to Bananagrams and other fan favorites.) Otherwise though, geekdom was pretty standard and well represented the archetypical comic-con "nerd."

The relationship didn't exactly sizzle and the "closed door" spice was so very well locked behind that door that I often had to re-read scenes to even extrapolate what had happened. I don't mind a book with off page adult activities, I just wish it had translated better here.

Lastly, the workplace harassment subplot did little to add to the overall plot. There is no actual resolution and it seems to only serve as a vehicle for the male love interest to act like a jerk. This was not "touch her and die" trope, this was drama for no plot progression. 

Overall, this book just didn't hit for me. As mentioned, lots of other readers seemed to love it, so see if it might be your jam.

Published on 14 January 2025  by Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Book #72 of 2024   

View all my reviews 

No comments: