★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
It's hilarious, it's thought-provoking, but it just isn't romantic enough for me.
We have here two characters who have been best friends for 22 years. Simon has known that he's in love with Clarrie for so long, but Clarrie... doesn't. He has been asking her out for years, but coming from a playboy, what else can one expect other than that he is doing it all for fun? So Clarrie has been turning him down over and over. When she finally convinced him to cease his attempts at teasing her, he promises to do so under one condition: if they win the quiz League this year, she will have to go on a date with him.
It seems very much like the typical stories of best friends to lovers. You know, bets, a moment of enlightenment, jealousy (not too much of it, lucky me)... but there are certain aspects of it that made this special. One, the pub quiz nights. I believe this is a thing of the British, and it really caught my attention. I love how the author has described the ambience of the events so wonderfully that I could feel along with the characters the suspense and eagerness to win. All of this wouldn't have been possible without Clarrie and Simon's friends, which brings me to point two. Even if, as mentioned at the beginning, that the romance is not enough for me, the friendship... it's everything. Were it not for that, I wouldn't have given this 3 stars. They're all so hilarious! And though most of the book consists of sex jokes, I couldn't find it in me to be offended by this group of friends. Most of the time I was just left plainly amused and glad for all of the companionship and love they have for one another.
Besides that, I have to say that this book covers a lot of thought-provoking moments. At first, Simon may seem like the annoying one. But later on when I thought about it, Clarrie seems to be the one at fault too. Her constant reaction to push away is understandable. Her fear of the unknown is realistic and relatable — but she also has to understand that maintaining the status quo forever is not possible in life. Let's just say that when it comes to relationships, it is always best not to take advantage to the point where a party's self-respect is torn to shreds. Someone who truly loves would never allow that person to go through that heart-breaking ordeal.
And that's the thing. These characters have so much substance that I was really tempted to give it a 4 or a 5, but it just fell short on the romance department quite a bit, and it really disappointed me (a.k.a not enough flutters in my chest). I would only recommend this to readers who are keen on reading about the ups and downs of a 26-year-old who is suffering from anxiety, and about the friends she has kept around her all these years. It's an entertaining yet reflective piece of work. But if you're not used to reading British slangs, and is fully sure that they would disrupt your reading experience, then perhaps you might want take a step back. It didn't stop me from enjoying this book though! It takes a little bit of getting used to, but nothing I can't handle. In fact, I actually enjoyed it more, because it allowed me to bask in the British culture.
This review is written based on the ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley.