New Release Review: Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein

Today on the blog I have the review for Hannah Orenstein's new rom-com, Love at First Like.

This is the first novel I have read by Orenstein, and although I didn't love it, I'd still be willing to check out her previous or future work.

Continue reading below for the synopsis and my review. You can also find more about the author by visiting her website here.

P L O T :

*As found on Goodreads

Eliza Roth and her sister Sophie co-own a jewelry shop in Brooklyn. One night, after learning of an ex’s engagement, Eliza accidentally posts a photo of herself wearing a diamond ring on that finger to her Instagram account beloved by 100,000 followers. Sales skyrocket, press rolls in, and Eliza learns that her personal life is good for business. So she has a choice: continue the ruse or clear up the misunderstanding. With mounting financial pressure, Eliza sets off to find a fake fiancé.

Fellow entrepreneur Blake seems like the perfect match on paper. And in real life he shows promise, too. He would be perfect, if only Eliza didn’t feel also drawn to someone else. But Blake doesn’t know Eliza is “engaged”; Sophie asks Eliza for an impossible sum of money; and Eliza’s lies start to spiral out of control. She can either stay engaged online or fall in love in real life.

MY T H O U G H T S :

Love at First Like first drew me in with its cutesy cover and intriguing blurb, but the final product was lacking when it came to the characters and overall execution. The writing style was good and I was interested enough to finish the book, but I did not like the heroine at all and it made it difficult to truly fall in love with the story or invest in her happiness. While I like fake relationship romance novels, I wasn't thrilled with the way the author tackled the trope in this plot. The fake fiancé had no idea he was part of a fake relationship. Eliza continued to play Blake until she was backed into a corner, so at no time did her character present as genuine, in fact, her actions proved she was anything but. Eliza was dishonest, unkind and scheming. She showed no growth throughout the duration of the story and had little remorse for the hurt and pain she inflicted on Blake. I felt so sorry for him. What made it worse was everyone around her was excusing and/or encouraging her awful behaviour! She learned nothing from her mistakes and poor decisions, and continued manipulating her audience. There was no true redemption for her character either. Even when she embarked on a new honest relationship, I found it lacked a spark and the connection just wasn't there. It felt forced and convenient. So, while this novel was a quick read with good pacing, the lack of character likability, growth, and development greatly affected my overall enjoyment of the story. Don't let my feelings deter you from reading Love at First Like should you be interested though. Check out a few of the glowing reviews for a different opinion.