Melody Joo is thrilled to land her dream job as a video game producer, but her new position comes with challenges: an insufferable CEO; sexist male coworkers; and an infuriating--yet distractingly handsome--intern, Nolan MacKenzie.
A genuinely funny and charismatic heroine shines in Loathe At First Sight, the delightful and eye-opening debut adult novel by Suzanne Park ... Don't be fooled; the story isn't the trope-laden tale you might expect from the title. Sure, several characters speed onto the enemy lane. Still, Park — a former stand-up comedian — negotiates her energized plot masterfully, with an engaging main character who doesn't hold back when faced with a sexist boss, an Internet stalker, or a belligerent officemate ... In the end, Park delivers a multi-layered happy-ever-after where our heroine is not only a wizard in the gaming industry, she's pretty magic at romance, too.
I liked a lot about the book, but the end was unsatisfying ... Melody’s friends are a little underwritten; they seem to be stock-character best friends who get drinks and hang out. I really liked Jane, just because she’s strongly – even though not entirely positively – characterized. Candace, Melody’s other friend, is a publicist, and that’s pretty much it, and their boyfriends are similarly bland and unremarkable. Weak secondary characters distract from the strong parts of the narrative, which lie in the workplace conflict and Melody’s chemistry with Nolan. The romance does play second fiddle to Melody’s work challenges, but it’s still one of the best parts of the book ... an enjoyable, fun read, with some really great moments. Melody is a strong point-of-view character, and her story is really interesting. The less polished parts of the book detracted from my enjoyment a little, but the book is still a fascinating introduction to the world of game creation and the culture that surrounds it, as well as a sweet, romantic story.
Enemies turn to lovers in YA author Park’s punchy adult debut set in the world of video game design ... Park...makes tough topics go down easy by couching them in wry humor and lighthearted romance, and her fierce, snarky heroine is irresistible. This smart rom-com is a winner.
