Just My Type by. Falon Ballard | ARC Review – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Just My Type

Author: Falon Ballard

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 2/6/23

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Second Chance Romance, Rivalry

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

To win the job of her dreams, a relationship-prone journalist needs to learn how to stay single in this heartwarming and hilarious new romantic comedy from the beloved author of Lease on Love.

Lana Parker has never been single for long. After a disastrous break-up with her high school boyfriend, Seth Carson, Lana’s bounced from long-term relationship to long-term relationship. She’s an expert girlfriend, even acting as the resident dating and relationship columnist for one of Los Angeles’s trendiest websites. But now, at the age of thirty, Lana suddenly finds herself single again, and she’s determined to stay that way, no matter how challenging.

That is, until her high school ex, Seth, now a journalist in his own right, takes an assignment at Lana’s site. Ready to put down roots after years of traveling and freelancing, Seth becomes not only Lana’s colleague but also her competitor. With their combative relationship history–and undeniable chemistry–they quickly find themselves pitted against each other in a battle of wits: writing an article series that goes against dating type. For Lana, that means writing about staying single and embracing it. For Seth, it’s learning to settle down and become boyfriend material. Whoever’s is most popular wins a highly coveted columnist spot that either could only dream of. But when the two square off against one another, it’s not only their careers on the line–it’s also their hearts.

Content Warning:

I read a book from this author last called Lease on Love and loved it. So I definitely wanted to try her next book, Just My Type. Here’s what I thought about the book:

+ This is a second chance romance for two people that were high school sweethearts and everything went wrong when Lana goes off to college. I thought the author did a great job of making me feel the connection between Lana and Seth, even though they are broken up. I kind of love how it was in the lines of the sentiment “if you love something, set it free, and if it comes back to you, it’s meant to be” – or something like that. That’s how I saw Lana and Seth’s relationship.

+ Lana is a fun character who has many friends and seems to make them easily. She doesn’t have the best relationship with her mother, which is why the break-up with Seth hurt so much – his family was like a family to her and not only did she lose him, but she lost them too. The great thing about Lana is she’s willing to do things the right way if she and Seth got back together and that meant therapy and really figuring out how to be in a relationship with herself before jumping into something serious again.

+ The supporting cast with Lana’s best friend and her co-workers brought the humor in this story. The competition between Lana and Seth has them making lists for one another and tasks they have to complete and I thought the tasks were fun.

+ I was rooting for Lana and Seth all throughout the book and hoping they could heal the past so they can have a future and they have the happy ending I hoped for.

~ Lana and Seth obviously have a messy past and it was frustrating at times when they had the hardest time communicating what they wanted to say. Both parties did the other wrong but there was also a feeling of them being meant to be throughout the story. I could totally relate to Lana – even though I’m not one to ever go back to my exes – but I can see how a high school love like theirs would be something worth pursuing again if the time is right. I just wish they could have told each other the truth of their feelings before things got so messy.

Tropes: exes to lovers, second chance romance, workplace romance, rivalry, competition

Why you should read it:

you enjoy second chance romances and exes to lovers tropes
Lana’s friends are funny and the competition was a fun aspect of the story
there is a happy ending

Why you might not want to read it:

not into exes getting back together

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one a lot because Lana and her friends are a fun bunch. After learning about Lana and Seth’s past I was rooting for them until the very end. I love how they come to their happy ending! If you love second chance romances, definitely check this one out.