jack's disclaimer about the misogyny surrounding romance novels, the necessity for representation -- they are both so important! thank you for always speaking out against these issues, you're a gem x
"We all pick up and read books for different reasons. That doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong or more intelligent and highbrow than anyone else. And if you have a really great time with a book, that makes it a good book."
"one dimensional characters who are conventionally attractive" "the author was just ticking tropes off a checklist at random" YES JACK say it louder for the people in the back!!!!
0:47 jack being a cultured king 3:25 Seven Days In June 6:12 The Spanish Love Deception 8:22 The Hating Game 11:00 One Last Stop 13:14 Honey Girl 14:58 The Kiss Quotient 17:24 Shipped
In regards to body types in romances, I'm also annoyed occasionally by how much emphasis is put on how teenie tiny tea-cup sized the female lead is because somehow being tall or average height spoils the fantasy
I don't mean to come off as creepy or anything but just wanted to say u kinda look like Katherine McNamara from the shadowhunters series in that pfp . Have a great day.
"gorgeous gorgeous girls read the books about love even though no one loves them" jack I assure you that you weren't the only one who giggled ur humour is just off the charts 😭
I really appreciate that you mentioned the limited diversity in the male characters of romance novels. Boys also develop bad body image and all the mental crap that comes with that from not seeing themselves represented as the 'desirable' type. Having the 'desirable' characters all fit within the same mold feeds toxic masculinity as well.
Agreed. Also, I get that romances are fantasy and somewhat of a wish fulfillment so the men will always be described as attractive, but not every woman is attracted to muscle-bound hulking giants!
I almost started crying when you said the main character in the kiss quotient is autistic. I feel like it's so hard to find literature with autistic people who are actually similar to me, who are afab, and not portrayed as robots or people without emotions or just problems for their parents to try and "fix". It really goes to show how important and rare good neurodivergent representation is
You should read Act your age, Eve Brown ! Cause both main characters are autistic and I genuinely have never felt more represented by a character than by Eve 🤩
“It feels like love is in the air and I’m wearing a face mask” the perfect way to describe a good romance read lol. Also the love puns are hilarious! the dad humor is top tier 😭💜
Honestly as a female I want a romance with an average described male. It puts unrealistic expectations on both females and males. But same goes for female descriptions they are always so put together and never ever deal with female average body issues. Hopefully we get to see more of that representation. Cause it’s honestly same description over and over. Guy is tall with muscles, girl has perfect skin, hair. And it’s almost always green eyes for female and blue eyes for male like it’s the only two colors out there.
I read Weather Girl recently and the main male character has a dad bod! It talks about his insecurities about it, there’s also a lot of talk about mental health and depression.
Absolutely! Or, if the main character has some body issues they are either half assed in their description, or completely unreletable, because every other character and the text itself lets us know that this person is actually incredibly conventionally attractive. E.g. the female protagonist in the Spanish love deception mentions some body issues, but the book keeps letting you know that no, she doesn't actually have any extra weight, DON'T YOU DARE THINK SHE IS PLUS SIZE, and that she just has curves. In the end, turns out she basically has the ideal female body of 2021, but the book doesn't want to flat out admit it. Romance books just always try to make these protagonists seem relatable and 'every girl' while also letting you know that they are basically lingerie models. I'd rather just acknowledge they are flawless looking, than be patronized like that.
Thank you! As a male reader who is often interested in romance, I am tired of the constant sexualization and objectification female authors dump on the male love interests. Especially with the Hating Game. If we are (rightfully) as a community focusing on denouncing the objectification of female characters by male authors, then that same standard should be held for male characters by female authors as well.
Oh they do it with female characters as well which is what makes it worse. They make all the female characters very pretty gals with goddess like bodies but they have low self esteem cause god forbid a woman love and respect herself. That's why it's a problem, cause they put not one, but TWO unrealistic characters in it
Hearing so many negative reviews of the Spanish love deception I’m starting to think if I should just skip ahead of that and move on to the second installment with the American roommate experiment lmao
@@fluffycorn_njst as someone who read the sequel first and was disappointed to say the least reading the sequel. I recommend it. It’s not the best book ever but I had way more fun with it and it fixes a lot of the problems I’m having with the Spanish Love Deception
@@fluffycorn_njst I have recently finished TARE, and have to say, as excited as I was till the 2nd half, the ending was super disappointing 🤦♀️ Haven't read TSLD, and want to only for Aaron Blackford, but now pushing it ahead for a little while seeing quite a few negative reviews. I think these books are 50/50 - some loveee it and some find them average. The first half of TARE was okay, 2nd half was exciting and then the ending was horrible. The characters though were realistic, Elena Armas didn't use them well. Kept it too insta love and made them all about smut at the end.
The difference in height being constantly pointed out in The Hating Game almost made it unbearable to keep reading it. Felt like every other chapter the main character had to mention being so tiny and wittle 🥺
It's giving that tik tok sound you pair with the huge eyes, I think people started with pointing out this (the girls who go out of their way to point out they're small, the romance novels which do the same about their heroines) and then it got ridiculous :D
Yeah like girl im happy to give you nate-maddie height difference and MORE. IF YOU COULD STOP POINTING IT OUT FOR A SECOND SO WE CAN FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE TOO THAT'D BE AMAZING
The Spanish love deception is also like that. And dude why does the guy have to be the big tall muscular one and the girl is always tiny don't tell me there's some sexism there
0:57 Exactly! I remember being a massive fan of One Direction 8-ish years ago and my brothers and dad would always make fun of me for it or call their music bad. I never understood that because they never listened to their music or watched interviews with them in it so I couldn't see how they'd formed their opinions. When I grew older I realised that they didn't need to hear the music to dislike it, they were going to say they disliked boybands anyway because it was apart of what it meant to be a man to them.
thank you so so much for talking about misogyny, representation, and even the reminder about Casey's pronouns - it made me so so happy to see a male content creator being so respectful!! kinda made my day better to be honest, really appreciated the little notes about things that aren't always discussed, it would be incredibly easy for you not to mention them but doing so was so wonderful to see for me, and I'm sure for others too (:
omg same?? Him and Emmie practically write my lists themselves. I'm almost scared of watching vids now because my TBR is getting so freaking long from their recs lmao
You roasting The Spanish Love Deception had me rolling 😂 I did not like this book but so many of my book friends loved it. It’s an easy read if you want something to do, but It literally made me feel nothing.
@@kimevans4656 its probably because Catalina talked too much to herself (and to us) between the dialogues, it was soooo irritating, and the things she said didn’t even make sense for the plot😂
i feel like the slow burn went a bit overboard because the second part just dissolved into her melting her the mmc even touching the fmc lmao - overall an easy read ( except for how much catalina talk to the readers in the dialogue) but have i seen basically all the tropes used in wattpad back when i was 14 - 15? yes . good nostalgia for me and adorable if youre into love stories with fake dating , grumpy x sunshine and enemies to lovers , but otherwise not as great as id hoped for it to be . if it hadnt completely blown up due to booktok and booktube and bookstagram maybe id have been happier with it becuase after all that sky high praise it just felt a bit lack lustre when i did actually hear it also i feel like the climax came too late ,and left no space for the end conflict - we couldve gone completely without that last conflict and no one wouldve noticed
"Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much" JACK is representing EVERY SWIFTIE ❤ Trying to fit Blondie's lyrics everywhere we can in day to day life
Love what you said about why it's important to mention when a book has black, queer, etc. representation. It always kind of felt heteronormative to me to point out when a book is queer, I never want to create a divide, because in my head love is love and people are people. Thank you so much for clearing things up, I hadn't thought of it that way and it makes a lot of sense.
@@mikamikan1079 really? I feel like I see most books with queer stories in them, for example, marketed heavily with the fact that there are queer characters. It doesn't bother me, because I wanna specifically support fiction with diverse characters, but I'd love to eventually see a day when representation for a wide variety of people is nothing special or groundbreaking and isn't really a selling point anymore because it's everywhere.
Author: Sex Jack: SMURF COLLECTION ‘maybe if you spent less time describing the details of sex you would have had more time for the smurf collection’ priceless 😂
I really loved one last stop, I was surprised to find it in my school library (I'm a senior in High school), after I finished it I asked if she (the school librarian) had any more by Casey Mcquinston (sorry if I spelled their last name wrong) and she said there was one but it was out so she asked if I would like to reserve it when it comes back, and she said she'll have to get more from Casey next time she orders books I love the librarian at my school!
I've been waiting for someone to criticize 'The Spanish Love Deception' for so long. I couldn't finish this book because it was so predictable that it bored the life out of me. Also, why didn't anyone find it creepy that he insisted on going to her SISTER'S WEDDING??! I only bothered to read the book as much as I did because of the smut.
@@hwlsgrl a man that supposedly hates you is ADAMANT on going along with you to your sister's wedding and wouldn't take no for an answer. CREEPY. Honestly if i didn't know prior to reading the book that it's a romance, i would've thought there's a plot twist coming and she is either going to be murdered or just something really bad is going to happen (ironically this plot would be a lot more interesting to read).
I feel like romance has only fairly recently started to acknowledge that bigger/plus sized females can find love too. So maybe it'll get there in terms of the male love interests being able to have dad bods.
jack is the only man ever! no but seriously, its incredible to see someone so caring and eager to learn about ppls experiences and someone that doesnt hate on things they havent tried!! esp a cis white man
The amount of time I have to put down "The Spanish Love Deception" because of the second hand embarassment I got from their flirting, especially their first kiss. It's just 😭😭 Besides the only personality of Aaron is that he have ✨ocean eyes ✨🌊👁️👁️
Istg his eyes are mentioned every two pages 💀 They should have gotten an editor, idk if it was gonna make the book better cause the characters are kinda one dimensional with no opinions. They’re like puppets doing a show. Not real people. So it’s very unrealistic and the eye mentioning makes it VERY cringy.
I tried finish this book 2 times, without success. I bought this shit and can finish. I’m so annoyed that a fell for the hype on TikTok. The reviews!! O M G! I thought “I have to read this book” 🙄
I have to say this, Jack has got to be my favourite human ever. The disclaimer about patriarchy, the mention about Casey's pronouns...JACK! THANK YOU! it feels like such a breath of fresh air to see male content creators being so respectful
This intro regarding romance is so amazing. Often times people think a book has to serve a "function" to be worth reading, but they forget that making you smile is a function.
JACK YOU NEED TO READ GET A LIFE CHLOE BROWN BY TALIA HIBBERT(and the rest of the trilogy) SHE’S BLACK BRITISH AND I THINK HER BOOKS CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO THE ROMANCE GENRE!!! GO READ THEM!
@@zb4535 ikrrrrr isn’t it like literally phenomenal!!!! I need Jack to read it (as well as the rest of the world) Talia is literally a Genius and nobody does it like them
@@toyo.saketoba I really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis too - but be well aware it originated as a Rylo fanfic. I enjoyed the women in STEM rep. Also Seven Days in June is beautiful 😍
The Spanish Love Deception was about 100 pages too long of Catalina’s inner monologue. I was almost excited for it to end more than see the relationship unfold because it took so long.
@@hwlsgrl Yeah I just skipped forward to chapter 12 and they’re not even on the plane yet wtf?? I think I’m gonna dnf for now because it is truly awful
Jack, I say this from the bottom of my heart, and as a married young woman who constantly needs to be educating her husband about his int. misogyny, you are a wonderful man and the person who gets to love you will be the luckiest 💕🤗
"It's light and fluffy like a cake- my compliments to the chef" "The stakes were so low it's vegan" Subscribed cause I am living for these expressions😆
"You could have billie eilish on loop all day and you wouldnt hear Ocean Eyes as much as in one chapter in this book " I live for Jack roasting books ❤️😂
You should read 'a walk to remember', the female character isn't seen as conventionally beautiful. Plus It's heart warming and heart wrenching all at once. It is a really beautiful story and now that it's almost christmas it's a perfect time to read it. Seeing as it's set around christmas time 🎄. It's also inspired by the author Nicholas Sparks sisters real life events.
Can you please PLEASE make a video where you’re reading the most recommended (and basic) fantasy books e.g. Armentrout, Sarah J Maas, Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, V. E. Schwab, Holly Black and more 🥺✨
I loved how you mentioned that the representation of body types, heights and other so called flaws is super one dimensional. The thing is - most people don't look like that. The majority of people is pretty average looking - that's why it's called an average. Those people are still admired by people. I have not once in my life thought " Oh this person would look absolutely beautiful if they didn't have bags under their eyes" - I just admired them as a whole. I think a lot of people do the same. Representation matters and I really do hope that there will be more average in the future and also more representation of the people who usually get a huge glow up in books and movies before they get their happy ending. Give me the smart guys who don't have to start ditching classes and get a "how to date" before someone thinks they're interesting. Give me a fat girl who is not there for comedic relief and doesn't need to lose weight before getting her happy ending. Give me pale boys with crooked noses and no six pack. I would prefer reading about them ten times more about some supermodels.
Totally agree with ya. Try reading Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven. It is a wholesome read with characters having flaws and they work their way through them without growing out of them completely. Much more realistic and beautiful :)
off topic but, I feel like jack is the kind of guy who says a fantastic joke or pun and gets extremely excited and pleased with himself but immediately disappointed if no one hears it
One last stop is easily my favourite sapphic romance. It was just so much fun to read! I feel like often writing that kind of jaded main character can be difficult without making them a nightmare to read but she really pulled it off
‘Representation is so important and if that’s something you never had to think about then lucky you.’ Jack, jack, jack. I just fall in love with you more and more every video. You were already my favorite male feminist and now you’re just my favorite. That quote is literally sublime. One thing White Fragility by Robin Diangelo taught me is that white people generally do not think about the fact that they are white, and people of color always think about their race and ethnicity because we don’t have any other choice. So yes we definitely appreciate you saying oh this is a black romance or the author is Indian, or whatever! It’s so important that underrepresented communities get recognition and you do it in the best way. I love you and if you wanna get married, I’m down.
I am LIVING for your Spanish Love Deception review! I DNFed at 55% because I hated how she was always looking for someone to save her - both at work and from her family. SUCH a weak character and not a good look for feminism. HAVE A BACK BONE GIRL!
Aaa this is actually mee. Unfortunately, I don't speak this language fluently, but I understand perfectly until it comes to puns. Every time he laughs im thinking 'bout that i dont really know english as well as i thought 😅🤣
I can’t tell you how surprised I was when Olive from the Love Hypothesis was 5‘8“ and of average weight with small breasts. So many of these romance protagonists are just ✨tiny little weightless fairies but with big curves✨ who easily get manhandled by these gigantic dudes and just…no
As a queer WOC, I’ve felt very annoyed and underrepresented by the heteronormative romance novels lauded on everyone’s socials, but even I can get excited about Jack’s discussion of the importance of representation in all its forms!
As a bi trans guy, I always feel kinda left out when it comes to romance. The fact that gay men are being represented more often is amazing! But where's the love for gay trans men? I'd totally be down if Jack did a whole video about just queer books by queer authors. & another for writers of colour! It seems like something right up his alley, doesn't it?
i read One Last Stop earlier this year and i absolutely loved it as well! i really appreciated all of the different kinds of representation, and it was nice to read a sapphic love story for once because most in the LGBT genre are mlm
that´s my perspective as well!!! I love when they are living their lives by themselves and then they fell in love and make each other better. thanks for the book reviews! really liked them
I am literally so grateful for this disclaimer you shared. As a woman who loves to read romance novels I’ve been made fun of so many times by men, making me feel dumb or like I was intellectually below them. Also what you said about the toxic picture of men in romance books. This meant a lot to me and probably a lot of other people, so thank you!!
OH MY GOD! it’s raining and i have a coffee in my hand, listening to music and a notification pops up. Jack posted and i’m like this is So. Fricking. Perfect.✨
You make an excellent point about the way male bodies get idealised in romance fiction! It's always bothered me (just because I'm demisexual and so bodies,,, really aren't the point of romance to me!) but the way you worded it made me realise how unfortunate it is that a more female-dominated genre has fallen into the same traps that broader society has in regards to the male gaze. Not least because if Tiktok has taught us anything, it's that the female gaze isn't just eyeballing men the way they eyeball women! Brilliant of you to incorporate these discussions into generally entertaining reviews.
I’m so happy you also hated The Spanish Love Deception! I’m a bookseller at an independent bookstore in the US and I’ve pulled it out of the hands of multiple customers. Traaaaash. Such a disappointment. I sold them The Hating Game instead and I feel good about that.
The Kiss Quotient is definitely my favorite romance books and finally a less toxic male lead unlike The Hating Game. And you are totally right about it being a reversal of pretty woman. That’s exactly what the author intended. You should read her other books. She really has a way with words.
I started reading Beach Read and I'm amazed at how connected with emotions and feelings the author is. It is so emotionally liberating reading it after a hard day. Romance is something I will never be overlooking again.
Please please please read “One Day in December” by Josie Silver. A London romance spanning nearly a decade after they lock eyes at a bus stop. Incredible characters and storyline!
I'm sorry but I found this book so frustrating like I found myself screaming so many times because of the male character lmao but the premise is good tho
Oh trust me he def pissed me off more than once but he wasn’t the perfect “big tall guy” like a lot of other romances I’ve read which is what I really appreciated. I like when authors create characters that are flawed and slightly more real.
@@Calyntink ah yes I'm agreeing with you on that, the flaw in his character make him real not just a character but had persona and make me don't want to siding with him
6:19 “Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much, this thing was NOT a masterpiece and I WILL tear it all up” Now I need All Too Well (Jack’s version)
I’m not really the biggest romance fan either but whenever I’m in a bad mood and in need of a pick me up, I always go for romance novels. It’s nice to see you going into the genre. Also, I cannot agree more about TSLD being dogshit. I really do not understand the hype around this book.
The writing for the Spanish love deception is awful, I know. But it did get me out of my reading slump so it will always hold a special place on my bookshelf 😂
i share the sentiment. hearing Jack talk about it had me like, wait, he is right? why did i rate the book so high? but then your comment reminded me why i rated it so high.
ILY!!! Loved your little disclaimer about not wanting to hate on romance books because so many people hate on things women love. Also absolutely loved what you said about representation! It's so important to see diverse characters and plotlines in books and to support those books so the industry knows we want more of that.
I love your opinions on the underrepresentation and misogyny part. It was well-addressed. And I just love the way you talk about books with so much enthusiasm in those eyes, I was excited during the whole video too. Thanks so much, Jack. YOU ARE AWESOME.
jack's disclaimer about the misogyny surrounding romance novels, the necessity for representation -- they are both so important! thank you for always speaking out against these issues, you're a gem x
Uncut gems
1000000 percent
literally came to the comments for this comment thx Kelly!! 😭
Same absolutely love jack for doing this
legit was just thinking that, like excellent
"I was hoping the book would give me a papercut just so I could feel something" -- I'm going to quote this to my future grandchildren. Masterpiece.
The best line ever 😂😅
Any time I read a boring book now, I’m going to think of this quote xD
I laughed so hard at this
I was looking for this comment and found it right on top. 😂
"We all pick up and read books for different reasons. That doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong or more intelligent and highbrow than anyone else. And if you have a really great time with a book, that makes it a good book."
See everyone? 'my immortal,' is a classic. Anyone who disagrees is just a jealous prep. In all seriousness, I basically agree.
@@deadmanreading3152 fangz u rok. MCR ROX
Yeah, that's the thing ❤
8:09 “honestly, I was wishing this book would give me a paper cut just so I can feel something”
This is my favorite quote lol
Almost as good as ikea bags under your eyes 😆
"one dimensional characters who are conventionally attractive"
"the author was just ticking tropes off a checklist at random"
YES JACK say it louder for the people in the back!!!!
Please say it out louder
Author: *focuses on the actual plot*
Jack: THE SMURF COLLECTION
Ahahhahahh
😭😭😭😭
😂😂😂😂😂😂
0:47 jack being a cultured king
3:25 Seven Days In June
6:12 The Spanish Love Deception
8:22 The Hating Game
11:00 One Last Stop
13:14 Honey Girl
14:58 The Kiss Quotient
17:24 Shipped
thank you so much 😭
@@mayalewis2905 Welcome :)
Thank you!!!!!!!!
luv u💗
I fucking thought that "jack being a cultured king" was the FIRST BOOK!!?!!??
Just watched Jack say “if you’ve never had to think of it then lucky you” twice in two different videos. Go Jack !!!
same! ahah
... while wearing the same jumper 😅
Uploaded on the same day!
SAME
was just thinking this !!!
In regards to body types in romances, I'm also annoyed occasionally by how much emphasis is put on how teenie tiny tea-cup sized the female lead is because somehow being tall or average height spoils the fantasy
Same...-_-
😂😂😂 Thats what I thought of, "The hating game"
even as tiny woman, it makes me roll my eyes so hard like ok we get your biggest hard on is the size diff
Same
its good when they leave out as much detail as possible of the mc so you can imagine what you like.
“If we cut some of the details about the sex, maybe we could have had more about the Smurf collection.” Is it weird this just moved up on my TBR? 😂
😆😆😆
no fr i was like .. baby that's just you XD im good on the smurfs lmfao
I don't mean to come off as creepy or anything but just wanted to say u kinda look like Katherine McNamara from the shadowhunters series in that pfp .
Have a great day.
Same, give me some romance books with spice!😹🌶
@@shreyasmahendra6809 I just looked her up and thank you, because that’s a huge compliment!
This guy smashes patriarchy everytime, the way he quotes T Swift and that top notch humour. SUCH A KING!
I love it so much. Top tier role model (and book recommendations).
The swiftie in me is satisfied 😌
@@Weepingwillow1314 ikrrrrr
I VOUCH
Swifties💅🏻
"gorgeous gorgeous girls read the books about love even though no one loves them" jack I assure you that you weren't the only one who giggled ur humour is just off the charts 😭
Ikr, I was dead laughing😭
I really appreciate that you mentioned the limited diversity in the male characters of romance novels. Boys also develop bad body image and all the mental crap that comes with that from not seeing themselves represented as the 'desirable' type. Having the 'desirable' characters all fit within the same mold feeds toxic masculinity as well.
EXACTLY
Agreed. Also, I get that romances are fantasy and somewhat of a wish fulfillment so the men will always be described as attractive, but not every woman is attracted to muscle-bound hulking giants!
@@Linda-ju5df I remember my friend's disbelief in High School, because I didn't think guys like Channing Tatum was attractive. I hate muscles.
@@rikkebay8548 Same! Like sorry, some of us were Joseph Gordon-Levitt girls!
@@Linda-ju5df Uuhh that's a good pick! I was thinking James McAvoy.
I almost started crying when you said the main character in the kiss quotient is autistic. I feel like it's so hard to find literature with autistic people who are actually similar to me, who are afab, and not portrayed as robots or people without emotions or just problems for their parents to try and "fix". It really goes to show how important and rare good neurodivergent representation is
Check out Chloe Liese's Bergman books. She is autistic herself. Her books are amazing!
There are other books by Helen Hoang who have MCs in the autism spectrum!
Always only you by chloe liese has this too!
The Brown Sisters books by Talia Hibbert have also autistic representation:) (and author herself is autsitc)
You should read Act your age, Eve Brown ! Cause both main characters are autistic and I genuinely have never felt more represented by a character than by Eve 🤩
''maybe we could cut out some of the sex and develop the smurf collection.'' as an asexual I wholeheartedly agree.
as a greyace individual, i agree. less sex, more smurf collection.
"I've had more tension with my morning granola" It is absolutely impossible to not love Jack
this seriously got me laughing for a hot sec, he's such a funny fellow
Definitely laughed more than I should have
That had me ROLLING🤣🤣🤣
“It feels like love is in the air and I’m wearing a face mask” the perfect way to describe a good romance read lol. Also the love puns are hilarious! the dad humor is top tier 😭💜
Especially during the spanish love deception part, omg those jokes are top tier
Honestly as a female I want a romance with an average described male. It puts unrealistic expectations on both females and males. But same goes for female descriptions they are always so put together and never ever deal with female average body issues. Hopefully we get to see more of that representation. Cause it’s honestly same description over and over. Guy is tall with muscles, girl has perfect skin, hair. And it’s almost always green eyes for female and blue eyes for male like it’s the only two colors out there.
PREACHHHH🙌🙌🙌
This was me reading the Spanish Love Deception. I can't see myself in a love story where the man is absolutely, ridiculously perfect.
I read Weather Girl recently and the main male character has a dad bod! It talks about his insecurities about it, there’s also a lot of talk about mental health and depression.
Absolutely! Or, if the main character has some body issues they are either half assed in their description, or completely unreletable, because every other character and the text itself lets us know that this person is actually incredibly conventionally attractive. E.g. the female protagonist in the Spanish love deception mentions some body issues, but the book keeps letting you know that no, she doesn't actually have any extra weight, DON'T YOU DARE THINK SHE IS PLUS SIZE, and that she just has curves. In the end, turns out she basically has the ideal female body of 2021, but the book doesn't want to flat out admit it. Romance books just always try to make these protagonists seem relatable and 'every girl' while also letting you know that they are basically lingerie models. I'd rather just acknowledge they are flawless looking, than be patronized like that.
talia hibberts ‘get a life chloe brown’ is an amazing, realistic, but also still entertaining novel, highly recommend!!
Thank you! As a male reader who is often interested in romance, I am tired of the constant sexualization and objectification female authors dump on the male love interests. Especially with the Hating Game. If we are (rightfully) as a community focusing on denouncing the objectification of female characters by male authors, then that same standard should be held for male characters by female authors as well.
Oh they do it with female characters as well which is what makes it worse. They make all the female characters very pretty gals with goddess like bodies but they have low self esteem cause god forbid a woman love and respect herself. That's why it's a problem, cause they put not one, but TWO unrealistic characters in it
Agreed
Exactly, why can't the male mc be an average or weird guy like most men are?
@@beinggstardust so most men are weird huh 😂
@@joannchu14 most humans are weird
Hearing Jack rip up Spanish Love Deception, I kind of want to see his take on the second book in that series 😂
Hearing so many negative reviews of the Spanish love deception I’m starting to think if I should just skip ahead of that and move on to the second installment with the American roommate experiment lmao
@@fluffycorn_njst as someone who read the sequel first and was disappointed to say the least reading the sequel. I recommend it. It’s not the best book ever but I had way more fun with it and it fixes a lot of the problems I’m having with the Spanish Love Deception
@@fluffycorn_njst I have recently finished TARE, and have to say, as excited as I was till the 2nd half, the ending was super disappointing 🤦♀️ Haven't read TSLD, and want to only for Aaron Blackford, but now pushing it ahead for a little while seeing quite a few negative reviews.
I think these books are 50/50 - some loveee it and some find them average.
The first half of TARE was okay, 2nd half was exciting and then the ending was horrible. The characters though were realistic, Elena Armas didn't use them well. Kept it too insta love and made them all about smut at the end.
@@fluffycorn_njst i liked the second book more tbh.
Oh GOD. There’s a second book?
So happy to see the address the misogyny that is so prevalent in literature. Also, we’re all learning to be better to ourselves and to the world.
bro seriously I didn't expect you here , I am a fan of ur comments they are always so articulate .
@@anishaverma2159you are staking a guy on TH-cam
The difference in height being constantly pointed out in The Hating Game almost made it unbearable to keep reading it. Felt like every other chapter the main character had to mention being so tiny and wittle 🥺
So annoying
It's giving that tik tok sound you pair with the huge eyes, I think people started with pointing out this (the girls who go out of their way to point out they're small, the romance novels which do the same about their heroines) and then it got ridiculous :D
Yeah like girl im happy to give you nate-maddie height difference and MORE. IF YOU COULD STOP POINTING IT OUT FOR A SECOND SO WE CAN FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE TOO THAT'D BE AMAZING
@@eleftheriak.8889 Nate and Maddie's height difference makes me uncomfortable tbh
The Spanish love deception is also like that. And dude why does the guy have to be the big tall muscular one and the girl is always tiny don't tell me there's some sexism there
“His eye bags look like they were bought in IKEA” 😂 but seriously appreciated all the conversations in this!!
I died laughing 😂😂
He's a self made man. He probably had to assemble those himself. 😂
0:57 Exactly! I remember being a massive fan of One Direction 8-ish years ago and my brothers and dad would always make fun of me for it or call their music bad. I never understood that because they never listened to their music or watched interviews with them in it so I couldn't see how they'd formed their opinions. When I grew older I realised that they didn't need to hear the music to dislike it, they were going to say they disliked boybands anyway because it was apart of what it meant to be a man to them.
oiii oiii
thank you so so much for talking about misogyny, representation, and even the reminder about Casey's pronouns - it made me so so happy to see a male content creator being so respectful!! kinda made my day better to be honest, really appreciated the little notes about things that aren't always discussed, it would be incredibly easy for you not to mention them but doing so was so wonderful to see for me, and I'm sure for others too (:
Quote of the Day: “This Valentine’s Day, I’m both unhinged and on Hinge.”
(The Dating App Puns were linguistically beautiful)
That was so funny! 😂
“I was hoping this book would give me a paper cut just so i could feel something”🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
This joke low key made my day
I was laughing so hard i had to pause the video 😂😂😂
I'm so baffled by how much power this man has on my TBR list......
omg same?? Him and Emmie practically write my lists themselves. I'm almost scared of watching vids now because my TBR is getting so freaking long from their recs lmao
@@miniwynnie_ sameeeee I get my book recommendations from jack and Emmie
You roasting The Spanish Love Deception had me rolling 😂 I did not like this book but so many of my book friends loved it. It’s an easy read if you want something to do, but It literally made me feel nothing.
I found it difficult to read because it was so long for no reason 😂
OMGGGG same, two of my friends recommended it and it was soooo boring, Jack absolutely and rightfully tore it apart.
@@kimevans4656 its probably because Catalina talked too much to herself (and to us) between the dialogues, it was soooo irritating, and the things she said didn’t even make sense for the plot😂
They had like no chemistry and they both have no personality lmao
i feel like the slow burn went a bit overboard because the second part just dissolved into her melting her the mmc even touching the fmc lmao - overall an easy read ( except for how much catalina talk to the readers in the dialogue) but have i seen basically all the tropes used in wattpad back when i was 14 - 15? yes . good nostalgia for me and adorable if youre into love stories with fake dating , grumpy x sunshine and enemies to lovers , but otherwise not as great as id hoped for it to be . if it hadnt completely blown up due to booktok and booktube and bookstagram maybe id have been happier with it becuase after all that sky high praise it just felt a bit lack lustre when i did actually hear it
also i feel like the climax came too late ,and left no space for the end conflict - we couldve gone completely without that last conflict and no one wouldve noticed
“Honestly I was hoping this book would give me a paper cut just so I could feel something.”
Jack being usual, love it :)
"Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much" JACK is representing EVERY SWIFTIE ❤
Trying to fit Blondie's lyrics everywhere we can in day to day life
He should have said no to the Spanish love deception 😂
I saw ur comment before the video and I just knEW he was gonna say that when talking bout TSLD
i agree with your username 👍
@@urlovev0613 just doing social service by reminding everyone that they need one😌
Love what you said about why it's important to mention when a book has black, queer, etc. representation. It always kind of felt heteronormative to me to point out when a book is queer, I never want to create a divide, because in my head love is love and people are people. Thank you so much for clearing things up, I hadn't thought of it that way and it makes a lot of sense.
as a lesbian i can confirm i want people to tell me if something is queer bc it's gonna make me run to the bookstore wayyy faster
People will only point out the representation when it's about black people yall bored me
@@mikamikan1079 really? I feel like I see most books with queer stories in them, for example, marketed heavily with the fact that there are queer characters. It doesn't bother me, because I wanna specifically support fiction with diverse characters, but I'd love to eventually see a day when representation for a wide variety of people is nothing special or groundbreaking and isn't really a selling point anymore because it's everywhere.
@@mikamikan1079 Who is y’all? Curate who you follow better, because that is simply not true.
Sometimes i wish he dislikes all books he reads with a burning passion so that we get his incredibly creative roasts and burns 😂
i enjoyed the roast SO much 😂😂
Same haha it always lifts my mood for some reason
Yes I love it haha😂
Author: Sex
Jack: SMURF COLLECTION
‘maybe if you spent less time describing the details of sex you would have had more time for the smurf collection’ priceless 😂
I really loved one last stop, I was surprised to find it in my school library (I'm a senior in High school), after I finished it I asked if she (the school librarian) had any more by Casey Mcquinston (sorry if I spelled their last name wrong) and she said there was one but it was out so she asked if I would like to reserve it when it comes back, and she said she'll have to get more from Casey next time she orders books I love the librarian at my school!
That's actually wonderful, in my school library we don't have romance books!!
I think that I just watch you for your elite humour at this point, the books are a pleasant detail that comes with your videos 😭
I've been waiting for someone to criticize 'The Spanish Love Deception' for so long. I couldn't finish this book because it was so predictable that it bored the life out of me. Also, why didn't anyone find it creepy that he insisted on going to her SISTER'S WEDDING??! I only bothered to read the book as much as I did because of the smut.
how is it it creepy that he insisted on going to her sister’s wedding
@@hwlsgrl a man that supposedly hates you is ADAMANT on going along with you to your sister's wedding and wouldn't take no for an answer. CREEPY. Honestly if i didn't know prior to reading the book that it's a romance, i would've thought there's a plot twist coming and she is either going to be murdered or just something really bad is going to happen (ironically this plot would be a lot more interesting to read).
i even found the smut weird, especially that 'milk me' line, it creeps me out.
A Clockwork Reader's most recent video eviscerates it in an incredibly entertaining way
Jack is now the 4th reviewer I trust to say he didn't like it, so I think I'm dodging that book forever.
As a girl who would much prefer an average-looking guy to a hot one, I'd kill for them to be the male lead in books and movies with relationships.
I really recommend weather girl :)))
SAMEEEEEEEEE
@@sleepysof Ooh, thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out 😁
Also, “the flat share” is really goodie you are looking for more realistic characters :)
man i love reading about perfect men in books i can never have though 😪
I feel like romance has only fairly recently started to acknowledge that bigger/plus sized females can find love too. So maybe it'll get there in terms of the male love interests being able to have dad bods.
jack is the only man ever! no but seriously, its incredible to see someone so caring and eager to learn about ppls experiences and someone that doesnt hate on things they havent tried!! esp a cis white man
The amount of time I have to put down "The Spanish Love Deception" because of the second hand embarassment I got from their flirting, especially their first kiss. It's just 😭😭
Besides the only personality of Aaron is that he have ✨ocean eyes ✨🌊👁️👁️
Istg his eyes are mentioned every two pages 💀
They should have gotten an editor, idk if it was gonna make the book better cause the characters are kinda one dimensional with no opinions. They’re like puppets doing a show. Not real people. So it’s very unrealistic and the eye mentioning makes it VERY cringy.
i dnf'ed this book because what the fuck was that first scene of her pretending she couldn't hear him? more immature than literal children.
I really wanted to dnf the book but I read it because I wanted to know what the hype is all about!
I tried finish this book 2 times, without success. I bought this shit and can finish.
I’m so annoyed that a fell for the hype on TikTok.
The reviews!! O M G! I thought “I have to read this book” 🙄
LMAO ! LITERALLY IT WAS TORTURE READING THAT BOOK! Ocean blue eyes is mentioned like 90% the entire book !
The most deceptive thing about The Spanish Love deception is the hype lol
So true !
Yasss
I have to say this, Jack has got to be my favourite human ever. The disclaimer about patriarchy, the mention about Casey's pronouns...JACK! THANK YOU! it feels like such a breath of fresh air to see male content creators being so respectful
good quality punchlines and culture in a 20 minute video? jack is single heartedly reminding me what i signed up for 🤡
This intro regarding romance is so amazing. Often times people think a book has to serve a "function" to be worth reading, but they forget that making you smile is a function.
JACK YOU NEED TO READ GET A LIFE CHLOE BROWN BY TALIA HIBBERT(and the rest of the trilogy) SHE’S BLACK BRITISH AND I THINK HER BOOKS CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO THE ROMANCE GENRE!!! GO READ THEM!
I'M READING TAKE A HINT DANI BROWN AND I CANNOT PUT IT DOWN OMG
@@zb4535 ikrrrrr isn’t it like literally phenomenal!!!! I need Jack to read it (as well as the rest of the world) Talia is literally a Genius and nobody does it like them
Yes!!! Its so good!!!! I’m actually looking for books similar to those but so far I haven’t. My romance taste went 📈📈
@@toyo.saketoba I really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis too - but be well aware it originated as a Rylo fanfic. I enjoyed the women in STEM rep.
Also Seven Days in June is beautiful 😍
@@chideraobagaye2016 I can't wait to read the other two books, i love diverse romance books so much it's sadly very rare
The Spanish Love Deception was about 100 pages too long of Catalina’s inner monologue. I was almost excited for it to end more than see the relationship unfold because it took so long.
i skipped like the first hundred pages and i liked it more LMFAO 😭
@@hwlsgrl i wish I had done that
@@hwlsgrl I just started reading it and I might do that just to get through 😂😭
@@erintalia9490 it’s called the spanish love deception but they took so damn long to get to spain
@@hwlsgrl Yeah I just skipped forward to chapter 12 and they’re not even on the plane yet wtf?? I think I’m gonna dnf for now because it is truly awful
Jack, I say this from the bottom of my heart, and as a married young woman who constantly needs to be educating her husband about his int. misogyny, you are a wonderful man and the person who gets to love you will be the luckiest 💕🤗
@Nicky L Thank you, Nicky 👍🏼
“The stakes are literally so low that it’s VEGAN” really got me
"It's light and fluffy like a cake- my compliments to the chef"
"The stakes were so low it's vegan"
Subscribed cause I am living for these expressions😆
" i wished this book gave me a papercut, just so i could feel something" Jack's roasts get me cracking up everytime!
Can you explain what that means?
"You could have billie eilish on loop all day and you wouldnt hear Ocean Eyes as much as in one chapter in this book "
I live for Jack roasting books ❤️😂
We love billie Eilish references lmao
honestly, the void is only being filled by the way jack describes books
YES
true i love seeing him talk
You should read 'a walk to remember', the female character isn't seen as conventionally beautiful. Plus It's heart warming and heart wrenching all at once. It is a really beautiful story and now that it's almost christmas it's a perfect time to read it. Seeing as it's set around christmas time 🎄. It's also inspired by the author Nicholas Sparks sisters real life events.
Can you please PLEASE make a video where you’re reading the most recommended (and basic) fantasy books e.g. Armentrout, Sarah J Maas, Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, V. E. Schwab, Holly Black and more 🥺✨
I don’t think he likes YA Fantasy a lot
"It builds up to its climax"
No one, absolutely no one:
Jack : Careful, Careful 😂
Loved it
I loved how you mentioned that the representation of body types, heights and other so called flaws is super one dimensional. The thing is - most people don't look like that. The majority of people is pretty average looking - that's why it's called an average. Those people are still admired by people. I have not once in my life thought " Oh this person would look absolutely beautiful if they didn't have bags under their eyes" - I just admired them as a whole. I think a lot of people do the same. Representation matters and I really do hope that there will be more average in the future and also more representation of the people who usually get a huge glow up in books and movies before they get their happy ending. Give me the smart guys who don't have to start ditching classes and get a "how to date" before someone thinks they're interesting. Give me a fat girl who is not there for comedic relief and doesn't need to lose weight before getting her happy ending. Give me pale boys with crooked noses and no six pack. I would prefer reading about them ten times more about some supermodels.
Totally agree with ya. Try reading Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven. It is a wholesome read with characters having flaws and they work their way through them without growing out of them completely. Much more realistic and beautiful :)
off topic but, I feel like jack is the kind of guy who says a fantastic joke or pun and gets extremely excited and pleased with himself but immediately disappointed if no one hears it
One last stop is easily my favourite sapphic romance. It was just so much fun to read! I feel like often writing that kind of jaded main character can be difficult without making them a nightmare to read but she really pulled it off
I'm so glad I found this video of yours because One Last Stop is the next book on my [Need to Read ] list... YAAY
"I have more tension with my morning granola" that literally made me spit my coffee with laughter.
We need more of these romance reads
YES!
“We’re just following these two characters who are conventionally attractive and that’s it.” AND I EAT IT UP EVERYTIME.
LOL
FACT
One last Stop is one of my favorite books. Glad you liked it.
‘Representation is so important and if that’s something you never had to think about then lucky you.’
Jack, jack, jack. I just fall in love with you more and more every video. You were already my favorite male feminist and now you’re just my favorite. That quote is literally sublime. One thing White Fragility by Robin Diangelo taught me is that white people generally do not think about the fact that they are white, and people of color always think about their race and ethnicity because we don’t have any other choice. So yes we definitely appreciate you saying oh this is a black romance or the author is Indian, or whatever! It’s so important that underrepresented communities get recognition and you do it in the best way. I love you and if you wanna get married, I’m down.
Yes, Jack defying gender stereotypes is the content I live for ✨
I am LIVING for your Spanish Love Deception review! I DNFed at 55% because I hated how she was always looking for someone to save her - both at work and from her family. SUCH a weak character and not a good look for feminism. HAVE A BACK BONE GIRL!
This one is for the hopeless romantics 💕 *starts playing "Paper Rings" by T.S.*
LOVER AND PAPER RINGS ARE ELITE
✨I like shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings , uh oh , that’s right ,darling you’re the one I want ✨
So glad you loved "One Last Stop". I ship all the ships in that book so hard. Isaiah and Wes need their own book imo, as well as Niko and Myla.
Black love stories are so underrated and so good! I love Jack representation in this topic! Slay!
Jack Edwards to Romance Authors: “Hunky Men and Enemies to Lovers? Groundbreaking.”
imagine someone who isn't a native english speaker having to translate or just transcribe jack's puns and references 😭😭
HAHA thats funny,
lol that’s me every single video
hello, it’s me😂
Aaa this is actually mee. Unfortunately, I don't speak this language fluently, but I understand perfectly until it comes to puns. Every time he laughs im thinking 'bout that i dont really know english as well as i thought 😅🤣
@@Sayiiin i feel exactly the same lol
The body rep issues u spoke about in the hating game are so applicable to both male AND female bodies. We need wayyyyyy more rep on both sides!!
I can’t tell you how surprised I was when Olive from the Love Hypothesis was 5‘8“ and of average weight with small breasts. So many of these romance protagonists are just ✨tiny little weightless fairies but with big curves✨ who easily get manhandled by these gigantic dudes and just…no
jack wanting less sex more smurf is the wholesome content I needed
As a queer WOC, I’ve felt very annoyed and underrepresented by the heteronormative romance novels lauded on everyone’s socials, but even I can get excited about Jack’s discussion of the importance of representation in all its forms!
As a bi trans guy, I always feel kinda left out when it comes to romance. The fact that gay men are being represented more often is amazing! But where's the love for gay trans men? I'd totally be down if Jack did a whole video about just queer books by queer authors. & another for writers of colour! It seems like something right up his alley, doesn't it?
I just want Jack to turn his sassy quotes into merch.
Jack: i read these 7 books in 7 days
Us who follow him on goodreads: 🤨
Caught in 4k
i read One Last Stop earlier this year and i absolutely loved it as well! i really appreciated all of the different kinds of representation, and it was nice to read a sapphic love story for once because most in the LGBT genre are mlm
that´s my perspective as well!!! I love when they are living their lives by themselves and then they fell in love and make each other better. thanks for the book reviews! really liked them
Ohmygosh, you won our hearts over with your beautiful disclaimer. That is sooo thoughtful of you to put it out there!
I am literally so grateful for this disclaimer you shared. As a woman who loves to read romance novels I’ve been made fun of so many times by men, making me feel dumb or like I was intellectually below them.
Also what you said about the toxic picture of men in romance books.
This meant a lot to me and probably a lot of other people, so thank you!!
OH MY GOD! it’s raining and i have a coffee in my hand, listening to music and a notification pops up.
Jack posted and i’m like this is So. Fricking. Perfect.✨
You make an excellent point about the way male bodies get idealised in romance fiction! It's always bothered me (just because I'm demisexual and so bodies,,, really aren't the point of romance to me!) but the way you worded it made me realise how unfortunate it is that a more female-dominated genre has fallen into the same traps that broader society has in regards to the male gaze. Not least because if Tiktok has taught us anything, it's that the female gaze isn't just eyeballing men the way they eyeball women! Brilliant of you to incorporate these discussions into generally entertaining reviews.
I’m so happy you also hated The Spanish Love Deception! I’m a bookseller at an independent bookstore in the US and I’ve pulled it out of the hands of multiple customers. Traaaaash. Such a disappointment. I sold them The Hating Game instead and I feel good about that.
The Kiss Quotient is definitely my favorite romance books and finally a less toxic male lead unlike The Hating Game. And you are totally right about it being a reversal of pretty woman. That’s exactly what the author intended. You should read her other books. She really has a way with words.
Two other romance book mentions that I saw bring recommended everywhere: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry & Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood.
The first one you mentioned he's talked about.
The Love Hypothesis is my comfort romance read 😅
I read both in February and they were both great! Loved Love Hypothesis more though. Beach Read by Emily Henry I liked more than PWMOV.
People we meet on vacation was a nice read but can't say the same about the later
I’m currently reading One Last Stop and absolutely adore it! Glad it’s got the Jack Edwards Approval Stamp!
I’ve been waiting for this video for what feels like ages, thank you jack😭
Ahhh I’m so glad you liked the Kiss Quotient! That’s the book that started me down the path to my own autism diagnosis at 35!
I started reading Beach Read and I'm amazed at how connected with emotions and feelings the author is. It is so emotionally liberating reading it after a hard day.
Romance is something I will never be overlooking again.
Please please please read “One Day in December” by Josie Silver. A London romance spanning nearly a decade after they lock eyes at a bus stop. Incredible characters and storyline!
This was my first romance read and god the bar was set SO high.
I'm sorry but I found this book so frustrating like I found myself screaming so many times because of the male character lmao but the premise is good tho
Oh trust me he def pissed me off more than once but he wasn’t the perfect “big tall guy” like a lot of other romances I’ve read which is what I really appreciated. I like when authors create characters that are flawed and slightly more real.
@@Calyntink ah yes I'm agreeing with you on that, the flaw in his character make him real not just a character but had persona and make me don't want to siding with him
I love this one!! But anyone interested beware that the majority of the book is not fluffy romance.
Highly reccomend the rest of Helen Hoang’s books, also reccomend reading her little bits at the back talking about why she wrote them
SOMEONE FINALLY AGREES WITH ME ABOUT THE SPANISH LOVE DECEPTION OHMYGOD IT’S SO BAD. AARON IS NOT HUMAN, HE JUST ISN’T.
The flatshare has a tall female love interest/average guy interest! Not sure if average, but not “perfect” looking at least. A really sweet read.
6:19 “Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much, this thing was NOT a masterpiece and I WILL tear it all up”
Now I need All Too Well (Jack’s version)
I’m not really the biggest romance fan either but whenever I’m in a bad mood and in need of a pick me up, I always go for romance novels. It’s nice to see you going into the genre. Also, I cannot agree more about TSLD being dogshit. I really do not understand the hype around this book.
Oh same! A good light hearted romcom always helps get me back into reading
The writing for the Spanish love deception is awful, I know. But it did get me out of my reading slump so it will always hold a special place on my bookshelf 😂
i share the sentiment. hearing Jack talk about it had me like, wait, he is right? why did i rate the book so high? but then your comment reminded me why i rated it so high.
no same. i read it when i first started getting into reading and i loved it because it was so simple and easy too read.
ILY!!! Loved your little disclaimer about not wanting to hate on romance books because so many people hate on things women love. Also absolutely loved what you said about representation! It's so important to see diverse characters and plotlines in books and to support those books so the industry knows we want more of that.
I love your opinions on the underrepresentation and misogyny part. It was well-addressed. And I just love the way you talk about books with so much enthusiasm in those eyes, I was excited during the whole video too. Thanks so much, Jack. YOU ARE AWESOME.
“My compliments to the chef” will forever and always stay my favourite line 😂