Yes & I Love You

Starred review from December 14, 2020
With this charming contemporary romance, Loren (The One for You) delivers a thoroughly satisfying, slow-burning account of a relationship that feels both inevitable and earned. New Orleans blogger Hollyn Tate is a local favorite as Miz Poppy, her nom de plume, but her Tourette’s syndrome and anxiety make it difficult to have a social life outside of her online persona. Then she meets part-time barista and improv actor Jasper Deares, who’s funny, hot, and totally into her, tics and all. Relationship-shy Jasper, who has ADHD, offers to be a “practice boyfriend” for lonely Hollyn, and the pair embark on an enthusiastic friends-with-benefits arrangement—though media-savvy Hollyn knows how this sort of plot usually works out. The sex is great, the companionship is a welcome change, and soon enough, the two catch real feelings for one another. But when success and stardom beckon, their individual careers threaten to tear them apart. Hollyn and Jasper have excellent chemistry, both socially and sexually, and they talk through their issues in a refreshingly mature fashion. Hollyn’s Tourette’s and Jasper’s ADHD are depicted sensitively without overwhelming the rest of the story, while a fleshed-out supporting cast further brings the world to life. Intelligent, sweet, and fun, this romance succeeds on all levels. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary.