Shirlene Obuobi

Thanks Avon and Book Club Girl for the gifted ARC book.

BETWEEN FRIENDS & LOVERS was more than just a love-triangle romance. Friendship, mental health, racism, classism, and privilege were explored with care. Obuobi provided an honest take on social media and influencer culture rather than glamorizing it, which I really appreciated. I loved that insight into the field of medicine was given with focus placed on a woman in STEM. The use of first-person narration for Jo and third-person show more narration for Mal solidified that though Mal is important, this story truly belongs to Jo. Each of the main characters was well-developed, had a distinct voice and personality, and felt genuine. Despite love-triangles not being a favored trope of mine and insta-love that I wasn’t overly fond of, BETWEEN FRIENDS & LOVERS kept me engaged throughout with its nuanced look at some important topics. show less

i really loved this at first. the medical student/rotation setting was right up my alley and i love the strong african woman who is bucking stereotypes. but also i liked that she wasn't a genius and acing everything, that she found it hard, felt the pressure of proving herself to be equal to or better than her counterparts and had to study, and sometimes the studying she did wasn't enough. i liked that she wasn't a natural at what she was doing.

i loved the female friendship, the lgbtq show more sidekicks, and the ghanaian cultural information that was given to us. what a dream to end up partnered with your best friend's partner's best friend.

i didn't like the 3rd act misunderstanding. i liked that it was angie's mother that showed her the way, but i didn't buy her jealousy, emotional outbursts, or understand her problems. ricky was a saint to not feel used and misled and he forgave her too quickly to my mind. still, overall i liked this and would definitely read her again. show less

Angie is now a third-year medical student trying to figure out what she wants to specialize in. Right before he is to meet her parents, her current boyfriend breaks up with her. Deciding she does not need to be part of a couple, she decides to explore Chicago on her own. She goes to a street fair where there is a garden which she enters. An artist is there asking Angie if he can draw her. They spend the rest of the day together and go their separate ways in the evening. Never expecting to show more see him again, Angie is surprised when he turns up at her friend's improv show with his girlfriend. Angie is mad and whenever they run into each other tells him to stop bothering her. Things change. Angie and Ricky, the artist, get together as friends. Will they stay friends? Will they become more?

I enjoyed this story. I liked Angie. I could understand her feelings when she thought Ricky was playing with her. I could also understand her reluctance to get involved with him. Her feelings of being last for everyone was very understandable. While she is independent, she needs to feel loved and wanted. Even her parents give her a hard time as does her sister at times. When her friend Nia dumps on her, I was shocked because Nia always seemed to be on her side. Angie grows up a lot during this book. I liked watching her doing it. She was a kindred spirit. I liked Ricky. He was so gentle with everyone. He was always there. Angie got mad at him. He also felt safe enough to get mad at her. Angie was shocked when he did. Each one was there for the other though they had their moments of not getting along because of hurt feelings and needing to think over what the other had said. I liked Ricky's grandmother though she was not in the story long. She left an impression.

I liked how Dr. Obuobi explained medical school so I was not lost as to what she was talking about. I also liked her little asides at the bottom of the page. I enjoyed the glimpse into Ghanaian courtship traditions and cultural differences as compared to American culture or Mexican culture.

This was a fun book to read. If you need a pick-me-up this book does it. show less

Like hot cocoa on a rainy day. A sweet, light read with just enough thrill, and characters I'm excited to learn about.