Title: The Sizzle Paradox
Author: Lily Menon
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: June 28th, 2022
304 pages
3/5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis
The Kiss Quotient meets Love Potion No. 9 in the next sparkling romantic comedy by Lily Menon, The Sizzle Paradox.
Lyric Bishop feels like a fraud—she’s studying sexual chemistry in romantic partners and what makes for a successful long-term relationship, only she can’t seem to figure it out in her own dating life. The science is sound, but how can she give her expert opinion with no real-world experience? In order to complete her doctoral thesis, she must crack the Sizzle Paradox—it seems the more sexually attractive she finds a guy, the less likely it is to come with an emotional connection; but why?—and to do that she must get the help she desperately needs.
Kian Montgomery, her best friend, roommate, and fellow grad student, has no trouble bringing both romance and sizzle to his own relationships. When he offers to tutor Lyric on dating tactics to find a good match, she’s certain it will solve her problems, and in exchange she agrees to set long-term-commitment-averse Kian up with someone different to give his romantic life a much-needed shakeup.
But once the two progress with their “tutoring sessions,” they start to feel less like the academic exercise they were supposed to be as real feelings develop. Which is a problem, because Lyric and Kian are best friends and absolutely, irrefutably nothing else…. Right?
Review
Friends to lovers is probably my least favorite trope, coupled with the himbo MMC and dorky, awkward FMC – yeah this was very much not for me. I enjoyed the science and school aspect as I have an interest in research and academic love stories (my personal love story is through schooling), but overall I was bored and put off by both characters. Also, “teaching dating” to your inexperienced friend is such a weird story line for me, especially as internally both are cringey about it.
Overall yikes kind of book for me personally. This could be your next favorite book simply because the aforementioned tropes are your favorites. This does has a lot of positives, there is some good racial representation and friendships.
That’s about all I can say about this one honestly. It’s not for me. But that’s okay.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Happy reading, folks!
Baltimore Bibliophile 