I am actually sitting here staring at the wall because I miss these two already. 😭 Rina is such a powerhouse writer, and the way she handled Vaughn and Yulian's story was absolute perfection.

Let’s talk about Yulian. Yes, he reminded me so much of Niko (especially with the same narrator—it’s hard not to make that connection!), but he still felt like his own person. I will always devour a "wear your heart on your sleeve" male lead who just dives headfirst into his obsessions. It’s such a vibe.

And Vaughn? Watching him get more and more jealous, possessive, and obsessive over Yulian was addicting. It took him a minute to catch up, but once he got there, LOVE.

I really appreciated that the conflict felt fresh (compared to what I have been reading lately, that is). It felt like "them vs. the world" (or at least outside forces) rather than a battle with their own identities—which I appreciate.

Also, can we talk about the lack of labels? I love books with specific bi, pan, or demi representation, but there was something so refreshing and simple about them not wanting to label themselves. No overthinking, just pure chemistry.

The romantic and spicy scenes? Chef’s kiss. The way Rina wrote them as true switches was exactly what I wanted to see. The balance of power and the shift in their dynamic was so well-executed—especially with spelling out that Yulian usually had a 'type'.

If you love high-stakes obsession, intense possessiveness, and characters who fall hard and fast, you need this. I loved every single second of it.

I was really looking forward to reading this one but was so disappointed. I honestly should have DNF’d the book, but I pushed through with the hopes it would get better at some point and it never did.

For the entirety of this book the author tells us what is happening and how the characters are feeling, but she never showed us. It felt more like a screenplay than a novel. There was minimal dialogue of a lot of the interactions these characters had together, and had with others. We were told a lot of facts, but never shown the chemistry, and the big emotional moments fell flat and were choppy. There were also character inconsistencies-Taylor says he doesn’t trust anyone, then continues to spill his life’s story.

Additionally, the sex scenes felt extremely repetitive, I don’t know if this was an attempt at ‘showing’ the reader that they had chemistry, but all the scenes were a list of actions. ‘Fletcher does this, Taylor does that’.

The writing style just kept me at arm’s length the whole time. For the last 40% of the book, I skipped big sections, read the dialogue, and basically got the plot of the book, but no real connection to it.

Jinxed has a very cool foundation, but the internal logic felt a little too "convenient" to earn a higher rating. The author relies on some pretty major loopholes to move the plot along—like 100+ years of consistency suddenly changing the moment a new person enters the house.

I also struggled with the pacing of the relationships; Savannah's immediate reaction to a life-altering curse felt unrealistic, even for a semi-fantasy/magic realism setting. I did appreciate the low-stakes nature of the "big secret", but overall, the resolutions felt a bit too easy and was quickly explained away. It was an okay read, but it didn't quite stick the landing.

As someone who appreciates a story with substance, Bedside Manner really delivered. The exploration of Max’s high-pressure role as the eldest sibling and Jax’s constant state of hypervigilance was incredibly authentic. I appreciated that the author managed to tackle these deeper themes without losing the book's overall sense of momentum and humor.

The banter is sharp, the chemistry is there, and the plot moves at a clip that kept me turning pages. I really appreciate that the obstacles didn't drag on forever. If you like your romance with a side of reality and a lot of laughs, don't skip this one.

5 Stars for Chaos and Communication.

If you’re looking for top-tier banter and messy family dynamics, this is it.

While I usually judge a book by its "substance" (meaning the plot, writing style, character development, etc.) the vibes here were just too good to ignore.

CG Macington keeps the humor at the forefront, treating the heavier themes as realistic hurdles rather than world-ending drama.

It was hilarious, fast-paced, and a total joy to read.

At its core, this is a heavy, emotional story about four estranged friends returning to their childhood home to say goodbye to the woman who raised them. I’m usually not a fan of dual timelines or constant flashbacks, but it actually worked really well here. It felt like watching all the puzzle pieces slowly click into place, which was necessary to understand why these characters are so guarded—and, honestly, sometimes just plain infuriating.

I really liked how the magical realism wasn't just a gimmick; it was used to force everyone to finally face the secrets and regrets they’d been suppressing. Even though some of the characters come across as self-centered or unkind, they feel incredibly real.

Overall, it’s a solid story about a family finally sitting down to start the healing process, even when it gets uncomfortable. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re into character-driven books that don't shy away from the messier parts of being human.

Thank you to NetGalley, Paige Harbison, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book.