Make Up Break Up, the sparkling and heartfelt romantic comedy debut from Lily Menon Love, romance, second chances, fairy-tale endings…these are the things Annika Dev believes in. Her app, Make Up, has been called the “Google Translate for failing relationships.” High efficiency break-ups, flashy start-ups, penthouses, fast cars…these are the things Hudson Craft believes in. His app, Break … Craft believes in. His app, Break Up, is known as the “Uber for break-ups.” It’s wildly successful–and anathema to Annika’s life philosophy.
Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d gone their separate ways after that summer fling in Las Vegas, never to see each other again. Unfortunately for Annika, Hudson’s moving not just into her office building, but into the office right next to hers. And he’ll be competing at the prestigious EPIC investment pitch contest: A contest Annika needs to win if she wants to keep Make Up afloat. As if it’s not bad enough seeing his irritatingly perfect face on magazine covers when her own business is failing. As if knowing he stole her idea and twisted it into something vile–and monumentally more successful–didn’t already make her stomach churn.
As the two rival app developers clash again and again–and again–Annika finds herself drawn into Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong? Could the creator of Break Up teach her what true love’s really about?
more
Passionate competition between opposing relationship apps: what a couple of CEOs!
4-4.5stars
I really found this romance based in the start-up tech world a compelling read. No, the subject of rival techies who fight mutual attraction is not new. But the idea that their companies were so diametrically opposed and the owners knew each other in an earlier time was intriguing. And, strung in bits and pieces throughout the story, we learn just how they connected and lost touch.
Hudson, the male lead, seemed to keep both Annika, the female lead, and me constantly confused about his true character. He first appears as a bragging, pretty insensitive jerk and then we are left to speculate if that’s the real Hudson, especially when Annika remembers a guy with such a different attitude and ambition when they first met. Annika, on the other hand, could not be more vocal about her goals and her strong views about the Break Up app Hudson created.
I loved the realistic, conflicted relationship between Annika and her dad: mutual love, yes, but major disconnects on how Annika should be molding her future. I was glad that a key plot thread focused on Dr. Dev. I am also a fan of stories like this that highlight successful women in STEM professions, especially ones ready to mentor other girls and young women. Author Lily Menon also supplied a healthy dose of realism by showing the difficulties, financial most obvious, that come with building a new business.
Thanks to publishers St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
This was a really cute book. I loved the concept of two competing dating app developers pitted against each other, and the name of the apps was creative too. I didn’t initially like Hudson, but he grew on me as the book went on. Annika was a character I loved and was rooting for from the beginning. The side characters in this book were really likable, and I would love to see a book on June and Ziggy in the future! A great escape from reality.
2.5 stars.
Make Up Break Up is an interesting enemies-to-lovers concept. Annika Dev and Hudson Craft spend one week in Vegas at a conference and connect and discuss their app ideas…and more naked things. Fast forward to now and they have competing apps: one for falling in love and making up and another that breaks up your relationship for you.
Annika was a little hard to enjoy. She was so antagonistic towards Hudson, claiming he stole her idea without any proof. And she was so blind. It was so clear that Hudson had fallen for her and was hurt by her ghosting him at after their week together. She just purposefully ignored what was obvious to all. But Hudson is not blameless, acting like a schoolboy pulling his crush’s pigtails for attention.
The technical information about their apps and it was refreshing to have a women led tech company. Her friend June was a breathe of fresh air in this grumpy novel. And Daddy Dev, Annika’s father, was likely my favorite character. He was a man devoted to his soulmate (even after her passing) and his daughter and not afraid to admit he was wrong and adjust his thinking.
There was a lot of potential with Make Up Break Up, but it didn’t hit the mark for me.
Sparks fly and light up the sky for warring, competing tech app owners. Their app philosophies may be vastly different but their hearts long to be united.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I wanted to love this book. And I almost succeeded.
Annika & Hudson are a case of lovers to enemies to lovers, having met in Vegas and having a fling previously. The enemies portion was most definitely that. Each character was out to get the other, with very little remorse in respect to their actions.
When we got to the lovers portion, they had already been so rotten to one another that it was hard for me to reconcile that this was the relationship they needed to be in.
I didn’t particularly have any warm fuzzy feelings for either MC, and it was a bit difficult to connect with them.
I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. There was a lot of tropey goodness here: enemies-to-lovers (rivals-to-lovers??), kind of second-chance, work pranks / neighbor pranks, but it never took off. The characters stayed firmly in 2D land, with very little growth throughout the story. I really wanted to care about these two, but I couldn’t. The good news is that unlike many of the “romcoms” these days, this one does not veer into super-angst territory. It’s mostly a feel good book, about a woman who will do whatever it takes to make her app successful, and the man she thinks is standing in her way. I’d recommend it for those looking for something light and breezy. I also liked the STEM rep!
**Thank you to the publisher and to Netgallery for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.**
Make Up Break Up had such potential. The cover is simple, yet eye-catching. The synopsis promised an intriguing and unique hate to love romance, but the story itself completely fell through for me.
Annika herself was much too annoying and self-centered and immature. Frankly, I couldn’t stand her. She was so focused on Hudson’s “flaws” and acting bitter and petty that she didn’t take the time or make the effort to look at herself and her actions, let alone try to understand Hudson.
Her perspective was very draining. I was hoping for Hudson’s POV, as I tend to enjoy books with multiple viewpoints more than just one. Based on Annika’s perspective, I didn’t get much of a feel for who Hudson was beyond an extremely fit and attractive man (which got to be tedious).
Furthermore, I sensed zero chemistry or connection between the two. Pretty much all of their interactions felt forced, sexual or not.
In summary, this book was just not for me.
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***
Hopeless romantic Annika Dev has a passion to help the world reconnect with old loves. She’s intensely committed to her app Make Up, which she believes will do just that. Love cynic, Rival app developer and one-time hook-up Hudson Craft is doing the exact opposite Break Up offers quick impersonal break-ups for a small fee. Which would be fine, if he hadn’t just moved into the office space down the hall reminding her of their week in Vegas. Now Annika’s trying to figure out what she saw in his personality while trying to keep her struggling business afloat.
I enjoyed this book so much, it’s a really good, second chance, enemies to lovers, and oh the slow burn. I loved the characters, I wanted so badly to hate Hudson but I couldn’t, he was charming, yet a little cryptic. Annika was relatable and altruistic, they have great banter and the tension was so delicious, so well built. Another thing I loved is that it’s minority women in tech, which I think we can all agree are underrepresented. For the most part, it’s a light fluffy fun read (I honestly mean that as the biggest compliment) that left my heart feeling happy. Definitely recommend, and also keeping my eye out to see if Ziggy and June get a book *crosses fingers*