The Make Up Test is one of those romance novels which ate my heart up. Yet the ‘romance’ part of the book might be one of my least favorite elements. Curious to find out how that works? Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Allison Avery loves to win. After acing every academic challenge she’s come up against, she’s finally been accepted into her dream Ph.D. program at Claymore University, studying medieval literature under a professor she’s admired for years. Sure, grad school isn’t easy—the classes are intense, her best friend is drifting away, and her students would rather pull all-nighters than discuss The Knight’s Tale—but she’s got this. Until she discovers her ex-boyfriend has also been accepted. Colin Benjamin might be the only person who loves winning more than Allison does, and when they’re both assigned to TA for the same professor, the game is on.
What starts as a personal battle of wits (and lit) turns into all-out war when their professor announces a career-changing research trip opportunity—with one spot to fill. Competing with Colin is as natural as breathing, and after he shattered her heart two years ago, Allison refuses to let him come out on top. But when a family emergency and a late night road trip—plus a very sexy game of Scrabble—throw them together for a weekend, she starts to wonder if they could be stronger on the same team. And if they fall for each other all over again, Allison will have to choose between a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and what could be a twice-in-a-lifetime love.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Let me start off this review by telling you I am fiercely loyal and incredibly salty. Once you betray me or lose my trust, it is going to be Mt. Everest to gain it back and I hate listening to apologies. I just want to level with you! So while I love Allison so much – and she’s the reason I rated The Make Up Test 5 stars – I could not get behind Colin. Look I’m the best friend in the story who gives the ex the stink eye years later, holds a grudge and doesn’t invite them, and will go out of my way to be the ice queen. So normally second chance romances are hard for me.
But normally they are dual POV so I end up realizing the why behind what they did. The miscommunications, the flawed nature of everyone. And while I’m not saying Allison doesn’t have flaws. I am saying that – without spoilers – I would be that best friend who, even at the end, is glaring daggers remembering the pain my bff went through. Maybe it’s also just because I’m even more primed to see the sexism in academia, the privilege men have, that I was so fierce, but also I deeply loved Allison.
Yet?
I adored her character journey and The Make Up Test being all from her POV was actually my favorite. Because we are able to see the feeling of being defined, her past memories which come back and tinge everything that came before. Allison’s narrative is endearing from start to finish in this academic rivalry. Yet as someone who can be fiercely competitive – I sound like a real joy right?? – I could never imagine being with someone I was actual rivals with. Our relationship could never survive that.
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But as Allison has to figure out her own limitations, her toxic family members, and how to stand up for herself, my heart melted. How no matter how old we are, establishing our limitations is hard. It requires this sense of confidence in ourselves, in releasing ourselves from the need of approval, our expectations. Plus all the academia and her genuinely clever ideas was always going to endear Allison to me. The Make Up Test explores grief and toxicity and when someone is truly worthy of a second chance. While I could not get over my saltiness, Allison’s story is one I know I’ll revisit, when I’ve cooled down a bit. Find The Make Up Test on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.