The Situationship is funny and thought-provoking rolled into one - I really enjoyed reading it. I was so invested in Tia's quest for love and to get out of the various situationships she found herself in and was really rooting for her on her journey of self-empowerment. I would highly recommend this book. Also -- everyone needs a mentor like Yvonne - I loved her and Tia's relationship.

In this book we follow Tia, a young Black woman, as she's initially destroyed by the fact that her long-time friend and guy-she's-in-love-with comes back with a new girlfriend from an internship. Tia's friends convince her to go on a dating app and in this way she meets Nate.
What this premise won't tell you is that the "romantic" side of this book is not the whole story. The other half is about Tia's experiences at work, in a white dominated industry. In this aspect it reminded me of "In every mirror she's black" by Lola Akinmade Akerstrom.

We have flawed (and slightly immature) characters, and the writing is clear and appropriate to the story. You won't find a literary jewel in The Situationship, but that's also not what the story requires. Yes, I was put off by the number of times a character "kisses their teeth", but other than that, I thought it was ok.

I was slightly (but pleasantly) surprised by the ending considering how this book is marketed. Overall a decent read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This enjoyable and uplifting piece delves into the world of modern dating, while also addressing the unique challenges experienced by individuals from diverse backgrounds.

I really enjoyed this read at the beginning however unfortunately my enjoyment didn’t last throughout the book. I enjoyed the storyline and the portray of the MC. I can imagine a lot of people found similarity to her and therefore we could sympathise with her.

However I finished the book with little closure on the Nate’s and Aaron’s relationship and for this it just didn’t quite tick the box for me.

I really enjoyed this book, the writing flowed effortlessly and the characters felt well rounded and believable.
However, this is more slice-of-life than straight up romance but I definitely think that plays in it favour, as it’s in the same vein as some of the heavy hitters like Emily Henry.

The friendships in this book play an important and large part to the story which I really enjoyed! I love when there are more substantial plot points on a romance than just the love interest.

Tia is a researcher at London’s biggest news outlet and they finally have a diversity initiative which allows her to work on her own ideas. Outside of work she’s been on a dating app since he childhood crush came back from the States with a girlfriend. Lo and behold, she meets someone worth her time on the app! Or does she?

I really enjoyed this story, the FMC was well thought out and had depth to her. So relatable in the way that she struggled with her job despite it being the career she wanted because she wasn’t in the right business for her to thrive. What didn’t quite hit the mark for me was how the relationships ended with both Aaron and Nate, they both just kind of hung unfinished for me with no firm closure.

Despite that, I would absolutely recommend reading this book, it’s fun, relatable and nicely paced.

I enjoyed this, it was light hearted and easy to read.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

The one is returning, after being on and off for so long he's coming back after 8 months in the states. Surely this time it's on forever, until it's not.
Using apps to meet someone is fun but then it clicks.
How do you put a value on yourself and your emotions? The talk is ominous but feelings are involved.
It's not a hook up , friends with benefits or a relationship but a situationship.

This was a really well crafted exploration of dating, race, and your 20s through the eyes of Tia, a young woman trying to find her passion and exhausted from constantly fighting a battle to be seen, heard and respected for who she is and her talent. Throw into that the tricky world of modern day dating where commitment is more of a myth than anything.

Tia felt very real as a character and seeing her everyday struggles as well as her successes was an absolute pleasure. I cringed for her when dating went awry (too many snakes in her life, for sure) and was rooting for her not to settle and to demand what she wanted. I predicted the gut punch with her colleague and sort of rival Petra and I honestly think I would have melted but Tia is strong and working out what she’s worth and I was so happy for her finding her path and giving up on men who aren’t worth her time. She’s an icon and this book was a treat to delve into.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

An entertaining read for those who love a good romantic comedy! I really enjoyed the writing style and the heartfelt plot.

A fun light hearted read into dating in the 21st century while also tackling the issues faced by people of different cultures.

I had been looking forward to reading this for while, and isn't that always when things end up a bit disappointing? The Situationship is billed as a rom-com when it's most definitely not: it's more like women's fiction about a girl in her mid (?) twenties, with a bit of romance thrown in. I really liked the beginning of this, and the way Taylor Dior-Rumble sketches out Tia's life: her friends, her job, her feelings, the little things about her day-to-day. Her friends Luca and Gbemi were a real highlight, and I also loved the casual portrayal of a bunch of friends in their mid-20s still living with their parents. This is really really common if you come from a big UK city; I'm from Glasgow and me and most of my friends did this, but I almost never see it in fiction without some level of angst being attached to it. I read some other reviews and people have taken umbrage with the slang and pop culture references, but I actually liked that: I prefer it when characters talk like real people and not artificial constructs.

But I was never really interested in the romance plotline – the narrator said there was a connection, but as a reader I certainly never felt it – and it also annoyed me because it didn't fit any definition of 'situationship' that I've ever read about. I can't really say more without spoilers, but suffice to say I was disappointed! I also felt like it could have done with more of an edit: for example, Tia's family never appear despite her living with them; the newspaper Tia works at is apparently a big (and Tory) deal, but that wasn't made clear until over halfway into the book; Tia's friends tease her for dressing casually all the time and not being into clothes, and yet she can somehow identify the designer brands of everything people are wearing? I love clothes and have been reading Vogue for fifteen years and I definitely couldn't do that!

Anyway, this was a really quick read that I did enjoy overall, but it definitely didn't meet my expectations! 3.5 stars

While this started off interesting enough. I soon found myself bored. I didnt see chemistry in any potential relationships. But I also just didn't care about the characters in general.
The only thing I'm glad is how it ended for her. Instead of picking a guy that clearly doesn't respect her.

REVIEW
When news researcher Tia's on-off ex returns from the USA, she's shocked to discover he has brought a girlfriend with him. Devastated, she decides that it's time to move on and turns to a dating app. When she matches with photographer Nate, he seems to be perfect for her. But they still have to have 'The Talk'.
I feel conflicted about this book. I realised early on that I'm not the target reader for this book, but I wanted to give it a fair go because it shouldn't matter how old the reader is (for reference, I'm an old suburbanite and the characters in this book are young, London urbanites). Still, romance is romance, right? Well, the romance is pretty superficial, and though I respected Tia's ultimate decision, It doesn't play to romance novel conventions. Maybe that's a conscious choice, but I feel like the book should be marketed as women's fiction instead. I found the exploration of Tia's self-development much more interesting than her connection with Nate (or Aaron) and truthfully? I didn't understand why 'The Talk' was such a huge elephant in the room to begin with. I did like Tia's friendships, and there are some genuinely funny moments that I could visualise (especially involving Luca).
Some of the descriptions became repetitive very quickly, but it was a solid debut, and I wish the author well in their future writing career.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. The Situationship is published on 17th August in the UK*

**I will upload the same review to Amazon UK on publication day**

THE SITUATIONSHIP is a funny, fresh new romance, with a cast of diverse and loveable characters (some more loveable than others). In Tia, Rumble has created a character that feels truly authentic; her voice, habits, and mannerisms are true to that of the young people of today, and she is a driven, witty young professional that one finds it impossible not to root for. THE SITUATIONSHIP gives the best account of the reality of relationships and dating in the social media era that I’ve read thus far - I greatly enjoyed Rumble’s text, and look forward to her future releases.

Absolutely loved this book!

Taylor-Dior Rumble you are amazing!

I was hooked throughout and couldn't put this book down.

Thank you for accepting my ARC request.

This was such an easy read and the premise of the book was promising. I do feel a bit bamboozled as this book was pitched as romcom, when in fact it's just very much women's fiction. Romance in this book is a prominent genre, however, it does not take the main spotlight. I feel like this book is prominently women's fiction with a romance subgenre. It is easy to say yes, it is a romance book, however, this book deals with more deep topics about race and the reality of modern dating.

I feel very conflicted about this book. Yes I enjoyed it and it has potential. It opened up my eyes to how dating can truly be in our modern word. For a woman who just wants to love and be loved, Tia faced so much in her dating life, albeit yes, the premise was very realistic to what most of us experience in modern dating.

Nonetheless, I liked this book but I believe I did not enjoy it enough to give it a four or a five star.

Tia is devastated when Aaron comes back from the U.S. with a girlfriend she knows nothing about. Hoping they would finally come together, she is forced to confront her non-existent dating life. Balancing it against her career as a promising journalist, determined to write a story that matters, Tia is confronted with a world where she wants more.

I was excited to read this book knowing it came from Stormzy’s #Merky Books with the aim to increase racial representation across publishing. I felt like The Situationship did just that - with an authenticity in how characters were portrayed. I loved seeing Tia develop as a character with the help of her friends. The situationship was relatable - a newer style of dating where everything is casual, no-one wants to be tied down, make the first move, or be seen to be caring too much. The points raised were a lesson in love and communication and this book is a must read for anyone who has been, currently is, or never wants to be, in a situationship.

Described as an unputdownable romcom, but it's so much more than that. I think anyone who has ever doubted themselves and what they're capable of will relate to this book. For me the situationship side of the story was only a strand of the book and enjoyed that it wasn't a typical romcom ending. Loved the characters and Rumble's writing style. Can't wait to read more from her.

Taylor-Dior Rumble is an exciting voice and I'm so pleased I stumbled across The Situationship. Everything from the stand-out cover with the one red flag to the relatable title (lets face it, who hasn't found themselves in a situationship these days?!) Drew me to this book. It's funny, it's honest and it speaks to anyone who is navigating - and downright fed up with - the world of modern dating.