This book follows Tia, an aspiring journalist who has fancied one of her best friends, Aaron, until he unexpectedly returns from the US with a new girlfriend on arm. In an act to help her move on her close-knit friend group urge her to download tinder, and after encountering numerous guys who are more suited a jail cell, Nate messages her. However, this book is so so much more than just a romance. The best part of this book is Tia herself. Who is currently working as a researcher and the struggles she faces each and every day as a black women in the workplace. The book shows the micro-aggressions, the reactions of others to such, and how much extra she had to work to get her ideas across in her job.

As someone who has been married for a decade, I have thankfully dodged dating apps - so to see them depicted here "exactly* as my pals describe them was refreshing! No one goes on a dating app and finds the one immediately, so Tia's experience felt very true to me. The writing was incredibly easy to read. Everything was introduced so well without any unnecessary over-explanation. My only issue was that at times, the dialogue felt clunky.

All in all, I cannot recommend this book enough, especially if you're in your early twenties. It is a very current read and focuses not only the issues of modern dating, but integrally, racial inequality faced in the workplace.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The blurb of the book is what first pulled me in. Being in my twenties and well versed with the dating world of this generation, I thought I would find it relatable and an interesting read. The first few chapters where interesting and fun, but I found myself trying to force myself to finish the book.

As I’m not from England I found the slang a bit too much in the book especially when I’m not familiar with it at all. I figured out what the majority of it meant but was a bit lost. A phrase I seen repeated was “kissing of the teeth”. It was SO overused I was able to predict when it would be used.

I did enjoy the section focused on Tia’s career as it was not mentioned in the description of the book at all, so I didn’t expect it. Was good to see how that played out, but I felt more of the story could have focused on dating or said situationship as that is what the book advertised.

All and all I enjoyed the book and glad I finished it.

Situationship - noun
A romantic or sexual relationship that is not considered to be formal or established.

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a situationship 👀? I think many of us at some point in our lives have found ourselves in situationships. They can be complex, and the lines can become extremely blurred, leaving you not knowing where you stand, or knowing what you (as a pair) are.

Tia, the protagonist, works as a researcher at the infamous media company LCN. She works in an extremely toxic environment, where she has to fight to be both seen & heard, whilst manouevering through microagressions in a very white space.

Anxiously awaiting the return of her "friend" Aaron from America, to add a bit of joy to her life, Tia is left blindsided by the arrival of Aaron's new girlfriend - that she had no clue about. Slightly heartbroken, Tia's friends sign her up to online dating, where she meets heart throb Nate. He understands Tia, he's there for her, amd there is an undeniable attraction between them.

Will Nate become what Aaron could not? Or will he be crowned F*ckboi of the year?

I needed this book this month. I wanted something light hearted, with a dash of smut, an ample dose of romance, and most importantly - the Culture. Tia's character, was personable & relatable, she didn't irk me, as she owned her faults and made moves.

Tia fought a hard battle with her ability to be soft & vulnerable with her love interests. I found this exploration intriguing and very relatable. With attitudes to dating shifting at exponential rates, it seems as though women are less reluctant lean into their femininity whilst navigating relationships with modern day men. Just to confirm ladies, you are not "d*ckheads" for feeling, or expressing your feelings.

This book is definitely a reflection piece on modern day relationships. At what stage is it necessary to define "What are we?". Whose responsibility is it to initiate discussions surrounding the relationship status?

I found this book enjoyable as it not only focused on Tia's situationships, but it also touched on her work life and struggles. One to watch this year ❤️

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Out this August!

I really wanted to like this but it just didn’t work for me. The plot felt almost non existent to me, I didn’t know what the point of the book was and the smaller plot lines felt thin at best. I could have predicted the entire thing, there were no surprises or uniqueness with the story.

The characters are complex and relatable, and their struggles with trust and vulnerability will resonate with many readers. "The Situationship" is a thought-provoking and heartfelt novel that explores the complexities of love and friendship, and will leave readers rooting for the characters.

Landing in a situationship is everyone's worse nightmare. Because what's worse than not knowing there are mutual goals in a relationship?

There are definitely many relatable aspects in this book, especially with modern dating, though felt like it could have delved deeper and further with relationships - especially with Tia expanding and exploring more.

The conclusion was one I was glad to see and ultimately fit in very well with the whole novel. Really easy read.

When the love of Tia’s life returns from a trip with a new girlfriend Olivia, Tia decides it’s time to put herself out there in the world of dating. Having downloaded a new dating app, Tia instantly connects with photographer Nate who both have many things in common. Tia assumes they are both on the same page but that’s isn’t that case.

I liked reading this book and discovering more about Tia’s character. I also really enjoyed Luca’s character too. I loved the ending where Yvonne offered Tia a new job to working with her as her assistant and travel.

The only thing that put me off this book is the use of modern day slang and phrases like “innit” and “dat.” Other than that I liked this book.

I had mixed feelings about this book. In some ways it felt current and empowering. In other ways, it was inaccessible and seemed longer than it actually was.

I liked the protagonist, Tia. She was easy to gel with and her character development was presented well. I enjoyed her relationship with her best friends and the three of them together held a tight bond, provided the humour and represented loyalty.

The author tackles the theme of modern dating in a relatable way. It reflects the world we live in, the struggles people face in meeting someone they can connect with and how they may or may not go on to form relationships. Although marketed as such, I wouldn't however class this book as a romance. The focus is much more on the development of Tia as a person and in her career. I enjoyed that aspect.

Some of the dialogue was hard to follow. It made the characters seem much more teenagery than the adults they were supposed to be. It sometimes hindered the flow of the narrative and it took a bit of time to build it back up again each time.

There were also too many current pop culture references. They often went over my head, which made me tune out a bit. I think this probably gives the book a much narrower audience type.

Overall though, a good contemporary novel with a welcome message about self worth.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC copy of this book.

"The Situationship" by Taylor Dior Rumble is a refreshing and relatable novel that explores the challenges of modern dating and relationships. Tia, the protagonist, is a young woman who is struggling to find love in the age of dating apps and casual relationships.

The novel is filled with humor, heartbreak, and romance, making it an engaging and captivating read. It is also thought-provoking and raises important questions about the pressures that young women face in today's society. The author has done an excellent job of creating characters that are relatable and realistic, making it easy for readers to empathize with their struggles.

Overall, "The Situationship" is a must-read for anyone who is looking for a fun, engaging, and thought-provoking novel about love, relationships, and the challenges of modern dating.

#netgalley

The familiarity of the story that Tia finds herself in throughout the novel will ring home to anyone finding their feet in the dating world these days. The awkward and unknowns that surround this world entangle Tia and Nate in this story of finding yourself, finding love and knowing what to do when you find it. A complex world fitted into a simple story that had me glued from the first chapter.

Where do I start? I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the repetition of “teeth kissing” and “babe” wore me down, and I had to admit defeat. Obviously I am not the right audience for this book, as I struggled to read any redeeming features.

Good luck to the author as I’m sure there will be many who love this book, sadly not for me.

Thank you NetGalley.

Fun easy to read rom-com with a likeable lead and a satisfying ending that's not too predictable.
3 stars.

Funny and relatable, particularly because I've been experiencing the problematic world of online dating. Fantastic book that raises important topics such as race and the importance of friendship. Love the title too!

Unfortunately this book wasn’t me, even though I did like the main character and I really wanted to like the book itself

I really really wanted to like this book but I found it a struggle. The blurb reads well and the base for the storyline is great. Tia herself is a likeable character too, and I get her feelings of being at a crossroads and the career dilemmas. Unfortunately I just didn’t really get on with the writing style and it felt a bit boring- maybe not paced quickly enough and just a bit flat in places. I get that it’s important to have British black slang in the writing but it felt a bit forced in places and definitely made the book read a bit more as if it’s young fiction.

For me, this book was okay. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it but i can see that many people will enjoy it.

The story is cool , the ending was different than expected but that’s a good thing but for me, the slang was too much. As a londoner I’m accustomed to hearing it however, reading it is a different story and for me, it was too much and actually stopped me connecting with the characters. Weird, huh? So i guess this one just wasn’t for me

just wanted to start by saying thank you so much to netgalley and penguin for providing me with an arc of this book !!

essentially, this novel follows Tia in navigating life in her 20s. primarily focussing on the modern dating scene, we also get glimpses into her friendships and career. overall, i thoroughly enjoyed following Tia as a protagonist and gaging her outlook on life.

the description of the book drew me right in as it sounded right up my alley, and it did not disappoint ! i would also like to add that the cover is gorgeous.

the accuracy in the depiction of even trying to get a foot into dating really had me chuckling to myself. i also really appreciated the theme of self-worth being relayed throughout the book. being single is fun! the narrative that success & self-worth is related to your relationship status is ridiculous. this is something that Rumble addressed so well.

the reason why this isn't 5 stars for me is just that at times i felt like some of the dialogue didn't necessarily flow and some words were overused (e.g., rah). this made it hard for me to fully get myself back into the scene. however, generally this was no issue and i thoroughly enjoyed reading the interactions between characters. i would also like to clarify that the overuse of these terms may be because i'm not overly familiar with them myself.

honestly, i think we can all relate to the confusion Tia feels throughout this book. life makes no sense.

The Situationship is an easy read to fall into and inhale, navigating dating without labels and the choices we make - it's a tale of who, or more importantly, what matters to us. Really great book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

I opted to read this book because the idea of a romance without labels appealed to me.

I absolutely loved Tia’s character growth throughout the book, and her struggles with her skin colour and work. Taylor-Dior Rumble’s writing was beautifully paced, if a little repetitive at times.

The worst part of this book for me was the overuse of the word ‘rah’. I’m not familiar with the lexical variation in London compared to where I grew up, but I felt very confused by some of the language used.

There was an overuse of pop culture references which will age this book very quickly.

I really enjoyed this one. There was a realu growth in the main character and I liked that it ended in a happy career ending rather than the tipycal romantic happy ending. Empowering!