Thank you to NetGalley, Renegade Books and author Holly McCulloch for this eARC

I have to admit, in the beginning Gem kinda gave me the ick and I was thinking "oh no, how am I gonna get through this".
However then we met Shanti and the book was saved.
And, lo and behold just like Gem I realised my ick was not that relevant and I ended up loving this book.
Gem grows so much throughout the book and it was great to see her character develop so much.

Atlas is just the perfect cinnamon-roll, golden retriever boyfriend and I loved him so much.

The book is humorous and I adore all our side characters - Shanti, as already mentioned, Gems Mom, Uncle Mike, Jay and the football kids are all amazing!

This is a wonderful holiday read that has serious undertones but is basically just a giggle to read. It's enjoyable from start to finish. Gem is a little annoying but eventually she warms your heart and Atlas is just perfect throughout!

This was like a breath of fresh air. I loved this. I don't read many romance books but this book has made me want to read more of them. I loved the blurb and really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I loved that the author also covered some serious topics within the romance like disability and money worries.

Loved the book, a nice lighthearted romcom , I don’t feel people appreciate this genre enough.
Lived the sorry and could really repeat. Written well

Gem has issues, she is single due to 'The Ick'.
Her date with Atlas is no different and when she finds out on their first date that he's had soup for dinner, 'The Ick' kicks in!
Gems best friend and flatmate Shanti, thinks 'The Ick' would make an excellent subject and offers to pay Gem to take part in a psychological study.
So for 6 weeks Gem dates Atlas, and he shows her life isn't as bad as she believes.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I really liked the authors note at the end of this book. Everything Holly said is true. People look down at rom-coms but they are one of my favourite genres to read. Every romcom is different. Some pure fluffy loveliness, some utterly heartbreaking. The Ick is a joyful romp but it's more than that too. It has deeper themes, written really well. Holly's Mum is disabled and needs a wheelchair, and the lack of accessibility which makes being spontaneous almost impossible is something I hadn't really thought about before.

I could really relate to Gem getting the ick on dates, as I've been there too. It does disguise a deeper issue, which is the fear of trusting someone new.

Gem's best friend Shanti is training to be a clinical psychologist and she persuades Gem to be the subject of her research paper. Gem is tasked with continuing to date someone who's given her the ick to see whether it really is intuition of incompatibility, or if it's simply masking deeper issues.

The test subject is Atlas. Now it may be no surprise that despite Gem's reluctance, she finds herself falling for him. But I think sometimes having stories follow a somewhat predictable arc, provides a comfort that mood readers need.

Of course there are bumps in the road, but I'm a sucker for a happy ending and The Ick delivers on all levels.

A perfect comfort read.

The story of Gem and Atlas. Their first date does not go well, she gets the ick. When she gives him another chance and starts to fall for him will she tell him the truth about the start of their relationship? I would have liked to have seen something from Atlas's point of view.

I was quite intrigued by the premise of this book but was probably much more team Shanti at first, thinking that Gem’s icks were just her way of defending herself from hurt, but you do definitely start to see the reasoning behind things as you read the book. Gem’s mum and Uncle Mike made me chuckle whenever they were involved and alongside Shanti they just bought a bit of extra something to this.

Now, when it came to Atlas I struggled a little bit as he was described as having shaggy hair which I took to be long hair - which is a bit of an ick for me! But when you look away from the physicality’s you can see what a nice, genuine guy he is and I really did hope that everything would work out well for Gem and him.

Overall this was a light romcom that I looked forward to reading and really enjoyed.

"The Ick" by Holly McCulloch was a disappointment unfortunately . The plot felt flat, and the characters were unrelatable. I found the writing uninteresting and I found myself struggling to stay engaged and nearly DNF’d a few times. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with any part of this book, and it just wasn't enjoyable for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a hilarious lighthearted romcom of a book! It actually made me laugh out loud on several occasions. I think I can say for most women out there that we’ve all felt the Ick at some point in our relationships career.

It’s the perfect holiday read with a glass of wine in hand and some sunshine.

I did feel the author got just a little lost towards the end of the book but pulled it back with aplomb.

Is the ick really just intuition? Let’s use science to find out! Gorgeously sweet story and a leading man who truly embodies the name Atlas. Funny and smart.

The ick is a book I feel like most everyone can relate to in one way or another. Haven't you looked at someone and thought "oh that is an immediate turn off" AKA the ICK. Gem is surrounded by people that give her the ICK, Martin IMO being one of the biggest. Being the typical man in the office that will listen to a wonderful idea then immediately do whatever he wants anyway. Gem's best friend and roommate Shanti (Tee), is working on her final study for her psych degree and has asked Gem to help her with this by pushing past her ICK to see if it really is a thing or not. Atlas is her test subject. Along this journey, Gem finds out a lot about herself and those around her. I truly enjoyed the progress of Gem and her journey to overcome or figure out the cause of the ICK. She's been through so much and has taken the brunt of the blame for it all. I'm happy she was able to get her happy ending, she deserved it.

Now, I am hoping to hear more about Shanti and their new business venture!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the different slant it put on a rom com. There was enough ups and downs to keep you hooked in as well as insecurities that most readers can relate to.

Gem has a problem—no matter how great a guy seems, she always finds something that instantly puts her off. From the way they laugh to their fashion choices, she just can't help catching "the ick." Her housemate, Shanti, a psychology student, decides to challenge Gem’s instincts by paying her to participate in a study about intuition. Enter Atlas, a guy who checks all the right boxes—except for his unfortunate turtle-like backpack. Determined to follow the study’s rules, Gem keeps dating him, even as she fights her usual urge to run. But what happens when real feelings start to develop, and Atlas discovers the truth?

The characters in this book are really fun, and I loved their interactions. Gem is witty and relatable, though at times she can be a bit much. Atlas, on the other hand, is a great love interest, and their dynamic makes for a very entertaining read. The humor throughout the book is one of its strongest points, making it lighthearted and enjoyable.

One thing I really liked was how the romance developed without unnecessary drama. Even the third-act breakup, which is common in romance novels, wasn’t overly emotional or dragged out. It felt natural and realistic. Overall, The Ick is a funny, refreshing rom-com that keeps you smiling the whole way through.

This was an awesome read, dealing with some serious topics in a respectful and honest manner. I loved the characters and throughly enjoyed the writing. I need to read more from this author now.

This story about a woman who is unable to hold down a relationship due to developing an inexplicable “ick” after a few dates did not resonate with me. I get that this is a lighthearted romantic comedy but the best rom coms usually have some depth and complexity that makes them relateable as well as funny. This was lacking in this book. Gem was not particularly likeable and did not deserve Atlas, in my opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley , the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

i want to say i love romcoms. romcoms (thank you EmHen) got me back into reading after years of school and literature made me stop doing it for fun. i've been reading less of romcoms now to make way for brain gripping fantasy but The Ick reminded me a lot of why i love this genre.

not tryna be funny, but Gem gave me the ick at the start. like, there is just no way anyone is this fussy about guys. imagine getting the ick because a guy had soup for lunch. soup!! which is fantastic!! the story took a while to get going, but i found that i really liked McCulloch's writing through Gem's voice throughout the whole story. and yes, Gem did grow me eventually.

there's just something about Atlas that did give me the ick at the beginning. it's neither the soup nor his giany bag, but just the way he's portrayed did give off the ick without a solid reason as to why, which i suppose is how we the reader are supposed to feel, and fall in love with Atlas alongside Gem through the six weeks of dates she's supposed to go on with him.

okay but seriously, how could she get the ick from him...... he's like the perfect golden retriever boyfriend and according to her descriptions, a super hot guy. though their fight at the end was a little too short and not that dramatic, i liked the Atlas themed birthday party she threw to apologise, and because she knew what it means to him. though i do like the exploration of how her fear of commitment comes from being worried that she won't be there for her disabled mother. that was kinda powerful.

" the happiness on his face. it's there for everyone to see. and it's there because he is happy to see her. "

i liked Shanti's character a lot, as an asian with a preordained life by her parents and being unwilling and unable to step out of that it. damn, i'm glad she got her happy ending starting her new upcycling fashion empire.

99% chance of me devouring author's backlist titles soon.

I really loved this book it’s a bit like a film in a book. Obviously a rom-com but with a bit more
It follows the story of Gem and Shanti two girls who have been friends since they were little they know everything about each other and their lives
So when Shanti who’s training to be a clinical psychologist but deep down wants to be a fashion designer but not a normal one, one who takes clothes and turns them into fantastic items of clothing that anyone would be impressed to wear. But Ashantis parents don’t agree and want her to get her degree and a sensible job! So she is doing the trial into wether you having the ‘ick ‘ with someone is a real warning or just plain daft
Gem is her subject but Gem has a number of ick’s like eating a bowl of soup !
Anyway her first date is with Atlas silly name but she will give it a go she chooses a pub which good escape routes and walks in sees a guy leaning against the bar really attractive and fit but then he turns and smiles and he’s really nice. Hi there I am Gem and you are Atlas and off they go until he says does she mind if he orders soup he’s starving! Urgh !
She doesn’t know where she’s going to look whilst he eats it but then to her relief they have sold out so he makes do with crisps.
Then as they move to a nearby table Gem notices the huge bag he’s carrying urgh another ick it makes him look like a snail the bag being his house
Oh no how many more icks can one guy have ?
Gem needs this money desperately her mum was injured years ago and is in a wheelchair hers has broken and she is in a replacement which is terrible so Gem needs the money from the trial to buy a lightweight new chair
How is she going to stand all those weeks with him if he has this many icks in their first meet
It doesn’t bode well for their future

Gem has a rule when dating. If she gets an 'ick', then she doesn't date that person again. It could be something big, like their smell or something small but irritating, like how loudly her date breathes. She thinks that it's her intuition telling her of a hidden red flag.
Her best friend, Shanti, thinks she is just too picky. Gem has just aborted a date because Atlas, her date, said he had soup for lunch, an ick for Gem inspite of eating soup herself. Shantie is needing subjects for her psychologist degree dissertation and persuades Gem to carry on dating Atlas to see if her intuition is correct and she finds that the ick was right. The fee will buy her mum a new, much needed wheelchair.
Light hearted, and frothy. I found the idea a bit silly but liked all the characters whose backgrounds and thinking made sense.

The Ick by Holly McCulloch is a wonderfully fresh and hilarious romantic comedy that dives deep into the complexities of attraction, relationships, and the phenomenon of the "ick"—that sudden, often inexplicable feeling of repulsion that arises when someone you’re initially interested in suddenly feels all wrong.

Gem is a woman who, despite meeting what seems like the perfect man on paper, can’t help but be turned off by small quirks that set off her "ick" radar. It could be something as minor as the way they laugh, their choice of clothing, or their strange obsession with silk dressing gowns. Gem believes it's her intuition warning her that they’re simply not compatible, but her housemate Shanti, who is training to be a clinical psychologist, challenges her. To test the validity of her gut feelings, Shanti offers Gem a deal: participate in her study on intuition, with one catch—Gem must go on a series of dates, including with Atlas, a man who ticks all the boxes on paper but sets off Gem's ick alarm from the start.

What follows is a delightful, often hilarious, and sometimes awkward journey of Gem trying to push past her initial revulsion to give Atlas a chance. As she goes on more dates with him, her feelings begin to shift, but of course, there’s the added tension of Atlas discovering that he’s part of an experiment. What begins as a test of intuition slowly transforms into something more meaningful, and Gem is forced to confront her insecurities and her complicated relationship with her mother, which plays a significant role in her aversion to emotional vulnerability.

McCulloch skilfully weaves a romance that is not only funny but also heartwarming, exploring how we often let past experiences shape our approach to love and relationships. Gem’s journey towards self-discovery is both entertaining and moving, as she learns to confront her fears, open up to others, and challenge her preconceived notions about what makes someone truly compatible.

The chemistry between Gem and Atlas is palpable, with their back-and-forth banter and unexpected moments of tenderness making for a swoon-worthy read. At the same time, the book doesn’t shy away from exploring the deeper emotional layers that drive Gem’s actions and her struggles to navigate her feelings.

If you're looking for a romantic comedy that’s more than just cute dates and funny moments, The Ick is a fantastic read. It’s sexy, funny, and ultimately heartwarming, and McCulloch delivers a refreshing take on modern romance that will leave you both laughing and reflecting on your own experiences with love.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.