wın you over

“Of all the people in the world to make me feel like I could trust someone again, it had to go and be the smuggest asshole of them all. Remington Fucking Langford.”

This book was definitely not what I expected it to be. I can't quite explain why, but I was anticipating something dark and emotionally destructive. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that the story was actually much softer and sweeter than I'd expected 😅😅

Holden Booker is a young man carrying a lot of trauma. He became a target for bullies at an early age, leaving him with both physical and emotional scars. His selective mutism was one of the reasons he was bullied, and the experiences he went through left a lasting mark on him 😢😢

Years later, he meets Remington Langford at university. Remi comes from a stupidly rich family and gives off the classic rich, cocky bad-boy vibe. Add a few major assholes with superiority complexes to his friend group, and it's no wonder Holden can't stand him.

The funny thing is, that hatred is pretty much one-sided. Remington is fascinated by Holden and clearly attracted to him, so when the opportunity to spend time with him presents itself, he jumps at the chance 🤣🤣

Holden was such a sweetheart, and he never deserved any of the things that happened to him. Watching him slowly lower his walls and learn to trust the people around him was incredibly satisfying. Remington and his family played a huge part in that, and I absolutely loved seeing Holden gradually feel more comfortable around them 🥰🥰

Remi's family was one of the highlights of this book. They were kind, attentive, and genuinely welcoming toward Holden. Their interactions with him were so heartwarming that I couldn't stop smiling like an idiot ❤️❤️

As for Remington himself, I'd describe him as “guilty by association” Despite the impression he gives off in the early chapters, he's actually a thoughtful, kind-hearted guy. Unfortunately, his choice of friends is absolutely terrible, and their attitudes reflect badly on him, too 🙁🙁

The problem is that Remi doesn't initially realize just how horrible these people are because they show him a completely different side of themselves. It takes time for him to take off his blinders, and he ends up learning that lesson the hard way 😓😓

“You really are beautiful, Holden. There is nothing about you that turns me off. Certainly not your scars.”

Remington and Holden were such a cute couple. Once Holden began seeing the real Remi beneath his misleading facade, things between them started progressing much more smoothly.

But there's one thing Remi did that completely stole my heart. He started carrying notepads and pens everywhere so Holden could communicate with him, and he even had his parents put notepads and pens in every room of their house!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! 😭😭 I swooned SO HARD over that. And what made it even sweeter was that Remi never pressured Holden to speak or demanded answers from him. He simply kept talking, filling the silence with his endless chatter until Holden felt comfortable enough to respond in his own time 😍😍

THIS is what I mean when I say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Beneath Remi's cocky exterior was a man who genuinely wanted Holden to feel safe and comfortable around him. And honestly, this story was a lovely reminder of just how much the people we surround ourselves with can influence the way others see us.

Their romance was adorable, but I couldn't help feeling that the story could have been SO MUCH MORE. Let me explain. My initial disappointment with the book was entirely my own fault, so I'm putting that aside. Even then, I wish the story had been at least 100–150 pages longer, because there were several important moments that deserved more attention 🤔🤔

First, I really wanted to see more of Holden's mom. She only appeared a couple of times, and we definitely needed a proper interaction between her and Remington. And no, that tiny phone conversation doesn't count! It was far too short 😂😂

Second, we spent almost the entire book at the resort house owned by Remi's family, living in this cute, happy little bubble. While I enjoyed those moments, I wish we'd seen the couple navigating the outside world, too. Watching them face different situations and overcome challenges together would have made their relationship feel even stronger and more developed. I wanted to see how they'd handle the inevitable difficulties of being together, not just how lovely they were in their little bubble 🤷🤷

“Remington is like you in that way. He doesn’t think I’m odd or a freak-” “Because you’re not,” Theo retorts. “And that is another thing you have in common. You both treat me like I’m…” My eyes dart around the room, searching for the right words. “Not different.” Theo doesn’t look convinced, but he also doesn’t argue.

And lastly, I want to talk about Holden's and Remington's best friends because THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM COULDN'T BE MORE OBVIOUS 😎😎

Theo, Holden's best friend, was supportive, understanding, and always there for him. He genuinely wanted Holden to be happy, and seeing his best friend find someone who made him feel safe and loved was something he could celebrate 😇😇👍👍

Then there's Finn, Remi's best friend, who's a self-entitled asshole who looks down on Holden for being poor and supposedly not being good enough for their social circle. He's rude, selfish, and arrogant, and he can't even be happy for his best friend 😠😠👎👎

I loved this contrast. Whether the author intended it or not, she gave us two very different examples of friendship: one that genuinely supports and uplifts you, and another that only seems to care about you as long as you fit its expectations. Theo is the kind of best friend everyone deserves. Finn? Absolutely not ❌❌

Overall, Win You Over was a cute, quick read featuring fake dating and a grumpy-sunshine dynamic. I had a good time with Holden and Remi, even though I wish we'd gotten more of their story and a chance to see them grow together beyond their happy little bubble. I'm glad I gave this book a chance, and I'll definitely be checking out the author's other works! See you later in another review! 👋👋