"Batman is respectable. Especially now that he doesn't wear his underwear on the outside of his pants."
synopsis
Lysander May is a pretty average guy. I.T. tech by day and gaming nerd by night he doesn't mind blending into the crowd. On her first day of work, Blaine Wickers is unsure of what to make of him. While shy and a touch awkward in person, Lysander is witty and funny when sending instant messages. Within a few short months Blaine finds herself head-over-heels in love with him. However, it takes her two years and a temporary six month work transfer for Blaine to work up the courage to tell Lysander how she feels. What could possibly go wrong?
thoughts & feelings
Ya'll know I am a sucker for a good love story. Romance novels are my go-to genre, regardless of the time period. You also know how much I love discovering new authors. When given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of You're My I.T. by C.N. Holmberg I was so excited. A contemporary romance novel and a new author! YAY!
You're My I.T. was a good novel overall. I have no major qualms with the writing or story line, I just wasn't super in love with it. You know how sometimes you just don't jive with a book? That's how I feel. It's hard to pinpoint the exact reasons for not loving it but I will do my best.
One of the first flags for me was the swearing. I am pretty careful about what I read and the language used throughout the novels. "Farmer swears" don't usually bug me unless used in excess. You're My I.T. kept the language to mostly farmer swears, there were absolutley no f-words. However, I feel like they occured often enough that it got a bit annoying. The major no no for me is taking the Lord's name in vain, of which my tally counted five. I know that the feelings on swear words in novels ranges greatly. If swearing bothers you I wouldn't recommend this novel.
The other thing that I can pinpoint is some of the dialogue and reactions of the main characters, Lysander and Blaine. In the novel it states that Lysander is twenty-eight years old and Blaine is thirty. Being within this age range myself, and living in the state which the story takes place, I feel like I'm a fairly good judge of what a conversation would feel like. There were a few moments where I found myself thinking "that's a bit immature" or "there's no way a thirty year old would say that." These few lines felt inconsistent and more like something a teenager would say.
To clarify, I am not bashing on the main characters. I actually think they are written very well overall. Both Lysander and Blaine are given depth and we are allowed to see how their pasts have and are affecting their lives. Their I.M. chats are pretty funny and I love the humor displayed in a relateable way. For example, Lysander is the KING of gifs and frequently displays his witty sense of humor in this way. As someone who frequently uses gifs while messaging this added a very realistic level to their conversations and how they would occur in real life. Some of their messages had me giggling and rereading the conversation from the beginning.
To be honest, I'm still a little torn about this novel. There were moments and chapters that I really enjoyed. However, that feeling of "just not the right fit" still lingers as I sit here typing. If you feel intrigued I would say pick up the book and give it a try. If you love it I have great news! This is actually the first novel in the Nerds of Happy Valley series so there are more to come.
book tags
Steam Level: clean, kissing
Language: "farmer swearing" pretty consistent throughout, Lord's name in vain x5
Content Warnings: sexual innuendos, alcohol
Trigger Warnings: none
book information
Title: You're My I.T.
Series: Nerds of Happy Valley #1
Author: C.N. Holmberg
Rating: 2.5/5