The Jake Ryan Complex

The Jake Ryan Complex | Bethany Crandell

so-so

I wanted to like this book. I love John Hughes movies (yes, I know that they‘re problematic through today‘s lens), and who among us didn‘t have an I Heart Jake Ryan t-shirt as a teenager?

While the miscommunication trope is common in romance, it really irked me here. It was apparent that Mac‘s fake boyfriend lie was going to blow up in her face, and it was head-banging-desk each time she put off telling the people that needed to know.
👇

dariazeoli The climax of the story was quite rushed, and that ending? I‘m sorry, but telling your boyfriend, who literally discovered the kid he thought he fathered cannot biologically be his AT THE BIRTH, that it‘s all okay because you‘re pregnant with his REAL KID? THAT‘S your happily ever after?

I think I‘d sooner have had Mac and JT sitting on a table with a cake between them.

2.5 stars. 2y

Chrissyreadit I still love 16 candles even though it is so over the top problematic. 2y

dariazeoli @Chrissyreadit Glad I‘m not alone! 2y

TheLudicReader Jake Ryan swoon. 😀 2y

42 likes4 comments

Kimberlone

The Jake Ryan Complex | Bethany Crandell

pan

Went on a bit of a romance binge during the first couple weeks of 2022. Unfortunately this one was a lowlight. A pop culture inspired romance would normally be right up my alley, but the Jake Ryan (from 16 Candles) plot device was pretty silly and overall there were way too many ridiculous plot contrivances for me to find this story at all believable. Spoilers for some of the elements that really annoyed me in the comments 👇🏼

Kimberlone After barely talking in the first half of the book, the love interests suddenly boo up and fall in love instantly. The baby momma/daddy drama/twist was so over the top I couldn‘t take it seriously. The relationship the MC has been with her mom is super dramatic and I couldn‘t take her seriously for the way she interacts with the mom. The patient/friend of the MC was also unrealistically vulgar and unprofessional. 3y

56 likes1 comment

CogsOfEncouragement

The Jake Ryan Complex | Bethany Crandell

pick

The title grabbed my attention, and the description convinced me. An easy read rom com for Molly Ringwald fans who have seen Sixteen Candles. Included with kindle unlimited.

22 likes2 stack adds

julesG

The Jake Ryan Complex | Bethany Crandell

pick

Debut novel

Ob/Gyn Mack has to find a man she can bring to her younger sisters wedding, in about 6 weeks. She can't bring her invented boyfriend the neurologist Michael. How to find the perfect man? Every man her friends try to set her up with pales in comparison to Jake Ryan. And the one man she's truly interested in is married. Or is he?

64 likes1 stack add

SheReadsAndWrites

The Jake Ryan Complex | Bethany Crandell

pick

This was a fun, cute read. The twists and turns were a bit over the top for me, but it's fiction, right? 🤷🏻‍♀️ It's all part of the fun. 😜 #cuteread #romance #fun

46 likes1 stack add