The Opposite of You (The Opposites Attract Series Book 1)

4.95 stars -- I got to beta read this book!!! And I was seriously just floored, I have SO MUCH LOVE for it, I can't even tell you. My hubby would come home from work to find me in my reading chair, with the biggest grin on my face. Like seriously you guys, I could have highlighted all of the dialogue in this book...it was just everything I love about a Rachel Higginson book.And the thing is, it's not just the smart witty banter. (but I will come back and rave about that in more detail in a second) Ms. Higginson also writes some of the most beautiful lines I have ever read...even just a sentence that captures my imagination and really brings home whatever she's trying to convey about how Vera is feeling and seeing the world and herself. Because while I would say the predominant emotion I felt in this book was snortfully gleeful happiness and so much giddiness, there is a darker undertone to the story that addresses an important topic that face so many people (often women) -- mental/emotional abuse in a relationship (that can bleed into domestic violence on occasion). I think it's something that is hard for people who don't experience it to understand, and even harder for the victims to understand and make sense of. And I really believe that Ms. Higginson gives it a voice in Vera. While I don't personally have experience with this, I felt like Vera's journey was an authentic one. It was hard at times to be in Vera's head, and see how she felt about herself, but I thought it felt realistic. As with any story dealing with hard topics, it won't be everyone's journey, but one possible journey.So that was long. ANYWAYS...what I think I was trying to say is that the story had a really nice balance between heavy topics and glorious light and sassy interactions. They blended perfectly, giving us a story that GIVES SO MUCH. And don't even get me started on the romance!! Seriously, I was gleeful. I'm neither here nor there on "enemies to lovers" type stories, but this one just...seriously, I can't even...it was just...LIKE SO MUCH tension and laughter and sass and adorableness and did I mention tension?? AHHHH!!!!I wasn't sure what to think of Killian when we first met him, b/c wow...first impressions were not strong with this boy. But OMG, when you start to figure out as a reader what is going on with him, and where his heart is at, it's just so swoony! Especially b/c Vera is kind of oblivious (but it fits with her history and where her self esteem is at). But I so wanted to hug the crap out of that boy so many times. He's not my typical book boyfriend, but I'm seriously in love. What an odd, stoic, somewhat closed off, but capable of so much feeling guy....It's funny, b/c I am a die hard lover of dual POV stories, but Ms. Higginson somehow manages to make me love a story with just one POV. I think a lot of that is because Vera has such a journey to go on, and so we needed to see her take that journey. But the other major part is that she's able to convey to me enough of what Killian is feeling that I don't feel like I missed too much not being in his head. Does that mean I don't want bonus scenes from his POV? Heck no! I DO. I REALLY REALLY DO. But they weren't necessary for me to fall in love and get where he was coming from.And if you couldn't guess from all of the above, the star really is Vera. She made me laugh. She made me ache. She made me want to high five her all over the place. She made me want to hit my head against a wall. She made me love her.The supporting cast in this story really helped in Vera's growth too, it wasn't just Killian. Her family is amazeballs, you could just feel the love. And Vera and Vann were such perfect siblings (again, so much laughing). And then there's Molly, the BFF. Oh Molly, you are da bomb. I am so intrigued where your own story will go, but I loved what you added to this story. And then there's Wyatt. Oh Wyatt, you freaking killed me. <3 <3 <3So why not full 5 stars? Just a tiny personal preference. I'm super greedy and impatient about wanting to know everything IMMEDIATELY. And the details of her previous relationship were given in tiny bits as the story went along. Which is a valid storytelling choice, just not my personal preference.(Oh, and this book had one of the best descriptions of how hard reviews are for the creator, regardless of whether they know that reviews are subjective and affected by the consumer's personal experiences/preferences).And damn! The food! I don't even like peppers and I wanted those tacos (though she had me at grilled cheese). I know that makes no sense, but I totally believed the foodie stuff in this book. And at this point I'm just talking about everything.So yeah, I know, gushy review. It's my right, I am a mega fan. But I'm an honest mega fan, and I can honestly say that this is everything I love about Rachel Higginson. And....mic drop.

Quick recap: Vera is back from a year in Europe, having been blackballed from the kitchens of Charlotte due to a failed relationship with a rising star chef in the culinary world. When she returns, she decides to open a food truck...right across the street from a bonafide culinary star, Killian Quinn. Killian‘s disdain for Vera’s food truck, and Vera for that matter, are evident from the very beginning. But as the lines get longer and longer for Vera’s food, Killian senses there is more to her than meets the eye and he just might have more in common with her than he had originally thought.I love the premise for this story. It is different, out of the box, and a lot of fun. The characters too were a lot of fun, and that is exactly the word I would use to describe them. They weren’t particularly complex, but the antagonistic behavior between Vera and Killian made for a chemistry that was off the charts. The story is told in a first person perspective from Vera’s POV. It is a light, easy, quick read.My biggest complaint is the amount of repetition that goes on in the book. I’m not gonna lie, for as many times as people clear their throat and “make a sound at the back” of their throats, I’m envisioning a group of people that have hairballs, and frankly, it’s kind of gross. And the beard, yes, there’s the beard again. (It’s mentioned...a time, or twelve.)I enjoyed The Opposite of You, and as the first novel I’ve read by Higginson, I will definitely check out others, I just hope they’re not quite as repetitive as some of those descriptions were in this one.

Y'all, I loved this book. I loved every little thing about it. I know there's no way my words will do it justice, but I can't NOT review it. It started off as one of those "Eh, I'll just read a few pages before bed" books that ended in a late night as I attempted to read as much as possible before I could no longer keep my eyes open. The writing was beautiful. I swear I highlighted half the book. The characters were real and believable, and their growth was wonderful. The build up for the romance was perfection. I can't say enough positive things about this one. It's easily one of my favorite books of 2017 and a new entry on my all-time favorites list.Vera and Killian were absolutely amazing. While I may not have been through some of the things Vera has, I found it so easy to relate to her. She was talented, but vulnerable. Her self-doubt was almost overwhelming at times. It was a beautiful thing to watch her begin to overcome it. She might not have recognized it sometimes but she was so very strong and smart. Killian was the perfect person to help make her believe in herself and her talents again — even if he went about it in a rather unconventional way at times. Killian himself was incredible. I'll admit I side-eyed him and questioned his intentions in the beginning, but it didn't take long before I was swooning and singing his praises.It probably comes as no surprise that I was rooting for Vera and Killian from the very beginning. I'm such a shipper. I mean, I don't read this much romance for nothing. I loved their antagonistic banner early on in the book. They made me laugh and smile as they picked at each other. When that turned into an unlikely friendship, with a hint of something more, I was happy. When their true feelings came out, I was there for it. I loved watching them grow individually while they realized how special what they had together was. It was swoony, sexy and romantic,with a delicious slow burn that had to rival Vera and Killian's creations. I couldn't get enough of them, but I also didn't want the book to end.This is the first of Rachel's books that I've read, but it absolutely won't be the last. I've already pre-ordered the second book, The Difference Between Us, and it can't get here soon enough. I'm dying for more of the story between Vera's best friend Molly and Killian's brother Ezra. I was intrigued by both characters in this book and I NEED more of them. In the meantime, I'll be adding all of Rachel's books to my wishlist and reading them when I can make time. I have a new author to love!