The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich
My lovely best friend surprised me with this for my birthday this year, and I literally couldn’t wait to dive in. We both have been so excited about this book ever since we heard about it last year. It sounds amazing – a love triangle that plays on the tropiest of YA tropes, and the guys end up falling for each other? I MEAN, HOW EPIC DOES THAT SOUND. This book lived up to pretty much its expectations for me, but I did have a few issues with it.
There is a secret organization that cultivates teenage spies. The agents are called Love Interests because getting close to people destined for great power means getting valuable secrets.
Caden is a Nice: the boy next door, sculpted to physical perfection. Dylan is a Bad: the brooding, dark-souled guy who is dangerously handsome. The girl they are competing for is important to the organization, and each boy will pursue her. Will she choose the Nice or the Bad?
Both Caden and Dylan are living in the outside world for the first time. They are well-trained and at the top of their games. They have to be—whoever the girl doesn’t choose will die.
What the boys don’t expect are feelings that are outside of their training. Feelings that could kill them both.
Okay, the premise sounds amazing and kind of crazy at the same time. Could it have use a bit more logic to it? Totally. Do you need to kind of suspend asking some in-depth questions? Yes. Once you do that, it’s a LOT of fun, and OMG, so, so engrossing. I read this literally in two sittings and stayed up to the wee hours of the morning to finish this because I had to know the ending.
The book pokes fun at a lot of YA tropes, and it does it oh, so brilliantly. It’s not quite done in the super funny way I was thinking it was, but it did it in a serious manner that really could bring out some great discussions. There’s the “Nices” and the “Bads” and omigosh, does it not accurately describe all of the love interests in YA. Most of them are forced into these two little sections, and I thought Dietrich did SUCH a good job with this. I was enthralled with the world he created, and the playing with tropes was just fantastic.
I did like the characters. Okay, they totally didn’t sound very realistic at times (some of the dialogue and reactions to things) could have used some work, but I really did like Caden, Dyl, Trevor, and Natalie quite a bit. I thought Juliet was good, but I did miss a bit of connection with her. I thought the cast of characters was intriguing and fun. My favorite character was probably Caden.
The ship. Omg, the ship THE ship THE SHIP. I loved the ship. It was so cute and omg, I lived for their scenes together. OMG, I had to set the book down, text my friend how much I was dying over the swoons and ship, and then quickly go back to reading it because I was so much in love. Hears, hearts, hearts.
The ending was kind of wild. I kept sitting there going, oh, wait, this is going to be a series? I thought that the ending was quite a bit rushed. I needed more than just a four page epilogue to really have tied this book together for me.
Despite a lot of the gripes that I apparently mentioned in this review, I REALLY enjoyed this book. It was gripping, intriguing, and did one of my favorite things – played with tropes in a fun and unique manner. I’ll definitely be reading future books of Dietrich, and his writing had me glued to this book. Even though it had its issues, it was fun, oh so intriguing, the swoons nearly killed me, and I’m a fan. Four crowns and an Ariel rating!
Check it out:
I read this a while ago and sadly didn’t enjoy it as much as you did. I found the dialogue too distracting (was I the only one who felt like American characters shouldn’t speak that way? It just seemed unrealistic), and the plot was held together by strings. Although I do feel like my dislike of this one is a bit of an unpopular opinion. I really wanted to love this book, the synopsis is amazing. I’m really glad you enjoyed it though!
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You’re not alone ! I didn’t see that thing about the dialogues ( probably because I’m not American ) but the thing about the plot held in strings is so true ! But don’t you think the author has a lit more in him ?
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I could totally see that. And yeah, dialogue was…interesting. Every time the word frigging was used, I died a little on the inside. XD I just tried to ignore it (which isn’t really that good), but you really are quite right. But I’ve actually seen a lot of people that actually thought the same things with you! So you’re not alone (and I mean, I kind of agreed with most but was totally in the book zone with it XD). XD
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Yeah… the dialogue just really annoyed me. I read a blog post somewhere (can’t remember where now… ugh I hate when that happens) about cursing in YA books and how when the curses are obviously avoided it’s painful. I 100% agree with that. Just use the word or find some way to avoid the reader thinking the word. It’s just awful and annoying.
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Have you read the House of Night series? It was so huge quite a few years ago, and literally the MC refused to curse. It was all Poop and friggening and…oh gosh, there was another fake curse word. It was so unrealistic and just comical. But I do agree. What’s weird is wasn’t there cursing in it? I feel like I remember someone dropping the f word in there, though.
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No I haven’t read that series, but it sounds infuriating!
Yeah, now that you mention it I think there was an f bomb or two….
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Omigosh, Em, it was a mess. Literally something terrible would happen and she would go, poop! That’s so poopy. Like what vampire who was doing very adult things says that? XD But yes! It totally messed with me. What kept that awkwardness going when it was used other times? XD
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Ughrhdjdjendjjde that makes me cringe and I didn’t even read it!!
Yeah I don’t know what he was thinking with that dialogue/stream of consciousness he had going there… I feel like he needed another rewrite (or a better editor maybe?)
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Ahahahaha. I shake my head at my former self for reading it. XD
But I agree. I think with that it, it could have lived far more up to the potential. I’m thinking his second book is going to have a lot cleaner style to it.
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Omg love your review! I want to read this sooooo badly, it sounds incredible and hilarious!
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Thanks so much!! It was totally a lot of fun and he did such a good job poking at the tropes. It was a bit more serious than I thought, but still super cool! 😀
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I need to try this! It sounds so good! Great review, it’d mean a lot if you checked out my blog too x
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Yes! It was definitely very good! 🙂 And thanks so much! Checking it out now! 🙂
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I know 😍 That guy just knows how to write ! But it was a let down for me since my expectations were a little too high when I picked it . I saw all those potential though and I’ll definitely keep up with any future books from him 🙂
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I think you’re super right about his writing! His next book looks really good too. I think you’re super right about the potential and expectations. I think he could have done a lot more/different things with the story. I think if I had read it right away when I still had those high expectations, I would have been super let down, but I went in with super low ones (after the bad reviews and it turned out a bit better).
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OMG THIS SOUNDS SO FUN!
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IT WAS, SYDNEY. Tons of fun and playing with tropes. I definitely think you would enjoy it!
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Added to my TBR 😉
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😀 😀 😀
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Awesome review Mandy! This one sounds like a lot of fun and if it makes fun of that dreaded triangle, I might just have to pick it up!
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YES. It was one love triangle that I SO didn’t mind. It was so quirky and odd and played fun with it. XD
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I’ve been a bit unsure about reading this one after reading some other reviews but you’ve made me want to give it a try
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I do see where some of the other reviews are coming from, but I think it still is worth a try. I found it to be a lot of fun still. 😀 Hopefully you end up enjoying it if you do try it! 🙂
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I really want to read this book! It sounds like so much fun. Cale Dietrich seems like an awesome person, so I would love to support him. I need to get on this. Especially after reading this fab review!
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I REALLY think you would enjoy, Krysti. It plays with tropes, Cale is super cool and you can see it in his writing, and the swoons – THE SWOONS. I was feeling it so much. ❤ Definitely, definitely would recommend for you.
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You do know how I love books that play with book tropes. And swoons?! It sounds like the perfect read!
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YESSSSSSSSSSS. I kept thinking, I wonder if Krysti has read this, because I feel like you would have enjoyed.
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Well, that means I definitely need to read it then!
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I thought he did a good job with it too! I had some issues with it. It definitely wasn’t perfect, but I really thought it was a solid debut and I can’t wait to see what Dietrich writes next.
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Yes! Super agree, Birdie. Right after I finished it, I quickly went back to read your review and agreed with it perfectly! 🙂 But yes! His new book looks intriguing as well. 😀
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Wait! There’s already a book?! I’ve gotta go look that up!
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YES!! It’s called The Tower, and I believe it’s full on sci-fi. 😀
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I appreciate how you spoil the big plot twist in the opening paragraph.
Points to the author for that originality but I stand on my tropishness. Seems from the comments I would have 2/3 starred it.
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AHAHAHAHAHA. Ooops. But I think it was common knowledge, LOL?
Oh, for sure. Have you seen the Goodreads reviews for it? So much non-love for it. But I just enjoyed tropey fun.
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Not for me!!! It was not in the book blurb so I = not common knowledge. IDK I think this is one book you need to re-read and evaluate again.
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LOL I probably do. I have a lot of those. Like, basically all of the ones I read last year.
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