I picked up 'Not My Romeo' partly because I wanted something lighter after a few dense sci-fi novels, and I was really struck by how it plays with identity and perception. The whole premise of a football star being mistaken for a regular guy on a dating app immediately sets up a dynamic where the usual power structures of a celebrity romance are flipped. He has to navigate a relationship where she likes him for the 'fake' persona first, which creates this interesting tension about authenticity. He's constantly wondering if she'd still want him if she knew who he was from the start.
It also tackles modern communication in a way that feels real, not just text bubbles on a page. The initial connection is built on a digital lie, but the emotional intimacy that develops feels grounded. The book doesn't treat the dating app as a gimmick; it's the catalyst that forces both characters to question their assumptions about what they're looking for. I've seen some reviews call it predictable, but I think the execution in how they slowly dismantle their own walls is where the modern heart of the story lies. That final conflict over the lie felt genuinely messy, not just a third-act breakup for the sake of it.