[ARC Review] He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Aimee Brown

Publisher's synopsis: Dax Hartley has made flowers his entire life, just like his late father did.
When his dad's old florist’s shop is up for sale, he has to have it. Only problem is, he'd need to sell a kidney to afford it. The reality show Battle of the Blossoms is the perfect opportunity to win the money he needs, but when his childhood crush blows back into his life, distractions risk taking his eyes off the prize. He needs his head and heart to start working together to ensure he doesn't miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

Hollyn Matthews has made some colossal mistakes in life.

When she's dumped just as she's expecting an engagement ring, she knows she's put her heart into the wrong man. Hoping for a second chance at being a grown-up, she moves home to stay with her brother and his best friend Dax, a boy whose memory faded as she ran away from her past. Facing the hurt she left behind means facing some home truths about herself, but there’s one boy who has always loved her, if only she’d take the time to notice him.

My thoughts: Dax and Hollyn's love story was a solid three stars for me. I did like the characters and I enjoyed the reality show premise, but for whatever reason the melding of all of it just left me wanting more from the story. 

I love a good unrequited love story, so I felt for Dax every time he tried to deny his feelings around Hollyn. And while I loved the idea of Hollyn - a girl running from her past who ends up making some hard-to-overcome mistakes, only to find her happy ending with someone who was right in front of her the whole time - I just had such a hard time connecting with her on the page. I didn't dislike her; I just didn't love her, either. 

I thought the flower-based reality TV show was a unique plot point. I've read plenty of dating reality show romances, but I hadn't read one in which the main characters find love while doing floral arrangements. I thought that was a very nice way to build drama, but again, I just wanted more. The reality show was such an important catalyst for both Hollyn and Dax; it gave Hollyn direction and purpose in her post-breakup life, and it was the one way Dax could save his father's flower shop. Yet we only got a few instances of the show actually playing out on the page. For something that played such a monumental role in both Hollyn and Dax's futures, it ended up having such very little impact on me as a reader. And because of the lack of impact, the drama that should have resulted from the show ended up falling a bit flat for me. 

Overall, I loved the characters and I loved the reality show premise. But for whatever reason, I didn't feel the drama or the connection when the plot and characters came together. To me, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not was cute but a solid three stars. 

**I received an advance review copy of this title from Boldwood Books for free. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.**

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Release date: 12/8/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: NetGalley