Just Stab Me Now

Jill Bearup combines a refreshing take on fantasy literature, with a not too cliche romance plot, that will have you comfortably intrigued, enthused and disappointed at the lack of smut, but as said in the book itself- that will be left to the fanfictions. With delicately chosen words, fantastically wound plot points, vibrant characters (not just in hair colour) and expertly crafted parallels, Just Stab Me Now delves into a modern world of fan fictions, imposter syndrome and the dreaded 9 to 5 juxtaposed by the also chaotic not-so-modern fantasy setting reflecting Caroline's situation shrewdly. Would recommend to most anyone, the fantasy buff, the fan fic fangirl or the holiday page flicker. It's an incredible read and has some quite incredible world building to boot.

While I might have preferred this to be given the alternate title "One Crisis At A Time", which was definitely a contender, calling it "Just Stab Me Now", which is a callback to Jill Bearup's truly excellent armour rating videos, is delightful.The story of Caroline Lindley, fanfiction and romance writer/author, the trials and tribulations of her life as a tragically underappreciated Database Analyst, and her attempts to wrangle the characters in her work of original fiction (who have far too much free will and keep making the WRONG sort of Bad Decisions as far as Caroline is concerned) is delightfully faithful to the source material (Jill Bearup's Fantasy Heroine short video series), as well as fleshing out the world, the politics, and the motivations of all the characters involved.Witty, charming, and the interactions between Caroline and her cast of characters (many of whom seem to bear a remarkable likeness to various people in Caroline's life) had me smiling and laughing as I read.If you want a fun fantasy romance/adventure, with the delightful meta of the author of their story trying to make sense of what they're doing, then you will love this book.

I've followed Jill's YouTube channel for awhile, as I have an interest in armour and swords, and I loved her fantasy heroine shorts. As soon as I found out that she was writing a novel based off the shorts, I pre-ordered the paperback and pounced on it and started reading the moment it arrived in the post today. 4 hours, three hot chocolates and 6 custard creams later and my heart is filled with both joy and sadness because now I can't experience reading it for the first time anymore. This book is fantastic and well written, and a has refreshingly charming old fashioned romance. I read it with a permanent smile on my face, laughing aloud on many occasions, and giggling with mischievous glee at the occasional discomfort of its stoic Hot Enemy. My favourite part though was when it dawned on the Hot Editor that he might have quite a bit in common with the male lead 😏All in all it is a wonderful story and Jill has every right to be immensely proud of what she has been able to accomplish in writing and publishing this flipping brilliant book! Here's hoping we haven't seen the last of Rosy and Leo.

Made me smile so much. Good fun read, that I didn't want to put down. Loved all the main characters. Light hearted, with some interesting comments on romantic tropes.

I will open by saying that I follow the author on YouTube, however this review is based on the merits of the story itself.An intriguing premise, with the relationship between the author and her characters delivering an interesting and compelling layer to a decent story. While I don't normally read romance-based books, this was well balanced, with a very well laid out plot, solid research (where necessary), a good politically driven level of subterfuge and strong characters.The intertwining of the (in-book) author's life, the relationship between her and the characters, and the lives of the characters worked really well and never felt forced. As a reader, I found myself wondering if this is how authors work, with their characters leading their own lives, as much as being driven by the author. Do all authors suffer from mild levels of schizophrenia, or is it a collaborative affair? I digress.I think Jill has done a wonderful job, especially considering it's her debut novel. Having had small insights into the background and development through her YouTube channel, I had a good idea what I was in for, and she didn't disappoint. If this is her only novel, then it's a triumph. If not, it's a solid starting point, whether she follows Rosamund and Leo on another adventure, dragging Caroline in tow, or allowing Caroline to flex her literary muscles further by trying another genre.5 stars, highly recommended. Well done Jill!

This was such a fun book that started as YouTube shorts which were so fun too! Jill Bearup was able to take the shorts and turn them into this fun story! Definitely recommend it!Though I know lots of people bugged her to write this and she managed to do so quite quickly. I don't think she will be as driven to produce something like this I do hope that she will continue to write. Her style is fun and well worth the read. I'm sure that if she writes another it will be worth the wait!

If you haven't seen the original YouTube short sketches, I always recommend them, but you can enjoy this book by it's own merits, and enjoy it very much.

I don't usually read romances but good was a great read. It's a store "mocking" tropes by someone that loves the genre

All Caroline Lindley wants to be is an author after a hard day's work. She likes her stories full of romantic tropes, dashing guards, brave heroines, Mr Darcys, enemies-to-lovers, ballgowns, excitement, and action. But her characters are so lifelike they came to life in her head - and have their own opinions about her plot, and her “haphazardly constructed world”.The story she is trying to write is enjoyable; her character’s amendments are excellent - and Caroline’s personal character development adds up to a beautifully woven Meta-Novel.It reads like a modern collab between great classic authors like PG Wodehouse, Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, John Buchan and more. And you'll go back through it to pick up all the quotes, in-jokes, and references to everything from Monty Python, Zorro, and The Chronicles of Narnia to hidden nods to Pride and Prejudice and Hallmark movies.4.5 stars and highly enjoyable.

I bought this book to support the creator. Now, month later, i've read it. And it is so good! It's well written, funny, the characters feel real, it is different from normal fantasy and romance and everything. A good book, not only for the fans of the cheese-loving, sword-wielding Lady, but for everyone. I absolutely recommend this book and will buy it again, should it be translated into German at some point.