I picked this up with high hopes for the perfect Halloween read, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The blurb is a bit misleading—the first 35% (about 11 chapters) leans heavily into themes of grief, past trauma, and a lot of heart-to-heart moments. It’s a very slow burn, with little momentum to push the story forward. I found myself thinking, “If they don’t kiss in this chapter, I’m giving up” because it just dragged on that much. And when Isla and Andry finally did get together, it was more of a “we need to wait” situation, to the point I audibly sighed. This book could have benefitted from tighter editing; instead of stretching to 347 pages, it would’ve worked better at a lean 270. By chapter 20, I felt done, but my stubbornness (and the money I’d spent on the book) got me through all 40 chapters.

On a brighter note, the cover is stunning, and though it took its time getting there, the ending was satisfying, tying up all the familial and romantic relationship issues well. I appreciated how Isla and Andry’s relationship wasn’t sugar-coated—there were real intimacy and trust issues that were portrayed honestly. Their journey was a long one, but that length allowed all the complexities of their relationship to be worked through in a way that felt authentic. The pacing gave each hurdle more than enough space to breathe, so by the end, it really felt like nothing was left unresolved and you believed in their HEA.

Isla's bright, energetic, and mischievous persona in the schoolroom masks the pain she carries from recent upheavals and long-term grief. Andry, her principal, is learning to navigate her life post-divorce and as the mother of a soon-to-be college student. Their growing friendship outside the school relieves the loneliness both women feel, but it also opens the door to attraction, tenderness, and the threat of heartache.

Love Me At My Worst is a warm and moving story about emotional healing, the complexities of various relationships, and the power of choosing vulnerability with the right person. Isla and Andry are wonderfully authentic characters with real and relatable challenges that endear them to the reader. As their romance slowly grows, it isn't difficult to see how well they fit. But unlike with some romances, the connection between Isla and Andry is not portrayed as a blanket solution to all of their problems, but rather as a catalyst for the growth and healing they each must do as individuals. Andry still must come to terms with her broken marriage, and Isla still has to make peace with the past and her family (her stepmother Linda and best friend Wil). The way they learn to take these difficult journeys with help from each other rather than doing it alone is truly beautiful.

Any reader who enjoys sapphic romances with depth, passion, and a splash of humor will adore Love Me At My Worst.

2.5-3 stars.

Love Me At My Worst was my first Adrian J. Smith book. I have the first of the series as an audiobook waiting... I hope it's better because the author has multiple books I'm interested in reading. This book did not impress me.

First of all, the timeline of Andry's life does not make sense. She's 40/41, has 17/18 year old daughter, started dating her ex at 19, has doctor level degree, worked under her ex-wife but changed schools so they could date... It just does not add up realistically. Did she start working as a teacher before she was 19 or what? She should have been at least 5 years older but I guess the author didn't want make Isla too old to keep the age gap reasonable. Why did the kid need to be 18 years old to make the story to work?

Secondly, those 'pranks' the main characters executed were both ridiculous and childish. Completely unrealistic as well. I guess I'm both too serious and humourless, and anxious about carefree spending of resources (stuff like balls made of plastic and balloon).

Another great book by Adrian. This book did deal with some heavy topics like death of parents and depression but there was a lot of funny parts along the way. Love Me At My Worst takes place after When the Past Finds You, it follows Isla who is the stepdaughter and friend of Linda and Wil. Isla is having to finally deal with her feelings about her fathers death, her stepmom and the fact the her best friend is now dating said stepmom. During this hard time Isla also enters into a prank off with her principal at the elementary school. It was really nice to see how even when she was struggling with her own mental health that she tried to lift up others and make their day better. This book is definitely worth a read.
I received an arc for my honest review