When Joss Met Matt: A Review of Ellie Cahill's Debut Novel
When Joss Met Matt: A Novel by Ellie Cahill
If you are looking for a romantic comedy that is witty, charming, and realistic, you might want to check out When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill. This novel tells the story of two college friends who become friends-with-benefits for seven years, until they realize that they might want something more. In this article, we will give you a brief overview of the book, introduce you to the author, and explain why you should read it. We will also provide you with a plot summary, a characters analysis, and a discussion of the themes and messages of the book. Finally, we will share our opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of the book, suggest some similar books to read, and tell you how to get a copy of When Joss Met Matt.
When Joss Met Matt Epub
Introduction
What is the book about?
When Joss Met Matt is a novel that follows the relationship of Joss and Matt, two friends who met in college and decided to have a casual sexual arrangement after Joss was dumped by her boyfriend. They called it "sorbet sex", meaning that it was a palate cleanser between serious relationships. They agreed to keep it secret, no strings attached, and no feelings involved. However, as they went through different partners, jobs, and life events over the course of seven years, they realized that their sorbet sex was more than just a fling. They had to face their true feelings for each other and decide whether they wanted to risk their friendship for a chance at love.
Who is the author?
The author of When Joss Met Matt is Ellie Cahill, a pseudonym for Liz Czukas. She is a young adult and new adult author who writes romantic comedies with relatable characters and humorous situations. Some of her other books include Ask Again Later, Top Ten Clues You're Clueless, Just a Girl, and I Temporarily Do. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and two cats.
Why should you read it?
You should read When Joss Met Matt if you are looking for a fun and engaging read that will make you laugh, cry, and swoon. The book has a unique structure that alternates between the present and the past, showing how Joss and Matt's relationship evolved over time. The book also has a realistic and honest portrayal of friendship, sex, love, and adulthood. The book is full of witty dialogue, steamy scenes, and emotional moments that will keep you hooked until the end. The book is also suitable for fans of new adult romance, especially those who enjoy books by Jessica Sorensen, Colleen Hoover, or Christina Lauren.
Main body
The plot summary
The beginning
The book begins in the present, when Joss and Matt are both 25 years old and working in different fields. Joss is a graphic designer who has just broken up with her boyfriend of two years, Charles. Matt is a music teacher who has just been dumped by his girlfriend of six months, Hailey. They meet at a bar and decide to have sorbet sex, as they have done many times before. However, this time, they feel something different. They wonder if they have developed feelings for each other, or if they are just lonely and desperate.
The book then flashes back to seven years ago, when Joss and Matt first met at a college party. Joss was a freshman who had just been dumped by her high school sweetheart, Jake. Matt was a sophomore who offered to cheer her up with a proposition: he would become her go-to guy whenever she needed a rebound after a breakup. He called it sorbet sex, and explained that it was a way to cleanse the palate and move on. Joss agreed, thinking that it was a harmless and fun idea.
The middle
The book continues to switch between the present and the past, showing how Joss and Matt's sorbet sex arrangement lasted for seven years. They had sorbet sex whenever they were single, which was often, since they both had bad luck with relationships. They also became good friends who supported each other through various challenges and changes in their lives. They shared their secrets, dreams, fears, and joys. They also met each other's families, friends, and partners.
However, they also faced some complications and conflicts along the way. They had to deal with jealousy, insecurity, guilt, and confusion. They had to hide their sorbet sex from everyone else, especially from their serious partners. They had to pretend that they didn't care about each other more than friends. They had to ignore the chemistry and compatibility that they had.
The end
The book ends with Joss and Matt finally admitting their feelings for each other and deciding to give their relationship a chance. They realize that they have always loved each other, but they were afraid to ruin their friendship or lose their sorbet sex. They also realize that they have grown up and changed over the years, and that they are ready to commit to each other. They confess their sorbet sex to their friends and families, who are shocked but happy for them. They also face some challenges from their exes, who are not happy with their decision. However, they overcome these obstacles and embrace their new status as a couple.
The characters analysis
Joss
Joss is the female protagonist of the book. She is a smart, creative, and independent woman who loves graphic design and photography. She is also funny, loyal, and adventurous. She has a close relationship with her parents and her younger sister, Abby. She has a group of friends who she met in college: Bethany, Benji, Zach, and Tara.
Joss is also insecure, impulsive, and indecisive when it comes to love. She has a history of dating jerks who cheat on her, lie to her, or dump her without warning. She has low self-esteem and doubts her worthiness as a partner. She uses sorbet sex as a way to cope with her breakups and to avoid getting hurt again. She is afraid to admit her feelings for Matt because she thinks that he doesn't see her as more than a friend or a hookup.
Matt
Matt is the male protagonist of the book. He is a kind, caring, and generous man who loves music and teaching. He is also charming, witty, and confident. He has a close relationship with his parents and his older brother, Ryan. He has the same group of friends as Joss.
Matt is also stubborn, prideful, and secretive when it comes to love. He has a history of dating women who are not compatible with him or who don't appreciate him. He has high standards and expectations for his partners. He uses sorbet sex as a way to have fun and to avoid commitment. He is afraid to admit his feelings for Joss because he thinks that she doesn't want anything serious with him or that she will reject him.
The supporting characters
The supporting characters of the book include Joss and Matt's friends, families, and exes.
Bethany is Joss's best friend who works as an editor at a publishing company.
Benji is Matt's best friend who works as an engineer at a tech company.
Zach is Joss's ex-boyfriend who cheated on her with Tara.
The themes and messages
Friendship and love
One of the main themes of When Joss Met Matt is the relationship between friendship and love. The book explores how friendship can be a foundation for love, but also a barrier to it. Joss and Matt have a strong friendship that is based on trust, respect, and support. They share many interests, hobbies, and values. They have fun together and make each other happy. However, their friendship also prevents them from expressing their true feelings for each other. They are afraid to lose their friendship or to ruin their sorbet sex arrangement. They also have to deal with the social stigma and pressure of being friends-with-benefits. The book shows how friendship and love can coexist and complement each other, but also how they can conflict and challenge each other.
Choices and consequences
Another theme of When Joss Met Matt is the impact of choices and consequences on one's life. The book shows how Joss and Matt's choices affect their personal and professional lives over the course of seven years. They have to make choices about their careers, their partners, their families, and their futures. They also have to face the consequences of their choices, both positive and negative. Some of their choices lead to success, happiness, and growth. Some of their choices lead to failure, disappointment, and regret. The book shows how choices and consequences shape one's identity, destiny, and happiness.
Growth and change
A third theme of When Joss Met Matt is the process of growth and change in one's life. The book shows how Joss and Matt grow and change as individuals and as a couple over the course of seven years. They go through different stages of life, from college to adulthood. They experience different events, from graduation to marriage. They encounter different challenges, from unemployment to infidelity. They also develop different skills, from graphic design to music teaching. The book shows how growth and change can be exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling, but also scary, painful, and difficult.
Conclusion
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the book?
In our opinion, When Joss Met Matt has many strengths and few weaknesses as a novel. Some of the strengths are:
The writing style is engaging, humorous, and fluent.
The structure is creative, clever, and effective.
The characters are relatable, likable, and dynamic.
The romance is realistic, sweet, and steamy.
The themes are relevant, meaningful, and insightful.
Some of the weaknesses are:
The plot is predictable, clichéd, and repetitive.
The conflicts are resolved too easily or too quickly.
The ending is rushed, unrealistic, or too perfect.
The supporting characters are underdeveloped or stereotypical.
The editing is sloppy or inconsistent.
What are some similar books to recommend?
If you enjoyed When Joss Met Matt, you might also like these books:
The Deal by Elle Kennedy: A college hockey player helps a music major pass her ethics class in exchange for pretending to be his girlfriend.
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire: A college student falls for a bad boy who fights for money in an underground club.
The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: A woman who can't have children meets a man who wants a big family.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: Two co-workers who hate each other compete for the same promotion.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: Two enemies who are forced to go on a honeymoon together after their siblings get food poisoning at their wedding.
How to get a copy of the book?
If you are interested in reading When Joss Met Matt, you can get a copy of the book in various formats and platforms. You can buy the paperback or the ebook from online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Apple Books. You can also borrow the book from your local library or download the audiobook from Audible or Libro.fm. You can also read a sample of the book for free on the author's website or on Goodreads.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about When Joss Met Matt:
Is When Joss Met Matt a standalone novel or part of a series?
What is the genre and target audience of When Joss Met Matt?
How many pages and chapters does When Joss Met Matt have?
When and where was When Joss Met Matt published?
What are some of the reviews and ratings of When Joss Met Matt?
Here are the answers to these questions:
When Joss Met Matt is a standalone novel that is not part of a series.
When Joss Met Matt is a new adult romance novel that is suitable for readers who are 18 years old and above.
When Joss Met Matt has 338 pages and 25 chapters.
When Joss Met Matt was published on February 24, 2015 by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House.
When Joss Met Matt has an average rating of 4.02 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, based on 4,061 ratings and 406 reviews. It also has positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist.
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