From the Start

Quiblings #1

by Katie Duggan

How long can you go learning about your body and its wants while ignoring your heart? And how do you ignore your heart while learning about your body?

Nic Quinn is tired. Tired of her family, tired of masking, and tired of Josh Henry. After successfully avoiding her childhood enemy for a decade, of course she runs into him not once, but twice when she’s at her worst. The bigger surprise is that she wants to continue seeing him.

After her own less than satisfying experiences and learning of Josh’s prowess in the bedroom, Nic realizes he can help her. Just lessons between two enemies, no risk of pesky emotions getting in the way.

Josh Henry knows that nothing lasts, and lives his life as such. But when Nic Quinn shows up on his doorstep asking him for help, Josh agrees—despite everything he’s forced himself to believe about intimacy and relationships.

The longer the lessons continue, the more Nic and Josh find themselves unwilling to admit that they’re enjoying much more than just the physical aspect of their arrangement.

The hardest thing to learn, it turns out, is that your enemy can love you exactly as you are.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, LGBT, Contemporary, Disability, Plus Size, Autistic Spectrum Disorder

423 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2023

About the author

Katie Duggan is a New England transplant currently living in Northern Virginia. She writes romances that give fat, neurodivergent, and queer characters spicy happily-ever-afters. When Katie’s not writing or being kept up at night by her characters, she can be found drinking iced chai lattes, going to therapy, convincing people to read her favorite books, and doing whatever hobbies give her neurospicy brain the most dopamine at the moment.

Reviews

[Chloe Liese · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's so much heart and kindness (and steamy goodness!) in this book. The care it devotes to the work of unlearning shame for our bodies, our sexuality, our pleasure and desire, to embracing neurodivergent brains and bodies, is like a warm affirming hug.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so horny and so tender omg. Josh is just the sweetest, softest man — with a dirty, dirty mouth. Nic is prickly and badass and she just blossoms. The way these two support and encourage each other. Both Nic and Josh show so much growth and self-discovery and it’s because of the trust and love they have for each other. They communicate so openly and both acknowledge that humans are messy and life is messy, but we’re all still worthy of love.

Nic was recently diagnosed with autism. She’s new to sharing that diagnosis and advocating for herself. Josh accepts her fully and does whatever he can to make her more comfortable. Josh is dealing with a sick family member, a lot of past and current grief, and some lingering self consciousness about being a fat man. Nic loves him and helps him realize how beautiful his is and is there for him through it all. Side note: we need more fat men in romance!!

Read this book for a spitfire psychologist who wants to gain confidence and advocacy skills…and asks her childhood enemy for sex. This childhood enemy is a nerdy Shakespearean professor who writes her a sex syllabus. He writes her a syllabus. And he reads romance novels. Why isn’t he real?

God. This book had me blushing and giggling and sobbing. (The trifecta of emotions really.) They’re both just so lovely and tender with each other and so, so horny. To go along with the sex syllabus, Katie added a Dictionary to the frontmatter, so you can see just how many chapters have spicy scenes — although the whole premise of the book is spicy so there are undercurrents throughout.

Did I mention this is the first in a series of interconnected standalones?? There’s a whole gaggle of Quibblings so we’ll get to read many, many more of Katie’s books in the future. I can’t wait for Jo’s next!!! What was that intense eye contact in the epilogue?? 👀 And I’m very curious about Kat!!

[Kseniia ✨️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Непоганий дебют та початок серії. Мила солодка історія про Нік, яка намагається зрозуміти свої сексуальні вподобання за допомогою свого ворога дитинства Джоша.

Найбільше мені сподобалась репрезентація ментального здоров'я. Тут у нас героїня з аутизмом та герой зі своїми загонами (прийняти свого тіла та горе). Вважаю авторка чудово впоралась.
З приводу героїв у мене змішані враження. На початку все йшло добре. Але під кінець стала помічати, що і головні, і другорядні персонажі часом ведуть себе наче невиховані, імпульсивні та ображені дітлахи.
З мінусів: для мене було прям дууууже солодко. Ну і половину книги переливали з пустого в порожнє. Краще б це була новела.

Ще не плюс і не мінус, а просто спостереження. Було трохи забагато "повєсточкі", наче фільм від нетфлікс, де напхали всього і побільше. Авторка зібрала всі можливі орієнтації/гендери та фізичні/психологічні проблеми. І всі добрі, розуміють та підтримують одне одного, не порушують кордони, бо звичайно всі персонажі в терапії. Ну це щось зі світу, де поні харчуються райдугою та какають метеликами.

Маю надію далі стане ще краще. Принаймні з анотацій здається, що мають завести сюжет.

[ricki · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

OMFG!!!! i had a really good feeling i was going to enjoy this, and baby, i was right!

i am, first and foremost, an absolute *slut* for sex and/or intimacy lessons in contemporary romances and katie executed it SO WELL in this. the way my boy josh made a syllabus for the lessons between him and nic?!?!?!? BONER ALERT, like that is just so hot (*cue my competency kink*).

i just loved everything about this book. nic and josh are just such real characters, that are relatable and loveable. i honestly could not pick who i love more [read: this book is bi panic in its finest form] because i LOVE a grumpy fmc as i can relate to them faaaaaar more than a sunshine fmc, but i also DEVOUR a sunshine, golden retreiver mmc - like they are my bread and butter, i love them so much.

outside of their character dynamic, i loved seeing the representation in this book!! it was handled with such care, and made me tear up more than once. not only do we get disability rep (nic's autistic and josh has PTSD) and queer rep (nic's bisexual and josh is queer) BUT WE ALSO GOT A FAT MMC!!!!!!!! fat rep is so important to me, and i am always actively searching for it in books - but the fact that the MMC is fat just made me so happy. we see a lot of fat FMCs in stories but i've only read 1 or 2 others with fat MMCs. and the way that josh being fat is like the perfect balance for nic because he is able to regulate her after they f*ck is just so hot and cute and made me cry ngl

ANYWAYS.... i could talk about this book all day i think, but it is just so good and a new favorite of mine. one last thing, the side characters in this are amazing!!!!! i love the quinn family and their group chat and cannot wait for each of their books!! okay bye, go pick this book up pls & ty!

thank you katie for sending me an ARC!! <3

⚠️: cancer, death of family member, death of parents (drunk driving accident), PTSD symptoms (nightmares), autistic meltdowns, fatphobia, bullying, ableism, religious trauma

[Margherita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gimme gimme gimme all the autistic MCs and golden retriever boyfriends

[kenna bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. What a debut. From the Start is full of spice, yes--but it is chock full of so. much. more.

Readers watch as Nic launches herself onto a journey of self-discovery, by launching herself at Josh in the hopes that he'll help guide her along said journey. Together, the two explore the dynamics of pleasure, figuring out what Nic is comfortable with, what makes her tick--sexually, but also mentally and emotionally.

Nic, headstrong and independent and fresh off of an autism diagnosis, is a force to be reckoned with. Josh, kind and passionate and avoidant of falling in love, is a natural teacher.

Watching the two communicate in such a healthy manner, fill out sex surveys and open up with each other about matters of the heart, had me blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl.

As much as I loved Nic, Josh Henry...Katie Duggan has created the perfect book boyfriend. This man wanted to make sure that Nic felt fully comfortable at his apartment and in his presence as they explored each other's bodies and minds--and to do so, he stocked the fuc* up. Josh bought a weighted blanket for her to use when she was over, he made sure to always have chocolate oatmilk ready, he stocked his bathroom with lavendar scented bubble bath...SHALL I GO ON?

AND THE MOUTH ON THIS MAN? Josh's dirty talk had ME squirming. Phew. I'm sweating just remembering some of the things he said to Nic in their intimate moments.

All of that being said, this story was such a sweet exploration of what it means to be human, living the human experience, and learning all that that means. It was a story of two people opening up to each other, however tentatively at first, healing each other, and being there for the other unconditionally. It was so so sweet, and so so spicy, and I loved it. Thank you, Katie, for the ARC.

***
...He’s just Josh, the man who, since coming back into my life, only touches me like I’m worth handling with care.

"I think I'm going to kiss you now, Josh Henry." His breath hitches.
"Why?" I look back at him, meeting his soft blue eyes. "Because I'm safe."

"This is your journey, and even though it doesn't match what you expected, it doesn't mean it's wrong." He leans down and presses his forehead to mine, his eyes fluttering shut. "I'm simply grateful to witness it."

***

[salamireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
4.5 stars

“I’m not angry with you. I’m only angry with myself for spending twenty years not knowing who you really are because you deserve to be known. And, fuck, if I could deserve anything good in this world, I’d want it to be knowing you.”

Since I saw a bookstagram mutual of mine post about FTS , I've been INVESTED especially because this book has one of my favourite niche smutty tropes - lessons . From the start follows childhood "enemies" (enemies to lovers never works in contemporary and I wasn't completely sold on it . In this book it was more "people who've had multiple misunderstandings/ miscommunications") Nic quinn and Josh henry who keep on coincidently bumping into each other after not being in contact since highschool.

Even though sex is pretty central to the plot , Duggan did a good job of balancing it out with the most sweet and mundane (complimentary) scenes where we see their relationship progress . I thought that this book was so compulsively readable .There is no distinct plot and you mostly just follow the characters daily life, their familial relationships , friendships etc but the chapters weren't overly long where it would become laborious to read .

As someone who's trying to understand what's going on in their mind , I deeply resonated with Nic's character and her struggles with socialising and standing up for herself . There is a third act conflict but it's not melodramatic and illogical the way they can be executed in rom-coms . I really appreciated the emotional intelligence from both Nic and Josh and how they became each other's safe space , they are truly so good for each other. I can definitely see this becoming a comfort read for me.

This is the debut of a multiple book series following the other siblings of the Quinn family . I know that this book just came out but I want MORE of the Quinn siblings , they were so charming and I'm pumped to see how this series goes on !

side not that's unrelated but kind of related : whilst the pet name "buttercup" was cute , I couldn't help but think of a granny with butterscotch candies I'M SORRY , BLAME MY MIND MOVIE SHE WAS DOING ME SO DIRTY

[Ashlen Cheyenne Duhon · Rating 5 out of 5]

On April 3, 2023, I was in Katie’s DMs talking about nerdy book boyfriends, our anticipation for BETTER HATE THAN NEVER by Chloe Liese, and our love of childhood enemies to lovers. Katie said it was a trope she wanted to write and before we knew it, she was abandoning her WIP to plan, outline, and write this book I adore so very much.

I say all this so you know I’m biased. I’ve been with FROM THE START from its very start. But I truly believe y’all are going to fall in love with this story too. It offers readers a chance to feel so many different emotions—amusement, vulnerability, grief—and most of all, hope.

When Nic Quinn runs into her childhood enemy, Josh Henry, on a late night train headed back to the city, she’s pissed. When she accidentally and unknowingly crashes his birthday party after a tinder date gone wrong, she’s furious. When she hears his guests talking about the Good Time they’ve had with Josh in the past…she’s curious. And that ounce of intrigue grows until she’s asking him to help her find out what she likes from a partner. Josh agrees, but he can’t figure out why. Between teaching and caring for his grandmother, Josh doesn’t have the time—and certainly not the patience—to spend with Nic. What unfolds is a story of self-discovery, forgiveness, and a love that heals.

🌼 Childhood Enemies to Lovers
🌼 Grumpy/Sunshine
🌼 Intimacy/Seduction Lessons
🌼 Fat MMC Rep
🌼 Queer Rep
🌼 Autistic FMC Rep
🌼 Quinn Family Shenanigans

⚠️ CW: death of family members, autistic meltdowns, fatphobia, PTSD, cancer, bullying, ableism, and religious trauma.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If everyone can't relate to Nic, her insecurities, self-doubt, and quest to find her place in the world, then they are obviously lying to themselves. She may be autistic but boy, is she a force of nature when she figures out she is a bad a$$ b1tch.

Josh is the sensitive guy that not only rocks her world physically but becomes her lighthouse, her beacon during turbulent seas.

These 2 bring out the best of each other, and their love story is so very meanly fun from the moment Josh first sees Nic on the train.

Katie Duggan made these characters come to life in ways that made me laugh, cry, and ultimately be sad when the story ended and I was not ready for it to do so. What a great first book by a new indie author!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got Chloe Liese vibes in the BEST way with this book. I’m not even kidding. Plus he reads historical romance AND gives her smutty lessons?? OH AND she’s kind of prickly?? This has all my favorite things haha. Katie also gives us excellent Queer, autistic, and fat rep, as well as wonderfully written smut scenes with accurate portrayal of kink! Seriously, so good.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember exactly when or how I came across Katie Duggan's Instagram and learned about her debut book, From the Start, but I am SO GLAD I DID. And I'm even more glad I was able to read an advance review copy, because I get a whole extra month to bask in the glory that is this book.

Nic and Josh are childhood enemies (well, Josh is Nic's childhood enemy because he was just as mean to her as all the other kids, and in a lot of ways, she was an easy target for mean kids). On her way home from another exhausting dinner with her family, who does she run into on the train, but Josh, and obviously, a meet-disaster ensues. And then, of course, the next weekend while on a disastrous date, she ends up at his birthday party, and overhears several people talking about how good Josh is in bed. A terrible brilliant idea takes shape in Nic's brain, and before she knows it, she's on Josh's front step asking him for sex lessons. Because obviously there's no risk of catching feels because she still hates him. Right? Wrong.

I loved so much about this book. First of all, the sex lessons. Josh makes a spreadsheet for Nic to fill out to indicate the things she likes and doesn't like, what she's interested in, what her limits are. Did I mention he's a professor? Of Shakespeare, but also of sex, apparently. (Nic also has a PhD in psychology, which we love to see.) I'm a sucker for a sex lessons plot, and watching Nic realize what she likes and also that it's possible to actually enjoy intimacy with another person is so rewarding. And she gets more confident as the book goes on, not just in bed, but with other people and in the workplace.

Then there's the representation. Both Nic and Josh are queer, Nic is autistic, and Josh is fat and sober. Their identities are important parts of who their are and important to the plot, and in really positive ways. Nic's autism diagnosis is relatively new, and we get to watch her figure out how to tell people about her diagnosis while still being just as herself as she's ever been.

From the Start is also dual POV, which in this case, works so well. I loved both Nic's and Josh's perspective. We watch them both catch feels, and in addition to watching Nic learning what she likes, we watch her knock down Josh's walls just a little bit and him let her in.

I read this book in one day because I could not put it down, and I flew through it while traveling. I cannot WAIT for the rest of the Quiblings' books and anything else that Katie Duggan writes.

Thank you to the author, Katie Duggan, for providing me with an eARC of From the Start in exchange for my honest review.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received an ARC for this book)

Trigger Warnings include:
terminal cancer, the death of a family member (off page), PTSD symptoms (specifically nightmares), graphic autistic meltdowns, discussions of therapy, grief, bondage, edging. There is also mention of past trauma- including death of family members by drunk driving, fatphobia, bullying, ableism, and religious trauma.

This debut blew me away! The story, the characters, the representation. It was all done with care and respect, and that only made it easier to enjoy! This is easily one of my favorite re-meet cutes. (Yes, I am calling it a meet cute because it made me all warm and fuzzy inside, even if that’s not how Nic and Josh felt about it!) But because of that moment, I had instant love for these characters. I knew I needed to get to know them. And get to know them I did! Nic and Josh aren’t just complex, but their past is too. Both separately and shared. It was obvious, though, that there was a connection there from the start. I loved their trust and vulnerability, they way they both wanted to make the other feel safe. They were in it together. Even at its dirtiest, that mouth of his is top notch swoony and did a number on me! I love that the third act wasn’t a break up, but a beautiful growth of character! Something else I loved is the lack of conflict because they didn’t confess their feelings at the “right time”. Because they communicated so beautifully!

Buttercup: 89
pretty girl: 11

My Favorite Quotes:
• “Coincidentally, I’d very much like to kiss all over your body.”
• “Do you taste this good everywhere, pretty girl?”
• “Whatever is right for you and your body is perfect.”
• “You could never be broken.”
• “I wish you believed me, but I’ll just keep saying it until you do.”
• “You’re an eager little thing, aren’t you?”
• “That’s my girl.”
• “You’re stunning when you come for me.”
• “I can’t believe I get to do this with you.”
• “I want to make you feel the way you just made me feel and hear you moan my name and make you fall apart.”
• “I want you to feel safe here with me.”
• “I’m simply grateful to witness it.”
• “You have no idea how much I miss you on my fingers.”
• “You have all of me. I’m yours.”
• “With everything I have, I’m yours.”
• “I belong to you. You know that, don’t you?”

8/10 Dirty Birdy
5/10 Enemies to Lovers
6/10 Second Chance

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

"For those who are trying to figure out how to fight for what they want and deserve in life: I promise we'll get there, and I'm so proud of us for fighting."

Emotional constipation who?
This story truly made me feel so many things, I let all my emotions out.

It's filled with so much acceptance and warmth for everyone; no matter who they are or what they look like.
The representation in the world of the Quinn family is amazing. People that have different gender identities or sexual orientations. The acceptance of all shapes and forms of bodies. The inclusion of mental health struggles and disabilities. It's got it all and so much more.

I did not read anything about the book before starting it so I was immensely and happily surprised! The reason I picked it up is because I got an ARC for book 3 in this standalone series and I do not half ass anything. I am so thankful for that ARC because I would have never found this heartwarming story otherwise.

Nic and Josh are absolutely perfect for eachother. Their story, while starting off as slight enemies, was filled with so much love (before they realized it even). Their acceptance of eachother was incredible. I loved seeing them learn about eachother and the things they might struggle with. And then find a way to help eachother to navigate life with this. They have a unique type of love that one may only wish to get in their own life!

I will never look at Buttercups the same again. 🥺🩷

I am excited to immerse myself into the world of the 'Quiblings' and learn more about the siblings and their lives. Onto the next one! ✨🤍

"I love you so much my mouth goes dry, and my heart hurts when I think about it too much. I spent tens of thousands of dollars becoming an expert in the most prolific wordsmith, and it means nothing when I'm with you. No story that's ever been written compares to the one we started writing when we ended up on the same train."

[NikkiReads365 · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ From The Start by Katie Duggan ✨

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Characterization: 5/5
Plot/Storyline: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5

📖 - Trying to find a genuine connection, physical or otherwise, is difficult by many standards. Trying for that same connection when you are neurodivergent and/or queer and heavier set, possibly even harder as the world tries to see labels and act accordingly. Duggan’s debut novel features two such protagonists who find an unlikely-ish connection based on physical connection, but will they build a connection stronger than that alone?

📖 - Nic and Josh are lovely human beings, and I love their banter, connection, and flaws. Ironically, my partner and I share similar/the same first names as these protagonists, so I really felt connected on names alone. Then enter in all of their quirky, loving, and unique traits, and I see myself, my family, and my friends all represented in the book. From neurodivergent to bigot (unfortunately) to non-binary to higher academia, everyone I know and love is somewhere represented in this storyline. Nic starts the book as such a b— (not gonna say it in case Josh Henry overhears me 👀) and the dynamic of Nic with the world around her was so perfectly captured and depicted. I live for characterization, and this book has it in tow.

📖 - The writing style is comical, blunt, honest, and spicy throughout. The Jonas line - maybe my absolutely favorite pop culture reference in a book, like ever - is an indication of the withitness Duggan writes from, and is a testament to the courage, love, and honesty captures in the writing process. I have some plot hole questions and need future installments to help fill some gaps I have - and I need a more in-depth Nellie storyline! (Mini novella, fanfic, I’ll take anything!)

🌶️🌶️ - This book has SPICE. I dislike a lot of spice. In fact, I’m notorious for downgrading books because of the spice. HOWEVER, the spice in this book is different. It’s from a place of understanding and communication, and by gosh, it was awkward af and beautiful simultaneously.

Final Recommendation: If you identify as anyone outside of the “norm” or anywhere on any spectrum, read this book. REPRESENTATION MATTERS! 🏳️‍🌈

💕Special thank you to Katie for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest (and again, probably too long…) review 💕

[Sarah McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was so excited to read Katie Duggan’s debut novel! This book had so much heart in it. It’s a perfect read for those who are fans of Chloe Liese and Talia Hibbert, in the way that they are all able to show that people with differences, such as neurodivergence and fat bodies, are deserving of love and relationships and are desirable!

We have a MMC who is a Shakespeare professor, sober king, and sunshine to her grumpy; though Nic & Josh are apparently childhood enemies, we find out there was some miscommunication way back when and things do get cleared up in the end when they get more open and vulnerable with each other. We have a FMC who loves chocolate oat milk and rock climbs therapeutically; she has recently been diagnosed as autistic - she is figuring out what that means for her in her day-to-day as well as in her relationships with family and friends. I would have loved to see a bit more insight into Nic’s job, as she is in psychology, but it was interesting to see how she was able to gain some confidence and stand up for herself with her coworkers.

This book is chock full of spicy spice. I mean, there is a syllabus for s3x lessons and we know this upfront so you shall be prepared! There is a lot of tenderness and communication about consent which is always appreciated!

There were many parts where I literally LOL’d (wine bottle on the front porch, and little pop culture references like finger guns and “sure, Jan” and “yes daddy” 💀 that made me giggle.

This book is a great combo of intimacy and care-taking, and I also love the big family dynamics. I can’t wait to read more about the other Quiblings!

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the Start ❤️‍🔥
➖rating: 4/5 ⭐️’s
➖spice level: 3/5 🌶‘s

this was such an incredible debut novel and I had the best time getting to know nic & josh!

while it was a little on the long side, the plot always flowed well and it felt like we were just following the characters through their daily lives instead of just jumping from one plot point to the next (which I find tends to happen a lot in longer books)! there were also soooo many ✨spicy✨ scenes throughout the book, and I loved that they actually added something to the overall plot (and the mouth on josh, heLLO?? 🥵)!

my one gripe was just that I wasn’t fully sold on the enemies part of the enemies to lovers, I think it felt more like a misunderstanding more than anything.

overall I did really enjoy this one and I feel like it will end up being a comfort read, much like chloe liese’s books 🫶🏻 the neurodiverse/fat rep was so carefully and respectfully done and the spice and vulnerable moments were perfectly balanced throughout. I’m excited to read more about the other quinn siblings now!

thank you so much to katie for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!!

[Katie Gard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 ⭐️

I knew I wanted to read this book when I first came across Katie’s Instagram!

I’ll start with what I liked — I felt like the author did a good job of explaining the perspective of someone who is neurodivergent, even if that’s something I can’t exactly relate to. I also enjoyed the fat representation and the struggle that Josh felt with loving his body. I loved the queer representation, not just with the main characters, but also many (most!) of the side characters. Speaking of said side characters — the author did a great job of setting up future books because now I’m invested! Finally — the spice 🥵 You love to see the enthusiastic consent.

Childhood friends to enemies is one of my favorite tropes, but I didn’t love the conflict that got to the enemies part, even if it was a miscommunication.

At times, it felt a little repetitive & some side details were brought up like they were significant, but weren’t brought up again.


{Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.}

[Tris Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

"No story that's ever been written compares to the one we started writing when we ended up on the same train."

There are so many amazing things about this book. The fat rep, neurodivergent rep, and queer rep is just the tip of the iceberg.

One of my absolute favorite things about this book is that it was an m/f bi for bi romance. I've read tons of books of f/f and m/m romance with bi characters, and those are absolutely AMAZING. But I love to see this representation too. As a bi woman who is in a straight-passing relationship, I love seeing characters with relationships that look similar to my own.

Another of my favorite parts of this book is that there is no third act breakup! Sometimes those really stress me out, so this was nice and refreshing.

The only critique I really have is that certain parts of the book felt a little repetitive, but that pales in comparison to how much I loved everything else about this story.

I can't wait to continue reading about the Quinn siblings!

[Kae | reads.with.kae · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been more than twelve hours since I finished this book and I am still trying to come up with the right words to express my love for it.

Simply put: I loved Nic and Josh.

They are just so human. There are so many ways to relate to both Nic and Josh. It's actually impossible to decide who I love more. If you want a prime example of the grumpy/sunshine trope, pick up this book. Just do it. Thank me later. Joshua Henry is one of the sunshineiest MMCs that I think has ever been written. He knows how to hold Nic steady and he does. Every time. Without fail. When he senses a shift in her mood, he adapts accordingly to make sure she's okay. Nic is a badass. Plain and simple. Throughout her life, she has convinced herself that she has to do everything on her own. She has the best character arc in the book as she learns that it's okay to let others in.

There is so much healing that happens between these two characters. I don't know how to get into it without spoilers, but it's so raw and impactful to read. Read this book. It's out on November 21st. It will break your heart wide open and then put it back together again in a truly beautiful way.

One last thing: Please heed the trigger warnings before you go read this story. While it is absolutely beautiful, it discusses some pretty heavy topics. Your mental health and safety is more important than any book.

Thank you Katie for the ARC! 💜

[The Bashful Bookworm by Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dual POV story about Nic and Josh, childhood enemies who meet again as adults. Nic is autistic and has trouble expressing her boundaries and needs in many aspects of her life. However, she overhears people talk about how good Josh is in bed and decides to ask him for an enemies with benefits arrangement to explore her likes and discover her voice in and out of the bedroom.

This book was wonderful! With the MCs there was queer, neurodiverse, and fat representations. Initially their arrangement starts of a little clinical which I think works for these characters and story but it took me a while to connect to them as a couple. But then, they just work! The way they fall in love, the healthy communication, they are supportive and so freaking protective of each other!! They have funny/cute nicknames for each other: evil goblin/menace. Josh is so sweet! He takes care of Nic and is in tune with her sensory issues (weighted blankets, ear plugs, food sensitivities, pressure of hugs or body weight) and I just love him!!

I like that the first few pages included the Suicide and Crisis Hotline number and a Dicktionary. 1) Mental health is so important and it’s easy to forget there are professional resources out there; please know you are never alone, I am on IG a lot and anyone can reach out to me for help, to talk, or just to have an ear to listen. 2) How come this is the first dicktionary I’ve seen and now they are in all the books? Have I been inadvertently skipping over them? Because why would I do that?! I am a Slut for Smut! 💁🏻‍♀️

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to begin because I absolutely loved every part of this book. I was pleasantly surprised in the best way! The character development for both Nic and Josh was incredible. Nic’s journey of discovering her own strength was so well done, and I loved watching her grow in confidence, especially as she embraced her autism diagnosis. The open discussion of therapy and self-acceptance was brilliant. And then there’s Josh... oh Josh! What a heartthrob. He was the perfect gentleman, and I think he might be my favorite character. Plus, his tattoos, each with its own meaningful story, made him even hotter! This book did such a fantastic job of representing important themes—trauma, autism, therapy—everything was handled with so much care and authenticity.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I spent tens of thousands of dollars becoming an expert in the most prolific wordsmith, and it means nothing when I’m with you. No story that’s ever been written compares to the one we started writing when we ended up on the same train.”

This was such a tender and sweet story and for a debut, this checked a lot of boxes for me. It had great rep for mental health, autism, body image and sexuality.

Plus the spicy lessons were out of this world omg. The author really had me falling in love with yet another tall blonde man with a J name. When will it be my turn???

[adagetsliterary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consent + communication + humor + spice - this debut was FANTASTIC. This book was SPICY but also incredibly swoony. Nic was a badass FMC, with great ND rep, trying to find out what makes her tick. Josh was her childhood nemesis-turned-spice-tutor who was the definition of a cinnamon roll in the streets, freak in the sheets. This book was brimming with humour, consent, and a spice contract that had me blushing. Katie did an incredible job and I’m excited for more Quiblings!

[Ellora · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Chloe Liese’s books, you’ll 100% love this debut romance by the lovely Katie Duggan! It’s a childhood enemies to lovers who meet again unexpectedly as adults. The book is super steamy but also shows the journey that Nic and Josh go through of self love and discovery. Nic starts off super guarded but really blossoms thoughout the story and it’s really hard not to love her. Josh is like a massive teddy bear and you just want to give him a hug as he’s navigating the illness of a family member. I loved that this book was dual POV so you really got to know both Nic and Josh. Another thing I really enjoyed seeing was the healthy communication from Nic and Josh. While there was a few moments of miscommunication, that was not a central theme at all. This book has great queer representation and many folks have also applauded its neurodiversity rep as well! I’m very excited to read what Katie writes next as this is the first in a series of interconnected stand-alones!

Thank you to the author, Katie Duggan, for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer R · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a bit different from what I’m used to and very ‘needy’ feeling but I understand why. Still wasn’t quite my jam but overall the story was well done and unique so I did appreciate that. And quite hot… when not constantly asking for approval. Again.. I get why.. but still not quite my thing.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

What a debut, Katie!! Know you have me for 7 more books and i need this jo and hunter tension in book too and Kat and her awful husband to divorce ASAP

[Kim.thebookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the queer and autism representation but was expecting a little more to it.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM SCREAMING. I need to process my thoughts, okay. But, like, 50000000/5 stars.

[Rachel Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a debut from author Katie Duggen! This was such a sweet and fun romance. I really enjoyed the book overall the characters and side characters were so fun and felt like real people which is sometimes hard for debut authors. Nic and Josh were really get MC’s. I really enjoyed Josh and a lot and Nic was salty in the best way. The Autism rep in the book was really excellent too. I had some issues with the flow of how it read that took me out of the story. Overall a great debut novel!

Thank you for the ARC for my honest review!

[Deanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an absolutely darling book from start to finish! I devoured it in just one sitting, it was so easy to read and enjoy.

Nic and Josh were perfect together. Josh really understood all her little neurospicy tics and triggers and accommodated them instead of just telling her she was being a nuisance or too difficult. Nic was also exactly what Josh needed. She gave him a safe space to figure out his mental health and accept he deserved more. The connection between them was fast and very sweet, with lots of aftercare vibes and cuddles. One of my favourite moments, which isn’t really a spoiler, is Nic loving the weight of Josh’s body on her after spicy times. One of his broken pieces was being scared his weight would be too much for his partner and crush them but that broken piece lined up perfectly with Nic’s own quirks and became something she needed.

The spicy times were on fire!! Josh has an absolutely filthy mouth and I loved every minute of it. I appreciated that even though there was plenty of smutty scenes, they weren’t overwhelming, and instead showed a lot of emotion and care. Chapters 16-19 were especially 🥵🥵

The side characters were all super intriguing as well! I loved the moments we got with Nic’s family and her chaotic group of siblings and I really hope we’re getting their stories at some point too! I’m also a sucker for a good group text thread and there were several funny ones throughout the book. I loved how by the end of the book, everyone had blended together and it was one big found family made up of Nic’s own family, Josh’s, and Josh’s friends too.

Overall, this book felt like the literary equivalent of the 🥵🥹 emojis and it was such a fun story to read! It kept me engaged through the entire book and left me wanting more from their chaotic family. I can’t wait to see what’s next!