Swooning for Rom-Coms discussion

This is a thread for A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings

Also, I'll ask here since we don't have a seperate thread with suggestions for our next group read (yet): there's a book that I would like to read with you after this one, so what do you think about Book Lovers by Emily Henry? The release day is 3rd of May so the timing should be perfect! I read her other two books (People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read) and thought they were both quite good.

Yes, I had wanted to read that too! Also, thank you for creating all these threads! Appreciate it!

That's OK, I quite like doing these things :)

So A Brush with Love has 40 chapters plus epilogue, the chapters are not that long as the book has 380 pgs... Shall we do 10 chapters a week then? That would give this book 4 weeks altogether. Please say if you think that pace would be difficult to keep up considering all your other responsibilities.

Also, do you already have the book and are ready to start? or would you prefer to wait till next week?

Lena wrote: "Also, I'll ask here since we don't have a seperate thread with suggestions for our next group read (yet): there's a book that I would like to read with you after this one, so what do you think abou..."

I so want to read that one! I really loved Beach Read and I have PWMOV ready on my shelf.


I will purchase A Brush With Love as an ebook, so I'm ready to start whenever. Just posted my final findings on You Deserve Each Other

My book will be here Wednesday so we can start right away. 10 chapters works!

I would love to join for A Brush with love and think 10 chapter a week sounds great!

Harper seems very driven which is nice to read about. I feel sorry for Dan having to become a dentist when it’s not his passion. This is feeling a bit like the donut book!

I like the story so far. I like how Harper and Dan both have their own issues and how they clearly struggle with them. I can't wait to see how their individual stories continue and how they come together to form their story. Their banter is good though.

I don't know if I dig the whole dentist vibe though, keeps reminding me of my own frights, but that's a detail I'm willing to oversee :)

I get why Laurette makes a link to Jasmin in the Donut Trap, but I feel in my gut it's different. Dan knows what he likes, and I hope in the end he finds the nerve to stand up for himself and pursue that. Nothing can save a clinic better than being good with numbers so I hope he'll find a way to both help his mom and feel happy at the same time.

It's exactly this that makes Dan the most interesting character for me at this point

So far I’m enjoying it, I thought the meet cute was adorable.

Harper seems to really be striving towards her goal of being an oral surgeon, I feel like there more background there that she doesn’t share with many people as to why it’s so important to her. But she seems to genuinely care about her patients and wanting to take care of people! She also puts a ton of pressure on herself.

I feel so bad for Dan as he struggles under the familial duty of following a path he doesn’t like or have any interest in. I’m enjoying his charm and wit! He’s really taken with Harper and its cute. I would agree he’s my favorite character at this point.

I liked that the rude/sexist patient was told mostly from Dan’s POV and we got to see Harper handle it like a boss!

Their relationship is progressing so I’m interested in what’s next!

TBH I don't have a lot to say about this book at the moment. Yes, I'm enjoying it, but I'm still waiting for something 'wow' to happen... Something that would make me want to read it in one sitting (even though, of course, I wouldn't). I'm sure you know what I mean.
That being said, I do like both Harper and Dan and my hopes are up.
And I agree with Laura (welcome to our little group BTW :) - I loved how Harper handled that asshat of a patient. It gave me a lot of satisfaction to see that he had to go home and continue to suffer from his rotting tooth. Yes, I'm cruel like that, ha!

I ordered Book Lovers and it arrives 5/16

I’m loving the sparks between Harper and Dan. I also love hearing them open up to each other. Dan is sticking by her side through everything ❤️

I've finished the final chapters for this week on Thursday already and it took me a while to figure out my thoughts on them.

The first thing that popped into my mind is that I really don't like Harper's friends in this part. I think they're (annoyingly) pushy and quite ignorant.
It's like they don't know Harper at all. I know she's been actively hiding her anxiety, but in the four years they supposedly have been friends and studying together, they must have been able to pick up signals. It's like they don't even bother to figure out why she only goes to specific bars and never joins them to the parties.

And then there's Dan. Don't get me wrong, I still think his story, motives and overall being is interesting and I really love to find out how his story continues, something feels off about the way he feels SO strongly for Harper already. It seems a bit much, but maybe that's just me.

I really loved their supermarket date. I totally envisioned the cart race. Also, I like how Harper is a badass and standing up for herself against the chauvinistic behaviour of some men in the story (the patient and Jeff). I really hope she finds the nerve to stand up to her friends as well.

Guess the friends part is really bothering me at this point. Sorry for the rant.

Yeah, I definitely like the book much more now. I love how open Dan has been about his feelings or rather his interest in Harper from the very beginning (nothing about it seemed off to me, but there's still time, haha) and how he kept trying to go on a date with her even though she didn't seem so eager, at least not openly. There's something absolutely endearing in that sort of gentle determination that isn't in any way pushy. He seems to see Harper for who she is and, unlike her friends, picks up on every little detail.

Also, I really like the fact that there was no silly fight when it came out who Dan's parents were.

I'm trying to figure out what the title is about... Any ideas? I don't think 'brush' is supposed to relate to tooth brushing? Though there is a toothpaste on the cover... 🤔 Seems a bit silly

Lena wrote: "I'm trying to figure out what the title is about... Any ideas? I don't think 'brush' is supposed to relate to tooth brushing? Though there is a toothpaste on the cover... 🤔 Seems a bit silly"

I have absolutely no clue on this one yet. Based on the cover I would indeed assume it's a toothbrush considering it's in a dental environment, but I agree that would be silly. However, I do love a good title reference withing the story itself, so I'm hoping for that one, immediately answering this question.

Lena wrote: "Yeah, I definitely like the book much more now. I love how open Dan has been about his feelings or rather his interest in Harper from the very beginning (nothing about it seemed off to me, but ther..."

I totally agree that Dan is sensitive to everything Harper and genuinely interested. I like his determination and chivalry (so good to know it isn't dead yet.) It's just the 'I would do anything for her' mentality which I think is really soon.

Now that I think about it, the timeline isn't all that clear to me. I like the pacing of the story when reading it. Scenes don't feel rushed nor stretched out, but for all I know this could all be happening in a matter of days or months. Do any of you have a clue on this one?

To be honest, I have no idea how much time has passed since they met 😅

Honestly I have to agree. I feel like for Harpers friends to be her best friends for years, for them not to know how extreme her anxiety is kind of sad.

I liked that Dan was there for her when she had a panic attack in the bathroom (because all of her friends just disappeared) but also how long were they in the bathroom at a packed party and no one noticed? I would think one of her friends might realize something was off?

Dan seems super into her for their short time of knowing each other too. Like very, very into her when she doesn’t seem to be outwardly encouraging him since she just wants to be friends but then doesn’t just want to be friends? I’m not sure how much time has past in this stage but it doesn’t seem like a ton.

But I agree, I did like that there wasn’t a giant fight when Harper found out he was a legacy student. I’m glad they were able to talk about it and move on. Especially after all the happened at the party I think it was nice for him to share a more vulnerable side.

I think a brush with love is a reference/play to them being dentists so like toothbrush and it’s written in toothpaste.

I just finished and... my God.

My heart aches for Harper and how she struggles with her anxiety. The shame she feels? It's so incredibly sad that's how she feels. And I actually hate we live in a world where there's still such a taboo on experiencing (and talking about) mental health issues.

There are only ten chapters left and by now I'm one of those perky cheerleaders, rooting for him to pursue HIS happiness rather than his mom's. I get how he feels like he has to for his mom, I just hope she'll see (and he'll know) that his happiness is more important than anything else.

I loved drunk Harper, it made me laugh and it's this perfect balance within the story that keeps me hooked. I can't wait to finish this story and read all of your findings.

I'm really enjoying these group reads! It's nice to share any bookish thoughts with people who're reading the same book.

So I definitely think that Dan understands Harper’s anxiety better than her friends. Harper puts too much pressure on herself which is spiraling her anxiety. Dan is having such a hard time and I think he’ll be not exactly content being a dentist. I wish his mom would just sell the business and retire but maybe she’s to young and maybe there isn’t money to to be made doing that. I do think her friends and Dan are trying to be good people and suggest Harper get help for her anxiety but she just doesn’t want to do that again. There is also this stigma with anxiety/ mental health. I do still love Harper and Dan’s banter and relationship, it’s just that Harper is really freaking out right now. Poor thing!

To be honest, I have no idea how they're going to recover from what just happened - Harper will be so devastated after missing the exam that she'll blame everything on Dan and all the time she spent with him instead of studying! I can already imagine the big moment when she leaves him... Poor Dan. I'm sure that somehow they're going to get back together at the end, but it won't be easy in this story...
1. Harper'anxiety is so difficult to handle - not for Dan, but for herself and for letting herself be in a relationship.
2. Her life goals have nothing to do with Dan. She wants to be a successful dentist, he stillnplans to be a miserable one. I hope he changes his mind and goes back to what he loves to do, but who knows... For all we know he might end up making his mum happy by becoming a dentist and then detesting her for the rest of his life for forcing him to make that choice.
3. Unless Dan decides to move to New York with Harper and quit uni, they're doomed.

I have this funny thing with this book when I need to remind myself that the characters are in their 20s... For some reason I keep thinking of them as of teenagers and then I am shocked by reading all the detailed sex scenes :D

Honestly I’m glad Dan finally told Harper what he wants! He’s been very patient waiting for her but it’s obvious her feelings are more than just friends and I’m glad Dan called her on that. Those sex scenes were hot after all the build up we’ve had!

I completely agree with you, I feel for Harper that she missed the exam and is going to blame Dan for spending time with him instead of studying but she made that choice too. It’s going to be a big blowout. But I feel like what I take away the most from this is that Harper isn’t taking care of herself. Maybe she’s right that she can’t be in a relationship right now but I think the reasons she can’t have to do with her needing to work on her mental health and the anxiety she’s so desperately struggling with. I hate that she feels so much shame for it. It really hurt watching her push herself to the point of a breakdown :(

On the flip side of that Dan really needs to stand up for himself to his mom. He obviously doesn’t want to be a dentist and hates it. I get that he needs to work through the guilt he feels but overall I think there is a much better path for his life regardless if his mom can understand that.

I feel like we have some rocky roads ahead!

These final chapters made me cry. There, I said it. When a book makes me cry, it proves that I'm involved with the characters and root for them.

I like how they both had their reservations and doubts and that their brains ran a mile a minute with the things they said against each other and that it took a few months to get over that and find their way back to another.

I wonder whether Dan would have chosen to go back to finance if his mom wouldn't have sold the clinic. If his mom didn't finally prioritize his happiness, would he have actually done it?

I agree with Anna - I liked the way it ended, too. Maybe the last scenes were a bit over the top, but they definitely would look great in a movie. I liked the fact that Dan and Harper spent some time away from each other and could appreciate better what they'd lost, though I'm not sure what that fact says about their relationship and their ability to understand one another and solve problems... I hope they're not going to be one of these couples who end up getting a divorce...
Seriously though, i really enjoyed spying on their story :)

I agree with all of you. I liked the time a part and was glad that it ended up working in the end. I was so glad Dan's mom came to her senses and just sold the business so her son could have his life back. Hopefully now they can rekindle their mother/son relationship. I'm glad Harper put herself out there and ran to New York. I love a joyful ending!

I'm ready for our next book!

I enjoyed that they took some time apart, Dan settling things with his mom and Harper working on herself by going to therapy. I felt that was needed for them both to work on themselves before they were ready to fully enter into a healthy relationship.

The last scenes of her running to him were very over the top but I’m so glad she went to him. I felt like most the book he was pursuing her so I was happy to see her make a grand gesture for Dan!

Overall a cute story