You Deserve Each Other: A Book Review That Will Surprise You

Comfort Reading in Tough Times

Turning to a comforting and fun story can be the perfect escape when life feels overwhelming. As someone who recently battled a stubborn cold (thanks to the hazard of having children), I found solace in rereading my favorite romance novel, You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle. This book is a delightful mix of humor and heartfelt emotion, centered on Naomi and Nicholas, a couple who’ve been engaged for a year but are both secretly unhappy. Their lives are so intricately entangled that even the thought of their wedding unraveling feels impossible—especially since nothing is refundable.

What makes this story stand out is the clever way it turns tension into laughs. The pair enters a mischievous “game of chicken,” aiming to make the other person walk away first. As their schemes escalate and shenanigans ensue, it’s impossible not to root for their eventual rediscovery of love. Deserving Love Before the Wedding becomes a central theme as their relationship blossoms, reminding us that genuine affection can flourish even amidst the chaos. Even when my brain felt like mush, this novel provided the warmth and laughter I needed. Over countless rereads, it has remained a top favorite, proving time and again that sometimes, the messiest relationships lead to the most meaningful connections.

A Love That Stays Close to the Heart

Every time I reread this book, I’m half-afraid that I might find something to dislike or something that could knock it off the high spot it holds in my heart. Yet, that moment never comes. Instead, it leaves me laughing, swooning, and sometimes even crying—though this time, I had some convenient sneezing to cover it up. It feels even more confirmed now: You Deserve Each Other is my favorite book. Ever.

An Attempt at a Proper Review

Naomi: A Star Among Characters

Naomi, the main character of the story, shines as the true star. Reading from her POV feels intimate and raw because she’s so brilliantly written—flaws and all—that she comes alive as a real person on the page.

A Heroine Who Feels Real

I often find myself annoyed with heroines in romance novels. They’re frequently portrayed as quirky, impossibly intelligent yet somehow foolish, and often seem like characters pulled straight from a Disney Channel show. While they are often flawless save for a few carefully placed traits meant to be endearing, Naomi from You Deserve Each Other stands apart. She shares some of these familiar characteristics—she’s a bit quirky—but she’s also refreshingly realistic.

Growth Through Flaws

Naomi’s flaws are substantial, and they play a big role in her journey to overcome them. She isn’t an innocent party in the downfall of her relationship, and Sarah Hogle skillfully acknowledges this. While many romance novels place all the responsibility for groveling and doing the emotional hard work on the male love interest, this story flips the script. Naomi must confront her issues and be honest about her part in the struggles of her relationship, making her character arc uniquely compelling.

Naomi: The Unlikely Star

Naomi’s character isn’t just relatable; she’s also incredibly funny and delightfully unhinged in the best ways. One of the most memorable scenes is when she calls her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Deborah, and mischievously changes the wedding flowers to Magnolias—the name of Nicholas’s father’s first wife, someone Deborah hates. It’s a moment of pure comedy that perfectly showcases Naomi’s sharp wit. Her thoughts and opinions on life’s quirky situations are always so entertaining, adding depth and humor to the story.

An Ordinary Heroine in an Extraordinary Genre

Unlike the typical highly educated achiever or a heroine with a big dream often seen in romance, Naomi is refreshingly ordinary. She didn’t go to college, works at a novelty store, and simply wants a nice job where she can have fun. This is a hallmark of Sarah Hogle’s heroines—women who feel real, like the ones you’d interact with daily. They are the inconspicuous stars of the class: sales reps, water park laborers, and other standard ladies with common dreams.

Nicholas: An Unlikely Hero

Let’s not overlook Nicholas, Naomi’s fiance. You might anticipate a dashing, brooding hero, but you’d be entirely wrong. Nicholas is just as real and delightfully flawed as Naomi. He’s a dentist trying to navigate life under his mother’s paw, feeling desperate to break free. The way Sarah Hogle crafted his character, free from the stereotypical female gaze while still being viewed through Naomi’s eyes, is absolutely beautiful. He’s allowed to be silly, imperfect, and fully human, with genuine emotional needs and authentic vulnerabilities. Even without a six-pack, Nicholas proves he can make you swoon—a refreshing kind of hero indeed.

A Journey from Chaos to Connection

Their relationship begins on incredibly shaky ground, and that’s an understatement. Neither is honest nor willing to talk, leading to petty pranks and assuming the worst of each other. However, as the novel progresses, they slowly reveal their true selves, learning to listen and ask for what they truly need. Through better communication, they grow more open and willing to share even the toughest parts of themselves.

Humor and Heart

Yes, there are plenty of funny pranks, but the story is also rich with vulnerable moments that pull on your heartstrings. For anyone who’s been in a longer relationship, the journey feels deeply relatable—the way it’s so easy to take someone for granted, to hold in emotions, or to expect them to read your mind. This blend of humor, honesty, and growth makes their story unforgettable.

A Realistic Exploration of Love and Partnership

The joint road to redemption and finding their way back to each other is far from easy. It’s messy, it hurts, and it’s not always happy or perfect—but that’s exactly what makes this book so special. It talks about relationships in a profoundly real way, daring to explore what happens beyond the “Happily Ever After” that many romance stories gloss over. Love, after all, is about choosing the other person, flaws and all, every single day.

A Refreshing Take on Emotional Needs

One of the standout aspects of this novel is its focus on men’s emotional needs, which are often neglected in relationships. Women are shown as frequently expecting grand gestures—like flowers or romantic speeches—without ever giving the same in return. Nicholas, for instance, isn’t just tasked with fixing things; Naomi has to step up too. She recognizes her failures as a partner, such as not supporting him when he needed it, neglecting to show him he was loved, and failing to take an active interest in his life.

Small Gestures, Big Changes

This journey is beautifully illustrated in a scene where the first snow of the season falls, and Nicholas is sick. Naomi, realizing how he always wakes up at dawn to clear their driveway and her car, as well as his parents’ driveway, decides to do it for him—without expecting anything in return. These small, heartfelt moments emphasize a shift toward true equal partnership.

A Romance That Shines with Warmth

When they finally come “together,” it’s not just Nicholas making a big speech—Naomi makes sure he knows how much he means to her. This depiction of a partnership, built on mutual respect and effort, is rare in modern romance novels. Without the typical third-act breakup, the story shines with genuine warmth, balanced with funny, thoughtful, and deeply romantic moments.

More to Love

If you’ve already read and loved You Deserve Each Other, consider diving into Twice Shy or Just Like Magic—both incredible stories by Sarah Hogle.