Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Thank you so much to Dialogue Books, Holly McCulloch, and NetGalley for the early ARC of The Icon 💌📚 I had so much fun reading this — it was exactly the kind of light, funny, chaotic energy I needed and it delivered on all the rom-com gold 💫

This is a delightful enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity romance with a twist: after a hilariously bad date, Gem finds herself roped into a “relationship study” led by her psych-student flatmate. Only problem? Her partner in this little experiment is Atlas — awkward, infuriating, and kind of impossible not to like 😅💘

From chaotic flat shares 🏠 to absurd fake-dating scenarios 🤯 to some genuinely swoony moments 💕, this book blends humour, heart, and heat so well. Gem’s sarcastic, slightly cynical voice was a highlight, and Atlas is lowkey book boyfriend material in the most cinnamon-roll way 🍪🔥

The whole story gave me early 2000s rom-com vibes with a fresh, modern twist — and while it leaned a little predictable in places, the clever writing and offbeat charm totally won me over 🥰

Would definitely recommend to fans of Beth O’Leary or Emily Henry, and I can’t wait to see what Holly McCulloch writes next! ✨🎬📖

YES. I wasn't sure on this book for the first few chapters but once I was into the writing and characters awww, I looked forward to picking up and reading.

Predictable in many ways but still fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of ‘The Ick’.

This was a quick, fun rom-com and very relatable if you’re of the ‘getting the ick’ generation. I think the most relatable and real thing is the realisation that love conquers all - even the ick. They have soup for lunch? They walk around with a back pack that’s a at too big? They’re a big football fan? None of that matters when love is involved.

Both main characters are fun and Ioved seeing their relationship develop. Gem is witty and relatable, although maybe a little stubborn. Atlas, on the other hand, is unproblematic and a great love interest for Gem.

I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the exploration into how our hearts and intuition can be the best things to follow when it comes to love, I struggled a little with the writing style. Third person present tense isn’t a narrative style I usually steer towards, however, it in no way deterred me from the story.

If you’re looking for an easy read, with charming characters, the ups and downs of modern dating whilst navigating normal the trials and tribulations of normal day to day life, then this is the book for you!

The Ick was a great romcom with a nice side of complexity to upgrade it. It was so nice to read a story about a self-sabotaging character who has good and valid reasons to self-sabotage - great writing there. And Atlas was nicely swoony. Overall a great read!

I didn't love this book and I didn't hate it. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, partly because it was written in a third person POV and partly because the MFC was unlikeable.

Gem gets "the ick" on pretty much all of her dates which means she never gets past the first date, which means she never actually gets to know anyone but she's convinced that the ick is her intuition telling her there is something fundamentally wrong with the person. It takes a large amount of money for her friends psychology study for her to actually look inward at herself and realise she is the problem, not the person she's dating.

So when Gem goes out with Atlas and then gets the ick because he ate soup for lunch, she ditches him but then in order to get the money, she has to go out with him again. Actually spending time with him makes her realise that she can get past the ick, but she's determined to find out what is wrong with Atlas. When he confides in her about some trouble he got into when he was a teenager (20 years ago) she decides this is what her intuition was warning her against which seems a little far-fetched to me. Being in trouble as a teen and becoming a well rounded member of society shows personal growth and dedication to being better, he's clearly not the same person.

I don't feel like Gem ever grew as a person or as a character throughout the book. She still believes in the ick and her intuition but she's now in love with Atlas so she's determined to be with him anyway, so really her intuition means nothing in the long run.

Thanks to NetGalley and Renegade Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Gem believes everytime she gets ‘the ick’; which is every first date ever, it is fate warning her she is not supposed to be with the guy she’s dating. However, her housemate doesn’t believe in the Ick and offers Gem money that she needs to be part of a research project where she continues to date after the Ick and explores whether it’s real or not. Of course she wasn’t expecting to catch feelings though so now how does she explain she was paid to date him?

This book is such a refreshing new age British romcom. You hear people talking about the ick and red flags, but in a world where online dating is so accessible are we missing out on our chance to meet people special because there is always somebody else we can meet instead? I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and the characters were interesting and diverse.

Thank you #Thelck #Netgalley The Ick is a light, charming, and funny read that taps into a very relatable modern dating dilemma: the dreaded "ick"—that sudden, inexplicable turn-off that kills attraction stone dead.

Gem, the story’s lead, has a habit of cutting things short after one date because of it. Whether it’s a weird laugh, awkward shoes, or an unfortunate sneeze, the ick always strikes, and Gem moves on. That is, until her best friend Shanti calls her out and challenges her to prove the ick is real by pushing through it on a series of dates.

Enter Atlas. He's handsome, interesting, and gives Gem the ick almost immediately. But for the sake of the “study,” she keeps seeing him, determined to treat this like an experiment. As she peels back the layers and gets to know him, her assumptions are challenged, and her feelings start to change in ways she didn’t expect.

The premise is simple but well-executed, making this a perfect weekend or holiday book. McCulloch’s writing is witty and easy to sink into, and the chemistry between the characters has a slow-burn charm. It's not trying to be groundbreaking—it’s just feel-good fiction done well.

While it’s a predictable romcom at heart, The Ick stands out with its modern dating lens and likeable characters. It’s playful and self-aware, and it pokes fun at how easy it is to self-sabotage in love without ever being mean-spirited.

If you’re after something fun, sweet, and a little bit thought-provoking, this one’s worth a spot on your TBR.

4 ⭐️

ARC Review

This was such a cute easy read for me. I loved the characters and how the story developed.My own critique would have to be I wish Gem got to date more men just so we had a comparison to Atlas.

But overall I loved this story and the concept of it.

a really enjoyable, fun read! i’ve fallen victim to the ick more times than i can count so meeting Gem, a single woman in her early 30s with a list of icks the length of her arm, made me feel very seen.

Gem’s housemate & best friend, Shanti, challenges Gem to prove the ick is real and a manifestation of her intuition about men, starting with the most recent victim of the ick, Atlas.

what follows is a charming, warm and funny story as we follow Gem while she attempts to prove the ick (which she got from Atlas’ lunch of choice & his oversized backpack) is valid and her brain’s way of averting disaster. Atlas, Gem and the ick become the subject of a psychology study Shanti is conducting for her psychology degree. in the name of the study, Gem must push past the ick and continue to date Atlas in order to figure out what glaring red flag the ick was indicative of.

i’d really recommend this for anyone who enjoys Abby Jimenez, Ali Hazelwood etc. Holly McCulloch captures the essence of late 90’s/early 00’s rom coms like Notting Hill and i’m so excited to see what comes next from her.

Gem wholeheartedly trusts her intuition, which she calls "the ick", when she's dating men. As soon as she feels it, the date is over. No matter what it's relating to, it's her intuition letting her know that they are incompatible. Then she meets Atlas, he's too good looking, he orders weird flavoured crisps and then -massive ick- she finds out he had soup for lunch. Date over.

Gem's best friend and flatmate Shanti thinks the ick is ridiculous, and this time suggests testing Gem's theory. She needs a topic for her psychology degree project - is the ick real intuition? - and Gem needs the cash. And so begins their study, Gem dates Atlas and reports back to Shanti while she attempts to find out the source of their incompatibility that the ick was warning her about...what could go wrong?

It's predictable, of course it is, but it's still a really good book. Gem, Shanti and Atlas are great characters, Uncle Mike is funny and I'm afraid of crossing Shauna too. Would be a great holiday book, by the pool, easy read with a charming story.

(Also posted to Goodreads)

DNF at 25%.

I was excited for this book. My first from this author. However, the writing style was hard to get into. I don't usually mind third person POV, but this was third person present tense which was even more confusing.

While the storyline was interesting, I had to throw in the towel before I got even more frustrated.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Renegade Books and author Holly McCulloch for this eARC

I have to admit, in the beginning Gem kinda gave me the ick and I was thinking "oh no, how am I gonna get through this".
However then we met Shanti and the book was saved.
And, lo and behold just like Gem I realised my ick was not that relevant and I ended up loving this book.
Gem grows so much throughout the book and it was great to see her character develop so much.

Atlas is just the perfect cinnamon-roll, golden retriever boyfriend and I loved him so much.

The book is humorous and I adore all our side characters - Shanti, as already mentioned, Gems Mom, Uncle Mike, Jay and the football kids are all amazing!

This is a wonderful holiday read that has serious undertones but is basically just a giggle to read. It's enjoyable from start to finish. Gem is a little annoying but eventually she warms your heart and Atlas is just perfect throughout!

This was like a breath of fresh air. I loved this. I don't read many romance books but this book has made me want to read more of them. I loved the blurb and really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I loved that the author also covered some serious topics within the romance like disability and money worries.

Loved the book, a nice lighthearted romcom , I don’t feel people appreciate this genre enough.
Lived the sorry and could really repeat. Written well

Gem has issues, she is single due to 'The Ick'.
Her date with Atlas is no different and when she finds out on their first date that he's had soup for dinner, 'The Ick' kicks in!
Gems best friend and flatmate Shanti, thinks 'The Ick' would make an excellent subject and offers to pay Gem to take part in a psychological study.
So for 6 weeks Gem dates Atlas, and he shows her life isn't as bad as she believes.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I really liked the authors note at the end of this book. Everything Holly said is true. People look down at rom-coms but they are one of my favourite genres to read. Every romcom is different. Some pure fluffy loveliness, some utterly heartbreaking. The Ick is a joyful romp but it's more than that too. It has deeper themes, written really well. Holly's Mum is disabled and needs a wheelchair, and the lack of accessibility which makes being spontaneous almost impossible is something I hadn't really thought about before.

I could really relate to Gem getting the ick on dates, as I've been there too. It does disguise a deeper issue, which is the fear of trusting someone new.

Gem's best friend Shanti is training to be a clinical psychologist and she persuades Gem to be the subject of her research paper. Gem is tasked with continuing to date someone who's given her the ick to see whether it really is intuition of incompatibility, or if it's simply masking deeper issues.

The test subject is Atlas. Now it may be no surprise that despite Gem's reluctance, she finds herself falling for him. But I think sometimes having stories follow a somewhat predictable arc, provides a comfort that mood readers need.

Of course there are bumps in the road, but I'm a sucker for a happy ending and The Ick delivers on all levels.

A perfect comfort read.

The story of Gem and Atlas. Their first date does not go well, she gets the ick. When she gives him another chance and starts to fall for him will she tell him the truth about the start of their relationship? I would have liked to have seen something from Atlas's point of view.

I was quite intrigued by the premise of this book but was probably much more team Shanti at first, thinking that Gem’s icks were just her way of defending herself from hurt, but you do definitely start to see the reasoning behind things as you read the book. Gem’s mum and Uncle Mike made me chuckle whenever they were involved and alongside Shanti they just bought a bit of extra something to this.

Now, when it came to Atlas I struggled a little bit as he was described as having shaggy hair which I took to be long hair - which is a bit of an ick for me! But when you look away from the physicality’s you can see what a nice, genuine guy he is and I really did hope that everything would work out well for Gem and him.

Overall this was a light romcom that I looked forward to reading and really enjoyed.

"The Ick" by Holly McCulloch was a disappointment unfortunately . The plot felt flat, and the characters were unrelatable. I found the writing uninteresting and I found myself struggling to stay engaged and nearly DNF’d a few times. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with any part of this book, and it just wasn't enjoyable for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!