This was a hilarious lighthearted romcom of a book! It actually made me laugh out loud on several occasions. I think I can say for most women out there that we’ve all felt the Ick at some point in our relationships career.

It’s the perfect holiday read with a glass of wine in hand and some sunshine.

I did feel the author got just a little lost towards the end of the book but pulled it back with aplomb.

Is the ick really just intuition? Let’s use science to find out! Gorgeously sweet story and a leading man who truly embodies the name Atlas. Funny and smart.

The ick is a book I feel like most everyone can relate to in one way or another. Haven't you looked at someone and thought "oh that is an immediate turn off" AKA the ICK. Gem is surrounded by people that give her the ICK, Martin IMO being one of the biggest. Being the typical man in the office that will listen to a wonderful idea then immediately do whatever he wants anyway. Gem's best friend and roommate Shanti (Tee), is working on her final study for her psych degree and has asked Gem to help her with this by pushing past her ICK to see if it really is a thing or not. Atlas is her test subject. Along this journey, Gem finds out a lot about herself and those around her. I truly enjoyed the progress of Gem and her journey to overcome or figure out the cause of the ICK. She's been through so much and has taken the brunt of the blame for it all. I'm happy she was able to get her happy ending, she deserved it.

Now, I am hoping to hear more about Shanti and their new business venture!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the different slant it put on a rom com. There was enough ups and downs to keep you hooked in as well as insecurities that most readers can relate to.

Gem has a problem—no matter how great a guy seems, she always finds something that instantly puts her off. From the way they laugh to their fashion choices, she just can't help catching "the ick." Her housemate, Shanti, a psychology student, decides to challenge Gem’s instincts by paying her to participate in a study about intuition. Enter Atlas, a guy who checks all the right boxes—except for his unfortunate turtle-like backpack. Determined to follow the study’s rules, Gem keeps dating him, even as she fights her usual urge to run. But what happens when real feelings start to develop, and Atlas discovers the truth?

The characters in this book are really fun, and I loved their interactions. Gem is witty and relatable, though at times she can be a bit much. Atlas, on the other hand, is a great love interest, and their dynamic makes for a very entertaining read. The humor throughout the book is one of its strongest points, making it lighthearted and enjoyable.

One thing I really liked was how the romance developed without unnecessary drama. Even the third-act breakup, which is common in romance novels, wasn’t overly emotional or dragged out. It felt natural and realistic. Overall, The Ick is a funny, refreshing rom-com that keeps you smiling the whole way through.

This was an awesome read, dealing with some serious topics in a respectful and honest manner. I loved the characters and throughly enjoyed the writing. I need to read more from this author now.

This story about a woman who is unable to hold down a relationship due to developing an inexplicable “ick” after a few dates did not resonate with me. I get that this is a lighthearted romantic comedy but the best rom coms usually have some depth and complexity that makes them relateable as well as funny. This was lacking in this book. Gem was not particularly likeable and did not deserve Atlas, in my opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley , the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

i want to say i love romcoms. romcoms (thank you EmHen) got me back into reading after years of school and literature made me stop doing it for fun. i've been reading less of romcoms now to make way for brain gripping fantasy but The Ick reminded me a lot of why i love this genre.

not tryna be funny, but Gem gave me the ick at the start. like, there is just no way anyone is this fussy about guys. imagine getting the ick because a guy had soup for lunch. soup!! which is fantastic!! the story took a while to get going, but i found that i really liked McCulloch's writing through Gem's voice throughout the whole story. and yes, Gem did grow me eventually.

there's just something about Atlas that did give me the ick at the beginning. it's neither the soup nor his giany bag, but just the way he's portrayed did give off the ick without a solid reason as to why, which i suppose is how we the reader are supposed to feel, and fall in love with Atlas alongside Gem through the six weeks of dates she's supposed to go on with him.

okay but seriously, how could she get the ick from him...... he's like the perfect golden retriever boyfriend and according to her descriptions, a super hot guy. though their fight at the end was a little too short and not that dramatic, i liked the Atlas themed birthday party she threw to apologise, and because she knew what it means to him. though i do like the exploration of how her fear of commitment comes from being worried that she won't be there for her disabled mother. that was kinda powerful.

" the happiness on his face. it's there for everyone to see. and it's there because he is happy to see her. "

i liked Shanti's character a lot, as an asian with a preordained life by her parents and being unwilling and unable to step out of that it. damn, i'm glad she got her happy ending starting her new upcycling fashion empire.

99% chance of me devouring author's backlist titles soon.

I really loved this book it’s a bit like a film in a book. Obviously a rom-com but with a bit more
It follows the story of Gem and Shanti two girls who have been friends since they were little they know everything about each other and their lives
So when Shanti who’s training to be a clinical psychologist but deep down wants to be a fashion designer but not a normal one, one who takes clothes and turns them into fantastic items of clothing that anyone would be impressed to wear. But Ashantis parents don’t agree and want her to get her degree and a sensible job! So she is doing the trial into wether you having the ‘ick ‘ with someone is a real warning or just plain daft
Gem is her subject but Gem has a number of ick’s like eating a bowl of soup !
Anyway her first date is with Atlas silly name but she will give it a go she chooses a pub which good escape routes and walks in sees a guy leaning against the bar really attractive and fit but then he turns and smiles and he’s really nice. Hi there I am Gem and you are Atlas and off they go until he says does she mind if he orders soup he’s starving! Urgh !
She doesn’t know where she’s going to look whilst he eats it but then to her relief they have sold out so he makes do with crisps.
Then as they move to a nearby table Gem notices the huge bag he’s carrying urgh another ick it makes him look like a snail the bag being his house
Oh no how many more icks can one guy have ?
Gem needs this money desperately her mum was injured years ago and is in a wheelchair hers has broken and she is in a replacement which is terrible so Gem needs the money from the trial to buy a lightweight new chair
How is she going to stand all those weeks with him if he has this many icks in their first meet
It doesn’t bode well for their future

Gem has a rule when dating. If she gets an 'ick', then she doesn't date that person again. It could be something big, like their smell or something small but irritating, like how loudly her date breathes. She thinks that it's her intuition telling her of a hidden red flag.
Her best friend, Shanti, thinks she is just too picky. Gem has just aborted a date because Atlas, her date, said he had soup for lunch, an ick for Gem inspite of eating soup herself. Shantie is needing subjects for her psychologist degree dissertation and persuades Gem to carry on dating Atlas to see if her intuition is correct and she finds that the ick was right. The fee will buy her mum a new, much needed wheelchair.
Light hearted, and frothy. I found the idea a bit silly but liked all the characters whose backgrounds and thinking made sense.

The Ick by Holly McCulloch is a wonderfully fresh and hilarious romantic comedy that dives deep into the complexities of attraction, relationships, and the phenomenon of the "ick"—that sudden, often inexplicable feeling of repulsion that arises when someone you’re initially interested in suddenly feels all wrong.

Gem is a woman who, despite meeting what seems like the perfect man on paper, can’t help but be turned off by small quirks that set off her "ick" radar. It could be something as minor as the way they laugh, their choice of clothing, or their strange obsession with silk dressing gowns. Gem believes it's her intuition warning her that they’re simply not compatible, but her housemate Shanti, who is training to be a clinical psychologist, challenges her. To test the validity of her gut feelings, Shanti offers Gem a deal: participate in her study on intuition, with one catch—Gem must go on a series of dates, including with Atlas, a man who ticks all the boxes on paper but sets off Gem's ick alarm from the start.

What follows is a delightful, often hilarious, and sometimes awkward journey of Gem trying to push past her initial revulsion to give Atlas a chance. As she goes on more dates with him, her feelings begin to shift, but of course, there’s the added tension of Atlas discovering that he’s part of an experiment. What begins as a test of intuition slowly transforms into something more meaningful, and Gem is forced to confront her insecurities and her complicated relationship with her mother, which plays a significant role in her aversion to emotional vulnerability.

McCulloch skilfully weaves a romance that is not only funny but also heartwarming, exploring how we often let past experiences shape our approach to love and relationships. Gem’s journey towards self-discovery is both entertaining and moving, as she learns to confront her fears, open up to others, and challenge her preconceived notions about what makes someone truly compatible.

The chemistry between Gem and Atlas is palpable, with their back-and-forth banter and unexpected moments of tenderness making for a swoon-worthy read. At the same time, the book doesn’t shy away from exploring the deeper emotional layers that drive Gem’s actions and her struggles to navigate her feelings.

If you're looking for a romantic comedy that’s more than just cute dates and funny moments, The Ick is a fantastic read. It’s sexy, funny, and ultimately heartwarming, and McCulloch delivers a refreshing take on modern romance that will leave you both laughing and reflecting on your own experiences with love.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A cutie rom com about a girl, Gem, who goes on dates with people, only to get ‘the ick’ and never see them again. Her best friend Shanti is studying clinical psychology, and wants to do a study on if this intuition is real or not. Gem needs the money, so she agrees to do the study and go on a subsequent dates with a guy named Atlas. Little did she know, the ick was something bigger.

I really enjoyed this read because of how realistic it felt. It helped that the friend was essentially a therapist, but the main characters have some depth to each of them that make them feel relatable. I appreciated that Shanti and Gem pushed each other in a way that felt like real friendship would.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

4.75⭐️

no i’m sorry but the first initial ick of someone eating soup by choice resonated so personally with me it’s unhinged how valid i thought gem was

i genuinely just really loved this story, at the beginning the fmc was getting on my nerves but the more i read i could understand her thought process and where she was coming from, and seeing her battle with her feelings humanised her more as she genuinely felt like she was doing the right thing - and on the other end, i love how those closest to her held her accountable and she accepted it

moving on, i think i might be a teeny tiny bit in love with atlas too tbh, i can’t explain it but the way that man is not afraid to show his emotions and wear his heart on his sleeve?? i was eating GOOD thank you miss holly, he is such a sunshine man with a sunshine heart and i think he was just so perfect for gem
it’s only small, but i wish we found out what his tattoo was and the meaning behind it because i feel for him it would be sentimental - also, how his brownies were??

the relationships in this book were really wholesome and felt realistic, the friendship between tee and gem was imo beautifully done, i like how there they are for each other. the family dynamics with gem, her mum and uncle mike were such an entertaining read too i’m really glad we got to experience them

as someone who grew up with a family member in a wheelchair i know all too well the anxiety of anticipating how other people will perceive the disability, the three reactions gem notes, and the sadness of that realisation as a whole as it shouldn’t be a factor to treat someone differently

the reason this just missed 5⭐️ for me is i wish we had a tiny bit more growth for gem in her workplace - i know her last interaction with martin was a step in the right direction but i wish we got to see her get her credit where it was due

thank you so much to dialogue books and netgalley for the arc, i feel better knowing i got to live life reading this one 💌

First book of Holly’s I’ve read. It was a slow burn romance which was very enjoyable. I was really intrigued by the title knowing that a lot of discussion is often had about being given the ‘ick’.
I cannot wait to read some more by Holly and thank you for the eARC to do so!

I'm really struggling to think of anything positive to say so that I can do a complement sandwich but all I can think of is that I liked the character of uncle Mike.
I couldn't bring myself to like Gem. Her overdramatising everything out of all proportion was just irritating rather than humorous or endearing. I didn't understand why Atlas would want to spend more time with her as she was never particularly nice to him and we never really got to know him well enough to understand him.
The whole premise was that she got an ick feeling from him based on the size of his bag but she apparently had no issue with the fact that he was winking at everyone left right and centre (admittedly she did reference that about three quarters of the way through but only in passing and was still fixated on the bag).
I kept thinking of the writing advice to show not tell and I wish the author had taken this on board more. There were several times it felt like she just didn't know how to address a scene she wanted to write so skipped it and told us what happened instead (the sex scene is a perfect example of this and talk about giving someone an ick - even thinking about it is making my skin crawl).
There are more things I didn't like but don't want to go on so now I need to think of something nice to finish my sandwich...I still like the concept, which is why I picked it in the first place.

Thank you to Dialogue Books, Holly McCulloch and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The premise of this story is what drew me in at first to this book. However, I am saddened to have had to DNF this at 20%. Being written in third person, I knew I would struggle when I started reading but I felt the story was dragging and overall I was just not enjoying it, however I’m certain there will be others that will devour this book and love it. Unfortunately, this was not the book for me but I am grateful for the opportunity to read it ahead of the release date.



(Not giving a rating so as to not negatively affect the overall rating of this book during it’s release week)

Every time Gem goes on a date, she finds something wrong with the man. It might be the tiniest thing, it might not even be logical, but without fail it sends her running. Until it occurs to her flatmate that this congenital case of The Ick makes the perfect case study, and with a little monetary encouragement, Gem finds herself dating the same man more than once. Which leads to quite the predicament.
It took me a while to get into this. Third person present tense isn’t my favourite and it felt slow to begin with, but Gem and Atlas on the page together were a delight, and I enjoyed how their relationship developed, particularly Gem’s gradual realisation of her feelings. The drama is low-key and entirely realistic, the wry observations and sense of humour are very British, and the supporting cast is just quirky enough to be believable. I’m very glad I persevered, because this turned out to be a memorable read and I’m now on the lookout for other books by this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A cute story about intuition, commitment issues, falling in love, and of course, the ick!

This was a fast paced book full of romance and banter.

As someone who all too often suffers from the ick, I found this to be such a funny and relatable read!

I loved the relationship between Gem and her flatmate Shanti, and I loved Gem’s relationship with her family too

I thought the disability representation was brilliant and done very well

Overall, a really lighthearted and enjoyable read. Thank you so much to Dialogue Books, Holly McCulloch, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

An unbelievably cute romance, full of laugh out loud moments that had me kicking my feet and giggling. The characters were lovable and the whole story was just just heart melting!

I really loved this book, so many of us get icks or things that put us off. But this shows that some of these icks can be pre judged or should be ignored before you get to know the person.