by Nat (link)
Genre comedy, romance
Pairings Taylor/OFC, Zac/OFC
Length 30 chapters and epilogue
Status Completed
You Irritate Me was one of the first hanfics I read after my long hiatus during college. I spent days reading summaries before finding one that appealed to me. Not being much of a fan of romance, or so I thought, this seemed like a good, lighthearted option.
Nat has a real knack for comedic writing and with this story, she goes in all the way. She’s switched layouts since I read it, but originally even the layout continued the story’s theme; it was designed to look like the refrigerator door in Kinsey and the boys’ apartment — covered in photos, amusing notes, etc. The chapter titles each cracked me up and I looked forward to what new insult Nat would come up with. It was a fun game to guess when and how Taylor would be called the creative name that featured in each title. That kind of devotion to a concept is part of what makes a really great story for me.
I also loved how believable each character was. Occasionally it went a bit over the top, but all good comedies do. It’s that sort of slight exaggeration on reality that leaves you rolling on the floor laughing because you can truly recognize yourself and your friends in the characters. Even Kinsey’s “a-ha” moment made sense, when that sort of thing is hard to make realistic. That said, I didn’t feel like Zac ever successfully explained his anger with Kinsey in a way that made me want to forgive him. Their make-up seemed a little rushed and incomplete to me. Ultimately, that takes little away from what is still a great, fun read.
I like stories that blend genres; I’m sure most of my readers have picked up on that. From the comedy to the romance to the steamy sex scenes — this story has it all. What more could you ask for?
Review by Bethany (website)