Review Detail

SEVEN PERCENT OF RO DEVEREUX by Ellen O’Clover follows the title character, who created an app for her senior project. The app is called MASH and it predicts users’ future place of residence, occupation, and how many kids they’ll have with 93% accuracy. Never intending for it to go public, Ro is shocked when influencers latch onto her app, and it spreads like wildfire. Adding to the mayhem, a tech company reaches out for acquisition, but the caveat is they want to launch the partner matching segment of her app and for Ro to be the face of it. To her dad’s dismay, Ro agrees and matches with Miller, her childhood best friend and current archnemesis. If she can somehow get him to pretend he’s in love with her, the app's projected future is bright, and if not, everything Ro’s worked for could be in jeopardy.

From reading the blurb on this book, I knew two things: the likely structure of the book and that I’d probably like it. Having now finished the novel, I can safely say that while I was right on both accounts, the story took me by surprise! I wasn’t prepared for how deep and heavy this novel gets and found the commentary on life and the world as we know it to be the true meat of the story. It really made me think, and not in the pedantic sense. It did it through feeling— by bringing me along with Ro on her emotional journey. It’s profound in its reflection on assumptions, expectations, difficult conversations, and so much more.

That being said, the romantic element of the story is still a crucial piece of the narrative. Friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers are the best tropes to exist, and this novel combines both of them. I like Miller’s character a lot (his goofiness, his love of Classics, even his tux!), and while at first, I had a hard time fully grasping why Miller and Ro didn’t talk to each other for three years, I did understand by the end. The nature of their relationship shows how life can sometimes get in the way of connection, but also, how sometimes it can be repaired with a five-minute explanation. I did want a little more payoff between Ro and Miller, but I respect that what happens between them is more of a subplot.

Overall, SEVEN PERCENT OF RO DEVEREUX is a great musing on what it means to go after your dreams and what sacrifices are worth it. It's a good reminder of the importance of staying true to your vision and intention, and more importantly, it leaves space for what it means to be a human, encouraging the open-ended exploration of that. If you’re looking for a good cry, add this book to your wishlist.