Scan barcode
rosiesbookshelf's review
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Stalking
rosamaria's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
magmun's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Graphic: Suicide and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual assault
The sexual harassment/assault is portrayed as romantic and the main character doesn’t see it as assault however the language used is still very upsetting and possibly triggering. Basically consent isn’t given and the character mentions being uncomfortable and unable to move but she ends up being fine with it. The suicide is a minor character and is mentioned in flashbacks but could also be upsetting.fluture's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
james1star's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The plot is we follow Fallon and Ben with dual POVs after they meet on the anniversary of a house fire that left Fallon with considerable scarring when Ben pretends to be her boyfriend to stick up for her after her dad is being an a**hole (for lack of a better word). She’s going to move to NYC to get back into acting that night and he’s an aspiring author so come up with the idea to meet every year for five years on the same day with no contact whatsoever. As the blurb hints at, there’s something Ben’s keeping from Fallon in the book he’s writing but that’s all I’ll say.
I have quite a few thoughts so will try out a bullet point review for a change. I’ll start with what I liked:
- The writing and pacing is very bingeable, it’s quite hard to put down at times as it’s just a very easy read - BUT I do feel like there isn’t much thinking or analysis present, personally it felt like reading for the sake of reading with me not really getting all that much out of it.
- The concept was intriguing, meeting up once a year with that being the only contact - great idea but not executed the best.
- The last 30% was the most interesting I found, the piecing together of things, plot twists and the like.
- I guess some of the romance and relationship was cute.
What I disliked:
- The MCs were rather unbelievable and although I did feel for them at points, Fallon was rather overdramatic and Ben had a somewhat controlling ‘saviour’ complex I didn’t really like. They’re also a bit annoying so yhh, I couldn’t really bring myself to be that connected to them or the story.
- Ben in some ways fetishises Fallon’s scars which was just ehh - he makes her feel confident and beautiful in her body which was good but there’s an unnerving quality to it as well.
- Following on, I found quite a lot of Ben’s actions to be controlling too - he’s acting with good intentions kind of and it’s nothing too extreme but I was quite uncomfortable.
- Furthermore, the way Ben internally thinks is rather ‘urgh’-ey like staring at her boobs, wishing she was wearing less and obsessing over her panties - just I couldn’t eww straight men lol (I’m not heterophobic btw just don’t push it in my face).
- Quite a lot of what’s said and thought about is very cringy, I actually LOL’d multiple times not because of humour/wit but embarrassment with many an eye roll moment. Nothing bad but I don’t think it’s what Hoover was going for, it’s a romance/drama not comedy.
- Quick fire round: makes a remark about Fallon being ‘obsessive compulsive’ about hygiene where the link to a real condition could’ve been omitted, argues Ben isn’t gay because of how he’s dressed/looks peddling to this stereotype - it’s nothing major and I (as a gay man) wasn’t personally offended but still I guess such a remark wasn’t necessary especially given the books only 8 years old, and lastly a character using their term ‘spaz’ with no criticism.
- There’s a ‘subplot’ (?? Maybe I dunno) which takes place which I was rather side-eyed-irked by that really was unnecessary - wish we got more of the latter quarter instead.
- A lot of unbelievable/realistic plot points - I get it’s fiction so it’s not a major criticism but it’s my review sooo - were just not to my liking. Especially in how they come up with these crappy excuses not to be together like ehh whatever.
- They both don’t like insta-love in books but that’s literally what they have so yhh…
- I thought there was going to be more of story-within-the-story element and unraveling of the real truth but was unimpressed.
- SPOILER dislike: So Fallon is clearly drunk and he shows up touching her and things in a sexual way, she’s enjoying it sort of but like it’s just no… not for me
- SPOILER dislike: At the end Fallon blames herself for them not speaking the last year and is all like ‘you’ve nothing to be forgiven, it’s me that’s sorry’ when like NO she wasn’t at all, she finds out the guy she’s trusted and been falling in love with for 4 years was responsible for the fire that could’ve cost her her life and it’s totally normal to leave so agh I just hated how she blamed herself.
I probably have more to discuss but this is all for now. The books okay and I guess I enjoyed reading it because it was so easy to read but there were definitely more cons then pros. I will give CoHo another try.
Graphic: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death and Suicide
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
karsgm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
This book is bullshitrinyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Gaslighting
jokehelldo's review
Are you trying to tell me that the book about
*Cough*
Abuse, sexual assault, gaslighting, stalking, scar (that are you falt) fetishizing, dead-brother-wife-who-you-see-as-your-sister fucking, marking people who attend suicide as „attention seekers” and much, much more shit is a „romance book”?
You must be joking
Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
bluebellvine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual harassment
the_activereader's review
1.25
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Sexual harassment