The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
torilovesheas's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I read really ranty reviews of this book before I started it and I was expecting the worst. But while I didnāt love this, it wasnāt as bad as I imagined it was going to be. I justā¦once againā¦think it needed better editing.Ā
Pippa and Jamie end up being really cute together. Jamie is a bit of an ass in the very beginning but once that drops off (early on), heās a big ole simp and is really supportive of Pippa and her dreams of becoming a professional singer. Thereās great close proximity (sheās his love in assistant/dog sitter). Thereās a cute rescue dog and interesting side characters and itās honestly pretty low angst for how many obstacles are built up in the beginning.Ā
Which leads me to why this ended up being kinda meh despite the parts I really enjoyed. Thereās multiple obstacles set up for why Jamie canāt be in a relationship. A bad breakup when he was 19, his mother suffering from untreated anxiety/panic attacks, and the whole boss/assistant situation are built up as these HUGE problems he canāt get past in order to date and thenā¦.everyone of them is resolved super quick after not ever being an ACTUAL problem throughout the whole book. His momās anxiety? Pippa handles it with him like a champ. The breakup? One conversation with the ex and itās resolved. The boss/assistant relationship? Literally never a problem. What was the point?Ā
This felt so long and it was only 400 pages or about 7 hours on audio (I listen at 1.7 speed). Lots of repetitive discussions and scenes and waffling back and forth over being with each other. The whole āhe/she doesnāt remember me from high schoolā plot line? Resolved so fast. Every obstacle is really nonexistent and it made this feel so freaking long when itās just Pippa going to the games, Pippa walking the dog, Pippa and Jamie being sweet together. On repeat. Lots of this could have been edited out and not hurt the story at all.Ā
Iām also continuing a theme of restricting nickname privileges because āsongbirdā was used 67 times (yes I counted) and I got so tired of it so fast. Plus ābossyā and āmy pretty assistantā were used over and over again. Just so repetitive to the degree that itās noticeable.Ā
Thereās not really any hockey for this to be a hockey romance. Thereās cringy one liners that ended up sounding like bad 80ās porn dialogue. āDo you have a fever? Cause youāre burning upā is straight from a porno and you canāt convince me otherwise. And the sweet moments get overrun by cringy conversations that no real human being would say.Ā
I can see why people like this one. Jamie is a teddy bear once he stops being a hard ass and Pippa is likeable (if very not like other girls). But I think this was written too fast with too little editing. Which really could have made this a great read. Archer is talented but I think the need to hop on the hockey romance trend may have pushed her to churn out a book that wasnāt really ready for release.Ā
Will I read the next one? Probably because she roped me in with teasers about Pippaās sister and the cocky hockey star and the coach and the bartender. But I wonāt be rushing to preorder it, for sure.
Pippa and Jamie end up being really cute together. Jamie is a bit of an ass in the very beginning but once that drops off (early on), heās a big ole simp and is really supportive of Pippa and her dreams of becoming a professional singer. Thereās great close proximity (sheās his love in assistant/dog sitter). Thereās a cute rescue dog and interesting side characters and itās honestly pretty low angst for how many obstacles are built up in the beginning.Ā
Which leads me to why this ended up being kinda meh despite the parts I really enjoyed. Thereās multiple obstacles set up for why Jamie canāt be in a relationship. A bad breakup when he was 19, his mother suffering from untreated anxiety/panic attacks, and the whole boss/assistant situation are built up as these HUGE problems he canāt get past in order to date and thenā¦.everyone of them is resolved super quick after not ever being an ACTUAL problem throughout the whole book. His momās anxiety? Pippa handles it with him like a champ. The breakup? One conversation with the ex and itās resolved. The boss/assistant relationship? Literally never a problem. What was the point?Ā
This felt so long and it was only 400 pages or about 7 hours on audio (I listen at 1.7 speed). Lots of repetitive discussions and scenes and waffling back and forth over being with each other. The whole āhe/she doesnāt remember me from high schoolā plot line? Resolved so fast. Every obstacle is really nonexistent and it made this feel so freaking long when itās just Pippa going to the games, Pippa walking the dog, Pippa and Jamie being sweet together. On repeat. Lots of this could have been edited out and not hurt the story at all.Ā
Iām also continuing a theme of restricting nickname privileges because āsongbirdā was used 67 times (yes I counted) and I got so tired of it so fast. Plus ābossyā and āmy pretty assistantā were used over and over again. Just so repetitive to the degree that itās noticeable.Ā
Thereās not really any hockey for this to be a hockey romance. Thereās cringy one liners that ended up sounding like bad 80ās porn dialogue. āDo you have a fever? Cause youāre burning upā is straight from a porno and you canāt convince me otherwise. And the sweet moments get overrun by cringy conversations that no real human being would say.Ā
I can see why people like this one. Jamie is a teddy bear once he stops being a hard ass and Pippa is likeable (if very not like other girls). But I think this was written too fast with too little editing. Which really could have made this a great read. Archer is talented but I think the need to hop on the hockey romance trend may have pushed her to churn out a book that wasnāt really ready for release.Ā
Will I read the next one? Probably because she roped me in with teasers about Pippaās sister and the cocky hockey star and the coach and the bartender. But I wonāt be rushing to preorder it, for sure.
Graphic: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Medical content
megcarrick's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
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