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thepoieszedlife's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Grief
Moderate: Addiction
Overdose, opioid addictionle3713's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Grief
violentlyagitated's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Cancer, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
katebrownreads's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This collection of 3 short stories set in the Marysburg universe has its ups and its downs.
Story 2, featuring Poppy and Simon, was adorable and peak grumpy x sunshine slash opposites attract. I had a lot of fun reading it!
In contrast, Story 1 was not great. It waxed poetic about grief (seemingly endlessly), but it struggled to say anything really meaningful about it. Plus, Griff's lusting after Candy during her intense periods of grief comes off so creepy and predatory in my opinion.
Story 3, featuring Elizabeth and James, was fine but under-baked. It could have been fleshed out much better but just felt rushed to get into the romance and chemistry between the two.
I was also disappointed by the fact that all of the MMC were thin men (though references to James seem to suggest he may be fat, it's not explored at all). Dade explores fatness well in her other works, but I'd like to see that extended to all her characters instead of just her FMC.
Story 2, featuring Poppy and Simon, was adorable and peak grumpy x sunshine slash opposites attract. I had a lot of fun reading it!
In contrast, Story 1 was not great. It waxed poetic about grief (seemingly endlessly), but it struggled to say anything really meaningful about it. Plus, Griff's lusting after Candy during her intense periods of grief comes off so creepy and predatory in my opinion.
Story 3, featuring Elizabeth and James, was fine but under-baked. It could have been fleshed out much better but just felt rushed to get into the romance and chemistry between the two.
I was also disappointed by the fact that all of the MMC were thin men (though references to James seem to suggest he may be fat, it's not explored at all). Dade explores fatness well in her other works, but I'd like to see that extended to all her characters instead of just her FMC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol
thisreadingcorner's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Grief
readerette's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
These love stories are typical in their plots and characterizations, but feature average-size/fat women as the primary love interests, as opposed to the typical waif/bombshell body types I've often encountered in romance (and fiction in general). I'm glad to see better body representation.
Spoiler Alert is a much higher quality story in my opinion. I love short stories in general, and in romance I love a good slow burn, and there's just not enough build for my taste in this collection.
Spoiler Alert is a much higher quality story in my opinion. I love short stories in general, and in romance I love a good slow burn, and there's just not enough build for my taste in this collection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
jen_sometimes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism
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