napthenknit's review against another edition
This book was a little too cheesy for me. It's shmoopy-sweet so it may be a good fit for someone in the mood for that kind of thing. I could see the impending drawn out "meet the kid and the ex wife" part of the story coming and it didn't interest me at all. I was looking forward to Brent confronting his asshole parents but it wasn't worth waiting for.
tag_gregory's review
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
fuzzywilson's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
perachdavida's review
4.0
An unexpectedly beautiful romance between a pro hockey player with a career-ending injury and a recently divorced musician/massage therapist/single dad. So few books deal with sexual dysfunction or chronic pain, and this one does it so well.
mcbsmith's review
2.0
I guess if you like your romance novels full of chronic pain, extremely awkward co-parenting, and erectile dysfunction, this is the book for you.
palvi00's review
5.0
This was a story about hurting. Brent was physically hurting after an accident that ended his career, and mentally hurting as the father was putting pressure on him and his healing. Jon is divorcing and he has no idea about when things went sideways with his now ex-wife.
They both meet, they both understand each other's pain, they both try to deal with it while looking and needing some human contact and intimacy.
There were moments when I could understand the pressure and the way Brent's life changed after an accident makes you wonder about how quickly life can change, and how difficult it might be dealing with it and finding people who understand your situation without trying to fix you or judge you.
I must say, I loved how they both relied on dogs, and how Jon's kid tries to understand the divorce situation, or how Jon wants to explain queer couples to his son.
I must say this is one of the best books in the series so far, for its depth and for how it made me think about different things.
They both meet, they both understand each other's pain, they both try to deal with it while looking and needing some human contact and intimacy.
There were moments when I could understand the pressure and the way Brent's life changed after an accident makes you wonder about how quickly life can change, and how difficult it might be dealing with it and finding people who understand your situation without trying to fix you or judge you.
I must say, I loved how they both relied on dogs, and how Jon's kid tries to understand the divorce situation, or how Jon wants to explain queer couples to his son.
I must say this is one of the best books in the series so far, for its depth and for how it made me think about different things.
emmadstanden's review
3.0
not terrible. cool that the one guy had to work through erectile disfunction. never really seen that in a book.
clarynathanwill's review
4.0
Thank you to L.A. Witt, Sarina Bowen, Jenn Gaffney, and the rest of the team at the World of True North for the advance reader copy of Aftermath, the fifth story in the Vino & Veritas series.
This has been one of my favourite instalments in the Vino & Veritas series. Brent and Jon’s story is a lot more emotional, painful, and broken. It is not an easy path for these two but it is a read well worth it.
Check out the full review here...
https://clarynathanwill.com/reviews/l-a-witts-aftermath-arc-review/
This has been one of my favourite instalments in the Vino & Veritas series. Brent and Jon’s story is a lot more emotional, painful, and broken. It is not an easy path for these two but it is a read well worth it.
Check out the full review here...
https://clarynathanwill.com/reviews/l-a-witts-aftermath-arc-review/
lilybear's review
4.0
"There is life after death" is one of my favorite lit quotes ever and completely embodies this book. Two men, broken and torn down by life find solace and acceptance in one another.
Brent is broken in body and spirit as a car accident leaves him barely mobile and ends his hockey career. Jon is still healing after a messy divorce. Starved for emotional and physical intimacy they start a relationship of convenience. I will admit at no point was such a bare stripping of raw emotion 'fuck buddy' territory. So low points for sex friends to boyfriend troupe. But I still appreciated the realness of it all. The sweetness of Jon's son and their dogs as they unintentionally became a family was just to die for!!! I loved it so hard.
It's a bit of a spoiler but I have to mention the ED. I loved how Brent and Jon's sexual relationship still existed despite it. How LA Witt made a point in saying that orgasims don't define sex and that two people can still enjoy a physical relationship without them. It just touched something in my asexual heart. Just beautiful.
If I had to name a flaw I'd say that the angst did get a little repetitive. But that's how life is. When things go wrong we agonize over it again and again.
Brent is broken in body and spirit as a car accident leaves him barely mobile and ends his hockey career. Jon is still healing after a messy divorce. Starved for emotional and physical intimacy they start a relationship of convenience. I will admit at no point was such a bare stripping of raw emotion 'fuck buddy' territory. So low points for sex friends to boyfriend troupe. But I still appreciated the realness of it all. The sweetness of Jon's son and their dogs as they unintentionally became a family was just to die for!!! I loved it so hard.
It's a bit of a spoiler but I have to mention the ED. I loved how Brent and Jon's sexual relationship still existed despite it. How LA Witt made a point in saying that orgasims don't define sex and that two people can still enjoy a physical relationship without them. It just touched something in my asexual heart. Just beautiful.
If I had to name a flaw I'd say that the angst did get a little repetitive. But that's how life is. When things go wrong we agonize over it again and again.