Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Next of Kin

A charming read. I'm actually more astounded I've gone this long before reading Hannah Bonam-Young's books. I'm rectifying it and I'm honestly better for it.

A diverse and well-loved cast of characters, no cheap tricks, and a sweet budding romance full of family that you have and family that you choose, choosing to be better not only for yourself but for the people you care about, and the struggles of dynamics one can't always control but can try and steer.

I devoured this book whenever I had the spare time (in a hospital waiting room, a twenty minute break, in the car with my seat reclined and a goofy grin on my face), that's all I have to say. It's honestly just... such a great book. It opens up on the difficulties of

drug abuse, of foster care and being in the system, and several layers of family.

I loved Chloe and all the bones of her. Remaining steadfastly kind but not in a way that's annoying, realising how best to navigate such difficult terrains of growing up

adopted, with expectations, and with a birth mother that is present but often times flaky because of her drug addiction

, and being so sure she was going to take care of Willow despite it all— girlie had my eyes watering.

Warren and Luke were everything; so much substance tucked in the corners that they don't read as 'trope-y'. All of the characters are written so realistic, but I loved how naive Luke could be, especially at a tender age, and how Warren still struggled with his anger management, and the resulting negatives it affected him.

You can't help but devour the book because you just want them to be okay. To be happy. And when you do get to the end, you feel wistful enough to want erase your memory of ever reading the book just to read it again.

Content Warnings

megannn_klein's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

binevolentbookworm's review

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

marianaribeiro's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

dymonlikestoread's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

✨ Book Review✨

Next of Kin

Author: Hannah Bonam-Young

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (3.75)

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

When Chloe receives a call that her alcohol-addicted birth mother Connie has given birth to her little sister Chloe steps up. To meet child protective services standards she participates in their Teamup initiative. Warren is financially stable while Chloe provides the space needed for Warren to take custody of his teenage brother Luke. Hesitant but willing to do anything to protect her little sister from a similar childhood she had.

I think the plot of the book is amazing. I loved the representation in the book. I love ASL and I was so glad to see it being represented in this book. Initially, I liked Chloe and Warren he was grumpy but funny. The first half of the book was excellent. I think a combination of the banter, instant love, and Warren's attitude lowered the overall rating for me.

The book was pretty fast-paced we didn’t get enough background on Chloe’s transition from a single woman to essentially a single mother. There wasn’t much background either on how Warren and Chloe fell in love. The only connection I saw that could’ve created a relationship between Warren and Chloe was the care he had for Willow. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two of them.

Maybe I am biased as someone who has dealt with a person exactly like Warren—someone who blows up at small things and has explosive reactions. I couldn’t imagine feeling safe around them with a baby, especially with my adoption on the line.

Overall, I think the storyline was there and regardless of how it was executed I still enjoyed it. I definitely will be checking out the rest of the series.

Content Warnings

sarahfrances52's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was so sweet! I absolutely loved the relationship between Chloe and Warren and I loved watching them grow more confident as legal guardians for their siblings. The relationship does move a little faster than perhaps is plausible, but it’s so sweet that I don’t mind. I also really appreciated how realistically the author depicts loneliness. This book definitely tackles some heavy themes, but does so in such a lighthearted yet respectful way. It made me want to find ways to support foster youths in my community. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this as a sweet read that might even leave some happy tears in your eyes.

Content Warnings

nakole's review against another edition

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4.0

𝓝𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓚𝓲𝓷

Next Book 1

By: Hannah Bonam-Young

Contemporary Romance

Paperback

𝒪𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒶𝓁𝓁: 4/5

𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒: 2/5

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: This book has reinspired me to pick up learning ASL again, I have taken a couple classes but since I graduated I've been slacking so I'm going to get myself to focus on it again.

It's very different concept than any other contemporary romances I have read recently which is really nice. I enjoyed that Chloe, Warren, and Luke do not just have any easy time, because while I have never been nor have I had someone I've been close to been part of the foster/adoption system, I do know that it is a process that takes it's toll and Hannah shows it in this book. How Chloe struggles with her adoptive parents and birth mother, the anxiety that Chloe experiences when she seens it's CPS calling her, Warren's anger issues, Luke being a people pleaser. And those are just a couple of examples and it is really nice to see characters learning to heal rather then meet a partner and everything being fine and dandy right away.

𝒜 𝐹𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝒬𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒: "I told him that you made it impossible to stay away. That everything about you is pulling me in. I may have refered to you as a whirlpool...as cheesy as that may be. I could resist, try to swim out, try to avoid it-but it would be easier to float. And, for the first time, I'm not scared to."

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈: Disability Rep; Slow Burn; Forced Proximity; Roommates To Lovers; Grumpy Sunshine; Banter; Foster Guardians; Single POV; Roommates; Deaf Rep

𝒯𝓇𝒾𝑔𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒲𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈: Foster Care & Adoption; Past Parental Neglect & Abandonment; Past Death of Parent (Drug Overdose); Drug & Alcohol Consumption; Sexual Content (Consensual); Anxiety, PTSD, & Anger Management Issues; Medically Fragile Infant in NICU (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome); Ableism; Toxic Relationships (Not MCs); Cursing

Content Warnings

haley49's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

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