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bro_thies's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Ugh the angst and slow burn, I hate to love it!
I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. So so good.
I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. So so good.
lmrivas54's review against another edition
5.0
After reading two romcoms back to back, I was ready to sink my teeth into an angsty story. And this book filled that need completely! It was all feelings, all yearning, all bittersweet, and I enjoyed it immensely.
Jasmine was abandoned by her drug addict mother and raised by her aunt. She had two best friends, Morgan and Tyler, who were like siblings and their parents were like parents to her. When she started in Bridgechester Prep, feeling lost and unwanted, Tyler came to her and offered instant friendship and acceptance. At lunch, his sister Morgan came to sit with her and announced they were going to be best friends, and so it was. Except that she started to feel more than friendship for Tyler and when he broke her heart, she left New Hampshire after graduation and never looked back.
Now, seven years later, her bestie Morgan is getting married, wants Jasmine to be Maid of Honor and she can’t refuse. So she comes back to face all her ghosts, the guy who broke her heart and the memory of the day her mother abandoned her to pursue her own happiness.
When Jasmine came back for Morgan’s wedding, both she and Tyler have successful careers and partners. But even though both are taken, the old chemistry is still there and it’s turning all their wedding preparation activities into torture. The story of the two weeks before Morgan’s wedding are filled with torturous looks, encounters, bittersweet longing, a little hostility, and a lot of repentance. It feels like forbidden love, but in my opinion it was more a case of not having the gumption to accept their feelings and acting on them. I didn’t like that most of the action on getting close fell on Jasmine; all Tyler did was mostly glower, brood and keep his hands in his pockets.
Even so, I relished all the angst, the intense feelings, and the road to forgiveness and reconciliation. It was a yummy angsty read!
Jasmine was abandoned by her drug addict mother and raised by her aunt. She had two best friends, Morgan and Tyler, who were like siblings and their parents were like parents to her. When she started in Bridgechester Prep, feeling lost and unwanted, Tyler came to her and offered instant friendship and acceptance. At lunch, his sister Morgan came to sit with her and announced they were going to be best friends, and so it was. Except that she started to feel more than friendship for Tyler and when he broke her heart, she left New Hampshire after graduation and never looked back.
Now, seven years later, her bestie Morgan is getting married, wants Jasmine to be Maid of Honor and she can’t refuse. So she comes back to face all her ghosts, the guy who broke her heart and the memory of the day her mother abandoned her to pursue her own happiness.
When Jasmine came back for Morgan’s wedding, both she and Tyler have successful careers and partners. But even though both are taken, the old chemistry is still there and it’s turning all their wedding preparation activities into torture. The story of the two weeks before Morgan’s wedding are filled with torturous looks, encounters, bittersweet longing, a little hostility, and a lot of repentance. It feels like forbidden love, but in my opinion it was more a case of not having the gumption to accept their feelings and acting on them. I didn’t like that most of the action on getting close fell on Jasmine; all Tyler did was mostly glower, brood and keep his hands in his pockets.
Even so, I relished all the angst, the intense feelings, and the road to forgiveness and reconciliation. It was a yummy angsty read!
nanoreadsxo's review against another edition
4.0
Fast read and so addictive. Imo the relationship could’ve develop more or the author could have invested more on their backstory before the time jump, I feel it could add anchor to some of the angst in this book. Overall, I enjoyed this book, just wished it was more
camila_dacosta's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
3.75
hobiwater_254's review against another edition
1.0
I really wanna give it a two star...but it didn't allow me to press it
k_huskic's review against another edition
5.0
I love an angsty romance - one with the whole will they/won't they pull, all the frustrations and emotions, one where you're totally invested in the two people coming together. This book was all that and more! I really enjoyed this story, and it will definitely be a re-read!
jade_vista's review against another edition
5.0
OH MY GOD.
I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this in one sitting.
Kandi always hits me with the angst, but this one had me actually SOBBING.
I loved that she wasn’t afraid of writing an emotional male character. I found a lot of myself in Jaz with her snarky comebacks and her inner dialogue.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5 this is a story I would read over and over again
I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this in one sitting.
Kandi always hits me with the angst, but this one had me actually SOBBING.
I loved that she wasn’t afraid of writing an emotional male character. I found a lot of myself in Jaz with her snarky comebacks and her inner dialogue.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5 this is a story I would read over and over again
courthney's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thebookishdogmom's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
You all know I'm a Kandi Steiner STAN. But I just did not love this one. I think for me, I never felt a true and genuine connection between Jasmine and Tyler. We first meet him in the prologue, after which he quickly hurts her deeply, and then flash forward to present day. I strongly disliked how he tried to just pretend like he never broke her heart. I think Morgan was a bad friend to Jas by never telling her the truth when she could clearly see her struggling. It was all just messy!
I do think that the plot was well written. Jasmine's POV was all over the place which really helped to understand her mental state and struggles with her feelings with everything going on.
It is full of angst. A lot of tension. And yes there was cheating. Which is not a deal breaker for me, but without feeling a true connection between Jasmine and Tyler, it fell flat for me. I think if we had gotten a Tyler POV, that could have helped.
Tags:
-best friend's brother
-cheating
-second chance
Spice: 3/5
First person/Single POV
I do think that the plot was well written. Jasmine's POV was all over the place which really helped to understand her mental state and struggles with her feelings with everything going on.
It is full of angst. A lot of tension. And yes there was cheating. Which is not a deal breaker for me, but without feeling a true connection between Jasmine and Tyler, it fell flat for me. I think if we had gotten a Tyler POV, that could have helped.
Tags:
-best friend's brother
-cheating
-second chance
Spice: 3/5
First person/Single POV