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saretta02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual harassment
justmudlynnabout's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent
meganemarshall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Ok, the reason I really didn't like the book was the FMC Anastasia. She was an entitled brat, especially in the beginning. Her temper tantrums over having to share space with the hockey players. Other people's time matters, and so do other people's sports. When she got on the rink when they were still practicing, she could have injured other people. She was just so selfish. I also didn't like how she played games with Nathan. Once or twice was kind of funny, but then it consistently happened, and even like getting his friends involved to be against him. I know she's supposed to be 20/21, but it was so childish. Also, bros before hos.
I like Nate. He was a fine MMC. He was the perfect book boyfriend. He was just a little bland. I wish he had some other interest besides hockey and Anastasia. His personality, his sense or responsibility, and how he cared for others. All those parts of him were great. But I wanted him to like be a reader or a writer or photographer, or just have some other interest. He was a little boring.
I maintain my stance on romance books, that don't have some other plotline, should not be over 400 pages. I will use this book as more evidence. Because nothing happened. There was no plot, and I got so annoyed with the amount of sex they were having.I just wanted anything else to be happening.
There was a lot of repetition in the book. I felt like the author was acting almost like we're stupid. You would finish a chapter in the MMC POV, and the same information would be repeated at the start of the FMC POV chapter. Other things just got repeated a lot through the story. I don't need to be spoonfed a romance book, especially one so simple.
There were some positives. The book was very sex-positive. It brushed on serious topics, the eating disorder, the therapy, the issues with parents, the slut shaming, and it was handled pretty well. I liked her representation in the book. You got a wide variety of different types of people. I liked all of the side characters. Lola was a great best friend. I would love a Robbie/Lola novella or a JJ book. I loved all of the hockey boys. The reason I read this one was to the the background to read the next two books, which sounded interesting to me.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Gaslighting
witcheep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Eating disorder, Violence, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
kroosee's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent
janchamp's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Eating disorder and Gaslighting
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
jshirley's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria
reminiscences's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
galaxybbunny's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, and Alcohol
snarkycrafter's review against another edition
- 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
1.5
The writing is so-so, the story is so-so, the spicy-ness is so-so. Even the characters are so-so. đ
Major trigger warning for disordered eating, body shaming, eating disorders, fat shaming, manipulative and toxic relationships.
The entire book I kept feeling that Anastasia is supposed to be perceived as a strong FMCâŚBut sheâs not. And for all of Nateâs green flags he has some red flags too. Anastasia has to walk these men through sharing their feelings and being their pseudo-therapist. And for all the therapy sheâs been through, she puts up with Aaronâs abuse, manipulation, and fat/body shaming for 90% of the book before standing up to him. I mean, it took 54% of the book for ANYONE to even acknowledge her disordered eating and a little longer for her to start working through it. Sheâs also really bad a setting boundaries until much later in the book, againâŚSHEâS BEEN IN THERAPY HOW LONG?!
The toxicity of Aaron is justâŚtoo much. And she excuses his behavior for a majority of the book that itâs annoying.
The romance is cute but not great. I wouldnât recommend it to my fellow romance readers or friends. I donât understand the hype behind this book. Even the smutty scenes areâŚquite tame and not scandalous in the least. TheyâreâŚok. Not even super detailed which is what I expected after so many people online calling this book âsmutââŚitâs not.
Finally, the epilogue. đđ
A pregnancyâŚ? Really? Why? What was the purpose? I would have rather read about her at the Olympics, then pursing their professional dreams together and supporting each otherâs dreams. But no. We got a cliche pregnancy which makes no sense in the context of the rest of the book. I could not roll my eyes harder if I tried.
TLDR; itâs ok. I wouldnât take the time to read this book when there are better ones out there.
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol