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dianaschmidty's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Violence
bookishaddy'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
"I'd given her the name Honey Bee when we were kids because we'd learned about them in school. I'd always been amazed at the way the the girl would buzz around spreading all her sweetness from one person to the next."
Vivian Thomas and Niko West have been best friends since they were kids. They have been by each other's sides through everything, all the loss, trauma, and ache; but also all the good moments and nights comforting each other.
Vivian is single for the first time in a long time and is ready to change and not be that relationship girl. Who else is better to show her a good time than her best friend, and a notorious player, Niko?
_____________________________________
Thank you KU for another great read~
I love a good best friends to lovers story and after finishing A Long Time Coming, I knew I needed another one ASAP.
I highly recommend looking up TW/CW before diving into this book because they touch on some heavy topics, and the characters have a lot of trauma that they have to work through. I love the foundation of their relationship, and how they were there to support and stand up for each other through everything.
This book was definitely on the cheesy side and some of their dialogue was a little forced? But super sweet and they really loved each other. A great story about people overcoming their trauma and coming together and supporting each other. I also loved the entire Thomas family and cannot wait to read all about the sisters.
- 4 stars
Vivian Thomas and Niko West have been best friends since they were kids. They have been by each other's sides through everything, all the loss, trauma, and ache; but also all the good moments and nights comforting each other.
Vivian is single for the first time in a long time and is ready to change and not be that relationship girl. Who else is better to show her a good time than her best friend, and a notorious player, Niko?
_____________________________________
Thank you KU for another great read~
I love a good best friends to lovers story and after finishing A Long Time Coming, I knew I needed another one ASAP.
I highly recommend looking up TW/CW before diving into this book because they touch on some heavy topics, and the characters have a lot of trauma that they have to work through. I love the foundation of their relationship, and how they were there to support and stand up for each other through everything.
This book was definitely on the cheesy side and some of their dialogue was a little forced? But super sweet and they really loved each other. A great story about people overcoming their trauma and coming together and supporting each other. I also loved the entire Thomas family and cannot wait to read all about the sisters.
- 4 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
sdupont's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-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? Yes
4.25
I enjoyed reading this book, the first by this author! I liked Vivian and Niko and appreciated the arc of their relationship. They genuinely cared so deeply for each other. I think this was a really solid first book for a series and I am interested to see how the author’s writing progresses. Honorable mention to all the Thomas sisters who are so fun, I can’t wait to read their stories!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
romancejunkie's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This was my first book by this author, and I think it’ll be my last. It wasn’t BAD. It just wasn’t to my taste. It was sickly sweet and sappy, and that’s just not my jam. There was sex, but it was so ridiculously tame. The only pussies in here we’re of the misogynistic name calling variety. 🙄 There was also so damn much crying. From all the characters. The heroine overwhelmingly so, but also every sister (both hers and his), the niece, his mom, her dad, the hero…literally everyone cried. Multiple times. Also, what was the author’s obsession with honey? Honey Mountain, honey bee, and honey browns (they’re eyes FFS). The villain was just so overdone, to the point of satire. But the real kicker was when Vivi suspected the villain early on, and then when she had the issue, the thought never entered her mind. 🙄 Finally, the man on the cover—yeesh.
So what did I like? That’s a great question and I would love to tell you. Niko with Mabel.
And that’s it.
He was really good with her, and I love a tough, tattooed hero playing with a little girl.
Sadly, that wasn’t enough to make this very enjoyable for me.
So what did I like? That’s a great question and I would love to tell you. Niko with Mabel.
And that’s it.
He was really good with her, and I love a tough, tattooed hero playing with a little girl.
Sadly, that wasn’t enough to make this very enjoyable for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
lauriereadsrom1's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Vivian Thomas was on her way to break up with her longtime boyfriend when she found him cheating on her with a co-worker. It hurt even though she had known in advance that the relationship was over, but what's worse is that only six months later, her ex is engaged to his mistress and has invited Vivi to the wedding. She immediately declines the invitation, but it makes her start to think about everything she's missed by dating the same guy since high school. She wants more experience before she settles down, and who better than her best friend Niko West, the ultimate playboy, to help her get it? Afraid of messing up their friendship, Niko does his best to resist Vivi's advances, but it's not long before the attraction between them becomes too powerful to ignore. When they realize how good they are together, will friendship still be enough, or can Vivi convince Niko that they're meant to be more than just a temporary fling?
I loved this story so much! Niko and Vivi were completely adorable together, and the shift in their relationship from friends to lovers was perfectly paced. Niko's fears about being in a serious relationship were completely understandable after everything he went through in his childhood, but he worked hard to overcome them so that he could give Vivi the life she wanted and deserved. Beneath his sometimes grumpy exterior, Niko had a heart of gold, and the way he interacted with his little niece, Mabel, proved that his worries about turning into his father were unfounded.
I highly recommend "Always Mine" for all fans of contemporary/small town romance. It's a fantastic start to Pavlov's new series and I can't wait to see what's to come in future books. (Hopefully one of those books will include a happy ending for Niko's friend and fellow firefighter Jace!)
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
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