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gwenswoons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I did find the characters’ arcs disappointing and flat - somehow their individual growth in order to find their way back to each other didn’t quite register or land believably. I also guess I struggled (though I am a voracious rom-com and romance reader and actually very rarely say this!) with the believability of the basic premise: there were just a few too many neat/tidy coincidences to the overall romance plot, and though I get the plot device of this very specific enemies-to-lovers bent, it was so on the nose (like…there’s enemies and there’s “was driving the car when your teenage sister, who had no access to mental health support, jumped in front of it and died by suicide”) that it felt sort of heavy-handed ultimately. As I said - lots that was interesting, and also not totally satisfying for me ultimately.
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Grief, Suicide, Child death, and Medical content
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
litbrett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Sexual content, Suicide, Car accident, Child death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
liz8'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
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Death
rhamil12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide and Mental illness
natashaleighton_'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
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Car accident, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
pattykcreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, Grief, Death, and Suicide
hannahmichele5'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? No
5.0
I might write a more coherent review someday but probably not. Fans of Emily Henry, Elissa Sussman, Tia Williams, and Ashley Poston (so, me) will INHAIL this book!
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Suicide, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Mental illness, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Drug use
belarna's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, and Drug use
michbrito'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
ruthhelizabeth'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
4.0
If you are someone who has any triggers, it might be helpful to know that in the first chapter it is revealed that
Helen and Grant are complicated characters. Their trauma is handled well in the writing but they regularly get in their own way, which some might find frustrating to read. Not me, I loved the complexity involved in their dynamic and in the relationships they have with their families.
It was also fascinating to learn about adapting books from an author who has written the screenplays to two Emily Henry books.
I do feel at times like jumps between different aspects of the plot was jarring, and the pacing could have been smoothed out a little more. The spice was inserted directly next to trauma, which was a bit of a leap emotionally as a reader, but perhaps that was intentional to match the minds of the characters.
Overall, I am really excited to read anything else Kuang writes and this book was a triumph of a debut.
Graphic: Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship