morgonwashere's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
Even though I was reading this in April and not in a Christmas romance novel mood. The book makes me wish I had some candy canes and hot chocolate.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse
meghanm404's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Deportation, and Injury/Injury detail
creativelifeofliz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book really took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I struggled to fully support Gretchen and Colton in all their choices since they were being so frustrating for so long. Full warning: this book gets pretty dark so read the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Classism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Deportation, and Abandonment
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse
Minor: Infidelity
mrsmishler's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse
prettylightsandcitynights's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Deportation, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Gaslighting
The majority if the content warnings apply to background information about the main female protagonist's childhood and her interactions with her family in present day. Avoid this book if familial neglect/abuse/gaslighting is triggering.a_ab's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
This was a surprisingly frustrating and blood-boiling reading experience that I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
This series has a great fun premise, and I naively keep hoping that it will start living up to it, but so far - no luck.
There is a lot of lip service to progressive ideas in each book, but the characters' actions (even those of the protagonists and sympathetically portrayed characters) are full of internalized misogyny, toxic masculinity, patriarchal BS and rich entitled elitism.
I wish this idea landed in the hands of a better author or that this one would make some self improvement efforts, but I should accept that this wish is not going to be granted. Not even at Christmas.
This book has another relationship which survives entirely on the power of "magical" sex, because outside of it there is nothing that could possibly keep these characters even interested in each other. They are not a good match, they do not treat each other with respect or understanding, they keep making wrong decisions for and on behalf of the other, and they never really learn from their mistakes - they just plaster it all over with more intense supposedly passionate sex.
There was a detail in this book which made me incandescent with rage - the main female character is supposed to be competent and a lawyer, yet all effective decisions in her life are made for her by different men around her - aside from making a coffee house order, nothing she does by herself or of her own free will sticks - not a single thing throughout the whole book! What. The. Hell?!?!
This series has a great fun premise, and I naively keep hoping that it will start living up to it, but so far - no luck.
There is a lot of lip service to progressive ideas in each book, but the characters' actions (even those of the protagonists and sympathetically portrayed characters) are full of internalized misogyny, toxic masculinity, patriarchal BS and rich entitled elitism.
I wish this idea landed in the hands of a better author or that this one would make some self improvement efforts, but I should accept that this wish is not going to be granted. Not even at Christmas.
This book has another relationship which survives entirely on the power of "magical" sex, because outside of it there is nothing that could possibly keep these characters even interested in each other. They are not a good match, they do not treat each other with respect or understanding, they keep making wrong decisions for and on behalf of the other, and they never really learn from their mistakes - they just plaster it all over with more intense supposedly passionate sex.
There was a detail in this book which made me incandescent with rage - the main female character is supposed to be competent and a lawyer, yet all effective decisions in her life are made for her by different men around her - aside from making a coffee house order, nothing she does by herself or of her own free will sticks - not a single thing throughout the whole book! What. The. Hell?!?!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Child abuse, Bullying, Misogyny, and Gaslighting
krisalexcole's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Cursing
Minor: Violence, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
lakeh's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I do like this series and the growing family of couples, but everything since the first book has felt a little too easy? If that makes sense? The "grand gesture" at the end is getting a little more disappointing each time.
I skipped over Vlad's book to read this one, and will go back for it. I don't feel like I missed anything huge by doing so.
I liked Colton, but was hoping to dive more into his family and his past and have that reflected in his relationship with Gretchen. Yes, Gretchen's family is abhorrent and her childhood sucks, but so did Colton's! I always get a little upset that everything in Adams' books caters towards the woman in the relationship, and even if she hurts the guy it's okay, and the guy needs to fix everything because that's his job! It sucks.
Also bummed that Adams' dropped the book they were both reading, I really want more of that and how it connects to the main characters' situations. In this book - you could take out that meta book entirely and nothing at all would change.
The end threw me for a bit of a loop and was resolved way too easily, but overall this was pretty enjoyable despite my complaints. I did tear up a few times and found Gretchen and Colton understandable and likeable. It just could have been BETTER.
I skipped over Vlad's book to read this one, and will go back for it. I don't feel like I missed anything huge by doing so.
I liked Colton, but was hoping to dive more into his family and his past and have that reflected in his relationship with Gretchen. Yes, Gretchen's family is abhorrent and her childhood sucks, but so did Colton's! I always get a little upset that everything in Adams' books caters towards the woman in the relationship, and even if she hurts the guy it's okay, and the guy needs to fix everything because that's his job! It sucks.
Also bummed that Adams' dropped the book they were both reading, I really want more of that and how it connects to the main characters' situations. In this book - you could take out that meta book entirely and nothing at all would change.
The end threw me for a bit of a loop and was resolved way too easily, but overall this was pretty enjoyable despite my complaints. I did tear up a few times and found Gretchen and Colton understandable and likeable. It just could have been BETTER.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse
kponturo's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
death_by_cliffhanger's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
Look - these books are what they are and I fricken love them. Lol. I am here for the "big romantic gestures" that they work so hard on at the end of every book and the way these men hold each other accountable. (I explained it to a coworker who was skeptical as it was kind of like self-guided group therapy the men were participating in!) I will read every book in this series and not be ashamed. Vlad's little comments on the side always make me smile. Sometimes I find the dialogue has a bit too many pop culture references but I also enjoy some of the snark (and this particular book had lots of it and decent banter between the characters) and find myself giving a little giggle every once in a while.
I will say I thought this one was a bit of the weakest in the series but still loved it. I found the plot tried to a get bit twisty with the corporate drama. I also just find the amount of angst around the "I'm so bad for this person" trope to be a bit much - let that person decide for themselves - especially when they've seen the "drama" that you think is not good for them. There were also some very large meaningful conversations that happen around the brother's behaviour as a child that I feel like just wasn't addressed at all? And they were pretty big topics that I thought could have been addressed a bit more thoroughly. I found the ending to be a bit rushed as well, but I've said it before and feel like that is often a complaint when I read romance so I think I might just have unrealistic expectations for how books should end. I think I am always just looking for some more insight into their HEA. More than just the quick epilogue.
But overall I love this series and have borrowed all of them from the library and will definitely be buying copies for myself as a comfort read.
I will say I thought this one was a bit of the weakest in the series but still loved it. I found the plot tried to a get bit twisty with the corporate drama. I also just find the amount of angst around the "I'm so bad for this person" trope to be a bit much - let that person decide for themselves - especially when they've seen the "drama" that you think is not good for them. There were also some very large meaningful conversations that happen around the brother's behaviour as a child that I feel like just wasn't addressed at all? And they were pretty big topics that I thought could have been addressed a bit more thoroughly. I found the ending to be a bit rushed as well, but I've said it before and feel like that is often a complaint when I read romance so I think I might just have unrealistic expectations for how books should end. I think I am always just looking for some more insight into their HEA. More than just the quick epilogue.
But overall I love this series and have borrowed all of them from the library and will definitely be buying copies for myself as a comfort read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse