niki1024's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
brookac's review against another edition
I was really hoping to like this book and I really liked the two main characters in the beginning. As the story went on, I found myself trying and failing to continue liking them. They just really dragged. I tried to finish it but I was so bored that I couldn’t.
lololovesthings's review against another edition
emotional
slow-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
3.5
3.5 stars!
"The Time of Your Life" by Sandra Kitt is a slow-burning dramatic romance with two excellent lead characters and a story that starts strong but quickly turns stagnant. I loved the instant chemistry between the main characters, Eden and Beck, and I would have followed them anywhere they went. I enjoyed their personalities, their intimate discussions, and their easy-going connection, Eden's fierce fighting for what she knows is right, and Beck's undying tenderness and affection. The characters in this book are well-written and feel authentic and lived-in, right down to the clothes they wear and the places they live. Unfortunately, the story itself is a bit of a slog to get through. This book is not that long, but you certainly feel its length on every single page. While the premise and the things that happen here are meant to be very dramatic in nature, it feels like there are no heavy stakes, no real oomph to anything that happens. Even when Eden comes face to face with Beck's ex-girlfriend, or when Eden confronts her little sister towards the end of the book, there's no real sense of urgency or any flair to the plot. I liked seeing Beck and Eden grow and overcome their issues (both separately and together), but the road to get there was just too long and a bit boring for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sandra Kitt, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"The Time of Your Life" by Sandra Kitt is a slow-burning dramatic romance with two excellent lead characters and a story that starts strong but quickly turns stagnant. I loved the instant chemistry between the main characters, Eden and Beck, and I would have followed them anywhere they went. I enjoyed their personalities, their intimate discussions, and their easy-going connection, Eden's fierce fighting for what she knows is right, and Beck's undying tenderness and affection. The characters in this book are well-written and feel authentic and lived-in, right down to the clothes they wear and the places they live. Unfortunately, the story itself is a bit of a slog to get through. This book is not that long, but you certainly feel its length on every single page. While the premise and the things that happen here are meant to be very dramatic in nature, it feels like there are no heavy stakes, no real oomph to anything that happens. Even when Eden comes face to face with Beck's ex-girlfriend, or when Eden confronts her little sister towards the end of the book, there's no real sense of urgency or any flair to the plot. I liked seeing Beck and Eden grow and overcome their issues (both separately and together), but the road to get there was just too long and a bit boring for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sandra Kitt, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Child death
okiecozyreader's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
This is just a fun romance I read for the Brenda Novak bookclub. I think she did a blurb for it and chose it for the June selection.
I’m assuming this series is all about different characters that somehow end up as millionaires. In this one, Beck (a writer), and Eden (a juris doctoral student at Georgetown), meet at a funeral reception for a well known architect who mentored her.
This one was a little spicy in a couple of scenes 🌶️ 🌶️
I loved the visits to Tiffany and Co and the character’s connection to the jewelry.
I couldn’t really remember how old these characters were and for some reason that confused me, but I thought it was a fun, sweet story.
I’m assuming this series is all about different characters that somehow end up as millionaires. In this one, Beck (a writer), and Eden (a juris doctoral student at Georgetown), meet at a funeral reception for a well known architect who mentored her.
This one was a little spicy in a couple of scenes 🌶️ 🌶️
I loved the visits to Tiffany and Co and the character’s connection to the jewelry.
I couldn’t really remember how old these characters were and for some reason that confused me, but I thought it was a fun, sweet story.
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
4.0
shawnna_reads2's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
3.5
themargherita_s's review against another edition
2.75
I received an ARC and I’m leaving an honest review.
When I requested (and was accepted for) an ARC of this book it didn’t say on Netgalley that it was part of a series, nor did it say it on Goodreads (yet). But thankfully it’s one of those series that you can read as standalone.
I think the premise I read in the synopsis sounded really interesting but the execution was lacking and messy. The dialogues were a little weird and there wasn't much happening during the story, which made it sound boring.
During the first half I didn’t like Beck at all and wanted him to stay away from Eden, because even when he was trying to be polite he still came off as a jerk. He gets a little better in the second half but I’m still not completely sure about him. Eden started out as a good main character and then just kind of ruined my expectations of her in the last 25% with the sister drama (oh yeah... let's not talk about how immature Holly is).
Some moments where Eden was supposed to come off as girl-boss were just… bland, and some topics and arguments felt unnecessarily blown out of proportions. They're constantly having discussions and conversations (especially about important topics like grief or their arguments) but they never come to a conclusion. It felt like most of the conversations were left unfinished and simply derailed to something else after a while.
When I requested (and was accepted for) an ARC of this book it didn’t say on Netgalley that it was part of a series, nor did it say it on Goodreads (yet). But thankfully it’s one of those series that you can read as standalone.
I think the premise I read in the synopsis sounded really interesting but the execution was lacking and messy. The dialogues were a little weird and there wasn't much happening during the story, which made it sound boring.
During the first half I didn’t like Beck at all and wanted him to stay away from Eden, because even when he was trying to be polite he still came off as a jerk. He gets a little better in the second half but I’m still not completely sure about him. Eden started out as a good main character and then just kind of ruined my expectations of her in the last 25% with the sister drama (oh yeah... let's not talk about how immature Holly is).
Some moments where Eden was supposed to come off as girl-boss were just… bland, and some topics and arguments felt unnecessarily blown out of proportions. They're constantly having discussions and conversations (especially about important topics like grief or their arguments) but they never come to a conclusion. It felt like most of the conversations were left unfinished and simply derailed to something else after a while.
addiesbookshelf_'s review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
turtleberry's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
I got a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Beck and Eden were a cute couple. The circumstances of their meeting were sad but the meet cute was still great. They stumbled a bit in the beginning and there was my dreaded third act romance hurdle. Still, this was a great story. Each had their own stuff to deal with and they helped each other with that.
One big issue I had with the book was that it talked about the COVID-19 pandemic. When it was first mentioned it threw me right out of the story. I started to worry because they weren’t masking and taking any other precautions. It was mentioned two more times in the book and honestly I felt like it should have just been omitted. It forced me to push my feelings to the side because the lack of precautions was making me dislike characters I had begun to enjoy.
If it weren’t for that, this would be a 4/4.5 star read. But I have to give it 3/3.5 stars because I really was pulled from what was otherwise a really good story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Child death