loesm's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Death
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
rgreen2704's review
- 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
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Racism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Self harm, Gun violence, Addiction, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Chronic illness
effy's review
2.75
The fact that our main characters were absolutely besotted with one another after only 14 days (with a 15-year gap in the middle) was a really hard sell for me. I also hated the way that
Spoiler
Ty was killed because Shane was happy and distracted; the point was that he was too involved in his mentees' lives and there was a co-dependency but it just felt too surface level the way that it was handled.I also felt unsatisfied by Eva's whole situation.
Spoiler
I find it hard to believe that she could just choose to not write the next book in a series that she is probably under contract for. I also wanted to see more of her family history story. And then I also felt unsatisfied by her situation with her mother, I think I needed some catharsis of her letting her mother truly have a piece of her mind or maybe establishing healthy boundaries?Ultimately, it was the ending that destroyed my opinion of this book as it did exactly what I hated in Twisted Love and kinda fast-forwarded through a lot of the romance and truly building and developing a relationship. We did get to see a bit more development in this book than Twisted Love but it just kinda felt like a love story in bullet points.
Graphic: Self harm, Pedophilia, Child death, Racism, Misogyny, Grief, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Gun violence
risemini's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Drug use, Self harm, Misogyny, Alcohol, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, and Racism
davalyns's review
- 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
3.0
Spoiler
I also enjoy Black female contemporary writers but naming the child Audre Zora Toni Mercy-Moore was a bit heavy-handed for me.I wasn't a fan of the flashbacks and consistent reminders that Eva and Shane (love interest) were so intensely passionate about each other as teens in their thirties were still affected by it. I also wasn't a fan of the teenage bits in the story. I get it was vital to the story, but it took away from the stronger connection they could have made as adults.
What I loved the most were Eva's genealogy discoveries. Her finding stories about her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother was the best part of the book. I feel Tia has a great story there, and she should explore that. Reading about women from Louisiana always gives me a perk, and I would have enjoyed that more.
I also enjoyed the ending, realistically having Shane realize that he needed to get his life for himself before he could ever be a partner for Eva and stepfather for Audre.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Medical content, Self harm, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Misogyny
deetabz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug use, and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Sexism, Suicide, Bullying, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Ableism
hq_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Addiction, Chronic illness, and Self harm
Moderate: Grief, Racism, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Death
kayladaila's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Vomit
Minor: Ableism, Car accident, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, and Pedophilia
reddeddy'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Pregnancy, Sexism, Car accident, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Infidelity, Racism, and Rape
kristinhunziker'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Abandonment, Child abuse, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Chronic illness, Child abuse, Addiction, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts