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booksandbujos's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Eating disorder
breedawnwriter's review
3.0
This is a hard one to review. On one hand, it was a really beautiful contemporary novel filled with grief, romance, Irish wonder, and family. But on the other...it attempted to tackle some really heavy topics in a way that didn't feel very satisfying or healthy.
What I loved:
- Beckett and Finley's relationship. I love the enemies-to-lovers trope because it digs deeper than the surface-level insta-love trope. When you have two characters who hate each other, they have to learn how to like each other before they can love each other, and that really shows in this story. Furthermore, I appreciated that neither one of them ever really held back from telling the other person what they thought because that's a rare trait in a relationship nowadays.
- The setting. Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit, so I loved every moment of the views, the tourist sites, and the landscape.
- Finley's host family. I love that this was a cross between "family" and "found family." It was really cool to watch Finley interact with Erin and the rest of the family.
What I didn't love:
- Finley's eating disorder. I don't know why this wasn't included in the blurb because it's a huge part of the book, and people should know that going into the book. I don't think it was handled very well because once the people around Finley began noticing that something was wrong, they let her talk her way out of getting help. Now, I've never had an eating disorder, nor am I an expert on the subject. That being said, I thought it was a poor choice by the author to allow Finley's host family, especially Nora, to believe that Finley was simply stressed and tired. It makes sense that Finley would be in denial about it, but for her host family to not take more drastic measures to keep Finley from hurting herself...it just didn't make sense, and I really hate that part because it doesn't send a good message, especially to younger readers. This plotline was wrapped up...kind of. Once Finley finds the cross that her brother saw, she realizes that she needs help, and ends up telling her mother that she needs to come home. I don't know that this resolution of the eating disorder was really...satisfying to me, but I can't really put into words why.
- The way religion was handled at the end. This part is gonna be super spoilery, but it needs to be talked about, so if you don't want to know the end, just don't read this section.Throughout the book, Finley feels like God has abandoned her and that she is all alone in her grief. But once she finds the cross that her brother saw, she suddenly just feels God's presence and realizes that He was there all along. This can totally happen, and I don't mean to say that it can't, but the way the author presented this felt very much like a Christian spin on the "once I get what I want, I'll be happy" vibe. And that's just not what Christianity is about: It's about a relationship with God, and believing that He is who He says He is. It's not about getting what you want and THEN deciding to trust and believe and put your hope in Him. So yeah, I guess I can understand why the author had things play out that way, but I really don't like the message that it sends to young readers, or even new/young believers in God.
All in all, this was a fun, but also frustrating read. The first half really had me laughing, feeling, and rooting for the characters. But by about 2/3 of the way through, I was kinda done with the way certain things were handled (see above). So, if you want to read it, I think it's a fun read. But please make sure you check the trigger warnings beforehand, so you know what you're getting into.
Trigger warnings: Eating disorder (anorexia), grief, depression, death (mentioned, but happens before the book begins).
What I loved:
- Beckett and Finley's relationship. I love the enemies-to-lovers trope because it digs deeper than the surface-level insta-love trope. When you have two characters who hate each other, they have to learn how to like each other before they can love each other, and that really shows in this story. Furthermore, I appreciated that neither one of them ever really held back from telling the other person what they thought because that's a rare trait in a relationship nowadays.
- The setting. Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit, so I loved every moment of the views, the tourist sites, and the landscape.
- Finley's host family. I love that this was a cross between "family" and "found family." It was really cool to watch Finley interact with Erin and the rest of the family.
What I didn't love:
- Finley's eating disorder. I don't know why this wasn't included in the blurb because it's a huge part of the book, and people should know that going into the book. I don't think it was handled very well because once the people around Finley began noticing that something was wrong, they let her talk her way out of getting help. Now, I've never had an eating disorder, nor am I an expert on the subject. That being said, I thought it was a poor choice by the author to allow Finley's host family, especially Nora, to believe that Finley was simply stressed and tired. It makes sense that Finley would be in denial about it, but for her host family to not take more drastic measures to keep Finley from hurting herself...it just didn't make sense, and I really hate that part because it doesn't send a good message, especially to younger readers. This plotline was wrapped up...kind of. Once Finley finds the cross that her brother saw, she realizes that she needs help, and ends up telling her mother that she needs to come home. I don't know that this resolution of the eating disorder was really...satisfying to me, but I can't really put into words why.
- The way religion was handled at the end. This part is gonna be super spoilery, but it needs to be talked about, so if you don't want to know the end, just don't read this section.
All in all, this was a fun, but also frustrating read. The first half really had me laughing, feeling, and rooting for the characters. But by about 2/3 of the way through, I was kinda done with the way certain things were handled (see above). So, if you want to read it, I think it's a fun read. But please make sure you check the trigger warnings beforehand, so you know what you're getting into.
Trigger warnings: Eating disorder (anorexia), grief, depression, death (mentioned, but happens before the book begins).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death
becksbookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
I wanted to read this book solely because I wanted to see the movie, I wanted to see the movie mostly because they used Story of My Life by One Direction in the trailers. I prefer to read books before watching their adaptations. I didn’t even look at the synopsis before reading. The main characters were charming and lovable. The story was a bit predictable but I’m also an adult and not the target demographic. I loved the descriptions of Ireland and the scenery. I could relate to Finley in her experience of going to Ireland to find something, or herself.
It is a very faith based book. There is a great deal of conversation about god. At first I was unsure if I would be able to get through the book because of my own personal struggles growing up with religion but then I was able to enjoy the role faith played in the story. Finley’s struggles with grief are heartbreaking but the people who care for her and help her in processing her grief are inspiring.
It is a very faith based book. There is a great deal of conversation about god. At first I was unsure if I would be able to get through the book because of my own personal struggles growing up with religion but then I was able to enjoy the role faith played in the story. Finley’s struggles with grief are heartbreaking but the people who care for her and help her in processing her grief are inspiring.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Eating disorder
elizabeth_anne20's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.25
Finley is an American exchange student (from South Carolina specifically) that travels to Ireland to follow the steps of her older brother, Will. She is working through all the emotions surrounding the death of her brother and what she is hoping to find in Ireland, when she meets the charming and handsome Hollywood star, Beckett Rush.
I went into this story knowing nothing about what was going to happen, but I knew that Beckett was going to be the boyfriend/love interest right away. I loved that about his character. He was witty with his comebacks from the start, and I loved how his friendship with Finley just seemed to be so natural (even when she was so against being nice towards him).
This story also dealt with a lot of hard/emotional issues, which makes this a great story for a high school level. Not only does Finley have to deal with the grief of her lost brother, she also gets assigned a project for school that puts her on a direct path to witness the death of another character (to cancer). Finley deals with the stress of an upcoming audition and bullying in school. And as if that wasn't enough, she comes to realize that she has been on the verge of developing an eating disorder, when the only thing she wanted to do was to finish the musical piece that she was composing for a college admission audition. And just when Finley thought that Beckett couldn't accept her as she was, or that she wasn't going to finish her piece, she finds her strength (from God and her brother) in the most beautiful place.
This book was *chef's kiss*. I loved every minute of it and felt all the emotions that the characters were feeling!
I went into this story knowing nothing about what was going to happen, but I knew that Beckett was going to be the boyfriend/love interest right away. I loved that about his character. He was witty with his comebacks from the start, and I loved how his friendship with Finley just seemed to be so natural (even when she was so against being nice towards him).
This story also dealt with a lot of hard/emotional issues, which makes this a great story for a high school level. Not only does Finley have to deal with the grief of her lost brother, she also gets assigned a project for school that puts her on a direct path to witness the death of another character (to cancer). Finley deals with the stress of an upcoming audition and bullying in school. And as if that wasn't enough, she comes to realize that she has been on the verge of developing an eating disorder, when the only thing she wanted to do was to finish the musical piece that she was composing for a college admission audition. And just when Finley thought that Beckett couldn't accept her as she was, or that she wasn't going to finish her piece, she finds her strength (from God and her brother) in the most beautiful place.
This book was *chef's kiss*. I loved every minute of it and felt all the emotions that the characters were feeling!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Death, Cancer, and Bullying
Minor: Domestic abuse and Child death
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