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ecasey63's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Minor: Death, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
notamouse's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
1.5
🌶️🌶️.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Grief
bendy_bookworm's review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
natttbuggg's review against another edition
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
This is the 5th Sara Cate book I have read, and the first not in the Salacious Players Club series. I was in a pretty bad slump before picking this up and honestly her books are crack to me. One of the many things I enjoy from Cate is her approach to writing tropes. Even when the book includes a trope I may not typically enjoy, Cate writes it in a way that makes it intriguing and engaging. In particular, the fake dating and miscommunication tropes. Fake dating is used in a way that doesn't feel like a necessary evil but rather adds to the complexity of the plot. The miscommunication trope is used as a “plot twist” rather than a cliché, which kept me on my toes. I like that Cate lets the story breathe. The story's pacing is well-executed, with breaks in time between events that make the narrative feel more believable. I appreciate that not everything needs to happen right away and that the gradual development of the story feels more organic as a result. I am eager to start Free Fall, the second book in this duet, and eventually the rest of Cate’s Backlist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Alcoholism
forgottencupoftea's review
challenging
dark
fast-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? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Death
ascstefany's review against another edition
emotional
tense
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? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Cursing and Death
bookgrrl's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief
stephaniemcuervo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
caitlinemccann's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
weelasswithabook's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
CW: death of a sibling, questionable consent, survivors guilt, grief
🌈 Representation 🌈
⭐ Tropes ⭐
- Age gap
- Love triangle
- Taboo
🌶️ Spice 🌶️
- MFM scene
I'm going to preface this by saying I'm not a huge fan of love triangles. But this one worked for me. A sort of high stakes love triangle.
We have 3 grieving characters, suffering from a shared loss. A father and son (Alistair and Nash) who no longer have a relationship due to the death of Nash's brother, and a heroine (Zara), who is reeling from the loss of her sister.
The plot definitely confused me for a bit, I'm going to be perfectly honest. The dad trying to heal his relationship with his son by hiring a fake girlfriend who HE is in love my believe for that to play out properly. Super messy situation.
Anyway, Zara comes to live with the two of them who end up sharing her in the end. She ends up making a choice at the end so we have an HEA without anyone having their heartbroken.
Part of me feels like I can't understand why any of them loved each other, aside from the physical chemistry. But then I think of the shared loss being a huge factor in the way they all come together. Healing one another through their shared grief.
I really enjoyed the fact that Nash and Alistair were two completely different heroes. This allowed for the two halves of the love triangle to be truly independent from one another. Alistair was much softer and emotionally invested, while Nash was more passionate and volatile. So Zara had balance when she was in the midst of the triangle. She was being provided what she needed from the heroes, one could fulfill getting the anger and frustration out, one could fulfill the more emotional (but still physical) aspect.
Overall I genuinely did enjoy the book, I just felt at times like I was confused to how we got to the point that we were at.
🌈 Representation 🌈
⭐ Tropes ⭐
- Age gap
- Love triangle
- Taboo
🌶️ Spice 🌶️
- MFM scene
I'm going to preface this by saying I'm not a huge fan of love triangles. But this one worked for me. A sort of high stakes love triangle.
We have 3 grieving characters, suffering from a shared loss. A father and son (Alistair and Nash) who no longer have a relationship due to the death of Nash's brother, and a heroine (Zara), who is reeling from the loss of her sister.
The plot definitely confused me for a bit, I'm going to be perfectly honest. The dad trying to heal his relationship with his son by hiring a fake girlfriend who HE is in love my believe for that to play out properly. Super messy situation.
Anyway, Zara comes to live with the two of them who end up sharing her in the end. She ends up making a choice at the end so we have an HEA without anyone having their heartbroken.
Part of me feels like I can't understand why any of them loved each other, aside from the physical chemistry. But then I think of the shared loss being a huge factor in the way they all come together. Healing one another through their shared grief.
I really enjoyed the fact that Nash and Alistair were two completely different heroes. This allowed for the two halves of the love triangle to be truly independent from one another. Alistair was much softer and emotionally invested, while Nash was more passionate and volatile. So Zara had balance when she was in the midst of the triangle. She was being provided what she needed from the heroes, one could fulfill getting the anger and frustration out, one could fulfill the more emotional (but still physical) aspect.
Overall I genuinely did enjoy the book, I just felt at times like I was confused to how we got to the point that we were at.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol