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mirandaburel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book is an interesting read. In the one hand there were things I really liked (josh, primarily) and other things I really didn’t (the entire existence of Tyler, the purposeful miscommunication). Sometimes this book reached for 4 stars and other times I wanted to rate it a 2.
I think the author’s note gave a lot of insight and empathy toward the fertility plot line. but the pacing of it, the way Kristen refused to have a proper conversation about it with Josh, the late OCD reveal (which makes a lot of sense and makes me think she’s an unreliable narrator and almost want to reread it through that lens)… to me it was just frustrating to read. I feel like a lot of things could have been explored more but were brushed aside to make it a ~romance~.
Speaking of the romance…again I have mixed feelings. I think they had great chemistry, but they also fell for each other ridiculously quickly. I feel like the central conflict being her fertility would have been better than if it was just that. But instead she had this not-exactly-cheating plot line with Tyler and Josh (that led to her eventual pregnancy iirc), and Tyler’s proposal, her “thinking about it” only to immediately refuse. It’s just felt unnecessary when the central conflict could have just been her working through her health issues while grappling with her growing feelings for Josh. (To be clear, a lot of time is still spent in that conflict, but it felt like stonewalling and not actual progress).
Them the thing with alone and Brandon….felt gratuitous. Now that I know it’s a setup for book 2 it makes sense, but it was A Choice for the third act conflict and i just didn’t really like it!
TLDR this book tried to do too much, instead of digging deep with the most interesting bits.
Speaking of the romance…again I have mixed feelings. I think they had great chemistry, but they also fell for each other ridiculously quickly. I feel like the central conflict being her fertility would have been better than if it was just that. But instead she had this not-exactly-cheating plot line with Tyler and Josh (that led to her eventual pregnancy iirc), and Tyler’s proposal, her “thinking about it” only to immediately refuse. It’s just felt unnecessary when the central conflict could have just been her working through her health issues while grappling with her growing feelings for Josh. (To be clear, a lot of time is still spent in that conflict, but it felt like stonewalling and not actual progress).
Them the thing with alone and Brandon….felt gratuitous. Now that I know it’s a setup for book 2 it makes sense, but it was A Choice for the third act conflict and i just didn’t really like it!
TLDR this book tried to do too much, instead of digging deep with the most interesting bits.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Vomit, Alcohol, and Classism
tidoublegarrr's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
senga15's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
Minor: Miscarriage, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
emilytrnr's review against another edition
This book felt misogynist and also had some distasteful offhand comments that turned me off. I also felt like, in the year 2019, why was a book being published that was SO condemning of all things feminine? I was confused about the inclusion of Tyler when it seemed a non-issue, and for all the “I’m not a cheater” talk there was definitely content that veered onto emotional affair territory. After half of the book I felt like I knew where 90% of the plot was going, almost all the tension was gone, and the relationships and humor felt geared towards a high schooler’s understanding of romance and jokes. Not for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Infidelity and Violence
akswhy's review against another edition
emotional
tense
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
2.75
I love how believable these characters are, but the refusal to communicate trope is tired. The drama ramps up dramatically in the second half and the tone shifts SERIOUSLY. Be mindful of the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Stalking, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
alexisdillon725's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Grief
marycage's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Stalking
dame_with_a_case's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility and Infidelity
syazahaniss's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Came from another Abby Jimenez book, thinking this was gonna be another one seater but unfortunately this one did not do it for me.
Kristen’s character was so frustrating. I get that she had her qualms about being in a relationship with Josh but I hated the push and pull she did with him. I think the relationship development would have been a lot sweeter if they had pined silently and then got together in the end, instead of on and off being together.
Even the conflict resolution was kind of obvious to me from the beginning, so I was confused why Kristen didn’t just accept it from the get-go.
Overall, not my fave.
Kristen’s character was so frustrating. I get that she had her qualms about being in a relationship with Josh but I hated the push and pull she did with him. I think the relationship development would have been a lot sweeter if they had pined silently and then got together in the end, instead of on and off being together.
Even the conflict resolution was kind of obvious to me from the beginning, so I was confused why Kristen didn’t just accept it from the get-go.
Overall, not my fave.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Infidelity and Medical content
beate251's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
2.5
Jesus wept, what have I just read? Abby Jimenez' debut novel, that's what. I loved the author's latest, "Just for the Summer" and gave it 5 stars. This is nothing like it.
It is chock full of misunderstandings & miscommunication (the tropes I hate the most) and a character who decides she knows what's best for another character while that character is incessantly protesting that she's wrong. Kristen emotionally cheats on her long-distance boyfriend Tyler (who is selfish and disrespectful himself), by falling hard in love with Josh but because he wants kids and she can't have any, she first ghosts him then pushes him away. Or the other way round. It happens a lot because she blows hot and cold. So I was on Josh's side for a while but he is another male character who doesn't know when to give up or take a woman's feelings seriously. Also, he owns a gun and Kristen finds that sexy - an attitude so alien to me that I can't compute it. I actually don't read many American authors because often the experiences feel so unfamiliar. Abby Jimenez had been an exception - now I'm not so sure anymore. Also, it's "firefighter", not "fireman", and it's a vocation - if you just moan about the people who call you out, why are you doing it?
And, what the heck was the storyline with Brandon? It's kind of cold tokill off a character just so you have a storyline for the next book. It came quite out of the blue but I am heartless enough to say at least it interrupted the constant exhausting "I love him so much but I can't be with him" and "why doesn't she love me?" angst for five minutes.
Apparently Kristen does not feel worthy of love without the ability of giving birth because her cartoon villain of a mother had put her down all her life. But it doesn't matter because Josh loves her and her uniqueness, which manifests in her simply being outspoken, sarcastic and getting hangry. 🙄
It annoys me not just that there was asurprise pregnancy but also that it was so predictable. I knew about 100 pages before Kristen herself did.
Basically, if you're someone battling with fertility issues, this book is not for you. Seriously, walk away now.
It is chock full of misunderstandings & miscommunication (the tropes I hate the most) and a character who decides she knows what's best for another character while that character is incessantly protesting that she's wrong. Kristen emotionally cheats on her long-distance boyfriend Tyler (who is selfish and disrespectful himself), by falling hard in love with Josh but because he wants kids and she can't have any, she first ghosts him then pushes him away. Or the other way round. It happens a lot because she blows hot and cold. So I was on Josh's side for a while but he is another male character who doesn't know when to give up or take a woman's feelings seriously. Also, he owns a gun and Kristen finds that sexy - an attitude so alien to me that I can't compute it. I actually don't read many American authors because often the experiences feel so unfamiliar. Abby Jimenez had been an exception - now I'm not so sure anymore. Also, it's "firefighter", not "fireman", and it's a vocation - if you just moan about the people who call you out, why are you doing it?
And, what the heck was the storyline with Brandon? It's kind of cold to
Apparently Kristen does not feel worthy of love without the ability of giving birth because her cartoon villain of a mother had put her down all her life. But it doesn't matter because Josh loves her and her uniqueness, which manifests in her simply being outspoken, sarcastic and getting hangry. 🙄
It annoys me not just that there was a
Basically, if you're someone battling with fertility issues, this book is not for you. Seriously, walk away now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Pregnancy