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neverstopreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
banrions's review against another edition
5.0
ETA: audiobook re-read. I liked this just as much in audiobook form, I think! These were both new to me narrators, and while I’m not really a fan of multiple narrators, they both did a good job. I preferred Zoey’s narrator, and thought her voice fit the character perfectly. Ugh. I really want more of them being domestic and happy, but this is also a great standalone as is. Still perfectly made it hit a lot of my buttons.
~~~~~~
This really hit the spot, for me. I wavered between a 4 and a 5 star rating and while usually I tend to round down, this time, I went up. (Also because it’s 4am and I just finished reading and I VERY much should be asleep). I just had so much fun with this, and honestly, I was so pleasantly surprised by this book coming from these authors.
I’ve read everything they’ve put out, and honestly, I have not usually been the target audience, and often, slogged through books I never would have picked up if I hadn’t already latched onto characters a long time ago. Usually, these authors write Hetero (and occasionally MLM) romances, so to finally get something sapphic from them had me both very excited and a little wary. Wary only because a lot of the romances they do tell aren’t usually my cup of tea. I care about the characters, siblings, and friendships they built more in their other books most of the time. But with this, I just loved it all.
October is the perfect character for me to fall in love with. A protective ice queen with a soft side is ALWAYS my fictional kryptonite. And she hit so many of my buttons and I was in love with her pretty much from her introduction. That only grew as the story went on and we saw more of her. I really liked Zoey a lot too, and their romance was both really sweet and angsty. Kind of the perfect combo of it, for me. I actually enjoyed the mystery elements of the story, the whole cursed town thing, and I grew to care about the world that these two were in and all of their relationships. Like their other books, there’s a lot of drama and it’s not centered in realism, but it’s not meant to be. I know this is meant to be a standalone, and it ends at a pretty great spot and is wrapped up, but I’d love to see more of this from these authors again. At least hopefully more of something sapphic. Especially now that I know they can do it. And with more characters like October.
~~~~~~
This really hit the spot, for me. I wavered between a 4 and a 5 star rating and while usually I tend to round down, this time, I went up. (Also because it’s 4am and I just finished reading and I VERY much should be asleep). I just had so much fun with this, and honestly, I was so pleasantly surprised by this book coming from these authors.
I’ve read everything they’ve put out, and honestly, I have not usually been the target audience, and often, slogged through books I never would have picked up if I hadn’t already latched onto characters a long time ago. Usually, these authors write Hetero (and occasionally MLM) romances, so to finally get something sapphic from them had me both very excited and a little wary. Wary only because a lot of the romances they do tell aren’t usually my cup of tea. I care about the characters, siblings, and friendships they built more in their other books most of the time. But with this, I just loved it all.
October is the perfect character for me to fall in love with. A protective ice queen with a soft side is ALWAYS my fictional kryptonite. And she hit so many of my buttons and I was in love with her pretty much from her introduction. That only grew as the story went on and we saw more of her. I really liked Zoey a lot too, and their romance was both really sweet and angsty. Kind of the perfect combo of it, for me. I actually enjoyed the mystery elements of the story, the whole cursed town thing, and I grew to care about the world that these two were in and all of their relationships. Like their other books, there’s a lot of drama and it’s not centered in realism, but it’s not meant to be. I know this is meant to be a standalone, and it ends at a pretty great spot and is wrapped up, but I’d love to see more of this from these authors again. At least hopefully more of something sapphic. Especially now that I know they can do it. And with more characters like October.
booksumed's review against another edition
4.0
3.5-3.75 stars: I liked it! The mystery was intriguing and I never really knew if the town was actually cursed or if it had some other explanation.
Zoey: I thought it was adorable how Zoey glorified October and compared her to Wonder Woman
Zoey: I thought it was adorable how Zoey glorified October and compared her to Wonder Woman
sabinini7's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.0
thebooklovebot's review against another edition
4.0
This book was so incredibly good!
Zoey and October are so freaking cute!! I loved the so much from start to finish.
Zoey and October are so freaking cute!! I loved the so much from start to finish.
daffodill37's review against another edition
1.0
Becca and Krista, please hire editors. Someone who can help guide and hone your stories. They've become quite messy lately.
I would like to point out that I've been a fan for several years, own nearly all their books and I'm a patreon member. I was looking forward to this book but it was not good.
-This book actually has very little romance, there's more sex than romance and there's only 2 sex scenes.
-The first sex scene was borderline abusive and very confusing.
-The climax of the story dumps a whole bunch of shit that kinda comes out of nowhere.
-We understand that these women have history but we don't get any of that history in a way that allows us as the reader to feel the bond, the love between them.
-The whole "cursed town" thing felt overwritten, overplayed.
-All the voices of their characters, not just in this book but in the last several of their books, have the same voice. I can't tell them apart.
-Adding in Like Us and Core 6 references was messy and distracting. It literally stopped a scene dead in its tracks. So unnecessary.
I would like to point out that I've been a fan for several years, own nearly all their books and I'm a patreon member. I was looking forward to this book but it was not good.
-This book actually has very little romance, there's more sex than romance and there's only 2 sex scenes.
-The first sex scene was borderline abusive and very confusing.
-The climax of the story dumps a whole bunch of shit that kinda comes out of nowhere.
-We understand that these women have history but we don't get any of that history in a way that allows us as the reader to feel the bond, the love between them.
-The whole "cursed town" thing felt overwritten, overplayed.
-All the voices of their characters, not just in this book but in the last several of their books, have the same voice. I can't tell them apart.
-Adding in Like Us and Core 6 references was messy and distracting. It literally stopped a scene dead in its tracks. So unnecessary.
booklybrittany's review against another edition
4.0
KBR has done it again, honestly. I would probably read a chicken noodle soup recipe if KBR wrote it, but regardless this was a very interesting and compelling story. I'm used to reading drawn out series by the twins, so I was nervous going into this because it is a standalone but it was advertised as having the same type of epic, soul-crushing love story we've come to expect with KBR stories. I will say, I think the epic romance between October and Zoey would have been even better if this was written as a duet (with the first book being about their relationship in high school), but I do think their love story was great regardless. I loved the coastal setting and the mystery that controlled the majority of the plot in this story, and I finished it wishing for books about the side characters. I'd love to see another book in this world about Colt specifically, and I hope one day KBR decide to grace us with that.
Side note: extra bonus points for giving the fizzle force some easter eggs about the core six and their kids. I loved reading about the Celebrity Crush gossip and the fancon tour that we got to read in the Like Us series.
Side note: extra bonus points for giving the fizzle force some easter eggs about the core six and their kids. I loved reading about the Celebrity Crush gossip and the fancon tour that we got to read in the Like Us series.
briherna's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
martiniblue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0