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bbygirl21's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is an amazing book. The first 20 chapters were a bit slow for me and took a bit for me to get through them. Probably because I knew something bad was gonna happen to split the characters up. But when that happened and things started picking up I absolutely loved this book.
I really love characters for the most part as well. Each one has their asshole moments except for maybe the girls. I mean they can get pretty frustrating at times. But they didn't really do anything that's really mean(aside from the bullies like Sabrina and one of the groupies). The guys on the other hand, they're always being rude in some way, but for the most part they all care about the girls to some extent.
I did almost cry at multiple parts of this book. It was sad reading about Lennon Father. I loved how close Lennon is with her dad. And to see her struggle with his diagnosis throughout this book and watch him slowly deteriorate in front of her was heartbreaking.
One thing I really loved about this book was that Lennon really made Phoenix work for her forgiveness and that she didn't get back with him easily. This was really slow paced in every way. And while they may have sex together often they don't actually get together until near the end. Phoenix really had to work for Lennon's trust forgiveness and love again. Which was a great thing about this book. While I don't mind an easy forgiveness in a book when it makes the story fast, it's nice to read a book once in a while where the characters make reach other work for it.
It's safe to say I'd absolutely recommend this book. I was very hesitant to read this for to the fact I heard there was a cheating element to this story and I don't really like when the MC's cheat. But I actually really enjoyed this book. It is pretty slow going at first like I said, bit once you get through those first 20 chapters, everything from that point on is pretty go go go and there's hardly any breaks. There's always something happening. But that's another thing I loved about this book.
I really love characters for the most part as well. Each one has their asshole moments except for maybe the girls. I mean they can get pretty frustrating at times. But they didn't really do anything that's really mean(aside from the bullies like Sabrina and one of the groupies). The guys on the other hand, they're always being rude in some way, but for the most part they all care about the girls to some extent.
I did almost cry at multiple parts of this book. It was sad reading about Lennon Father. I loved how close Lennon is with her dad. And to see her struggle with his diagnosis throughout this book and watch him slowly deteriorate in front of her was heartbreaking.
One thing I really loved about this book was that Lennon really made Phoenix work for her forgiveness and that she didn't get back with him easily. This was really slow paced in every way. And while they may have sex together often they don't actually get together until near the end. Phoenix really had to work for Lennon's trust forgiveness and love again. Which was a great thing about this book. While I don't mind an easy forgiveness in a book when it makes the story fast, it's nice to read a book once in a while where the characters make reach other work for it.
It's safe to say I'd absolutely recommend this book. I was very hesitant to read this for to the fact I heard there was a cheating element to this story and I don't really like when the MC's cheat. But I actually really enjoyed this book. It is pretty slow going at first like I said, bit once you get through those first 20 chapters, everything from that point on is pretty go go go and there's hardly any breaks. There's always something happening. But that's another thing I loved about this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Blood, Body shaming, Death of parent, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Sexual content, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Addiction
Minor: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Vomit, and Pregnancy
helica_la's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I truly enjoyed this book, I read the entire thing in one day. The sexual tension between the characters was believable. The problems characters faced real and not played for laughs or gimmicks. Even if some character were insufferable they were for the right reasons and it fleshed out their character more. I recommend it to anyone interested in an enemies-to-lovers story with good smut!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Drug use
chelle22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Vomit
one_more_chapter96's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
4.75
At first I thought this was going to be super cringe and a DNF. But I persevered and after a few chapters I was hooked. I loved Lennon’s character development and how incredibly strong she was whilst also being vulnerable. Pheonix, so wrong but so good. Side characters are absolutely brilliant and I laughed and cried so many times. Would definitely read a second book! Not 5 stars purely because of some repetitiveness and the beginning of the story, but overall loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Violence, Fatphobia, and Drug use
Moderate: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Dementia, Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Grief, and Car accident
Check your TW’s as a lot of sensitive topics are coveredbeautyandthebookworms's review against another edition
4.75
somewhere in the 4+ star range ⭐️ close to 5 stars tho
~
✨two words: TRAUMA & DRAMA
~
(may edit later)
💙this is fast and nonstop pace book—although the book is long, it never felt like it
💙the book starts out with the main characters in their senior year of high school~ they connect through the fmc tutoring the mmc
💙then it jumps to 4 years later
💙it’s basically a ‘does he even know I exist’~to friends~to lovers~to enemies~to lovers
💙okay also this book in general is a WILD ride —reference the emphasis of ***trauma*** and ***drama*** a LOT happens and a LOT can be triggering so please read w/ caution (ie: child abuse, body dysmorphia, binge eating, bullying, drug use, addiction, grief, etc)
💙with all that being said, I cried cuz sad, but also giggled out loud more than once, and also CRIED for TEN mins at one part (this was at an endearing gesture, not a bad part) so this book gives you a lot of feels and books that make me feel so much are in a league of their own
💙you will get so much angst, great main and side characters… I got fully lost in this & didn’t wanna leave
➖things I’m docking points for➖
🖤I can’t remember what exactly—but it was in the beginning, when they’re still in high school, that the way that Lennon’s body was approached…I don’t know. There’s no way she’s the only plus sized person at the school and they bullied and ostracized her for her weight so badly and…I’m not sure. Just some part of the approach on it felt slightly off.
🖤it is a second chance romance & while it’s totally understandable that there’s mixed feelings about reconnecting & what not, it did bother me how hot and cold it could get abruptly if that makes sense—just like a lil bit…it wasn’t a big issue
🖤the ending did not feel complete & I was left wanting more. I know the book is already long af but the epilogue was like so quick & didn’t give us enough in my opinion. Like it was headed in the right direction, one quick 3 month jump and only like the smallest glimmer—what all happened!!! give us a novella for more or something 😭
~
✨I obviously have so much to say & I LOVED this book & I can’t wait to read more by the author, I’ll keep singing praises about this book & highly recommend y’all read it!!
~
🎧listened to audio & narrators were so good! 🎧
~
✨two words: TRAUMA & DRAMA
~
(may edit later)
💙this is fast and nonstop pace book—although the book is long, it never felt like it
💙the book starts out with the main characters in their senior year of high school~ they connect through the fmc tutoring the mmc
💙then it jumps to 4 years later
💙it’s basically a ‘does he even know I exist’~to friends~to lovers~to enemies~to lovers
💙okay also this book in general is a WILD ride —reference the emphasis of ***trauma*** and ***drama*** a LOT happens and a LOT can be triggering so please read w/ caution (ie: child abuse, body dysmorphia, binge eating, bullying, drug use, addiction, grief, etc)
💙with all that being said, I cried cuz sad, but also giggled out loud more than once, and also CRIED for TEN mins at one part (this was at an endearing gesture, not a bad part) so this book gives you a lot of feels and books that make me feel so much are in a league of their own
💙you will get so much angst, great main and side characters… I got fully lost in this & didn’t wanna leave
➖things I’m docking points for➖
🖤I can’t remember what exactly—but it was in the beginning, when they’re still in high school, that the way that Lennon’s body was approached…I don’t know. There’s no way she’s the only plus sized person at the school and they bullied and ostracized her for her weight so badly and…I’m not sure. Just some part of the approach on it felt slightly off.
🖤it is a second chance romance & while it’s totally understandable that there’s mixed feelings about reconnecting & what not, it did bother me how hot and cold it could get abruptly if that makes sense—just like a lil bit…it wasn’t a big issue
🖤the ending did not feel complete & I was left wanting more. I know the book is already long af but the epilogue was like so quick & didn’t give us enough in my opinion. Like it was headed in the right direction, one quick 3 month jump and only like the smallest glimmer—what all happened!!! give us a novella for more or something 😭
~
✨I obviously have so much to say & I LOVED this book & I can’t wait to read more by the author, I’ll keep singing praises about this book & highly recommend y’all read it!!
~
🎧listened to audio & narrators were so good! 🎧
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
jfb0622's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, and Car accident
lauralouise93's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Fatphobia, Bullying, Car accident, Violence, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
aj_igoe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
To say this was a wild ride is an understatement.
First, I was very upset because there are no trigger warnings. And they’re definitely needed to be some. While there’s not much that triggers me, there is a form of SA, and as a survivor, sometimes I do get emotionally triggered. When the protagonist, Lennon, thinks she’s having a wet dream and wakes up to a girl going down on her. A girl that she doesn’t know. Being told to do so by the male lead, Phoenix, and so on. It was the most questionable scene and out of place seen in the book and they just gloss over it— no discussion on it and forget it ever happens except like one mention.
Second, there’s there’s literally on page child abuse - the prologue and later one. This alone warrants a TW. Plus the toxicity of the relationship and death of a parent, dementia, all these things needed to addressed in the beginning.
Lennon I loved her. Second, I read some other reviews bothered by her losing weight. I’ll you what, my skinny was a size 10 and I wasn’t skinny at all. I just wasn’t obese and I appreciated her being at that size because I felt like I could relate to her 100% at that size. She was still plus size. At that size I was told I was plus size at ducking forever 21 at 19. I wasn’t even large, I was more like average but I always had breasts and huge hips.
I want to address some of Phoenix behavior. There were some reviews addressing how poorly he acts. But to this, as someone who studied child development (pregnancy thru 25) and how trauma affects the brain — working alongside kids as a former preschool teacher, a few with traumatic childhoods, his actions are normal behavior for someone who never received therapy or help. While I agree some of his behaviors are abhorrent they are not out of the norm for a broken individual.
Those things aside I really really enjoyed the book. I read dark fantasy’s and dark romance. So other than needing TW — which if the book had them, I might have rated it higher — it could never be 5 stars with the SA on page unless it had been discussed in book and actually like spoken about as SA.
But I loved all the characters, and I was extremely invested in them. I really did care for all of them, I’m a Stormy stan for sure. I wish I could give this more stars but my conscience will not allow. I finished it hours ago and can’t stop thinking about it and even considering purchasing the audio and listening to
It. I really did love the characters and story itself.
First, I was very upset because there are no trigger warnings. And they’re definitely needed to be some. While there’s not much that triggers me, there is a form of SA, and as a survivor, sometimes I do get emotionally triggered. When the protagonist, Lennon, thinks she’s having a wet dream and wakes up to a girl going down on her. A girl that she doesn’t know. Being told to do so by the male lead, Phoenix, and so on. It was the most questionable scene and out of place seen in the book and they just gloss over it— no discussion on it and forget it ever happens except like one mention.
Second, there’s there’s literally on page child abuse - the prologue and later one. This alone warrants a TW. Plus the toxicity of the relationship and death of a parent, dementia, all these things needed to addressed in the beginning.
Lennon I loved her. Second, I read some other reviews bothered by her losing weight. I’ll you what, my skinny was a size 10 and I wasn’t skinny at all. I just wasn’t obese and I appreciated her being at that size because I felt like I could relate to her 100% at that size. She was still plus size. At that size I was told I was plus size at ducking forever 21 at 19. I wasn’t even large, I was more like average but I always had breasts and huge hips.
I want to address some of Phoenix behavior. There were some reviews addressing how poorly he acts. But to this, as someone who studied child development (pregnancy thru 25) and how trauma affects the brain — working alongside kids as a former preschool teacher, a few with traumatic childhoods, his actions are normal behavior for someone who never received therapy or help. While I agree some of his behaviors are abhorrent they are not out of the norm for a broken individual.
Those things aside I really really enjoyed the book. I read dark fantasy’s and dark romance. So other than needing TW — which if the book had them, I might have rated it higher — it could never be 5 stars with the SA on page unless it had been discussed in book and actually like spoken about as SA.
But I loved all the characters, and I was extremely invested in them. I really did care for all of them, I’m a Stormy stan for sure. I wish I could give this more stars but my conscience will not allow. I finished it hours ago and can’t stop thinking about it and even considering purchasing the audio and listening to
It. I really did love the characters and story itself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Drug use, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Dementia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Child death
Minor spoilers in review but nothing of plot or character developmenthannahlee98's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug use, Drug abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Grief, and Fatphobia
criticalbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Addiction, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, and Vomit
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