amirez1043's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
twoesplease's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Most of the story is outstanding, gripping and so much romantic tension. The end kinda slows down and pulls back on the intense emotions and feels a tad rushed. Still a great story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Religious bigotry
skudiklier's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
I love this book so much. Something about the way it was written is perfect to me--it's one of those books that spoils you for other books because you wish it could always be like this. I love everything about how the relationship unfolds, how things are revealed, the small moments and little unspoken things that become so big when you're in Corinne's head with her. I love the way Morrow doesn't just barrel past the awkward words writing sex scenes requires, and addresses the lack of good words for everything, how it's hard to talk about in real life and in writing. I didn't really know the genre or premise going in so I was a little stressed the whole book that there wouldn't be a HEA, because once I got about halfway through I didn't even want to check the StoryGraph to see if it's really a romance or not. I stayed up way too late reading this book and was just so invested in it. I definitely want to read more by Rebecca Morrow.
Edit: I read this book because John Green recommended it as a "super steamy evangelical romance," but I forgot about that when I finally got around to reading it (I just marked it as "John Green rec"). Anyway I just wanted to say....he's right lmao that's a good description.
Edit: I read this book because John Green recommended it as a "super steamy evangelical romance," but I forgot about that when I finally got around to reading it (I just marked it as "John Green rec"). Anyway I just wanted to say....he's right lmao that's a good description.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Fatphobia, Cursing, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Xenophobia
Minor: Mental illness, Islamophobia, Vomit, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Abortion
rinne77's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
If you want to read a book that is uncomfortable, lacking, repetitive, uncomfortable, pseudo romance, bad erotica, and uncomfortable, than this is for you.
If you read the blurbs on the book jacket and then read the book you either with think that Jodi Picoult and Samantha Irby wrote the quotes a different book and they got slapped onto Corinne or that they really need to take a long vacation and practice some good self care.
Spoiler: if you find that you are seeking this type of romance or think that it is inspiring or even fun to read than you seriously need to seek some professional help.
I definitely do not recommend reading it although it is a very fast read. If you do, at least take it out from the library so it doesn’t give it a sales figure.
If you read the blurbs on the book jacket and then read the book you either with think that Jodi Picoult and Samantha Irby wrote the quotes a different book and they got slapped onto Corinne or that they really need to take a long vacation and practice some good self care.
Spoiler: if you find that you are seeking this type of romance or think that it is inspiring or even fun to read than you seriously need to seek some professional help.
I definitely do not recommend reading it although it is a very fast read. If you do, at least take it out from the library so it doesn’t give it a sales figure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming
jennaz's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Definitely a racy book. A quick read. Great book if you want to get back into reading after a slump. Didn’t know the author’s name was an alias when I first bought it. Learning about that was cool.
Spoiler
I wish the author would have went into more detail about Corinne’s initial casting out from church. A happy ending, though I’m frustrated at some of the main characters’ lack of growth in some aspects.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Misogyny
cassiebartelme's review
challenging
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
3.0
This book was on my radar somehow…I think because people were speculating on who the author really is (Rebecca Morrow is a pseudonym)…and so I picked it up at the library. It had a little more depth than I was expecting as the two main characters struggle with their attraction to each other and the beliefs of their fundamentalist church. It got a little long but a decent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Sexual content
kellyreadingbooks's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
This is not going to be a book for everyone. I'm giving it 5 stars not because I think the writing or pacing was out of this world, but because I grew up in a Church like this and so much of this was relatable to me. If you enjoy books that center around cult-like religion, the psychology of religion on our minds, perhaps some "forbidden" romance vibes then I think you may enjoy this book. If you liked Autoboyography by Christina Lauren and want an adult-ier version, I think you may like this book as well.
This was both hard and enthralling for me to read. I finished the first two chapters from the library, put it down and went to Barnes & Noble the same day to pick up my own copy so I could annotate as I read it, knowing this would be a reading experience I'd want to hang on to. I almost underlined the entire book and notes of "lol" and "omg same" in the margins. I really related to Corinne's thoughts about being female in the Church:
"It wasn't fair the boys got jobs during church services. They got to take attendance and manage the audiovisual equipment. The older boys even got to watch the parking lot. (...) Corinne could adjust microphones. She was able. She could read the Bible out loud. She could stand outside in the parking lot and chew gum."
Then there were the religious gut punches I felt my entire life but seeing it put into words was amazing:
"Who wouldn't want to be part of something bigger and better and closer to God? Wouldn't you want to come to church three times a week if everyone there loved you? If they *had* to love you? Because those were the rules? Couldn't you put up with all the other rules? All the other bullshit?"
(Spoiler, for me it is not lol)
The writing on the romance and sex scenes were pretty cringe in this at times, but in the way that people who grew up in a strict church would probably actually act. This is extremely open door to the point where I was a little like- um, okay I could do without that commentary but here we are.
But I deeply resonated on a personal level to this book, I really enjoyed the romance and rooted for Corinne the entire book dying to know what was going to come about, making this a 5 star for me.
This was both hard and enthralling for me to read. I finished the first two chapters from the library, put it down and went to Barnes & Noble the same day to pick up my own copy so I could annotate as I read it, knowing this would be a reading experience I'd want to hang on to. I almost underlined the entire book and notes of "lol" and "omg same" in the margins. I really related to Corinne's thoughts about being female in the Church:
"It wasn't fair the boys got jobs during church services. They got to take attendance and manage the audiovisual equipment. The older boys even got to watch the parking lot. (...) Corinne could adjust microphones. She was able. She could read the Bible out loud. She could stand outside in the parking lot and chew gum."
Then there were the religious gut punches I felt my entire life but seeing it put into words was amazing:
"Who wouldn't want to be part of something bigger and better and closer to God? Wouldn't you want to come to church three times a week if everyone there loved you? If they *had* to love you? Because those were the rules? Couldn't you put up with all the other rules? All the other bullshit?"
(Spoiler, for me it is not lol)
The writing on the romance and sex scenes were pretty cringe in this at times, but in the way that people who grew up in a strict church would probably actually act. This is extremely open door to the point where I was a little like- um, okay I could do without that commentary but here we are.
But I deeply resonated on a personal level to this book, I really enjoyed the romance and rooted for Corinne the entire book dying to know what was going to come about, making this a 5 star for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content
shutupiamreading's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
- 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
This is such a beautiful, tender, sweet but heartbreaking story. I loved how much complexity there is to these characters and storylines and am so happy I didn’t skip this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Homophobia
maregred's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Blood and Pregnancy
bev3203's review
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.25
So much angst! After awhile I got sick of all the yelling and whining. I get it. Both characters are dealing with their ultra-conservative church and their forbidden love. The horse was dead long before the angst stopped. And the switch was immediate. One day, arguing with each other and interrupting all intimacy with one crisis of conscience or another, then the next day getting it on like rabbits.
Hard book to get through.
Hard book to get through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Toxic relationship