Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Rest of the Story

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Rest of the Story by Tal Bauer

40 reviews

cozycritiques's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted tense slow-paced

5.0

“I’d forgotten that it’s the brokenness of a kaleidoscope that brings out the beauty, and as easily as there can be order, everything can fall apart. Can shatter.”
- The Rest of the Story

Tropes: Sports (Hockey), Teammates, Age Gap, Former Playboy, Virgin Hero, Found Family
Representation: LGBTQ+ (Gay, Bisexual)
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Assault, Suicidal Thoughts, Car Accident, Drug Abuse, Addiction, Injury, Hospitalization

Oh, wow, the chokehold this book had on me from start to finish. After reading Gravity, I expected to be taken on a rollercoaster of emotions. But let me tell you, from the moment the plot’s premise was set up in the second chapter, I nearly couldn’t breathe, I was so drawn into Bauer’s storytelling.
The romance between Morgan and Shea is beautiful. I absolutely felt the pining between them to my core. And the bond that forms between the men on this team… it was gut-wrenching and breathtaking.
I honestly don’t know how to review this book without giving way too much, but this is probably one of the most profound and intense books I’ve ever read. By the end, I felt raw and overwhelmed by emotion, but in the best way. This story tackles some pretty heavy themes (see content warnings), but it is also about family, bravery, strength, and love in its various forms. If you want something that will make you feel something with your whole chest, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Just a note: This book is set in the same world as Gravity, and there is a small cameo from Bryce and Hunter, but you don’t need to read it beforehand. There are, however, two short stories after this book on Tal Bauer’s website focusing on two of Morgan and Shea’s teammates, and I highly recommend reading them after this. They went a long way to mend my heart after this book destroyed it.

Content Warnings

mrsherrera's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

acetheticallyy's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny 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

slee907's review

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challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This has become one of my all time comfort reads. Morgan is a pro-hockey player facing a trade to the cellar dwelling team the Outlaws. He moves to Boulder with the plan to play out his year contract then retire to Key West. But when he gets there he finds a team of broken men barely surviving their abusive captain and blind management. He sweeps in to clean house and happens to fall immediately for Shea. Their relationship builds with the team despite trying to keep it from happening. The emotions are deep and the revelations are painful. But I loved every part of it.

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renrose03's review

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3.5

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mynameisprerna's review

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5.0

10/30/23 Second review:
I did this re-read in the midst of global turmoil when I needed something I knew I would love that I could turn to. And it did not disappoint… although I am very much looking forward to my re-read of the short stories following Lawson & Brody!
I remembered from my first read that

Shea’s rules around virginity seemed bizarre and clunky. I still think the rules themselves, like where the line is and how immovable it is, are clunky. But this time around I was less bothered by his quest to find his one true love. I think I came around to the fact that it *is* outlandish, and there’s no use pretending that it’s not. But that’s who Shea is - he’s idealistic and he’s a rule follower, even if he made the rule himself We also need it because Morgan needs a brass ring that’s he’s reaching for, something he can use as a metric to prove himself.

With this reading

I found myself reading about the car crash pretty unemotionally, and I wondered if it simply hadn’t shocked me because I remembered it. But in rereading my review, I see that it was Brody’s story that really made me cry, and that still rang true for me this time.</>spoiler
I don’t remember

how much it did or did not bother me that the team seemed to have an impossibly small staff with the first read. This time, it did get to me. I understand why it’s needed to keep Morgan as the central figure for everyone and for him to have the most opportunity for growth, so I forgive it. But it just does not make any sense that a barely graduated physical therapist would suddenly be named the coach of an NHL team and no one would question it.

5/15/23 First Review:
I loved this book! I connected deeply with the characters and I found the plot compelling and emotional. Depictions of abuse and survivorship are never going to work for everyone, but I thought they were beautifully done in this book.
Before I read these two books (Gravity and TROTS) I saw a write up about the author that said usually the MCs have their “I love you”s by about 40% of the book, and the third act conflict is something external to them, and boy were they right!
I was a little surprised by this book

also having a horrific injury as that conflict, but it was different enough and worked. I also thought it was funny that the author repeated the theme of a couple thinking they’re being all smooth and hiding their relationship, and when they come out everyone already knows and has just been waiting for them to say it.

The things about Shea

waiting for something serious made sense, but when that solidified into waiting for marriage it felt very clunky. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it, but it felt like an odd choice and I’m not sure it had to be that way. But anyway…
I cried when they were in Dallas and Shea left the bar, and when he came back to Morgan’s bed and begged him to try, relenting to a casual relationship, and again when Morgan got his shit together and finally told Shea they could date.

But most of all, I cried

for Brody as his story became clearer and clearer at the end, and Lawson’s love for him was breathtaking.

If you haven’t read the two follow up short stories on the author’s website, you MUST! All Your Tomorrows is from Lawson’s perspective and covers the summer, Boise Boy is from Brody’s perspective and takes us from the end of summer into the beginning of the next season. Both are terrific, but All Your Tomorrows had me sobbing.
I read a few reviews from folks who thought that the book was pointless after

Coates was gone, but…

it’s right there in the title. This was about the rest of the story! It was about what happens when you think the story is over. It was about the coming back from something so awful in several different permutations. I don’t think this author’s style is for everyone, and I guess that’s okay!
The author’s website says there will be more in this hockey universe, and I can’t wait!

Content Warnings

downtown_kb's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense 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? No

5.0

Morgan “Moogs” Elsher has been playing in the NHL since he was 18. He’s not bad but he’s not great and he might just be facing some of his final years. He gets traded to the worst team in the league and when he shows up to practice, planning on just retiring, he discovers there might be a very dark and sinister reason this team is so bad. And maybe he can turn the whole thing around.

I might have liked this one more than Gravity? I love an underdog story (not just the team but also Moogs) but mostly, damn if I didn’t fall in love with daddy Moogs! I loved being in his head. He was a chill fun loving guy, a bit of a himbo, but he had a giant heart of gold he had buried away and you got to find it with him. And he loved so, so, big.

This was over the top sweet, a whole lot of heart, and capital PINING. Not much of an actual age gap here but it felt like one because Shea just seemed young, sweet and innocent, and Moogs seemed older with how he was the team dad. The external 3rd act conflict here was a lot to take in. It was heavy and it really caused a sharp pivot in the story and changed the tone a lot. I think Brody's story needed more room but also, Moogs and Shea would have been front and center for him so it couldn't have been ignored either. It was interesting to see that T.B. didn’t do a lot of hurt/comfort like he did with Gravity, instead there was a bigger scope of caretaking with the whole team and Moogs. After I thought about it for a while, I don’t think I would have liked it if everything had just coasted to an easy finish either. So yeah, I still give this 5 stars. I savored this book, the pining was so good, and Moogs is going to be one of my all time favorite characters.

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theunrealerin's review

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Another solid Tal Bauer where the drama is not the couple once they get together, it's all external. The drama was a but melodramatic, bur the characters were great.

Content Warnings

kearstenkeepsreading's review

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? No

5.0

Please check TW before reading.

“You showed up, Morgan, when you didn’t have to. That’s the finest thing a man can do in this life: be there for someone.”

The way this book ripped me to shreds and put me back together again. This is a book about surviving trauma and fighting and scratching for tomorrow. I seriously could not put this book down and simultaneously wanted to know how it ended but also never wanted it to end! Morgan and Shea have my heart and soul!!!

Not only because of their love for each other but for their team and how they brought this group of broken men together and built a family. I cried happy, sad, angry and broken tears while reading this book. The writing is so heartbreakingly beautiful and you feel the MC’s love for each other and their team so viscerally. Truly a beautiful book and now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go read the entirety of Tal Bauer’s backlog!

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astornant's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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