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relin's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
It was a fun premise and turned out sweet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Vomit, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexism, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Interviews with family of a death cultnoellegrace8's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Henry has this way of writing romances but not in the traditional way - instead, hers are always about a lot more than that. Mostly, they focus on self-improvement and realizations, and working through one's past. This one delved into the complicated nature of the human being/ the human condition.
The plot was clever and cute - the whole bet scenario. And I liked that the rivals-to-lovers wasn't simply a misunderstanding, it was genuinely murky circumstances and their relationship required some actual character development/learning.
I will say, tbh, screw January's dad, and kind of screw Sonya as well. While some background on them did make me understand what happened with them better, it didn't make it any more okay. They were crappy. Him in particular.
I will also say that there were some moments January got on my nerves. She had this audacity where she felt entitled to Gus's feelings or thoughts, completely blind to his pain. I also felt that Henry tried to write January as a very extraverted-hopeful-person-in-a-rare-rut type of gal, but after the initial description, she didn't really live up to that. She was a lot more mellow, jaded, etc. than we were at first led to believe, and it's not like she ever made it back around to being that person. Regardless, she was interesting and intrigued me.
An absolutely worthwhile read.
I give Julia Whelan 4.5/5⭐️. Normally she's easily a 5⭐️-er, but there were a few moments this time that I didn't prefer, such as January's dad having a kind of southern accent even though he's from Michigan/Ohio area.
The plot was clever and cute - the whole bet scenario. And I liked that the rivals-to-lovers wasn't simply a misunderstanding, it was genuinely murky circumstances and their relationship required some actual character development/learning.
I will say, tbh, screw January's dad, and kind of screw Sonya as well. While some background on them did make me understand what happened with them better, it didn't make it any more okay. They were crappy. Him in particular.
I will also say that there were some moments January got on my nerves. She had this audacity where she felt entitled to Gus's feelings or thoughts, completely blind to his pain. I also felt that Henry tried to write January as a very extraverted-hopeful-person-in-a-rare-rut type of gal, but after the initial description, she didn't really live up to that. She was a lot more mellow, jaded, etc. than we were at first led to believe, and it's not like she ever made it back around to being that person. Regardless, she was interesting and intrigued me.
An absolutely worthwhile read.
I give Julia Whelan 4.5/5⭐️. Normally she's easily a 5⭐️-er, but there were a few moments this time that I didn't prefer, such as January's dad having a kind of southern accent even though he's from Michigan/Ohio area.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
amyisonline's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
cristalsbookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and Alcohol
mention of cultsemilyandthewhippet's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
- 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 mean, it's a rom-com set in a lakeside town about an author with written block, getting it on with another author/guy she fancied in college. It has it's flaws but ultimately it's a great, feel good rom-com.
Some things of note:
-Bless her fornot reading the letter from her Dad immediately. I'm glad she found she had so many more of them to hold onto.
-The sarcastic banter. Top notch.
-You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
-The part whereher father's affair partner forces her to listen to what she has to say when she's clearly already crying and not ready to/interested in listening was brutal. Just because you feel like you need to say something doesn't mean she has to listen!
-The cult stuff felt a bit odd to include in a rom-com of this vibe. I'm assuming that this is the cater to the true crime obsessed?
-Them finallybreaking the sexual tension with sex... In the tent by the burnt out graveyard of the cult? After they'd both been so affected by seeing it? But somehow immediately forgot about that? Like what?
-The 'this can't get any worse, then the Labrador farted' bit 😂
- Further to this,if they had just set the tent up for keeping their laptops dry if it rained, surely they wouldn't have brought sleeping mats and sleeping bags? So how did they spend the night? Surely it was the most uncomfortable place to have sex then sleep?
- Is it just me that found the ending reallystupid? How is 'oh yeah, I ignored you after my wife turned up because I wanted to go back with her when she asked but actually after 24 hours I guess I like you a lot more' good? That's so hurtful!
- Mix that withthe 'marriage is the worst and if I think about it, you're the only person where the idea of it doesn't fill me with utter dread' and it's comes off even stranger. Flash to the epilogue where they're getting engaged a year after the start of the book/meeting (again). I get that he was saying marrying her didn't feel like an awful idea but with it being in what was basically a speech about marriage filling him with dread it felt odd.
When I started the book, I hated it. It was the 'I'm a romance author and just luuuvv talking about my life in third person, oh what am I like!' but at the start that almost did me in but this was thankfully dropped almost immediately.
I almost stopped reading pretty quickly but I'm glad I kept on with it and ultimately, it was a really fun rom-com and exactly what I was in the mood for.
Some things of note:
-Bless her for
-The sarcastic banter. Top notch.
-You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
-The part where
-
-Them finally
-The 'this can't get any worse, then the Labrador farted' bit 😂
- Further to this,
- Is it just me that found the ending really
- Mix that with
When I started the book, I hated it. It was the 'I'm a romance author and just luuuvv talking about my life in third person, oh what am I like!' but at the start that almost did me in but this was thankfully dropped almost immediately.
I almost stopped reading pretty quickly but I'm glad I kept on with it and ultimately, it was a really fun rom-com and exactly what I was in the mood for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use
Cult, Suicide cult, Affairsupermormongirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
3net's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, and Death of parent
infusionofviolets's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
_meganrose's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Dare I say my favorite contemporary romance read of 2024? Bonus points for it taking place in a beach town in West Michigan AND including a scene watching the sunset over Lake Michigan (aka my personal favorite pass-time). This felt like a breath of fresh air. Even with some of the cancer stuff hitting a little too close to home, this truly felt like an escape for me. I laughed. I cried (both happy and sad tears). I absolutely loved this. My personal perfect summer read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
one_more_chapter96's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Just like every other EH book, this story left me utterly heartbroken at so many points whilst also being so full of light and sweet and happy moments. January was very relatable and I adored Gus and the mystery and complexity of him and her trying to figure him out. The twists and turns and the complexities of all the relationships in the book were so bittersweet but this story was beautiful. Made me laugh and cry and swoon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Alcohol