wlbolm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
barmatron's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
These books are set in fortress of white privilege. Sure a Latina character gets added in book 2 (but she is very rich and talented and beautiful) and the third book suddenly explodes with neurodiverse people, but boy howdy, so many white people.
I hope this book is accessible to people in communities that have a high percentage of home schooled residents.
I hope this book is accessible to people in communities that have a high percentage of home schooled residents.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
Beard Science just solidified my opinion about Penny Reid's writing! Cletus might not be my favorite brother... but he was awesome. I loved getting to know him better. And Jenn totally blew my mind!
There is so much truth in this story. And the romance is very slow burning. Plus, Jenn has always followed the rules someone else made for her - until she decides that doesn't work for her anymore.
Seing another side of Cletus definitely made him more approachable. And I have a lot of affection for him.
However, I'm still kind of holding off for one of the other brother's story...
There is so much truth in this story. And the romance is very slow burning. Plus, Jenn has always followed the rules someone else made for her - until she decides that doesn't work for her anymore.
Seing another side of Cletus definitely made him more approachable. And I have a lot of affection for him.
However, I'm still kind of holding off for one of the other brother's story...
magnoliapigeonbookblurbs's review against another edition
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!
I already love the Winston Brother’s series but this book is by far the best one yet!! Cletus’s story is so quirky, unique and fun! The character and relationship development was amazing and I’m so excited for the rest of the series (and series offshoots!)
I already love the Winston Brother’s series but this book is by far the best one yet!! Cletus’s story is so quirky, unique and fun! The character and relationship development was amazing and I’m so excited for the rest of the series (and series offshoots!)
st3fwithanf's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this story. I really connected with Jen and well I love Cletus so much.
My only tiff is and this is because I’m from Philadelphia. The cheese steak thing. I’m sorry but if a setting isn’t in Philadelphia or the surrounding area use a different sandwich. That’s like saying she went to the Piggly Wiggly and picked up a Tastykake or instead of the Piggly Wiggly she went to Wawa. Still 5 stars cause we’ll I think it’s cute when other states think they can make a cheese steak properly.
My only tiff is and this is because I’m from Philadelphia. The cheese steak thing. I’m sorry but if a setting isn’t in Philadelphia or the surrounding area use a different sandwich. That’s like saying she went to the Piggly Wiggly and picked up a Tastykake or instead of the Piggly Wiggly she went to Wawa. Still 5 stars cause we’ll I think it’s cute when other states think they can make a cheese steak properly.
kaeliesreads's review against another edition
5.0
This book was really good
This book was really good and I cannot wait to continue in this series and I hope that previous characters are in the next book's along with the main couple
This book was really good and I cannot wait to continue in this series and I hope that previous characters are in the next book's along with the main couple
geo_ix's review against another edition
5.0
When I read the first book, I didn't expect Cletus to be quite the way he was, but by book two I realised he was a sneaky little shit and I still wanted to know more about him. And I actually enjoyed this book. I really loved it. I loved Jenn and I loved seeing her grow, not only with Cletus's help, but on her own. It just ended up being really beautiful and I loved how he grew from not even wanting to know her (because she wasn't portraying her real self) to feeling so devoted to her that he could change his ways in 'revenge'.
I'm quite eager to read the next book, not because of Beau, but because of Shelly. Any time a character isn't what most would consider 'perfect', it calls to me. Anyway, I'm off to read it now.
I'm quite eager to read the next book, not because of Beau, but because of Shelly. Any time a character isn't what most would consider 'perfect', it calls to me. Anyway, I'm off to read it now.
booknookie's review against another edition
5.0
You can read more of my reviews at my blog The Book Chick.
I'm quite peculiar when it comes to stories/plots and how they are build. I can still like and even love a book, even though I hate some part of the story. And often it can be a pretty big and important part too. But I do have a few type of stories I prefer not to read at all. I call it my triggers. It is mostly about bad things happening to children, rape (child and adult), pedophilia, missing children, animal cruelty and that type of thing. But then there is some, not as serious triggers that just destroys it for me. Like for an example, I do not like the whole, "older female virgin, has sex for the first time and are now an erotic expert". I'm being ironic here of course. But I do have big problems with the unrealistic way it is (often) displayed in books. And the reason I talk about this before I start the review, is because it is important that you know, how I work and why I reacted as I did to this book. My preconceptions almost stop me from reading it and put it in my DNF shelf. And what a book I would have missed. I'm not a "judge the book by it's cover" kind of person so I shouldn't be a "judge the book by its plot" either! Well that is something I can work on.
So this book is about the "Banana Cake Queen" who are a character we met in passing in the first or second (or both, can't remember) books before this one. This is the third one in the series about the Winston Brothers and I do recommend that you read it in order. Anyway, Banana Cake Queen is a pretty quirky character in many ways. Not only is she a meek and scared 20+ virgin with the love for baking and does not have a backbone, she is also so suppressed by her environment that she interpreters insults as compliments. I feel in love with her from the start. I was afraid that the whole virgin thing would evolve to be one of those books (I HATE) where she has sex for the first time, all is perfect and awesome and now she is a sexual queen with all the experience of a corner hooker and a dominatrix working 40 hours a week. Exaggerating of course. If I hadn't fallen in love with the Queen as fast as I did, my preconceptions would probably have won. And if I knew then, what I know now, I would have been really, really sad. This is such a great book that no one should miss.
The funny thing is that Jennifer is not really a meek and scared character without a backbone. You get to follow here in her everyday life, trying to reach her dreams. She defies and blackmail to get what she want. And that is how we meet Cletus. He is one of the brothers from the first two books. Quite weird character really. Has some serious compulsion disorder (that no one sees as OCD) and great humor. I love him! I love to follow Jennifer throughout the following months and through all that is happening. I love to read about smart, wonderful but completely dense Cletus and his ways of helping family and friends. I love to meet all those other characters again that I meet and fell in love with in the first two books. This is a series where when you read, you feel like you have come home. You are meeting your friends again and you aren't even envious on the Heroin because it all is just so damn perfect. In a non-Cinderella perfect way.
Gosh I don't make any since right? I do not know how I should explain this without risk spoilers or more rambling. That is just how good this book is.
I'm quite peculiar when it comes to stories/plots and how they are build. I can still like and even love a book, even though I hate some part of the story. And often it can be a pretty big and important part too. But I do have a few type of stories I prefer not to read at all. I call it my triggers. It is mostly about bad things happening to children, rape (child and adult), pedophilia, missing children, animal cruelty and that type of thing. But then there is some, not as serious triggers that just destroys it for me. Like for an example, I do not like the whole, "older female virgin, has sex for the first time and are now an erotic expert". I'm being ironic here of course. But I do have big problems with the unrealistic way it is (often) displayed in books. And the reason I talk about this before I start the review, is because it is important that you know, how I work and why I reacted as I did to this book. My preconceptions almost stop me from reading it and put it in my DNF shelf. And what a book I would have missed. I'm not a "judge the book by it's cover" kind of person so I shouldn't be a "judge the book by its plot" either! Well that is something I can work on.
So this book is about the "Banana Cake Queen" who are a character we met in passing in the first or second (or both, can't remember) books before this one. This is the third one in the series about the Winston Brothers and I do recommend that you read it in order. Anyway, Banana Cake Queen is a pretty quirky character in many ways. Not only is she a meek and scared 20+ virgin with the love for baking and does not have a backbone, she is also so suppressed by her environment that she interpreters insults as compliments. I feel in love with her from the start. I was afraid that the whole virgin thing would evolve to be one of those books (I HATE) where she has sex for the first time, all is perfect and awesome and now she is a sexual queen with all the experience of a corner hooker and a dominatrix working 40 hours a week. Exaggerating of course. If I hadn't fallen in love with the Queen as fast as I did, my preconceptions would probably have won. And if I knew then, what I know now, I would have been really, really sad. This is such a great book that no one should miss.
The funny thing is that Jennifer is not really a meek and scared character without a backbone. You get to follow here in her everyday life, trying to reach her dreams. She defies and blackmail to get what she want. And that is how we meet Cletus. He is one of the brothers from the first two books. Quite weird character really. Has some serious compulsion disorder (that no one sees as OCD) and great humor. I love him! I love to follow Jennifer throughout the following months and through all that is happening. I love to read about smart, wonderful but completely dense Cletus and his ways of helping family and friends. I love to meet all those other characters again that I meet and fell in love with in the first two books. This is a series where when you read, you feel like you have come home. You are meeting your friends again and you aren't even envious on the Heroin because it all is just so damn perfect. In a non-Cinderella perfect way.
Gosh I don't make any since right? I do not know how I should explain this without risk spoilers or more rambling. That is just how good this book is.