Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Good Part by Sophie Cousens

5 reviews

schweibertsm's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I wasn't sure if I'd like this book. Early on there were parts that absolutely made me cringe, but Sophie Cousens nails what it's like to be a working mom. I've never felt more seen then the scene with Baby Amy being sick. By the end of this story you are rooting for Lucy and her family and the life she wants. How many times have we all wished our lives away? But life is found in the small moments and the mundane.

Content Warnings

bookish_leslie's review against another edition

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

4.5

Spice: 2🌶️
Romantic tension, under clothes groping, sex scenes that fade to black before anything explicit happens

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My Thoughts

This book wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but I liked it. The cover design had me expecting a typical romcom, and while there was a romance subplot, this book was no romcom. It was a character-driven story about choices, family, identity, grief, and self discovery; a story about regrets, acceptance, love in all its myriad forms, second chances, and the both/and of life.

I think what I loved most about this book was how thought-provoking it was. What makes us who we are? What truly matters in life? If I could forget the experiences that have led to my grief - would I? Or in doing so would I lose parts of myself I’d want to keep? What matters more - remembering or living? What are my current choices saying about what my future will be like? What bright spots in my life might I be overlooking amongst the grievances? What role does the philosophy of “fake it until you make it” play in personal and professional growth? These are just some of the many things this book prompted me to think about.

But the relationships between the characters really shone for me in this book, too. Sure, the main character, Lucy, acted questionably and immaturely at times, but I think her reactions to what happened to her were very real too. I especially loved her interactions with 7-year-old Felix, but it was heartwarming to see her grow into her relationships with Sam and Amy, as well.

Of course, these growing connections made the ending feel more bittersweet. On the one hand, I was happy that Lucy got the opportunity to go back and live everything over again first hand, but I also felt so invested in her future timeline family and in her feelings of belonging and capability. I was sad to say goodbye to them, especially with no guarantee that she’d ever even meet Sam or have Felix, Amy, and even Chloe. And while the epilogue hinted that she did indeed meet Sam, I do wish we’d seen her actually meet him, so their happily ever after together was more assured.

This probably isn’t the book for you if you’re a plot-based reader, as it was largely character driven, but I do think it would be a good fit for people who like a bit of depth to their stories, philosophizing about life, or who are feeling nostalgic for old 90s movies like 13 Going on 30 (although in this case it was 26 going on 42).

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mgbrownley's review against another edition

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challenging funny 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? No

4.0

Content Warnings

meredith_williams_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

4.5

Once again, Sophie Cousens takes a plot you think you know and manages to turn it into the most heartfelt and endearing story you’ve ever read! 26 year-old Lucy is tired of being broke and single. After a disappointing night out, she wishes to skip to “the good part” of her life and wakes up 16 years in the future. She must fill in the gaps of her future life or find her way back to the past. This story is magical and cozy and warm. The characters are well written (especially Sam 😭) and the overall themes of love and friendship are well developed. If you’re a fan of the book The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, the movie 13 Going on 30, or the song Invisible String by Taylor Swift, pick up this book!

Content Warnings

readingwithmeredith's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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