The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
ktdakotareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death, Car accident, Medical content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cancer
christygsp's review against another edition
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
plueschi77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
okiecozyreader's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I also finished Things You Save in a Fire, and I felt like I could see similarities. To me, both heroines are strong women in careers people don’t assume women would be powerful in (a firefighter and a bodyguard). She gives them strength and courage (and both don’t like slinky clothes and prefer pants). It’s interesting how neither of the women grew up with great families (and I think both have parents who left). Both stories involve a parent with cancer also.
This one, involves fake dating. Hannah loves going oversees and especially wants a job - but her boss decides that it is between her and a guy (she was in a relationship with) - and she has to prove herself in a high profile job with a movie star. His mother has been sick and wants them to come to their ranch, and the fake dating heats up. (Although I do love that her books are never uncomfortably spicy).
I love Katherine Center’s humor at often just the right time.
“Because it’s so much harder to love someone who’s difficult than to love someone who’s easy.” P17
“Cool pin necklace…”
Like a reflex I touched my beaded safety pin…
And the pin must have been more of a talisman than I’d realized, because only then did I magically remember how to talk.” P46
“I’d just have to wear girlfriend clothes and do girlfriend things and be … trapped behind that facade.” P103
Brazos River is named from “los brazos de Dios, which means ‘the arms of God” … because it drowned so many people that it’s where God collects their souls.” P124
“Every chance you take is a choice. A choice to decide who you are.” P259
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, and Blood
Minor: Suicide attempt
hazelgirl21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death and Car accident
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism
eaeaster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Stalking, Car accident, and Blood
Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, and Suicide attempt
amandamarieger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Car accident and Stalking
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Medical content, Gaslighting, Death, Grief, and Bullying
Minor: Blood, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Child death
emireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Gun violence
camillarossi's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Physical abuse, and Stalking
Moderate: Kidnapping, Medical content, Cancer, Toxic relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Gun violence
cheye13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
What I mainly felt was missing was more of a deep-dive into the leads' careers. I'm not one to say one's career fully defines one's personality, but both of these characters seemed so defined by their unique careers that it would've been fun to push a little further into that. Particularly Hannah – we never leave her POV, she has such a unique career, and she definitively, on-page, defines herself by her excellence in that career. Instead we get a lot of moping about her ex and best friend. And while that's completely warranted and doesn't detract from her as a character, it would be nice if she'd been a little more fleshed out, especially as our first-person narrator.
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, and Alcoholism
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
also note: detailed descriptions and phobia of drowning