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onthesamepage's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Tropes: second chance romance, misunderstandings
Steam level: 🌶
I didn't have very high expectations when I started this book—I don't tend to enjoy road trip stories, or have much affinity with cowboys, so at best I figured this would be a good enough palate cleanser. A nice book to take with me on vacation—easy to drop if I'm not enjoying it, easy to unhaul when I'm done.
I was so, so wrong. This book turned all my expectations upside down, and I was so here for it.
With second chance romances you already know there's going to be a moment of confrontation, where they deal with what went wrong the first time. I thought that would happen towards the end of the story, and that most of the time would be spent on Leo and Lily simmering in their "I still love them but they also hurt me and I don't know what to do about it" feelings. Instead, they talk about it frankly before we hit the 30% mark, which was a pleasant surprise. And then the book took a turn I wasn't expecting, and I was immediately hooked and invested. I don't want to say more than this, because I think that's part of the magic of this story. All I can say is that it took me on a fun adventure, while avoiding the pitfalls that can ruin a romance for me (like unnecessary third act conflicts). I had no idea I would have such a fantastic time with it when I started, and I want to apologize to the book for judging it by its synopsis and cover.
What I can talk a little bit more about is the romance, and how Leo and Lily had me grinning from ear to ear. They had a lot of cute and sweet moments, and it was easy to root for them as a couple (also hard to achieve in a second chance romance).
Steam level: 🌶
I didn't have very high expectations when I started this book—I don't tend to enjoy road trip stories, or have much affinity with cowboys, so at best I figured this would be a good enough palate cleanser. A nice book to take with me on vacation—easy to drop if I'm not enjoying it, easy to unhaul when I'm done.
I was so, so wrong. This book turned all my expectations upside down, and I was so here for it.
With second chance romances you already know there's going to be a moment of confrontation, where they deal with what went wrong the first time. I thought that would happen towards the end of the story, and that most of the time would be spent on Leo and Lily simmering in their "I still love them but they also hurt me and I don't know what to do about it" feelings. Instead, they talk about it frankly before we hit the 30% mark, which was a pleasant surprise. And then the book took a turn I wasn't expecting, and I was immediately hooked and invested. I don't want to say more than this, because I think that's part of the magic of this story. All I can say is that it took me on a fun adventure, while avoiding the pitfalls that can ruin a romance for me (like unnecessary third act conflicts). I had no idea I would have such a fantastic time with it when I started, and I want to apologize to the book for judging it by its synopsis and cover.
What I can talk a little bit more about is the romance, and how Leo and Lily had me grinning from ear to ear. They had a lot of cute and sweet moments, and it was easy to root for them as a couple (also hard to achieve in a second chance romance).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is 1 part funny, 1 part romance, and 1 part mystery/thriller/adventure, which was a weird mix. It was still mostly enjoyable, but just when you were in a comfortable rom-com part bam you got a mystery/thriller/adventure element, which I didn't care for. I also would have liked more spice in the current times, not just the flashbacks. But the MCs were good people and I loved the ending and her father's redemption.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Death and Terminal illness
purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Car accident