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bookkatbaddie's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I made it through a very good amount of this book without getting too emotional. The end ruined me. I do feel like in the end it was a bit forced but it was also devastating and beautifully horrible. I don’t think I can even talk about this book out loud yet without crying. This book makes me furious for Ella and felt so real to me that I mourned her heartbreak like my own.
My issues lie mainly in the dialogue of this book and is the main reason I couldn’t give 5 stars. The twins especially -though I understand they are meant to be wise beyond their years- are seemingly just there to give these deep, teaching moment dialogues even though they’re 6. They don’t lash out or argue with the mom or behave in anyway normal to 6 year olds to the point of diminishing their character realism. The second main reason is the lack of focus on Beckett’s grief and trauma from his unit and his life. He’s not given any focus really on how he actually copes and pulls himself from grief. Especially with the ending, I feel he was robbed of being allowed to fall into the grief that any person in his position would have fallen to.
My issues lie mainly in the dialogue of this book and is the main reason I couldn’t give 5 stars. The twins especially -though I understand they are meant to be wise beyond their years- are seemingly just there to give these deep, teaching moment dialogues even though they’re 6. They don’t lash out or argue with the mom or behave in anyway normal to 6 year olds to the point of diminishing their character realism. The second main reason is the lack of focus on Beckett’s grief and trauma from his unit and his life. He’s not given any focus really on how he actually copes and pulls himself from grief. Especially with the ending, I feel he was robbed of being allowed to fall into the grief that any person in his position would have fallen to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, and War
Moderate: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
zanazy's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was not prepared for all the tears. Going into this, I knew it would be emotional, but wow… the story between Beckett and Ella is beautiful. Ella is a single, young mother of twins, and she has lost nearly everyone in her immediate family. Beckett grew up never really having a family outside of his Army brothers and never feeling worthy of love. Through letters, they find love and companionship and a deeper relationship than either one of them thought possible.
What Ella goes through as a single mom is heartbreaking and emotionally gut wrenching. Her daughter is diagnosed with cancer, she loses her brother, finds herself in financial distress and completely guilt ridden from not being there for her son. Beckett comes to her to honor his best friend’s last wish, and to meet the woman who he has fallen in love with via letters.
Beckett is hot, both in the outside and inside. He gives 1000% and he gives his whole heart and everything he has. The way he showed up for Ella and still respected her boundaries was beautiful. His connection with Ella’s children and the way he fell in love with them was magical. As a mom, knowing he was willing to be a father without forcing marriage on Ella yet being her “husband” in every way that matters was incredibly beautiful to read. The ending of the book and Colt’s unexpected and heartbreaking death was beautiful, and I shed many tears, but knowing Colt got to spend his last minutes with his dad… ugh it was just as it should be.
The story has both predictable and surprising twists and it was a beautiful story of love, family, forgiveness, and friendship. Definitely a quick read which you will not want to put down.
What Ella goes through as a single mom is heartbreaking and emotionally gut wrenching. Her daughter is diagnosed with
Beckett is hot, both in the outside and inside. He gives 1000% and he gives his whole heart and everything he has. The way he showed up for Ella and still respected her boundaries was beautiful. His connection with Ella’s children and the way he fell in love with them was magical. As a mom, knowing he was willing to be a father without forcing marriage on Ella yet being her “husband” in every way that matters was incredibly beautiful to read. The ending of the book and Colt’s unexpected and heartbreaking death was beautiful, and I shed many tears, but knowing Colt got to spend his last minutes with his dad… ugh it was just as it should be.
The story has both predictable and surprising twists and it was a beautiful story of love, family, forgiveness, and friendship. Definitely a quick read which you will not want to put down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Blood, Medical content, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
feed_them_books's review
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Grief, and War
Minor: Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment