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jules172's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.5
Guys this book was actually really cute. Like the book obviously has its red flags but it had really good disability and mental health representation. Like Zahra is so real for some of the things she does and she's one of those like takes no bs from anyone main characters like Jules Ambrose. Minus all the darker stuff the premise for everything is really cute plus it had amazing characters like Ani she's such a sweetheart and Cal too, I can't wait for his book. Brady is fr giving Mastermind by Taylor Swift and lowkey feels like Tobias Hawthorne the first from Inheritance Games. But guys, in all seriousness, it's a solid book 4.5/5 go read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment
yannalovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
5.0
Umm okay so this book definitely changed my life and I’m SICK! I dont even know where to start with this review so let's just start with talking about the plot.
Essentially, Brady Kane (the owner and creator of a theme park similar to Disneyland called Dreamland) passes away. In his will, he leaves his three grandsons letters detailing the task they must complete to secure their part of the company (three grandsons, three different books). So this book focuses on the youngest grandson, Rowan Kane, who needs to fix whats wrong with the park/bring back the spark in order to become the CFO. Rowan Kane is a lot of things, grumpy, calculated, closed off, and not easily trusting. However, throughout the book, these choice of words are put into question when he meets ray of sunshine and super trusting, disorganized Zahra Gulian. He wants nothing more than to focus on the task at hand and together they have the potential to change the course of Dreamland forever...but can they keep their relationship strictly professional despite their frustration for each other?
Okay so now that you know the plot, I just want to say that for me this book was spectacular. It was perfect for getting me out of my reading slump and I couldn't help but find myself rooting for Zahra and Rowan. The characters were so emotional and vulnerable and flawed and so to watch them work through their insecurities and their past was beautiful. I loved that Lauren Asher didn't just brush away their past but instead showed us characters who behaved the way they did as a result of it. And with this, I loved that it wasn't just linear. In real life (as we all know) it takes time to change from old ways. It takes time to trust when you've been proven otherwise. Everything just takes patience and time and whoever is there for you, fighting for you, and prove time and time again they are there for you- they are the real people worthy of knowing the real you.
Throughout the book I was stressing for some of it and for other moments I couldn’t stop laughing. This book is one of a kind and it is not one I wont be forgetting any time soon.
Essentially, Brady Kane (the owner and creator of a theme park similar to Disneyland called Dreamland) passes away. In his will, he leaves his three grandsons letters detailing the task they must complete to secure their part of the company (three grandsons, three different books). So this book focuses on the youngest grandson, Rowan Kane, who needs to fix whats wrong with the park/bring back the spark in order to become the CFO. Rowan Kane is a lot of things, grumpy, calculated, closed off, and not easily trusting. However, throughout the book, these choice of words are put into question when he meets ray of sunshine and super trusting, disorganized Zahra Gulian. He wants nothing more than to focus on the task at hand and together they have the potential to change the course of Dreamland forever...but can they keep their relationship strictly professional despite their frustration for each other?
Okay so now that you know the plot, I just want to say that for me this book was spectacular. It was perfect for getting me out of my reading slump and I couldn't help but find myself rooting for Zahra and Rowan. The characters were so emotional and vulnerable and flawed and so to watch them work through their insecurities and their past was beautiful. I loved that Lauren Asher didn't just brush away their past but instead showed us characters who behaved the way they did as a result of it. And with this, I loved that it wasn't just linear. In real life (as we all know) it takes time to change from old ways. It takes time to trust when you've been proven otherwise. Everything just takes patience and time and whoever is there for you, fighting for you, and prove time and time again they are there for you- they are the real people worthy of knowing the real you.
Throughout the book I was stressing for some of it and for other moments I couldn’t stop laughing. This book is one of a kind and it is not one I wont be forgetting any time soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
michaelahoyman's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I honestly didn’t expect to like this book, but I absolutely LOVE it. Lauren Asher is an amazing offer. I’m usually extremely picky and won’t read a book if they’re not kissing by page 10, but I actually still loved this book. Rowan is such a sweetie, and so just ugh in a beautiful way, you know? The ending is super sweet and happy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
albasapri's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
It's definitely an easy read but I'm personally left indifferent after finishing it. Smut warning! Explicit scenes are exactly that.
Firstly I must say I picked this book up without knowing much about it other than it concerning an inheritance and what these millionaires must do to secure it. Mistake, it's a romance.
(Now that I think about it there's another popular millionaire inheritance book thar is a thriller. So I might have mixed them up.)
I quickly readjusted my expectations and had several things I didn't personally enjoy but can understand are part of the genre. These features I know are loved by others, think "possessive language", grumpy/sunshine or off balance power dynamics that aren't clearly stated as such, especially when they're obviously taken advantage of. This is a "millionaire romance" after all.
Having said that, I struggled with some of the choices made.
The character archs didn't hit as hard as I would've liked them to.
Yes there was a clear arch for one of our main protagonists, but some of the growth didn't come from their own journey. Realising the flaws in their logic came only because it was what was necessary to achieve something character A wanted in the first place. It was necessary for them to fit in with what other characters wanted from them to achieve something they wanted in the first place. Very much like "oh I like that thing, I need to change my ways to get it? Okay then!"
When there's such a clear advantages to changing your ways, when there's a clear gain to it, in cheapens the characters journey.
It also felt like some of the characters wrong doings were swept under the rug for the sake of moving on with the plot without actually having them be as serious an issue as the characters were pointing out. I'll give a silly expample: "hey you ate the cake I spent 2 months preparing. Oh you're sorry? And you mean it?you'll fuck me into oblivion? oh that's okay then!"
All is forgiven and the character moves on forgetting that this has happened only for it to be brought up when convenient for the eventual misunderstanding before the end of the book. Why hasn't there been a struggle with the situation beforehand? Especially when the characters have stated how troubled they've been by it.
The most succinct way I can put it is I would've liked a bit more "show, don't tell".
Kind of ironic given some statements in the book, I know xd
All in all it was an entertaining read. Just didn't satisfy me as much as I would've liked. Plus I like books where smut feels more incorporated into the story and evenly distributed. Less of a "and now... they fuck" and more of "a and how couldn't they fuck? But wait! This happens... and then we're in bed again and what else has happened? How does that affect our characters and the bond they're creating?"
Firstly I must say I picked this book up without knowing much about it other than it concerning an inheritance and what these millionaires must do to secure it. Mistake, it's a romance.
(Now that I think about it there's another popular millionaire inheritance book thar is a thriller. So I might have mixed them up.)
I quickly readjusted my expectations and had several things I didn't personally enjoy but can understand are part of the genre. These features I know are loved by others, think "
Having said that, I struggled with some of the choices made.
The character archs didn't hit as hard as I would've liked them to.
Yes there was a clear arch for one of our main protagonists, but some of the growth didn't come from their own journey. Realising the flaws in their logic came only because it was what was necessary to achieve something character A wanted in the first place. It was necessary for them to fit in with what other characters wanted from them to achieve something they wanted in the first place. Very much like "oh I like that thing, I need to change my ways to get it? Okay then!"
When there's such a clear advantages to changing your ways, when there's a clear gain to it, in cheapens the characters journey.
It also felt like some of the characters wrong doings were swept under the rug for the sake of moving on with the plot without actually having them be as serious an issue as the characters were pointing out. I'll give a silly expample: "hey you ate the cake I spent 2 months preparing. Oh you're sorry? And you mean it?
All is forgiven and the character moves on forgetting that this has happened only for it to be brought up when convenient for the eventual misunderstanding before the end of the book. Why hasn't there been a struggle with the situation beforehand? Especially when the characters have stated how troubled they've been by it.
The most succinct way I can put it is I would've liked a bit more "show, don't tell".
Kind of ironic given some statements in the book, I know xd
All in all it was an entertaining read. Just didn't satisfy me as much as I would've liked. Plus I like books where smut feels more incorporated into the story and evenly distributed. Less of a "and now... they fuck" and more of "a and how couldn't they fuck? But wait! This happens... and then we're in bed again and what else has happened? How does that affect our characters and the bond they're creating?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia, Medical content, and Pregnancy
edietz22's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Classism
sierrabowers's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really liked this book! It is about two people who work at Dreamland aka a knock off of Disney. There is a family secret involving billions of dollars at stake. I really enjoyed the fact that her sister had a disability. I think that people with disabilities aren’t mentioned enough in popular books so it came as a nice surprise, especially at the end when he proposed that Dreamlands character costumes include prosthetics, wheelchairs, and other types of disabilities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ellawatwat's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
vreyna20_2004's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
4.0
The sex scenes made me blush and crack a smile almost caused me to jump and run around my room when he told Zahra to say that she was his. But this book has A LOT of dick jokes or mentions of dicks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
everything_evening's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
This filled the succession void in my life
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
natybookss's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Abandonment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts