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riahv's review against another edition
3.0
For a short novel this was good. The emotional intelligence in this book was amazing and the characters were loveable which was refreshing. However it just didn’t feel like there was enough conflict I guess or like events that happen. It was just a lot of talking. But I did very much enjoy this book and read it in one sitting even as a slow reader.
agrippinaes's review against another edition
4.0
Livvy has decided she wants to break free from purity culture, and she wants her best friend, Cole, to help her - specifically, to take her virginity. She’s been in love with him for years and there’s no one she would trust more - but what she doesn’t realise is that he’s been pining after her, too, having convinced himself she would never be interested in an atheist like him - or a player like him, for that matter. Now Livvy has thrown all of that into chaos - because she’s starting to make him wonder if a relationship could work between them after all.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I don’t really know much about purity culture, and for full disclosure, I’m not a practicing Christian. But I did enjoy reading this insight into it. It was really interesting, especially with how their relationship played out in light of this. I really appreciated the respect they both showed to each other’s positions and beliefs. They were both likable characters, for the most part; he had a backstory that was more complicated than I expected but explained a lot about his motivations and behaviour, and I liked how it explored his reactions to it. I did find him a little bit too overprotective, at times, in a way that was a bit annoying, but on the whole I quite liked him.
Of the two, though, I much preferred Livvy. I’ve seen a couple of reviews criticising her character - suggesting she was a doormat. I found her the opposite. I thought she was actually very bold and courageous. Learning to set boundaries in the way she did is very difficult - both in terms of her religious beliefs and her family, but also with regards to Cole and their relationship. Like, I can be quite sensitive about other people involved in romance novels, but I found a lot of the criticism of Livvy’s character I’ve seen in other reviews stems more from a frustration about Cole’s behaviour. I find it a really odd thing to judge the heroine by the hero’s choices - because she doesn’t react jealously. Anyway, that’s a bit of an aside - I was just surprised reading other reviews because I found her to be a very different sort of character, and I don’t see why her lack of jealousy and possessiveness should be a bad thing. She was a mature character, and I really liked her.
Their relationship also wasn’t quite what I expected. Part of this is the sex: this was a lot steamier than I expected, and explores a lot of kink and rough sex I didn’t think I would find in a novel partly about purity culture. That says more about my preconceptions than anything else, I know that, but this book had a heavy dose of steam. The content might not be to everyone’s cup of tea, so please check content warnings, but I liked that they talked through everything and that the rough sex they were having was connected to Livvy needing to break away from purity culture. They also had some quite sweet moments, too. Their bond felt very real to me as I read this - I could feel their friendship and the way they relied on each other for support.
There was also a maturity to this book that I appreciated. They were both quite sensible. It was clear why they both had the perspectives they did; why they both reacted to things the way they did. They talked about things and made choices that I think, if it were real, were sensible and healthy, such as taking breaks, setting boundaries, and giving the other chances to explain properly. There was very little miscommunication in this book, and that was quite refreshing. I particularly appreciated the part where
Spoiler
Cole told Livvy he wanted her to go out and continue exploring without him, including seeing other men; this was a sign of growth, I thought, in his personality and character, and it was a nice change to see.I did have some issues; some of the writing was a little bit clunky, there was a lot of characters ‘shouting’ things in a way that got a bit repetitive, and I could have done without so many ‘angel’ references from Cole. Some of the ‘help’ Livvy’s friend Mari gave her was a bit cringey at points - it felt a little bit forced.
But overall, I really enjoyed it It took me by surprise. It was steameier than I expected, the chemistry was good, and I actually found it quite a refreshing read. I don’t think I’ll be seeking more like it - the heavy focus on Christianity ultimately isn’t for me - but I thought it was interesting and I really liked the mature, sensible core to it, especially given these are college-age characters. I found both Livvy and Cole likable, and I really rooted for them as a couple. Their relationship felt realistic and well-drawn. Reading the author’s note put the novel into better context for me, and as an exploration of purity culture, the damage it can cause, and how someone can get away from it, I thought it was very well-done.
Content Notes: Friends-to-lovers, kissing lessons, opposites attract, mutual pining, college.
Warnings:
Spoiler
Purity culture, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, panic attacks.Other:
Spoiler
On-page sex, virgin heroine, rough sex, spanking, overtones of a Dom/sub dynamic, mentions of Daddy kink, consensual non-consentSpoiler
Heroine has fantasies of being chased and pinned down by the hero. They reenact this fantasy on-page.Spoiler
Hero has had many sexual partners since meeting the heroine. During the book he takes a woman, Sophia, home to have sex with her to distract himself from the heroine. They kiss on-page and she touches him, but the hero changes his mind and they don’t sleep together. After this there’s no mention of the hero trying to sleep with OW, but Sophia does come back up in the story. The reason he doesn’t sleep with her is because he learns she had a one night stand with his father; she shows up again later on in the book whilst he’s on a date with the heroine to clear the air about this. It’s made clear in front of the heroine that the hero had planned to sleep with her but the heroine is not jealous and it doesn’t cause any conflict between them as a couple.Spoiler
As part of the heroine’s attempts to be adventurous, her friend asks other men to flirt with her. She flirts with an OM on page and kisses him on-page, dances with him on-page, and considers sleeping with him. She doesn’t really have any feelings for him but the hero is jealous of him and it causes a bit of conflict between them.slyveimaeve's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
0.25
prisha93's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
laibah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
alexbobalix's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Love the premise. Execution is not great. MMC is frustratingly obtuse about his own feelings but also super obvious. His hot cold is so abrupt is annoying
C-3
A-5
W-5
P-6
I-1
L-3
E-4
🌶️-2
C-3
A-5
W-5
P-6
I-1
L-3
E-4
🌶️-2
jomamma's review against another edition
2.0
liked the wattpad feeling, but also didn't like the wattpad feeling
maybe a 3 stars if the smut had been better because let's be honest, I primarily came here for the smut
maybe a 3 stars if the smut had been better because let's be honest, I primarily came here for the smut
lucieloovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Cute little romance, but Cole was getting a little on my nerves. However, cute friends to lovers, even though usually, it's not my cup of tea.