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firequeen_ash23's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
I really loved The Love of My Next Life. It was such an emotional read from start to finish. I really got sucked into the story and the characters. They were so easily relatable and easy to like. You can't help but love Macon, the typical bad boy next door. Then you have Lennon, the sweet nerdy girl next door who's friends with Claire, Macon's sister who is the typical selfish popular girl who thinks she's the best friend who needs to be the most important.
I loved that there was a lot of things in the book that were hidden from everyone else except Lennon and Macon. I loved how they were this undeniable force for one another yet forbidden and not allowed. It made what they had that much more special and sweet. I didn't like Claire's jealousy or her childish attitude about Macon.
I knew without a doubt something bad would happen though in this book and it did. Then the author throws quite a cliffhanger at you. There were a few times I wanted to throw my kindle across the room during this book but I refrained myself. LOL
This book, while written in the high school setting, it's more geared towards the adult section. It's got some dark romance vibes and it's definitely got some graphic parts in it. But for me that's what I look for. I love dark romance; the darker the better!!! I highly recommend this little duet by Brit Benson. She's a great writer, she evokes different emotions throughout this story. I highly recommend this duet.
I will read anything Brit Benson writes now that I've read this book.
I loved that there was a lot of things in the book that were hidden from everyone else except Lennon and Macon. I loved how they were this undeniable force for one another yet forbidden and not allowed. It made what they had that much more special and sweet. I didn't like Claire's jealousy or her childish attitude about Macon.
I knew without a doubt something bad would happen though in this book and it did. Then the author throws quite a cliffhanger at you. There were a few times I wanted to throw my kindle across the room during this book but I refrained myself. LOL
This book, while written in the high school setting, it's more geared towards the adult section. It's got some dark romance vibes and it's definitely got some graphic parts in it. But for me that's what I look for. I love dark romance; the darker the better!!! I highly recommend this little duet by Brit Benson. She's a great writer, she evokes different emotions throughout this story. I highly recommend this duet.
I will read anything Brit Benson writes now that I've read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship
shaykay's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.5
This one was such a doozy. I couldn't help but root for Macon and Lennon. I hated how things kept getting in the way, and they had almost all the odds against them. By the end of this book, things are flipped upside down compared to where we first started this book. So Macon is the bad boy/best friend's older brother while Lennon is a kind of a sheltered good girl whose father is hardly around due to his job, but he lets her stay home for weeks/months on her own. Sometimes, she would stay at her best friend's house so she wouldn't be alone. Now, this friendship was always a little toxic. She always had to have everything her way and would make Lennon bend over backward. But Lennon would take it. The only thing she really stood her ground on was Macon, and even then, she lied for most of the book and only came clean after they got caught. By this point, her dad had married his mom, so now they're like step-siblings. The book goes through many tropes and, unfortunately, ends on a cliffhanger, but it does get answered in the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, and Alcohol
cobaltmade's review
dark
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
2.5
macon is so toxic to sam and to lennon. macon and lennon both did sam and eric wrong. len keeps saying she and eric are just friends but it's so obvious that eric has feelings for her, she's leading her on. the way eric still was civil at the prom even though he got beat up. eric deserves sm better!!
lennon keeps correcting <b>brother</b> to <b>stepbrother</b> as if it makes any difference. and what's with macon peeing in front of her was so unnecessary why was that even put in ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
macon did have some redeemable parts ngl like the flowers, the mug, and the art center
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
amanda_reads13's review
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, this was an emotional rollercoaster. Be prepared to be broken down and cry, a lot.
Lennon and Macon are toxic. Their love is complicated and messy. They are drawn to each other and leave a path of pain and hurt in their trail. This book is angsty, heartbreaking, and filled with emotion. I felt so frustrated reading this book, but in a good way.
I really liked how this book addressed addiction from all different angles; both the boy suffering and those who loved him. It was interesting to see the different way the characters dealt with it.
Lennon was a sweet and naive people pleaser. All she wanted to do was make sure that everyone else was happy. She had a plan for her life, a plan that her father approved of. She endured something seriously horrible as a kid and has repressed everything out of fear of losing those she loves.
So, she never stirred the pot or made waves.At a young age she found her mother after she had committed suicide. Unfortunately, her people pleasing attitude wound up causing her to allow everyone to walk all over her, including her asshole bestie. Ya, I hate Claire.
Macon is angry at the world. He treats everyone like crap and with a general disgust. Yet, he has secretly been harbouring feelings for his sister's best friend. He plays mind games with her and loves to make her mad. He has also had an incredibly traumatic childhood. His father was abusive to him as a child. He was an addict, trying to remain numb to the world. He has been brushed off by everyone as being trouble or not worth anything. Even his sister slings horrible insults at him. No wonder he is the way he is. My heart broke for him.
Lennon, being a innocent teenager, believed she could change Macon, that she could fix him. I just wanted to grab her and scream "you cannot fix him!". My heart aches for these two. They were so alike in so many ways, they just reacted to their trauma in two very different ways. In the end they broke each other.
I cannot wait for the second part. I have so many questions I need answered.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, bad boy/good girl, forbidden love, high school, best friends brother
Lennon and Macon are toxic. Their love is complicated and messy. They are drawn to each other and leave a path of pain and hurt in their trail. This book is angsty, heartbreaking, and filled with emotion. I felt so frustrated reading this book, but in a good way.
I really liked how this book addressed addiction from all different angles; both the boy suffering and those who loved him. It was interesting to see the different way the characters dealt with it.
Lennon was a sweet and naive people pleaser. All she wanted to do was make sure that everyone else was happy. She had a plan for her life, a plan that her father approved of. She endured something seriously horrible as a kid and has repressed everything out of fear of losing those she loves.
So, she never stirred the pot or made waves.
Macon is angry at the world. He treats everyone like crap and with a general disgust. Yet, he has secretly been harbouring feelings for his sister's best friend. He plays mind games with her and loves to make her mad. He has also had an incredibly traumatic childhood.
Lennon, being a innocent teenager, believed she could change Macon, that she could fix him. I just wanted to grab her and scream "you cannot fix him!". My heart aches for these two. They were so alike in so many ways, they just reacted to their trauma in two very different ways. In the end they broke each other.
I cannot wait for the second part. I have so many questions I need answered.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, bad boy/good girl, forbidden love, high school, best friends brother
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse and Suicide