Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Jij en ik

While this started a little slow for me, as the plot started to unfold I really enjoyed it. I will say that miscommunication or a lack of communication is probably one of my least favorite tropes. While the initial miscommunication is a fun misunderstanding that sets the stage well, I wish that the characters had just been more honest with eachother later in the book.

However, I love how Ryder truly stuck by Willa no matter how many times she pushed him away. I also love how Willa never made Ryder feel like less than because he chose not to speak or not to pursue hearing aids or learning sign language. She took him at face value and loved him for who he was at his core, regardless of everything else.

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lizziereads02's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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lauren_chapin's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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

3.5

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snipinfool's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Willa Sutter was a star on UCLA's women's soccer team. Her time was stretched between classes, soccer practice and games, and time with her mother. Willa was doing her best, but she was not doing well in her Business Math class. Often, she barely made it on time to class after team practice. Willa planned to play soccer professionally, but she was in danger of being ineligible for the next game due to her grade in the class. Usually, professors had no problem accommodating her for away games by helping her catch up with notes for the classes she missed. She was balancing on the border between a C and a D and needed to raise her grade quickly. Professor MacCormack's told her to "figure it out" and to get the notes from Ryder Bergman. Willa noticed Ryder had printed notes given to him by Professor MacCormack. She tried several times to get his attention to ask if she could copy the notes, but Ryder would ignore her. He usually just looked at her and left the classroom once class was dismissed.

Ryder Bergman was a quiet guy who usually sat on the first row of his classes. His life changed dramatically two years previously when he got bacterial meningitis. Ryder recovered, but his life was forever changed. A major difference was that he no longer played competitive soccer. Ryder loved the game and had come to UCLA on a athletic scholarship. He planned to play as a freshman starter on the men's team. When Willa Sutter, the women's soccer star, sat next to him in Business Math, he was reminded again of his loss. Ryder was confused as to why she seemed to dislike him. He often looked up and saw her staring at him angrily. Ryder was confused by her actions, but didn't try to figure out why. It was a shame she felt the way she did because Ryder found her very attractive.

I loved their story. This was a very slow burn frenemies to lovers romance. Once they got past their communication issues, Willa and Ryder's relationship took a turn for the better. They were no longer at odds with each other and became someone the other could depend on. The secondary characters in the story were relatable and helped to carry the story forward. The loving relationship between Willa and her mother was very touching. This book is the first in the seven book Bergman Brothers series (7 siblings- 5 brothers and 2 sisters). I love a good series and I can't wait to meet Willa and Ryder again in the upcoming books. I am sure they will still be living their happily ever after.

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linnea_tornblom's review against another edition

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emotional funny 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

4.75

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bendy_bookworm's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

4.5

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rachelshubin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

3.5 stars maybe 3.75. Kind of torn on the rating. I enjoyed this book that was so much more than a love story, but embraced the hard topics of cancer and grief. It was a typical enemies to lovers but it slow burned for so long, that I was kind of over it by the time Willa and Ryder got together. It was a good story, especially because of the incorporation about Ryder’s late in life loss of hearing. I’ve never read a book with a deaf character. From other reviews I read, it sounds like the author changed some earlier issues to reflect more realistic depictions. Hated the nicknames in this book, though!

I’m interested to read the other Bergman siblings’ stories! But I don’t think I’d read this book again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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kencil's review against another edition

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4.0

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