Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson

16 reviews

sarahsbookstacks's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Biphobia

Moderate: Religious bigotry

dianaschmidty's review

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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

This fictional couple’s made me believe in the idea of true love. They embodied the ideal partnership and I love that for them!

I also loved the random Christmas movie and song references (a forte of mine) and how Lauren put Asa’s dad in his place!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Outing, and Homophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

imstephtacular's review

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Asa is my chaotic soft bi king and I would die for him!!!

Also I loved this book. There were so many tropes (although there were also several cliches that usually make me mad, but I liked this book so I much I mostly overlooked them)

This is a great example of a romance that does MORE. It handles some pretty heavy, real stuff, but does it well. I liked Asa and Lauren and was rooting for them all along the way

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Homophobia, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Outing, Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, Mental illness, Abandonment, Biphobia, Drug abuse, and Vomit

bookedandbusy's review

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? No

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I loved Lauren and Asa and their character development, and I loved the found family feeling it had! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Outing, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, and Addiction

katelynnelawson's review against another edition

emotional funny slow-paced

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

4.25

Workplace rivals Lauren and Asa have been at odds since they met. Where Lauren is uptight and controlling, Asa is laidback and whimsical. When their boss selects them to develop plans to revamp Cold World, the failing Orlando indoor theme park where they work, the two end up spending more time together, including getting locked into the park overnight. As the two work against, and eventually with, one another, they grow to realize how much they didn't truly understand the other - and how much they really, fundamentally, understand one another now.

While on a the surface level With Love, from Cold World seems like a playful romantic comedy, it goes deeper, discussing some tough topics. Lauren and Asa are both standout characters. While their personalities clash due to being so different, they both come from the same place, a fear of rejection due to troubled pasts. This is a memorable read that takes a surprisingly steamy turn.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Addiction, Outing, and Death of parent

felishacb's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Homophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Addiction, and Drug abuse

Minor: Outing

greatestheights's review

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

4.5 stars for Asa, Lauren, and everything about their rivals to lovers arc. Love a bi main character, and especially love a bi male main character. Also, as a former CASA (known as guardians ad litem in Florida), I loved how realistic and well-done Lauren's volunteer work storyline was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Outing, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, and Sexual harassment

Important to note foster care plays a huge role in this book. CW for foster care and the family court system.

literaryintersections's review

challenging 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

5.0

The way this book wrecked me and put me back together. Alicia Thompson is a genius. Asa and Lauren were beautiful, sad, complex. Both of their parent relationships are so heartbreaking but the way that the trauma they faced molded them into different and stubborn people, but they could break down their walls for each other? GOODNESS GRACIOUS MY EYES. I had so many highlights for this book and now I wish Cold World was a real place. Just unbelievable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse and Addiction

thelibbyshow's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Took me less than 24 hours to read this whole book because I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t want to. Loved it. 💕

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Biphobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Drug abuse

Minor: Cursing, Sexual harassment, and Abandonment

grimmbleton's review

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, Biphobia, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Outing

Minor: Addiction and Death of parent