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ashleycmms's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, and Alcohol
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual harassment
takarakei's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
5/5🌶️
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism and Car accident
bookishplantmom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Dom’s grief was similar in that he was deep in his self loathing and we never really get to see him work through that. His secret pining for Sloan and his whole “I hate you” act for over a decade needed wayyyy more unpacking than what it got. He was an ASS to her for a DECADE and we’re just not going to talk about it?! Because…he was…secretly in love???!?! I needed to see more atoning for that for sure.
My other major difficulty with this book is that Dom’s authoritative/possessive tendencies while fun in some sexy instances were concerning in other moments especially after “the incident” happened that he had to help with (iykyk) I found the dubious consent between them so soon after what happened was not believable/ok given how the incident affected Sloan. Even though it was clear that she was into what Dom was doing it was icky to me. I also always feel annoyed when a book equates an STI conversation with “being clean” because it perpetuates stigma.
My next and biggest problem which really pulled me out of the story at about 60% and grated on me until the very end of the book was that the whole premise of this romance is based on miscommunication which continues nonstop and made me increasingly frustrated. I was so annoyed with their ridiculous refusal to have adult conversations left me unable to root for them at all. Because of this constant inability they had to just bffr with each other I basically hated them as a couple by the end of the book. And the fact that this same refusal to have mature conversations extended to the whole family?! I just… I enjoyed the book at the beginning but after the halfway point it was a steady decline until the bitter end. The one saving grace is that there is plenty of decent steam though even that got dull after a while. Idk I’m bummed this was not for me.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
arireadsitall's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident
sarafinley's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Miscarriage
Minor: Death and Suicidal thoughts
shaipanda's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death of parent
btchqueen's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Death of parent
deereadstoo's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
J L Seegars knows how to write a possessive man without making him verbally abusive that's for sure. As soon as the club scene happened, Dominic had me (and Sloane) wrapped around his finger like a bandaid. We follow this second chance romance through both Sloane and Dominic's lenses and even travel back to the past from time to time to get a glimpse of what exactly went on during those years when Dominic didn't have Sloane. Dominic took such great care of Sloane from beginning to end (minus the third act conflict *boooooo*). I loved watching their relationship develop and I loved that Sloane could hold her own with him but also swoon at all the sweet things he said to her (there were a lot and I swooned right along with her). I also appreciated his respect for her life with Eric and what that meant to her. That literally made me want to pull him from the pages and love him myself.
Now, I don't think I'm a fan of flashbacks (even if they are necessary to the movement of the plot which most of the time I feel they aren't); however, I feel like some of them were necessary to get an idea of why what happened happened. Others I felt we could've definitely been left without. Also, that third conflict...I was going to throw my iPad at the wall because why? Why must authors cause us frustration and angst and anxiety when this happens. It's always some form of miscommunication that can be easily avoided and I'm so over it. It was even weirder because the ending itself felt rushed. So many big steps immediately after such an intense conflict. Also, I wasn't super clear on Sloane's appearance (this is why we do self-inserts). I felt it was kind of vague when the author used the descriptor "bronze skin" because what even is that? If they are both Black, I wouldn't think the phrase "bronze skin" would be an accurate descriptor. This definitely had me a little confused but overall I loved the characters. Lauren Carson can go to the deepest parts of hell.
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Grief
sarahagna's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
twilmore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, and Gaslighting