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witcheep'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
4.5
However, at the beginning of the book, the pace feels a little too slow and as a reader I was just impatiently waiting for a more emotional section in the story to start. The later phases make up for the slow beginning with all the struggles to come to terms with the impact the awakened emotions have on the characters.
Besides the romance, the book gives weight to different types of relationships as well: there are work relationships, meaningful friendships, and familial strain. That is great, since it balances the plot to make the lives of the main characters more well rounded.
Both the main characters have very dark back stories (
The past trauma feels quite dire, and it made me question if they both really needed that dark pasts; couldn't the issues have been addressed even if they affected the characters to a smaller degree? Now, I wondered if it was mostly just to create shock value to the characters.
The audiobook experience is great. I love when there are different narrators in the same chapters reading different characters' dialogue. It makes the listening experience feel more immersive and authentic compared to one narrator doing different voices. The narrators here work great for their roles!
Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Alcohol
bookwormamy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
kkraatz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Animal cruelty
doahdancer'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
Mariana Zapata has written an incredibly nuanced and introspective romance about two messy humans who find that, while they have incredibly different personalities, they understand each other's perspectives and experiences. Moment by moment, they put in the work necessary to build a solid foundation of friendship that later raises up a sweeping romance.
Sports are a mere backdrop in this story. The real focus is on communication and how learning and practicing skills your upbringing didn't teach you can be the ultimate gateway drug to happiness. Changing and growing doesn't happen right away and a love built on genuine personal growth burns slowly at first, but consumes all once it catches.
This book has left me shaken and so, so in love with a fictional couple. I'm not sure how I'll ever recover from the swelling of my heart growing three sizes.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment
lilly_springer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse
tiffany_reads_books's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse and Abandonment
ninebookishlives's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
noragoudie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Addiction and Child abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse and Injury/Injury detail
idrilcelebrindal's review against another edition
- 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
2.25
The handling of FASD (fetal alcohol) was incredibly bad. It should’ve been left out entirely.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Abandonment
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse and Death of parent
np36011's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
🌶️
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use