Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - Et puis quoi encore !

Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Et puis quoi encore ! by Mariana Zapata

59 reviews

witcheep's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-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

4.5

I love how Zapata writes a love story here: it progresses very slow, evolving from a neutral working relationship to friendship and finally love. This gives time and space to really get to know the characters, and to let them both get emotionally comfortable and build trust around each other in a pace that feels real. I much prefer this kind of approach to insta-love that seems to be very (maybe too?) prominent in the romance genre.

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 (

they've experienced domestic violence and abandonment as children

), and that plays a role in who they are now; these experiences still have aftereffects. The dark pasts is something you'll want to keep in mind, if you don't want to read about certain subjects.

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!

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bookwormamy's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

Content Warnings

doahdancer's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-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

5.0

I've never seen myself as someone interested in sports themed romance, so loving this book has defied everything I prepared myself for going in.

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.

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idrilcelebrindal's review against another edition

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lighthearted 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

2.25

This book was fine. Nothing special, and way too long. Main character had a lot of internalized misogyny that drove me crazy. When the love interest gets groped and she thinks it’s wildly funny it was so painful. Sexual assault/harassment isn’t okay just because it’s a man who is targeted.

The handling of FASD (fetal alcohol) was incredibly bad. It should’ve been left out entirely.

Content Warnings

np36011's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted

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

Disappointing compared to From Lukov with Love, not handled really enjoyably and scary family dynamics, not my thing
🌶️

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instalovewithbooks's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

This book felt like a warm hug. I really loved it. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading it, it was such a fun read and I'm glad I got it when it was on sale!

I really loved this slow burn, marriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine love story. I think a lot of people may be annoyed because of the very slow burn but it was just. So. Good!!

There is suppose to be a romance book about Zac that in strongly considering picking up because I need it.

I did find that the repeating of words from the FMC was very annoying and could have easily been cut out. We also don't need to be reminded every 5 pages of how large he is, and his muscles lol. 🤣 I. Get. It.

Otherwise, a fun romance I would recommend.

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