madisbookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
It's Mia Sheridan...are we really that surprised?! In all seriousness, this book was amazing and I will now forever be jealous that I did not grow up in nature.
This was my second read from Mia Sheridan and with each book, I continue to fall more and more in love with her stories and writing style. Every character she writes is so detailed and truly feels more like a real friend or person than just a fictional character.
As for the story, I adored following the lives of Kyland and Tenleigh. Watching these two teens, who are constantly living in survival mode, fall in love and peace with each other was truly a heartwarming and unforgettable experience, especially as someone who can relate strongly to Tenleigh in many ways. I also really enjoyed the added anticipation that came from the scholarship plot and I absolutely loved the twist and turns that lead up to the final reveal of the story.
Overall the story was beautiful, the setting was beautiful, and each and every character was perfectly imperfect in their own way. Another great read from Mia that I highly recommend to every romance reader <3
This was my second read from Mia Sheridan and with each book, I continue to fall more and more in love with her stories and writing style. Every character she writes is so detailed and truly feels more like a real friend or person than just a fictional character.
As for the story, I adored following the lives of Kyland and Tenleigh. Watching these two teens, who are constantly living in survival mode, fall in love and peace with each other was truly a heartwarming and unforgettable experience, especially as someone who can relate strongly to Tenleigh in many ways. I also really enjoyed the added anticipation that came from the scholarship plot and I absolutely loved the twist and turns that lead up to the final reveal of the story.
Overall the story was beautiful, the setting was beautiful, and each and every character was perfectly imperfect in their own way. Another great read from Mia that I highly recommend to every romance reader <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Mental illness
cookie_123's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
idek what i feel bout this
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, and Rape
Moderate: Homophobia
bribreez's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I feel like often times with Mia Sheridan books I never really know what to expect, and while in the midst of reading the story I find myself intrigued and fascinated by the storyline. “Kyland” was the kind of story that once again made my heart go out to the main characters based off of their personal experiences and trauma they went through. Kyland and Tenleigh were two teenagers trying to get out of their small town and win the coveted scholarship that would not only pay the full tuition for their college, but also give them the chance at a better life for themselves.
In the beginning, Kyland and Tenleigh were aware of each other, but never really spoke, until Kyland started talking to Tenleigh on the way home. Since this book was Dual P.O.V. We get to see both perspectives, and learn things like Kyland already having a crush on Tenleigh before they started hanging out. Despite Kyland finding Tenleigh attractive and finding her fascinating, he was adamant on trying to avoid any connection since he didn’t want anything distracting him from winning the scholarship and getting out of town. Tenleigh on the other hand, also couldn’t help feeling attracted to Kyland, but due to his behavior of pushing her away and then going back to her, Tenleigh was often left confused and hurt by Kyland’s actions.
The story was emotional, like most of Mia’s stories, but expanded upon the main characters struggles and their dreams. Both Kyland and Tenleigh wanted more for themselves, and hoped to do great things instead of living in their small town. I admired their drive and determination. While both Kyland and Tenleigh were determined to win the scholarship, over the course of the story their relationship was blossoming and becoming stronger.
As much as I love Mia Sheridan’s books, I felt like I didn’t feel a strong connection to Kyland and Tenleigh. Personally I didn’t feel that certain spark or connection I usually feel when reading about Mia’s characters in her books. Kyland and Tenleigh’s chemistry was alright and since it wasn’t a long book, the way they got together was a bit more quicker compared to other stories I’ve read from Mia. Despite that, I still found the book interesting and anything by Mia Sheridan, I always want to read.
I would say this story was more grounded in emotional trauma, personal struggles, and first love. Tenleigh and Kyland found solace and peace with each other, and definitely (in my opinion) experienced the feelings of first love, genuine connection with each other that they had never felt before. Kyland was a bit more experienced than Tenleigh, but even being more experienced, he was understanding to Tenleigh and made sure she felt fine at every step of the way in their relationship. I did enjoy the tender sweet moments they shared like when they were cuddling and just talking to each other about themselves, etc. Those moments really highlighted their chemistry for me.
Overall the story was good, I liked the epilogue seeing how Tenleigh and Kyland ended up and the message at the end of the book was a great way to wrap up the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Rape
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