zoiejanelle's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this is straight up pornography.
this series is really hit or miss. this, being the first book, felt like the author getting her footing in this genre.
Kip was a fun character to read. he was believably complex, motivated, and excitable. Scott was also complex, but his character arc happened too quickly. again, i am always disappointed when LGBT+ stories center around coming out. i understand it is a big deal for star athletes, but i wish there was some other big conflict to write the story around.
not much to say for this one besides HOLY SHIT THE ILYA CAMEOS WERE SO FUNNY!!! i was literally giggling, kicking my feet, twirling my hair at all the foreshadowing about Ilya’s eventual queer awakening/story. otherwise, a very fluffy story with a very happy ending.
this series is really hit or miss. this, being the first book, felt like the author getting her footing in this genre.
Kip was a fun character to read. he was believably complex, motivated, and excitable. Scott was also complex, but his character arc happened too quickly. again, i am always disappointed when LGBT+ stories center around coming out. i understand it is a big deal for star athletes, but i wish there was some other big conflict to write the story around.
not much to say for this one besides HOLY SHIT THE ILYA CAMEOS WERE SO FUNNY!!! i was literally giggling, kicking my feet, twirling my hair at all the foreshadowing about Ilya’s eventual queer awakening/story. otherwise, a very fluffy story with a very happy ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Homophobia
Moderate: Violence, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship and Alcohol
lithoerary_atria's review
1.0
honestly? if you're closeted just don't read this book? for the sake of your mental health if not for anything else :)
the first half of the book, as evident from the updates on my progress bar, were so cute & good. i thought i was gonna give this a 4 star!! but then, the goddamned miscommunication trope was introduced which made me lose my patience a little.
but it was still fine. until kip starts on a whole tangent about how scott being closeted is because of how much he is embarrassed to be with him or to be gay. without giving a second thought to the fact that the closet exists for a reason!!!
like idk man, take this from someone who is closeted and will probably be closeted for their whole life, but portraying the people who are in the closet so negatively is so fucking bad. i went in to read a romance & have a good time, not to feel invalidated & hurt. i was literally on the verge of tears by how kip, kyle (that bartender dude) & others talked about closeted people.
this paired with how kip almost manipulated & guilt-tripped scott into coming out made it worse. like sexuality & coming out are VERY personal things and noone, NOONE should be pressurized into it. especially given that scott's concerns about homophobia in men's sports was valid. like i don't know how to say this but it was NOT scott's responsibility to choose coming out over his safety.
this could've been avoided if scott was the one who had the arc of wanting to be out. it would've been empowering to see him taking the narrative in his own hands & kip supporting him. instead, this book made scott apologise (???) for being in the closet. i understand that kip's concerns were valid but their entire resolution was stupid & it was so poorly executed and it made the story so bad i just-
don't- don't read this. for your own sanity ugh
the first half of the book, as evident from the updates on my progress bar, were so cute & good. i thought i was gonna give this a 4 star!! but then, the goddamned miscommunication trope was introduced which made me lose my patience a little.
but it was still fine. until kip starts on a whole tangent about how scott being closeted is because of how much he is embarrassed to be with him or to be gay. without giving a second thought to the fact that the closet exists for a reason!!!
like idk man, take this from someone who is closeted and will probably be closeted for their whole life, but portraying the people who are in the closet so negatively is so fucking bad. i went in to read a romance & have a good time, not to feel invalidated & hurt. i was literally on the verge of tears by how kip, kyle (that bartender dude) & others talked about closeted people.
this paired with how kip almost manipulated & guilt-tripped scott into coming out made it worse. like sexuality & coming out are VERY personal things and noone, NOONE should be pressurized into it. especially given that scott's concerns about homophobia in men's sports was valid. like i don't know how to say this but it was NOT scott's responsibility to choose coming out over his safety.
this could've been avoided if scott was the one who had the arc of wanting to be out. it would've been empowering to see him taking the narrative in his own hands & kip supporting him. instead, this book made scott apologise (???) for being in the closet. i understand that kip's concerns were valid but their entire resolution was stupid & it was so poorly executed and it made the story so bad i just-
don't- don't read this. for your own sanity ugh
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing
More...