elemomi's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This book was a massive disappointment. There are some elements that didn’t work for me, which is fine, but there were some references, actions by characters, and views that are actively harmful that I wish I had known about beforehand.
First, there was a one-off comment by Tobin that audiobooks don’t count as reading. I believe this was an internal comment, so other characters couldn’t correct him (more on that later), but this view is incredibly ablest and condescending. And, quite frankly, it’s incorrect.
Second, Tobin jokes at one point to his roommate and her girlfriend that maybe Danny was into because of their long history and age difference. His roommate’s girlfriend immediately calls out the harmfulness of that joke, but in the wider context of the ongoing right-wing rhetoric around queer people (this book was published in 2021), a comment like this is really tone deaf and perpetuates harm. This also isn’t the only time Tobin or Danny makes a reference like that, although it is the only time it’s called out.
Finally, although the book has a content warning early on that it mentions sex trafficking, that fails to take into account the very cavalier way it is handled by Danny and Ray, including failing to report it to authorities until it was beneficial for their company. Using sex trafficking as a (minor to the plot, not in horribleness) plot point is arguably a poor choice, but having your characters actively ignore it until it benefits them is categorically shitty. I don’t care if that’s true to the finance world - do better.
First, there was a one-off comment by Tobin that audiobooks don’t count as reading. I believe this was an internal comment, so other characters couldn’t correct him (more on that later), but this view is incredibly ablest and condescending. And, quite frankly, it’s incorrect.
Second, Tobin jokes at one point to his roommate and her girlfriend that maybe Danny was into
Spoiler
pedophilia or incestFinally, although the book has a content warning early on that it mentions sex trafficking, that fails to take into account the very cavalier way it is handled by Danny and Ray, including failing to report it to authorities until it was beneficial for their company. Using sex trafficking as a (minor to the plot, not in horribleness) plot point is arguably a poor choice, but having your characters actively ignore it until it benefits them is categorically shitty. I don’t care if that’s true to the finance world - do better.
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest, Ableism, Trafficking, and Pedophilia
jessica_flower's review
3.0
This is a sort-of second chance romance with an older brother's best friend with Asian-Canadian main characters set in . . . the finance industry. Yes, finance boys. Gay people are in every economic sector, and I did appreciate that this was different career-wise from other queer books that I've read. There was a level of edge to the plot part of the book that I did appreciate.
That being said, I really liked the first third of this book, then ended up taking a maybe 6 month break from it until I felt like I was in the mood to continue. The 2 male leads kept frustrating me by their lack of honest communication and lack of self-awareness. I even wrote a short poem about it:
Tobin and Danny sitting in a tree
Why won't they communicate properly
Be honest about how they love each other
And stop being in misery?
I think I just don't like the older brother's best friend trope. Or, from the other perspective, best friend's younger brother trope. Maybe it just doesn't work for me.
I suppose maybe it's a positive that I got annoyed because I still think Tobin (the younger brother) and Danny (the older brother's best friend) are well-written characters. They have strengths and flaws that are both explored throughout the novel. Hudson Lin doesn't shy away from making her characters boring. They both felt like real people to me which is a good thing and bad thing because wow, they got on my nerves sometimes.
Tobin, who was the baby of his family and who was protected by them in different ways (not always in his interest) throughout his life, did think and act like a whiny younger teen at times even though he's in his mid-to-late 20s. Part of him was still stuck in that trying-to-be-like-the-older-cool-kids mentality that he thankfully, eventually grew out of. But not after moping and making some dumb decisions where he lets his negative emotions get the better of him.
His older brother Wei, who has been doing the protective-older-brother thing his entire life and doesn't know how to shut it off or lean back 90 % of the time, is the source of a lot of the conflict between the MCs. It is also the main source of a lot of the internal angst inside Danny's head where he worries that if he and Tobin date, it will affect his relationship with Wei and the rest of Tobin's family, who Danny sees as an extension of his own family ever since his single mother passed away. And since these three men have so much history with each other, Tobin and Danny keep letting their miscommunication and Wei's feelings drive them apart over and over again until they both snap and one ends up lashing out in the form of drunk dumbassery and the other overworks himself and gets pneumonia. Thankfully, when Wei sees what their breakup has led to, he comes to his senses, finally lets his PROTECTIVE BROTHER MODE off and helps Danny win Tobin back.
Danny, the man Tobin has been in love with for his entire life, is married to his work and thinks he has to push himself hard all the time because if he doesn't his insecurities start peeking through. However, he is so un-self-aware that it takes him about 70% of the novel to see that. Like, he keeps imagining him and Tobin together long-term and starting a family, like actually raising kids together, and somehow it doesn't click into his mind that yeah, he actually wants more from his life than just cutting deals with clients like he's done for the last decade, he's burnt out from not taking proper rest and he wants a life with Tobin by his side.
I get it, each character goes through their own journey of self-awareness and self-development, but jeez this took a lot out of me.
I would like to point out that in one of the sex scenes (which generally I'd say they're okay) on page 200 of my ebook, the author describes the foreplay between Tobin and Danny as a toe to head bathing with mouth and tongue. That makes it sound like Tobin is a cat covering Danny with tongue licks. Which isn't romantic or sexual at all. Yes, I will keep points out tidbits of writing that make me cringe, make me uncomfortable, or ticked off.
Next sex scene was better. Hard and fast but still enjoyable to read.
I let out a sigh of relief when they finally made up for real. To quote my reading update: Finally!
The proposal epilogue was really cute though. Sugar sweet and wholesome, all with tears, love confessions, and the family there and everything.
So it ended on a good note. But it was a ride to get there.
But, there's another thing I'd like to make a note of: Tobin's roommate Monica and her girlfriend Ayàn.
We get scenes with them and Tobin earlier in the book and . . Well I'm not too sure how decent the lesbian rep is in here.
Yeah, it's nice to see the guys supporting each other and saving cash by sharing an apartment, but Ayàn's brash comments are typical of a feminist who blames men for everything (even though a lot of things can be blamed on them) but that seems to be her only personality traits aside from being Monica's girlfriend.
And then we get to Tobin's attempted hookup after he and Danny break up again, where he drunkenly, rudely tells Monica "It's okay, Monica. I know you don't know about hookups. You're a lesbian."
. . . Sorry, what?
Lesbians don't have hookups? Tell that to the thousands of lesbian bars across the world and the girls that pick each other up for the night, lesbian bar or not.
Monica immediately asks him "what the hell is that supposed to mean?" (Clap for my girl here) and then tries to be a good friend to Tobin who is still drunk and miserable and heartbroken and still acting emotionally like a teenager, lashing out and trying to ignore a broken heart by getting dopamine in his system via casual sex.
Is that what it's like when the crush started when you were teens and stayed when you grew to an adult, then you try and make it work but it backfires? Sounds terrible.
Also, I don't know how strongly, negatively to react to the sentence "He couldn't avoid the lezzies at home, but it was time he started looking for his own place anyway." (This is when Tobin is still drunk and bitter at his missed hookup and general shitty state of mind).
Is "lezzie" an okay thing for a gay man to call a lesbian? My first response is no, because misogyny in the gay community exists and has existed, and this seems like a rude thing for someone to say to a lesbian. I need someone with more wlw experience than me to discuss this, please. I don't like it, but I'm not gonna throw flames up about it, either, in case mine is just one opinion.
In any case, Tobin should've apologized more to Monica and Ayàn for those comments. Drunkness isn't an excuse for anything.
That being said, I really liked the first third of this book, then ended up taking a maybe 6 month break from it until I felt like I was in the mood to continue. The 2 male leads kept frustrating me by their lack of honest communication and lack of self-awareness. I even wrote a short poem about it:
Tobin and Danny sitting in a tree
Why won't they communicate properly
Be honest about how they love each other
And stop being in misery?
I think I just don't like the older brother's best friend trope. Or, from the other perspective, best friend's younger brother trope. Maybe it just doesn't work for me.
I suppose maybe it's a positive that I got annoyed because I still think Tobin (the younger brother) and Danny (the older brother's best friend) are well-written characters. They have strengths and flaws that are both explored throughout the novel. Hudson Lin doesn't shy away from making her characters boring. They both felt like real people to me which is a good thing and bad thing because wow, they got on my nerves sometimes.
Tobin, who was the baby of his family and who was protected by them in different ways (not always in his interest) throughout his life, did think and act like a whiny younger teen at times even though he's in his mid-to-late 20s. Part of him was still stuck in that trying-to-be-like-the-older-cool-kids mentality that he thankfully, eventually grew out of. But not after moping and making some dumb decisions where he lets his negative emotions get the better of him.
His older brother Wei, who has been doing the protective-older-brother thing his entire life and doesn't know how to shut it off or lean back 90 % of the time, is the source of a lot of the conflict between the MCs. It is also the main source of a lot of the internal angst inside Danny's head where he worries that if he and Tobin date, it will affect his relationship with Wei and the rest of Tobin's family, who Danny sees as an extension of his own family ever since his single mother passed away. And since these three men have so much history with each other, Tobin and Danny keep letting their miscommunication and Wei's feelings drive them apart over and over again until they both snap and one ends up lashing out in the form of drunk dumbassery and the other overworks himself and gets pneumonia. Thankfully, when Wei sees what their breakup has led to, he comes to his senses, finally lets his PROTECTIVE BROTHER MODE off and helps Danny win Tobin back.
Danny, the man Tobin has been in love with for his entire life, is married to his work and thinks he has to push himself hard all the time because if he doesn't his insecurities start peeking through. However, he is so un-self-aware that it takes him about 70% of the novel to see that. Like, he keeps imagining him and Tobin together long-term and starting a family, like actually raising kids together, and somehow it doesn't click into his mind that yeah, he actually wants more from his life than just cutting deals with clients like he's done for the last decade, he's burnt out from not taking proper rest and he wants a life with Tobin by his side.
I get it, each character goes through their own journey of self-awareness and self-development, but jeez this took a lot out of me.
I would like to point out that in one of the sex scenes (which generally I'd say they're okay) on page 200 of my ebook, the author describes the foreplay between Tobin and Danny as a toe to head bathing with mouth and tongue. That makes it sound like Tobin is a cat covering Danny with tongue licks. Which isn't romantic or sexual at all. Yes, I will keep points out tidbits of writing that make me cringe, make me uncomfortable, or ticked off.
Next sex scene was better. Hard and fast but still enjoyable to read.
I let out a sigh of relief when they finally made up for real. To quote my reading update: Finally!
The proposal epilogue was really cute though. Sugar sweet and wholesome, all with tears, love confessions, and the family there and everything.
So it ended on a good note. But it was a ride to get there.
But, there's another thing I'd like to make a note of: Tobin's roommate Monica and her girlfriend Ayàn.
We get scenes with them and Tobin earlier in the book and . . Well I'm not too sure how decent the lesbian rep is in here.
Yeah, it's nice to see the guys supporting each other and saving cash by sharing an apartment, but Ayàn's brash comments are typical of a feminist who blames men for everything (even though a lot of things can be blamed on them) but that seems to be her only personality traits aside from being Monica's girlfriend.
And then we get to Tobin's attempted hookup after he and Danny break up again, where he drunkenly, rudely tells Monica "It's okay, Monica. I know you don't know about hookups. You're a lesbian."
. . . Sorry, what?
Lesbians don't have hookups? Tell that to the thousands of lesbian bars across the world and the girls that pick each other up for the night, lesbian bar or not.
Monica immediately asks him "what the hell is that supposed to mean?" (Clap for my girl here) and then tries to be a good friend to Tobin who is still drunk and miserable and heartbroken and still acting emotionally like a teenager, lashing out and trying to ignore a broken heart by getting dopamine in his system via casual sex.
Is that what it's like when the crush started when you were teens and stayed when you grew to an adult, then you try and make it work but it backfires? Sounds terrible.
Also, I don't know how strongly, negatively to react to the sentence "He couldn't avoid the lezzies at home, but it was time he started looking for his own place anyway." (This is when Tobin is still drunk and bitter at his missed hookup and general shitty state of mind).
Is "lezzie" an okay thing for a gay man to call a lesbian? My first response is no, because misogyny in the gay community exists and has existed, and this seems like a rude thing for someone to say to a lesbian. I need someone with more wlw experience than me to discuss this, please. I don't like it, but I'm not gonna throw flames up about it, either, in case mine is just one opinion.
In any case, Tobin should've apologized more to Monica and Ayàn for those comments. Drunkness isn't an excuse for anything.
ruthiedr89's review
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Homophobia, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Classism
ladyofbooks's review
3.0
Actual rating 3.5 ⭐. Some of it I liked but I admit, most of it I skimmed. Probably won't continue the series, it's just not for me.
lizelsaurus's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
bradleyj's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
I. Loved. This. Book. I felt the characters grow and learn and laughed and cried along with them until the end. The spice scenes were very spicy but tasteful. I felt like there were some very minor plot holes or gaps but really not enough to impact much of the main story line.