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trayslays's review
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicide, Death, and Grief
amris's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Car accident, and Mental illness
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Child death, and Alcohol
enayqueerbooklover's review
emotional
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
4.25
A beautiful story about an older couple finding each other, when they believed they’d always be alone.
Swoon /5 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Swoon /5 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Angst /5 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Steam /5 ♨️♨️♨️
Plot /5 🧐🧐🧐🧐
LOLs /5 🤭🤭🤭
I enjoyed this a lot, but didn’t connect as much with the MCs as I did the prior book in the series. Which is surprising considering I appreciate well-written stories about demisexual protagonists, older couples falling in love, and people with anxiety. Riley does a fantastic job at detailing Brian’s demisexual revelation, the impact that understanding has on his life, and the reality of a relationship with Charles while being on the asexual spectrum. For this, the book is brilliant.
Also, Brian experiences social anxiety and panic attacks. Again, the insight into how this feels, and how it impacts Brian’s life & relationships is incredibly well written. In first person dual POV, the description of Brian’s internal thought processes and physical symptoms during an anxiety attack, as well as Charles’ perceptiveness and understanding really puts us in the experience. As someone who has experienced this, I think this is why I didn’t enjoy this as much as the previous book - the anxiety was SO well written that it made me uncomfortable. Not a bad thing for it to be that well written, especially for the awareness that it gives other readers.
Content warnings for discussion of past suicide, mental illness (social anxiety, panic attacks), and grief over death of a loved one.
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Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Suicide
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