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novella42's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
megelizabeth's review against another edition
2.5
I really wanted to love this book, but I instead ended up feeling mostly just frustrated by it. I didn't particularly like or connect with neither Delilah nor Claire, so I then didn't care a whole lot about their relationship. I did think they had good chemistry initially, but ultimately everything progresses a bit too quickly and I just didn't feel the supposed love between them.
I did like the subtle nods to the intimacies of the queer experience throughout this book, and it also has some great themes and conversations around childhood, parenthood, difficult relationships, sacrifice, loss, abandonment, and moving on from the past. However, as a romance and as a narrative this one just didn't end up really working for me. I also really didn't like the way it seems to normalise alcohol dependency, and wish this had either not been a feature or had been explored further in a more nuanced way.
I also didn't feel any of the side characters were particularly strong, apart from maybe Ruby, so I'm not particularly interested in continuing with the rest of the series. It's a shame as this book had a lot of potential, and lots of other reviewers do seem to have loved it, but for me it didn't live up to it at all.
I did like the subtle nods to the intimacies of the queer experience throughout this book, and it also has some great themes and conversations around childhood, parenthood, difficult relationships, sacrifice, loss, abandonment, and moving on from the past. However, as a romance and as a narrative this one just didn't end up really working for me. I also really didn't like the way it seems to normalise alcohol dependency, and wish this had either not been a feature or had been explored further in a more nuanced way.
I also didn't feel any of the side characters were particularly strong, apart from maybe Ruby, so I'm not particularly interested in continuing with the rest of the series. It's a shame as this book had a lot of potential, and lots of other reviewers do seem to have loved it, but for me it didn't live up to it at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.75
I enjoyed this so much. The characters were great and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Delilah work through her family issues. I love when there’s more to the story other than just the conflict and resolution between the main two characters and this gave me just that. I truly put this book down and did other things just because I wasn’t ready for it to end. It made me heart so happy. The only thing that brought it down was that I figured out what the conflict would be so early on in the book which made it a little more boring and it was a very basic conflict trope. Other than that this was amazing. I can’t wait for the authors new release!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
zabeishumanish's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book starts slow, so so slow, and it hurts. Hurts in that deep dark uniquely queer way when you just can’t make yourself fit in. This book hurts with the pain of not belonging. Of course the book doesn’t end with pain, we get a rather delightful HEA, but that queer pain takes up a majority of this book. I read most books in a day or less, this one took me four and a half months before I could get through all that pain. I’d literally only heard amazing things about this book before picking it up, and it is amazing, I just wish I’d been prepared for all of the hurt too. If I’d been prepared for the complex childhood sense of otherness it probably wouldn’t have been such a long read.
The sex in this is oh so deliciously hot.
At the halfway point of this book I genuinely couldn’t see how it would be possible for this book to have the classic romance HEA in a believable way. I’m still shocked that it was possible, and done well. The character development and relationship development in this book is truly remarkable. Not just Claire and Delilah’s relationship either. I think one of the most standout aspects of this book and likely why it’s gotten so much praise is the full sense of community this book built. Claire’s family with her beautiful weird daughter Ruby and complimented coparent Josh. Claire’s best friends who eventually become Delilah’s first friends. The hurt/comfort we get from Delilah and Astrid’s complex stepsister relationship. All of those relationships in this book make the story so much more than just a romance between Claire and Delilah.
I just want every reader going into this to know that this isn’t a happy fluffy romance. This is a romance that gets fought for. This is a romance that means something.
The sex in this is oh so deliciously hot.
At the halfway point of this book I genuinely couldn’t see how it would be possible for this book to have the classic romance HEA in a believable way. I’m still shocked that it was possible, and done well. The character development and relationship development in this book is truly remarkable. Not just Claire and Delilah’s relationship either. I think one of the most standout aspects of this book and likely why it’s gotten so much praise is the full sense of community this book built. Claire’s family with her beautiful weird daughter Ruby and complimented coparent Josh. Claire’s best friends who eventually become Delilah’s first friends. The hurt/comfort we get from Delilah and Astrid’s complex stepsister relationship. All of those relationships in this book make the story so much more than just a romance between Claire and Delilah.
I just want every reader going into this to know that this isn’t a happy fluffy romance. This is a romance that gets fought for. This is a romance that means something.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
yeojinqueen's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
things100's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
This was my first sapphic book and oh my gosh I was in love. Delilah and Claire’s relationship is amazing, full of ups and downs but accurately portrays a w|w relationship. I love how Claire is a single momma and her relationship isn’t her only priority. Great book, have fun reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
ashleycmms's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity
ecn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Would I ever read it again? Did I like the characters? Did I care about the the characters? Do we learn enough about the characters? Was the ending NOT flat? All answers are a no. But I did enjoy the story and was moderately entertained. Some parts were spicy which is a fun sexy time but also… sounded boring? (maybe bc of the emotionality? Maybe bc it’s not necessarily what I would do? I dunno).
A lot of parts of the story needed more time spent on it and some parts dragged on. Maybe that’s to be expected in a book centered on romance, but it would be nice to have rounded characters and stories.
I also really hated the way it was written. Nothing wrapped me in - it felt more like I was being talked at rather than drawn into the story. Additionally, there was a lottttttt of writing about “cis straight white man,” which, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan. However, all main characters and most side characters? Were? Cis white people, and *two* trans+ characters, all presumably white? It felt like the author was just throwing around girl boss feminist phrases. Additionally, to always include “women and nonbinary” people as a monolith felt gross. I know it wasn’t the intent, and YES you can be a lesbian and be attracted to women and non-men, but as a non-cis person, the phrasing (always saying “women and nonbinary people” or “women and femmes” felt washy, shallow/careless, and white feminism. Just say non-men.
A lot of parts of the story needed more time spent on it and some parts dragged on. Maybe that’s to be expected in a book centered on romance, but it would be nice to have rounded characters and stories.
I also really hated the way it was written. Nothing wrapped me in - it felt more like I was being talked at rather than drawn into the story. Additionally, there was a lottttttt of writing about “cis straight white man,” which, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan. However, all main characters and most side characters? Were? Cis white people, and *two* trans+ characters, all presumably white? It felt like the author was just throwing around girl boss feminist phrases. Additionally, to always include “women and nonbinary” people as a monolith felt gross. I know it wasn’t the intent, and YES you can be a lesbian and be attracted to women and non-men, but as a non-cis person, the phrasing (always saying “women and nonbinary people” or “women and femmes” felt washy, shallow/careless, and white feminism. Just say non-men.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Alcohol
angelareads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
imstephtacular's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism