se_wigget's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a drama/romance with a heteroromantic ace protagonist. It can be difficult to get through, especially because of her abusive sociopath father. Stalking, kidnapping, and... abuse that's typical of narcissists and sociopaths. You know: Lying, projecting, slandering, gaslighting (or gaslighting attempts--there comes a point when you don'tfall for that anymore). Triggering? Yes!
I rather feel like reading something... escapist and whimsical now that I've finished reading this.
I rather feel like reading something... escapist and whimsical now that I've finished reading this.
Page 48: Fuck your internalized capitalist heteropatriarchy. There's nothing unethical about an asexual marrying a friend because of the insurance benefits/financial benefits of marriage. What’s unethical is the system. Insurance companies are predatory. And education should be free, whether or not you're an athlete who got a scholarship.
I don't know why they keep saying "halfway across the United States." Pennsylvania to Misery is at most a third. And maybe this is just me being literal-minded.
Also, would that really be only a 12 hour drive? Maybe it depends on how far east in Pennsylvania and how far west in Misery. Maybe they're in western Pennsylvania, at the border with Ohio, and go to NE Misery, in which case it's extremely NOT halfway across the U. S. This is a huge country.
It took my mother 12 hours just to drive from NW Indiana (1 hour east of Chicago) to Bigotville, the Twilight Zone (Topeka, Kansas).
Content Warnings
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia
guardianofthebookshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia
bex_knighthunterbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A split POV contemporary romance story, featuring an ace-allo friends-to-lovers relationship. I found this really easy to read, keeping my attention and making me want to pick it back up each time. Both of the main characters were likeable, although for my personal taste the use of puns was excessive! The split POV worked well to show how their thoughts and feelings each changed over the book. I also thought the secondary plot around Hester's abuse from her father worked well, and gave an outside source of tension and conflict to bring them closer together (although check TWs for this part as it was quite dark). The representation felt true and important, showing a solid ace-allo relationship with strong boundaries, and how that fit with Hester's sex-repulsion but desire for touch. I would have liked to see more discussion of if they needed different things and if not have that more explicitly discussed on page (as in these sorts of relationships communication is really important), but as their relationship is still in its early stages it does make sense that they are still stepping somewhat delicately around each other. I also note that while it was potentially realistic, Hester's internalised Ace-phobia (which persisted for a lot of the book) was really hard to read and stopped this being a nice heart-warming story. Would recommend for easy read with ace-rep!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Violence, Mental illness, Stalking, and Physical abuse
Minor: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail
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