A review by sultrytartreviews
Lilac by B.B. Reid

emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow this book was a very different read than anything I've tried in the past. I wasn't sure a 4 star rating was warranted, but I couldn't put the book down and I was really driven to finish. So I couldn't justify giving it a lower rating. Short answer is yes, I believe this was worth the read and I would try other books from this author. There were some parts I wish had been handled better, especially since this was such a long book-honestly, we had time for it all. I liked the band and travel aspect of the story. And I'm always down for some dirty talking and dominance in the steamy scenes. 

I wish we would have unraveled the character's pasts and personalities a little more. The majority of the past issues our MCs face didn't show up until later and I would have preferred to have at least had insight added more evenly along the way to allow for more character development and understanding. Speaking of development...I did like our male MCs...but they went from being total jerks to flipping on their feelings and deciding to fight for a real relationship with Braxton really quickly (like whiplash fast). I wanted to see their growth and understanding of one another unfolded instead of being plopped down. This story had a lot of extreme plot added towards the end, which was kinda ridiculous seeing as how the majority of the book is just MCs fighting and f*cking. Not a lot of serious conversations are had and when they do finally happen towards the end, we don't get to sit in on them, they're just recapped. I really didn't need the
Emily comes back
plot at all. I was also a bit disappointed in the immaturity displayed by the MCs throughout the book. It wasn't something I'd harp on-and remember, Braxton IS ONLY 22-but it did start to grate towards the end. No one in this group of four people could just sit down and have an honest conversation. Lastly, I really wanted there to be a better foundation and dive into
Loren and Rich's relationship dynamic and history
. You can't introduce this and then leave it there like a poorly seasoned hummus that everyone at the table was excited for, but quickly realized would only lead to empty calories. 


CW: emotional abuse and bullying (both from MC's past and from MC to MC). Multiple sexual partners (MMMF) including male/male sexual scenes, threesome scenes, and sharing of partners. 
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