A review by cozybec
Eyes on Me by Sara Cate
emotional
funny
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
5.0
"I wish I knew what a bad mood felt like. I wish my bad moods weren't like tornado-sized spirals. I wish I could brush off a bad mood with some sleep and a warm meal."
Garrett is used to working alone, isolating, and being the man behind the camera, not in front of it. When he discovers that his step-sister is also... in his line of work, he quickly realizes he's in over his head when a decade's worth of feelings emerge for the woman he's kept his distance from. When Mia discovers her job falls in line with what Garrett does, she can only chase the feeling of finally being free to express herself for the first time in her life.
This is going to be so hard to rate. I have so many complicated feelings over this book/this pairing. On one hand - I LOVED Garrett. I knew in Praise he would end up being a character I really enjoyed just from the teasers we got of him, but I didn't expect his mental health struggles to hit so hard and his entire personality to call me out so thoroughly. On the other hand - the step-sibling thing definitely gave me an ick. I feel like it's not fair for me to dock a star for it, since I knew what the plot was going in and I consented to reading it, but I will probably never pick up a book even remotely similar to this again.
THAT BEING SAID: I think the positives greatly outweigh my own personal ick with Garrett and Mia as a couple. I think Cate did an INCREDIBLE job talking about sex work, discovering sexuality, and entering into the world of kink. In Praise, Emerson was there to guide Charlie, in Eyes on Me, Mia takes control for herself. This felt like a very well researched and cared for book, with a lot of thought and nuance that went into the plotlines and discussions! Overall, I am a total mess for Garrett, he's definitely one of my favorites and I enjoyed the soft meddling from Emerson and the other cast of characters. I would also trust Madame Kink with my life, I ADORE Eden and I'm blowing through these so I can be ready for her book later this year.
Content Warnings: Sexual content (voyeurism/exhibitionism, camgirl, sex work), Mental illness/Suicide attempt (past), Cancer (in parent, with hospital scene), Suicidal thoughts (present towards end)
Garrett is used to working alone, isolating, and being the man behind the camera, not in front of it. When he discovers that his step-sister is also... in his line of work, he quickly realizes he's in over his head when a decade's worth of feelings emerge for the woman he's kept his distance from. When Mia discovers her job falls in line with what Garrett does, she can only chase the feeling of finally being free to express herself for the first time in her life.
This is going to be so hard to rate. I have so many complicated feelings over this book/this pairing. On one hand - I LOVED Garrett. I knew in Praise he would end up being a character I really enjoyed just from the teasers we got of him, but I didn't expect his mental health struggles to hit so hard and his entire personality to call me out so thoroughly. On the other hand - the step-sibling thing definitely gave me an ick. I feel like it's not fair for me to dock a star for it, since I knew what the plot was going in and I consented to reading it, but I will probably never pick up a book even remotely similar to this again.
THAT BEING SAID: I think the positives greatly outweigh my own personal ick with Garrett and Mia as a couple. I think Cate did an INCREDIBLE job talking about sex work, discovering sexuality, and entering into the world of kink. In Praise, Emerson was there to guide Charlie, in Eyes on Me, Mia takes control for herself. This felt like a very well researched and cared for book, with a lot of thought and nuance that went into the plotlines and discussions! Overall, I am a total mess for Garrett, he's definitely one of my favorites and I enjoyed the soft meddling from Emerson and the other cast of characters. I would also trust Madame Kink with my life, I ADORE Eden and I'm blowing through these so I can be ready for her book later this year.
Content Warnings: Sexual content (voyeurism/exhibitionism, camgirl, sex work), Mental illness/Suicide attempt (past), Cancer (in parent, with hospital scene), Suicidal thoughts (present towards end)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Cancer