Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the very beginning, and the steam.
The Not-So-Good: The end. The connection to the characters.
The Bad2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the very beginning, and the steam.
The Not-So-Good: The end. The connection to the characters.
The Bad: The attempt of having the H be a bully type character when they meet again at school. Also the mushiness and mom drama towards the end.
Overall: The first part of this book? I mostly enjoyed it. While I did find the author's attempt at making the H a bully type character confusing and a little cringey at times, I did enjoy the silly high school peer and relationship drama. The rest of the book is where I really struggled. They are separated and then reunited again and this is where it took a sharp turn downhill for me. The fact that it was a 2 year separation was pretty ridiculous when we get the reasoning for it. Then it was super mushy and even repetitive in the inner thoughts. Then the crazy h's mom drama was frankly weird and it felt disconnected from the rest of the story. I guess if I was asked for one word to describe how I felt at the end of reading this, it would be confused ...more
Overall Opinion: This was a "just ok" read for me. I was in the mood for some teenage drama, and I got it! ;). It didn't necessarily move me to3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a "just ok" read for me. I was in the mood for some teenage drama, and I got it! ;). It didn't necessarily move me to the point that it'll go on my favorites shelf, but I enjoyed it for what it was. My biggest complaint was that the h bothered me in how she behaved and treated other people.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: I'm going to keep this really vague in hopes of not ruining it. This is Ryen and Misha's story. They first meet though a pen pal project when they are ten years old. They write letters for ~7 years and become best friends and even fall in love. When they meet again it is in an unexpected way, and they don't necessarily like the actual person that they are to everyone else outside the letters. They have some typical high school drama, some family baggage to work through, and some sexy times...but they do get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Ryen and Misha's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they've known each other through letters for years.
H rating: 4 stars. Misha. I liked him. He was a jerk at times, but I understood his frustration with the h.
h rating: 2 stars. Ryen. I didn't like her for the most part. She was so messed up in her own identity that it made her hard to like.
Sadness level: Moderate, I teared up a few times, but I never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away and they both pursue the relationship at times. (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: Yes (view spoiler)[Condoms are used. I don't remember any mention of std statuses, birth control, or previous practices. (hide spoiler)]
OW/OM drama: Yes (view spoiler)[There is a OM that pursues the h that causes a good bit of drama. There is also a brief scene with OW pursuing the H and it causes some jealousy for the h. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Not really (view spoiler)[They have about a 3 month time where they don't have any communications, but I wouldn't call it a separation because they aren't together. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Single parent upbringing, loss of a sibling, and bullying/violence. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had a cute jump ahead epilogue with a HEA ending (view spoiler)[married, successful in careers, and expecting a child (hide spoiler)]
How I got it: It was part of my scribed subscription.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have OTT sad parts - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]
Merged review:
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a "just ok" read for me. I was in the mood for some teenage drama, and I got it! ;). It didn't necessarily move me to the point that it'll go on my favorites shelf, but I enjoyed it for what it was. My biggest complaint was that the h bothered me in how she behaved and treated other people.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: I'm going to keep this really vague in hopes of not ruining it. This is Ryen and Misha's story. They first meet though a pen pal project when they are ten years old. They write letters for ~7 years and become best friends and even fall in love. When they meet again it is in an unexpected way, and they don't necessarily like the actual person that they are to everyone else outside the letters. They have some typical high school drama, some family baggage to work through, and some sexy times...but they do get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Ryen and Misha's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they've known each other through letters for years.
H rating: 4 stars. Misha. I liked him. He was a jerk at times, but I understood his frustration with the h.
h rating: 2 stars. Ryen. I didn't like her for the most part. She was so messed up in her own identity that it made her hard to like.
Sadness level: Moderate, I teared up a few times, but I never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away and they both pursue the relationship at times. (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: Yes (view spoiler)[Condoms are used. I don't remember any mention of std statuses, birth control, or previous practices. (hide spoiler)]
OW/OM drama: Yes (view spoiler)[There is a OM that pursues the h that causes a good bit of drama. There is also a brief scene with OW pursuing the H and it causes some jealousy for the h. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Not really (view spoiler)[They have about a 3 month time where they don't have any communications, but I wouldn't call it a separation because they aren't together. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Single parent upbringing, loss of a sibling, and bullying/violence. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had a cute jump ahead epilogue with a HEA ending (view spoiler)[married, successful in careers, and expecting a child (hide spoiler)]
How I got it: It was part of my scribed subscription.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have OTT sad parts - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was alright. I didn’t hate it and I didn’t love it. I guess I just kind of feel meh about it. I didn’t think Rhett was a3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was alright. I didn’t hate it and I didn’t love it. I guess I just kind of feel meh about it. I didn’t think Rhett was as broody and damaged as I think we were led to believe — which is fine! It was just a sweet book about two boys falling in love for the first time. Nothing wrong with that! I just feel kind of indifferent about it all and I don’t think it’ll be all that memorable in the long run.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Rhett and Greyson’s story. They’ve known of each other at their private high school, but they don’t know each other. That changes when Greyson offers Rhett a ride in the rain and decides they’re going to be friends. Greyson knows he is gay and has a crush on Rhett, but being a foster kid with trust issues, Rhett isn’t interested it any type of relationship. There are some secrets revealed, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Rhett and Greyson’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of, because things move fast with not that much development.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3 stars. Rhett. He was alright. I get that he was supposed to be damaged but he seemed to have it pretty together, considering ...more
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable for what it was. I am on a angst kick and this seemed totally appropriate. While I know this isn’t for e3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable for what it was. I am on a angst kick and this seemed totally appropriate. While I know this isn’t for everyone, I have to say that it’s not as bad as the blurb might suggest. Technically the h never pursues the H (or even really talks to him) before he is broken up with the sister — so there’s no cheating on one sister with the other here. The sister was a pretty great villain, the h fought/hid her feelings for ~8 years, and there’s really minimal drama about the sister thing. So, sadly, this wasn’t all the angst I was looking for but I still enjoyed it and (surprise) wanted more in the end. And! There’s the added bonus that Ms. Kent can definitely write some filthy scenes with some hot dirty talk ...more
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. I was excited and jumped right into a duet just because of the raving reviews and really just t3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. I was excited and jumped right into a duet just because of the raving reviews and really just the premise alone ...more
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I liked the characters, the author’s storytelling abilities, and the steamy scenes were pretty good. I ju3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I liked the characters, the author’s storytelling abilities, and the steamy scenes were pretty good. I just felt like it was too long. I don’t mind long books, but this felt too long a few times. I was extremely disappointed in the ending. I know, I know! Same story, different book for me ...more
Overall Opinion: Eh, this was just alright for me. It started off with some good potential and then seemed to lose it and go into fast forward 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: Eh, this was just alright for me. It started off with some good potential and then seemed to lose it and go into fast forward with some mushiness thrown in with a HEA. I felt like it was a little too insta for me and the fact that neither really had any real struggle with the fact that they were now attracted to a man instead of females like before (view spoiler)[though Levi mentioned thinking he was gay or bi before (hide spoiler)], made it feel not very believable. I think that would be a significant change in personal identity to cause at least some angsty feelings and I didn’t get that at all. Overall this, sadly, missed the mark for me and was 3 just okay stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Asher and Levi’s story. They are rival captains of the football (soccer) high school teams. After Levi’s team ruined Asher’s locker room, Asher and his teammates are out for revenge. Neither can stop thinking about one another to the point of obsessions and one night they cross the line when they kiss and start to see each other differently. There is some team drama, some big life changes, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Asher and Levi’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. It was okay pacing and then seemed to be in fast forward towards the end.
Instalove: Kind of because it seemed to jump from hate to lust to love.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3 stars. Asher. I don’t think I really connected with his character or got very deep in it. He was just alright.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Levi. I felt like I didn’t get deep into his character either. He was also just alright.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does Not have the H1 or H2 pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the H1 and H2 - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was an angst fest and unexpectedly sweet. I really enjoyed feeling with the angst but I was disappointed with how it e3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was an angst fest and unexpectedly sweet. I really enjoyed feeling with the angst but I was disappointed with how it ended up. I don’t feel like I connected with Sebastian because we don’t get his POV for majority of the book, and I think it would’ve really helped to understand what was going on with him throughout. I also really didn’t like the way they approached the steam. I get that this potentially is for younger readers and that is why they avoided those things and I don’t need a ton of steam — but it made it feel kind of disconnected in a way with how they just made vague mentions of things happening after the fact. It felt odd. I also don’t think I’ve ever really recognized that this “author” consists of actually two authors, but the way they changed the POV style towards the end of the book, it actually felt detached and odd too. Overall, I enjoyed it a little more than “just okay” 3 stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Tanner and Sebastian’s story. Tanner is in his senior year in high school and his best friend talks him into taking a seminar class where they will write a book. Sebastian graduated but is a local celebrity in that he took the same class a year prior and got a publishing deal. Tanner is a closeted bisexual because his family has had a bad experience with how the Mormon community reacts to homosexuality with his aunt, but he cannot help to develop a strong crush on Sebastian instantly. Sebastian has struggled with his sexuality his whole life because of his faith and Tanner throws a wrench in his illusion of a perfect life. There is a good bit of angst and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Tanner’s POV with one odd section towards where we get 3rd person narrative focusing on both mcs.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the abrupt ending with little closure. The weird change in POV threw me off and effected the flow for me, but I never skimmed.
Instalove: Kind of. They are instantly attracted and strong feelings develop quickly.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4.5 stars. Tanner. I really liked him. He was sweet, loyal, and funny.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Sebastian. I thought he was alright, but I think I needed more of his POV to fully connect with him.
Sadness level: Moderate/high. This had me shedding a few tears and I did need tissues once.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H2 pushes away a good bit and I’d say that they both pursue the relationship at times (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Low or N/A. There is little to no heat in this, just some kissing and aftermath vague mentions.
Descriptive sex: No
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really
Sex scene with OW or OM: Not descriptive (see cheating spoiler below)
Cheating: Not technically (view spoiler)[ The H1 slept with OW right after they break up the first time (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated a few times, once shorter (weeks?) and once for months (?). There was no mention or suggestion of other partners for the H2 during the first separation, but the H1 slept with his best friend OW. The second separation there was no mention or suggestion of other partners for either Hs. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This has a sweet ending but with what I would call a firm HFN ending because we don’t get that much closure and are left with many unanswered questions.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating (technically, see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the H2 pushing the H1 away - Does have a few separations between the H1 and H2 - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: I liked the uniqueness of their situation and I appreciated the author’s attempt at addressing such mental illnesses such 2.75 Stars
Overall Opinion: I liked the uniqueness of their situation and I appreciated the author’s attempt at addressing such mental illnesses such as hoarding and eating disorders. I just felt like it dragged too long. It also was a lot of back and forth when it didn’t feel necessary and that got frustrating. I liked the characters and I liked their friendship. I also felt like they cared about one another, but I just didn’t feel any chemistry. I find arranged marriage stories fun because typically there’s a good bit of sexual tension that become explosive when they finally get together. I sadly didn’t feel that here at all. Overall, this was disappointing and a little less than just alright.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Skylar and Jude’s story. They meet when Jude keeps on saving Skylar from embarrassing situations. Jude likes the sassy teen and wants to help her because he has guilt about his younger sister that went missing when she was 16 and feels this is an opportunity to help someone out. When he realizes the mess she’s really in, he suggests an arranged marriage to get her on his health insurance and a safe place to live. After spending more time together stronger feelings develop and the arrangement turns into something more....and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Skylar and Jude’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. This did get slow at times and I think it could’ve been edited down since it felt on the long side. I skimmed a little towards the end when it felt repetitive.
Instalove: No, they’re friends to lovers
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Jude. I liked him. I appreciated how he cared for others and was so protective and loyal.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Skylar. I liked her. I appreciated her strength through all her troubles.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[The H pushes away a good bit because of their age difference and they both pursue the relationship at times (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have mild tension, chemistry, and scenes, and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Only physical, not technically separated
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Hoarding/child neglect/poverty (h’s parents - on page), eating disorder and other medical issues because of it (h - on page), assault (on page), drug abuse/addiction (side character - off page, H when younger - off page), and the H is ~16 years older than the h (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had pretty good closure with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they’re still married (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the H pushing the h away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse (not by mcs) - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
I hate being in the minority and I find myself there yet again. I couldn’t do this one.
First there is the (view spoiler)[cringeworthy sexualDNF @ 43%
I hate being in the minority and I find myself there yet again. I couldn’t do this one.
First there is the (view spoiler)[cringeworthy sexual pursuit by the h that the H keeps rejecting because he’s lying to her about his age (17) and still is in high school with her 16 year old daughter (hide spoiler)]
But I barreled through thinking it’ll get better...
A pretty understandable reaction, right? But then (view spoiler)[it starts a path that implies that they had carried on this great love affair. What?! They flirted, got close to kissing, the H said some bold sexual statements, the h continues to throw herself at the H in a cringey way to be rejected, and they attempted (but failed) at sexting. When does that equal true love?! Waaaay too instalove for me and rather confusing if I’m honest (hide spoiler)]
I also didn’t connect with either of the characters and I didn’t really find them all that likable...
Overall Opinion: I’m sad I’m in the minority again here. It was alright. I felt like there was an ex best friend/bully type scenario going on 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I’m sad I’m in the minority again here. It was alright. I felt like there was an ex best friend/bully type scenario going on and then a switch was just flipped and they became mushy and super sweet. It felt odd. It then went to soap opera family and friend drama, filler sex, and a pretty decent epilogue (even though not with a HEA IMO). Overall it was underwhelming and it’s not going on my favorites shelf.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Penn and Copeland’s story. They were inseparable since they were toddlers, but this begins ~2 years after Penn crossed the line and kissed Copeland and ruined their friendship when they were 16. Penn gets injured and Copeland is tired of missing his friend, so they start up their friendship again with some heavy baggage they have to face. There is some big family drama, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Penn and Copeland’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well
Instalove: No, but they start this already pretty much in love.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Penn. I liked him. I appreciated how honest he was about his feelings.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3.5 stars. Copeland. He was likable in how he was protective of the H1, but there were times I wanted to shake him.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H2 pushes away and they both pursue the relationship at times (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H2’s ex causes some drama and there are some jealousies for both (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[There is a partially descriptive scene with the H1 and OW, H1 with OM, and the H2 with OW (all not full sex scenes) (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Not between mcs (view spoiler)[The H1 does kiss OW for a fake relationship, but I don’t consider this cheating since the H2 knows about it and it’s not romantic (hide spoiler)]
Separation: No, once they get together they stay together
Closure: This ends in a great place but what I would still call a HFN ending for the couple.
Safety: This one should be Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating between mcs - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with the H2 and OW and H1 with OM & OW (see above) - Does have the H2 pushing the H1 away - Does Not have a separation between the H1 and H2 - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was put on my radar when I started to see reviews pop up for the next book in the series, The Last Piece of His Heart3.25 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was put on my radar when I started to see reviews pop up for the next book in the series, The Last Piece of His Heart, and I got excited about Ronin’s story after reading and liking the first book. I decided that I really needed to give this one a try even though I knew it was going to be heavy — and it was! I lost my mother to cancer, so this hit a little too close to home for me. My heart also broke for all the damage done to Holden and how sweet he was at his core. So! This isn’t a unicorn and rainbow love story! It was enjoyable but I find it hard to rate tbh. I liked the characters, I appreciated their struggles, and I liked their connection to each other. I guess I just wanted more of them as a healthy, together and out couple! We get a lot of heavy baggage and drama but not nearly enough happiness to even it all out for me, so I’m going with a weird in between rating here with 3.25 stars ...more
Overall Opinion: This wasn’t quite the angst fest that I was hoping for. It was sad — don’t get me wrong! I just never got all that emotional 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This wasn’t quite the angst fest that I was hoping for. It was sad — don’t get me wrong! I just never got all that emotional about the characters. I don’t feel like I really ever connected with the H and it made it hard for me to really understand him. I also felt like I was thrown in to the story with no real explanation as to who these people were. I was even curious if this was part of a series for a little bit and I missed a book before because it just jumps in with a fast pace and it took me a while to fully understand who exactly Ollie was to the h and her parents. That was kind of frustrating tbh. Overall, it was alright but just not as good as I’d hoped.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Charlie and Ollie’s story. Charlie is a damaged girl that is trying to find her place in the world with her music. She has the support of her adoptive parents and Ollie. Ollie is her best friend and her person regardless of the significant age gap between them, and she is eager for the opportunity to move to Chicago to attend a prestigious music boarding school where Ollie lives. Things start to change for them as she gets older and she works through her past and lines are blurred and then crossed as stronger feelings develop between them. There are some sad moments, some family and friend drama, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Charlie and Ollie’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the time jump super quick epilogue. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove: No, they developed from confidant to best friends to more.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Ollie. I felt like there was something missing with him because I never fully connected with his character.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Charlie. I appreciated her strength and how she fought for her happiness.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull:Yes (view spoiler)[The H pushes away because of the age difference, but I’d say they both pursue the relationship at times (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H is jealous of OM that are around the h (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for at least 2 years. The H is with one OW as a ONS and there was no mention or suggestion of the h having other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Abuse/neglect/childhood rape (off page - h through memories), loss of parents to drug overdoses (off page - h through memories), the h is diagnosed with PTSD (on page), the H is the h’s adopted mom’s brother (the h’s mom is adopted too), and the H is ~15 years older than the h (16 when first intimate) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had some jump ahead scenes in the epilogue but it didn’t quite meet what I want to see to call it a HEA, but I am sure many others would have no problem calling it a HEA. I will call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they get engaged and the h is pregnant (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating (see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the H pushing the h away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (see above) (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was a good conclusion to the duet, but I didn’t like it as much as the first book. I did f3 Stars
Overall Duet Rating: 3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a good conclusion to the duet, but I didn’t like it as much as the first book. I did feel like it was a rollercoaster of sometimes unnecessary relationship drama and that it had a few times where I wanted to shake both mcs to get them to communicate better! The h rubbed me the wrong way a few times, and the ending was not nearly enough after investing 2 whole books to this couple. Overall, the duet was enjoyable and I think the H (especially his relationship with the h’s mom) and the overall uniqueness of the storyline made up for my gripes. With a 4 star rating for Heartache and Hope and 3 stars for this one, I give the duet an overall rating of 3.5 stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Ava and Connor’s story. It takes off right where the first book leaves us and they are trying to navigate their relationship as well as all the obstacles life has thrown at them. There is some family drama, some misunderstandings and poor communication, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Ava and Connor’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but they are already in love when this book starts.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Connor. I still liked him but maybe not as much as the first book.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Ava. I liked her, but I did get a little frustrated with her communication skills.
Sadness level: Moderate. I teared up a few times but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The h pushes away and I’d say the H was the main pursuer of the relationship. (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[The h is jealous of OW and the H is jealous of OM (neither do anything with them) (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for at least a year, but there was mention that neither of them were with other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Child abandonment (H off page by mother), mother with severe PTSD and other mental illnesses (h on page), and H was a virgin (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ended kind of abruptly with what I would call a HFN ending. I know others might be just fine with the ending but I wanted more! I wanted (view spoiler)[to see him really go pro and her become a school psychologist or them with a son with Lightning McQueen and Sally... (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: Dang. I really struggled with this one. I didn’t like the h and it is told in only her POV. She was a doormat when it came to2 Stars
Overall Opinion: Dang. I really struggled with this one. I didn’t like the h and it is told in only her POV. She was a doormat when it came to the H and pretty entitled and rude a lot of the times to everyone else. The H was a mystery throughout because we don’t get his POV and what I did get I didn’t like much either. He was a jerk, super cold, and then does a 180 and cares?! Maybe I’d get it if I understood his reasoning, but after finding out the big secret I still don’t get it...why the cruelty? And barely any grovel?! Yeah, no! The OW drama was OTT in an eye roll inducing way and the abrupt/no closure ending was the crappy cherry on top!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is June and Lucas’s story. June and Lucas grew up as best friends and then more after sharing their first kiss, but 2 years ago everything drastically changed and Lucas became a tormentor enough that June moved schools. June, however, has to return for their senior year and her first class is with Lucas and they share mutual friends. June just wants to understand the drastic change in Lucas but gets shot down many times at even establishing a friendship. There is some family drama, some OW drama, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in June’s POV. I think it might’ve made me like the H more if I understood his POV...maybe...
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but they cared about each other when this starts (h’s inner dialogue says she loves him right away).
H (Hero) rating: 2 stars. Lucas. I struggled with him. He didn’t make sense to me with his cruelty then 180.
h (heroine) rating: 2 stars. June. I struggled with her. She was a grumpy doormat IMHO.
Sadness level: Low/moderate, but no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[The H pushes away for most of the book and the h pursues the relationship (NOT my favorite) (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It did feel like the scenes at the very end were filler type scenes and unnecessary to the storyline tbh.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[The H is with the h’s “arch enemy” as a f-buddy type relationship but he claims she was a “mistake” even though he taunts the h with it (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was a pleasant surprise! I had put off this one because I hate not being part of the bandwagon! I hate not loving books 4 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a pleasant surprise! I had put off this one because I hate not being part of the bandwagon! I hate not loving books that soooo many people hype up and having raving reviews about! It makes me feel like a grumpy old lady that’s becoming too picky in my books. So, long story short — I’m happy that I liked this! Ms. Emma Scott strikes again! She’s great at tapping into the feels and she did that here. Just maybe not as much as I was expecting, but that’s okay! I still liked and connected to these characters and I got a relationship that spans many years and develops with age into that ‘more’. I love that kind of story! If anyone has recommendations for books similar, I am all ears!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Violet and Miller’s story. They meet right after Miller moves to town with his mother after his father left them in a bad place and they are 13. They form an instant friendship that lasts through the years and develops into something more. Violet has a jaded view on love from her parents’ faulty marriage, so she is hesitant to make a change in their relationship from friends to more. There is some family, friend, and personal drama, some sad and sweet moments, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Violet and Miller’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but instant connection yes.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Miller. I really liked him. My heart broke for him and his circumstances but I loved how he stayed true to the good man he was becoming.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Violet. I liked her. I appreciated how she cared for others and how she was genuinely nice.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I geared up but never needed any tissues.
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ There is an OW that the H dates and there is an OM that the h has had a crush on (and goes to school dances with) for many years that both cause jealousy. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes, but only physically (view spoiler)[They are separated for a while, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Homelessness (H - on page), child abandonment (H’s dad - off page), health issues (H has type 1 diabetes - on page), domestic violence (H’s mom’s boyfriend to him and mom - off and on page), and they are both virgins (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had pretty good closure with a cute epilogue, but I’m greedy! I wanted much, much more!! (view spoiler)[They’re together (but no mention of being married) and adopting a boy they fostered (hide spoiler)] I personally would call this a HFN, but I’m sure others would be fine calling this a HEA.
Safety: This one should probably be Safe with exception for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does have a (partial) descriptive sex scene with the H and OW - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a (physical) separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (see above) (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was a fun bully/hate-to-love type romance! It came recommended from one of my dear GR friend that, like me, enjoys the g 4 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a fun bully/hate-to-love type romance! It came recommended from one of my dear GR friend that, like me, enjoys the grittier/messier romances from time to time. I have found that I usually prefer those types of stories over the (what I call) fluffy ones! If you have big triggers about anything related to cheating -- please see my cheating spoiler below. I enjoyed it! I connected with the characters. I felt like the characters and overall storyline was well developed even though we were dealing with young characters. While the big conflict felt a little too much like telenovela drama, it didn't have as much angst as I was hoping, and the ending wasn't as much as I would've liked -- I really liked the H and his jerkish/damaged/sometimes scary possessive ways and that made up for it for me! Please check my spoilers if you have triggers, as this is probably not for everyone -- but it was an overall enjoyable read for me!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Astrid and Levi's story. Astrid has gotten to the summer before her senior year as an invisible girl, but a end of the year party changes that when she literally bumps into Levi. Levi is a King and they are known to rule their school. Astrid's father has warned her to steer clear of the King family, because of some unknown family rivalry. Levi has been warned away from Astrid as well, but he cannot help being drawn to her. After some major back and forth, they build an unlikely relationship that turns into love. There is some family drama, some big secrets revealed, some hot sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Astrid and Levi's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove:No, more like hate-to-love and they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Levi, Levi, Levi! He was a hot mess! He was a jerk (on the sociopathic side), really damaged from his family, super possessive to the point of often violence and...I actually really liked him! I don't know why or how since I absolutely wouldn't want my partner to behave the way he did, but I enjoyed his character!
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Astrid. I liked her. I appreciated how she wanted to fight back and how she did. I did think she was a little too much under the H's spell when he kissed her or got physical and didn't hold him as accountable as I wanted.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ They both push away at times, but I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship. (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[The H is super possessive and gets jealous when other men are around the h, and the h is hurt by the scene she walks in on (see cheating spoiler below) (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Not IMO (view spoiler)[The H does allow the h's step-sister (he doesn't realize that's who she is) to give him a bj and the h walks in on them. At this point they had been spending some time together and had kissed but weren't in a relationship, so I don't consider it really cheating but I'm sure others will (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated a few times shortly, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of parent (both h and H - off page), parent with mental disorder (H - off page), the H gets bj from h's step-sister and she sees (on page), drug use/violence (on page), and the h was a virgin (on page). (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had a cute ending with pretty good closure. It includes a bonus scene after the epilogue that I appreciated, but the author offers another bonus scene for what I imagine is more closure if you sign up for her newsletter. I didn't do that. I'm going to classify this as a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they're engaged (hide spoiler)].
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating (see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with the H and OW - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (see above) (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Review: This was a looooong duet! I didn't realize it was as long as it was until I was starting to write this3.5 Stars & 3.5 Overall Duet Stars
Quick Review: This was a looooong duet! I didn't realize it was as long as it was until I was starting to write this review and saw the page count. So, I guess that says I didn't feel like it was too long! However, there were some points that this dragged a little bit. But that very well might be because I'm not a huge fan of the fluff, and this has some. A lot happens in this book, so again, it didn't feel too dragged out and full of unnecessary filler like I often get frustrated with for duets or series. BUT! The ending was nowhere near enough!! After reading 930+ pages in this book and 880+ pages in the first book I dang well should get some good jump ahead future H.E.A.! Didn't happen. I was tempted to drop this to 3 stars for that alone, but I liked the rest enough to keep it at 3.5. Still frustrated with the h being a little too damsel and the OW drama was over done too (especially with everything else they had going on)! But otherwise, I did enjoy the characters and the story. I might, at some point, revisit these characters in another book. But not for a while...
Potential Triggers: (view spoiler)[OW drama/bullying (on page), domestic violence/alcoholism (on page), poverty (on page), murder/suicide (on page), sexual assault on minor (side character off page), drug abuse/addiction (side character on page) (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Review: I goofed and didn't realize this was a duet until I was coming up on the end and thinking that I was going to be pissed if it e3.5 Stars
Quick Review: I goofed and didn't realize this was a duet until I was coming up on the end and thinking that I was going to be pissed if it ended that way. I even had this shelved as a duet or series ...more
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