Full Moon Over Freedom is a beautifully written, angst filled book that will probably most speak to people who are feeling a little lost or have been Full Moon Over Freedom is a beautifully written, angst filled book that will probably most speak to people who are feeling a little lost or have been in a place where they're trying to heal from an emotionally abusive relationship. That's not to say this book can't be enjoyed by everyone, but I feel like it's going to speak the most to people who fall into that category. Gillian, the Pride of the East Side, puts a lot of stock in her image and ever since she married Thomas, that image has had her looking more "polished," which appears to have been code for more white. The way that Gillian's emphasis on physical perfection slips away throughout this book is such a carefully constructed ode to the character development she's going through internally. And despite the fact that Gillian is a victim of her husband's emotional cruelty, continuing even after their separation/divorce, this book also explores how her need to be "perfect" led her to being thoughtlessly cruel to people in her own life. I loved the character development in this book and the second chance romance with her childhood friend who "taught" her sex lessons? It was stunning.
Now, all that about Gillian aside, Nick has his own past and his own history and his own angst he's dealing with and some of it was a little ridiculous. I mean, we can begin with the fact that he's so convinced that Gillian will hurt him that he makes up a fiancée. But nevertheless, Nick's sense of guilt over "letting" his brother succumb to addiction is a struggle I think too many people can likely relate to. Of course, the message of this book is in part that you cannot control other peoples choices so I appreciated that too.
All in all, I think that this book was absolutely wonderful and I would recommend it whole heartedly. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC, though I also partially listened to this book via Hoopla and would highly recommend. The narrator is fantastic. ...more
The Heiress Hunt was almost a success for me, but the end pulled it down from a high four star rating to a three star. I think I'm arguably being harsThe Heiress Hunt was almost a success for me, but the end pulled it down from a high four star rating to a three star. I think I'm arguably being harsher with my ratings right now than usual, so admittedly, take that number with a grain of salt. But The Heiress Hunt was set up to be a success for me. I love nothing more than pining (preferably mutual, but I'm also a fan of a man being in love with his best friend for years and keeping his mouth shut about it) and estranged friends to lovers is sort of catnip for me. I also really like the premise of a man who wants the hostess having the hostess invite all of her friends to a house party so he can woo the hostess, but on the down low. And the first 40-50% of this book was hitting those notes for me. It was incredibly different in tone, I felt, to the brilliant Uptown Girls series, but it was like peanut butter M&Ms and I just wanted to keep listening. But once we passed the first half of the book, I felt like the wheels sort of started coming apart. I still found the book compulsively readable because I wanted to know what would happen, but instead of being my favorite type of M&Ms, it was like they were regular ones that are good, but why am I eating them? (This analogy is getting tortured, but I hope you're following.) Anyway, I'm putting the rest of this review under spoiler tags, but they're mostly just mild plot spoilers so read at your own risk.
(view spoiler)[At about the halfway point, there's a forced marriage and... I didn't like it. It just didn't really make sense the way it happened, so much as it felt like a convenient excuse. Maddie had said she needed time and instead of helping to get Maddie that time, Harrison just goes full steam ahead in a way that didn't really work for me. Also, the unresolved sexual tension in the build up to the forced marriage was honestly way sexier to me than the ultimate consummation scenes that came after the fact, which is always a bit of a let down, though a forgivable one. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[But both Maddie and Harrison spend the rest of the book making decisions that were just dumb and then the conflict that tears them apart at the end felt like a completely over the top ridiculous element that had me seething. There are third act break ups and then there are third act break ups that START at 90% of the way through the book. Ultimately, I still love Shupe's writing and am really looking forward to the next books in the series. As for whether or not you should give this one a read or skip it may really come down to your toleration of late third act break ups. If only I could have stayed in the first half of the book feelings the whole time... (hide spoiler)]
Although I read this book as an audiobook and ebook that I purchased, technically I had an e-ARC from Netgalley and Avon. Thanks so much to them for the opportunity to read this book!...more
I really enjoyed this one, but I do think the ending faltered and didn't totally land for me. All in all, though, a thoroughly enjoyable debut! I really enjoyed this one, but I do think the ending faltered and didn't totally land for me. All in all, though, a thoroughly enjoyable debut! ...more
I really loved almost all of this like 100%. But there was something about the actual transition from friends to lovers that threw me and kept me fromI really loved almost all of this like 100%. But there was something about the actual transition from friends to lovers that threw me and kept me from giving it 5 stars. Pretty sure that's a personal problem though. ...more
Someone explain to me HOW Talia always manages to do this to me!!! I'm feeling too many things. Someone explain to me HOW Talia always manages to do this to me!!! I'm feeling too many things. ...more
I really loved this, but I think it would have been more effective if I'd read all the books that came before because there are a lot of scenes with oI really loved this, but I think it would have been more effective if I'd read all the books that came before because there are a lot of scenes with other characters. ...more
It’s no secret that I loved Beach Read last year, so to say that I was looking forward to Henry’s adult romance follow up is a serious understatement.It’s no secret that I loved Beach Read last year, so to say that I was looking forward to Henry’s adult romance follow up is a serious understatement. I am incredibly delighted to inform you that it did not disappoint. I spent entirely too long in this one though comparing the two, so I’m really keen to go back and re-read it. But, what I can tell you is this, People We Meet on Vacation is very different than Beach Read. It stands so entirely on its own, separate and apart from Beach Read and I’m grateful it exists.
So what is People We Meet on Vacation? It’s an estranged friends to lovers romance told in alternate past/present storylines, taking us one summer at a time through the past to the present and in the present, on the vacation to hopefully renew their friendship. It is a book about millennial angst and the struggles of finding oneself over and over again. It is a slow burn of epic proportions. It delivers in the friends to lovers aspect so incredibly well.
People We Meet on Vacation is one of those romances I still don’t totally have the words for. I devoured it and loved it in every way. Would definitely recommend....more
Twitter was really going off about this book and bless Jazmen, Sil, and Joce for talking about it enough I not only bought it, but actually read it. TTwitter was really going off about this book and bless Jazmen, Sil, and Joce for talking about it enough I not only bought it, but actually read it. This was the hottest friends to lovers romance I've ever read. It also felt realistic, which is always nice. Yeah, if you haven't read it yet, would definitely recommend. ...more
I really love Holiday's writing and this book is no exception. In fact, aside from one thing that bothered me immensely, this book is excellent! So leI really love Holiday's writing and this book is no exception. In fact, aside from one thing that bothered me immensely, this book is excellent! So let's talk about the thing I hated first to just get it out of the way. Jake fully romanticizes his first sexual relationship with "Mrs. Robinson" who was much older than his 17 when they had a sexual affair. Personally and, you know, legally, this is not an okay thing to do!! I find this portrayal incredibly harmful and I really wish it hadn't been tossed in for literally no reason. So, now let's talk about all of the things I loved about this book!
Anyway, Paradise Cove is about Nora, a doctor, who moves to Moonflower Bay after her life basically implodes. After a messy end to her long term relationship, Nora is swearing off men and spending the next two years saving money to buy a house with her sister in Toronto. Jake, the silent and broody man we met in Mermaid Inn, can't seem to resist Nora's frank, no-nonsense manner and finds himself drawn into her orbit despite himself. Jake is dealing with the loss of his son during the first year of Jude's life. It's been a few years, but the grief is still all consuming. Nora draws this out of him, not by being nosy, but by being Nora.
There's a lot to love as these two become friends and eventually turn into more. I love the town and the side characters because they're a whole lot of fun. This book has some serious undercurrents, which you may have picked up on already, namely, grief and cancer.
Also, there are actually two other things I don't love. Let's first talk about what feels like my standard complaint: I really need characters not to get back together past 95% after the bleak moment. Also, in this case the bleak moment was bleak. Secondly, the trope that is used is, um, not my favorite, although I did think it was handled well.
I'm so looking forward to the third book in the series because Maya and Law are the most intriguing! Oh, and you may want to order a pizza before sitting down to devour this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the advanced copy! ...more
The Girl Next Door follows Iris as she moves home to a small town in Maine from Boston. She's not even remotely enthused about this move back home andThe Girl Next Door follows Iris as she moves home to a small town in Maine from Boston. She's not even remotely enthused about this move back home and feels like a failure. Nevertheless, she is determined to stay at home long enough to save up enough money and find a job so she can move back to Boston. And then there's Jude. Jude lives next door in the home that belongs to her parents. She's in stasis, still grieving something (view spoiler)[the death of her girlfriend two years ago (hide spoiler)]. But as the book moves, we get to see Jude start to open up and Iris start to fit back together the pieces of herself.
You definitely need to be in the mood for a slow burn going into this book, because it takes a while for the two of them to admit to each other that there are feelings there. But they both spend a good amount of time pining. I think the book reads really slowly because it doesn't feel like it adheres to romance pacing, but at the same time I enjoyed that. I feel like we really got to know Jude and Iris. I also felt like the ending seemed right, although I still have logistics questions, which is just a thing I seem to spend too much time thinking about. I also really liked Iris' parents and the fact that her dog's name is Dolly Parton. Overall, I think I would recommend if you like slow burns and character development to be at the forefront of your romance.
Also, quick aside, it turns out I really like books with home renovation in them so... That's new and weird.
CW: grief, discussion of high school difficulties with being out and rumors and bullying
Thanks to Netgalley and Carina for the opportunity to read this book early!...more
If you like mutual pining, this book is for you. I wasn't necessarily in the mood for a mutual pining situation when I picked it up and I will admit tIf you like mutual pining, this book is for you. I wasn't necessarily in the mood for a mutual pining situation when I picked it up and I will admit that the first third of the book felt a little tortured for my tastes, but with very good reason. And once we got past the first third, for me, the book took a turn and I was desperately in love with these characters by the end of it.
Martin and Will have been friends since childhood. Martin grew up titled and privileged, but also ill and mistreated by his father. Unfortunately, his father did not limit his mistreatment of people to his son and also sexually abused Will's brother. That mistreatment definitely plays a role in how Martin views himself and his attraction to his best friend. Will, for his part, has his own trauma stemming from an incident during his time in the Royal Navy and also in the aftermath of said incident, found himself addicted to opium. The two are absolutely magnificent friends that anyone would be so privileged to have. From Martin rescuing Will from various opium dens (not seen on page, but discussed) to Will essentially kidnapping Martin and nursing him back to health. They are utterly devoted to one another even before realizing the depth of their feelings.
I wouldn't say that this book is very plot driven because, if we're being honest, there's not much to the plot. Rather, this is a very quiet book and it is really, really good at emotions. Cat Sebastian excels at making you really understand her characters and these characters are certainly not an exception. I am anxious to read so much more of her work after finishing this one.
Although I was granted an advanced copy, I read the majority of this in my kindle copy that I'd preordered and then finished it up on audio on a long drive. Regardless, I am grateful for the receipt of the ARC from Avon and Netgalley. ...more
I really should have read this before I read Bear with Me because I was offended on Chellie's behalf for a good portion of this as well as completely I really should have read this before I read Bear with Me because I was offended on Chellie's behalf for a good portion of this as well as completely annoyed Mike didn't tell Jane he'd broken up with Chellie for ages. I wanted to like this and it's not like it's awful, but it just really did not work for me at all. ...more
Loading...
