"I love you... a crazy fucking amount," she whispered... "I love you too-" my voice cracked... "Most in the world."
you know those type of long "I love you... a crazy fucking amount," she whispered... "I love you too-" my voice cracked... "Most in the world."
you know those type of long ass books where you're satisfied but you still want more? yeah, that's how i feel reading this book and it's rare for me to feel this way. it's a perfect contradiction, really.
i don't know what to say but JUST. READ. THIS. BOOK. it's perfect. it literally has everything i never knew i needed. it's long because it has a lot of showing than telling. reading this, it honestly felt like i was there with all the characters, i didn't feel disconnected or anything because the characters felt so real.
the first book ended with a cliffhanger and this was the continuation of everything unresolved. Johnny FINALLY pulled his head outta his ass so him and Shannon are a couple, so everything that didn't happen in the first book, definitely happened here... if ya know what i mean.
"I'm going to keep you," he whispered... "if that's okay?" "That's definitely okay," I breathed... "I want you to keep me."
honestly, there's so much going on in this book and i dont wanna give anything away so imma just list out everything i love:
bromance & friendships: Gibsie's love for our H, Johnny, was just so UGHHHHH *insert a million heart eyes*. it was too cute for words. Gibise was so loyal and supportive with everything Johnny. i mean, there's so many scenes that made me love their friendship like the scene where Gibsie cried when Johnny was leaving for rugby, when Gibsie sat on *ahem* "tissues" because, ya know, teenage boys and their hormones, when Gibsie acted like a proud mom whenever Johnny accomplishes something, and when Gibsie was always there for Johnny when tragedy happened... WE NEED MORE MALE FRIENDSHIPS LIKE THIS.
and the bond between Claire and our h, Shannon? fucking great. Claire is definitely the female version of Gibsie and their sisterhood/friendship made me so happy, especially after what Shannon has gone through.
Johnny, Gibsie & Shannon's brothers i LOVED all of Shannon's brothers (except for Darren, he's aight). all her brothers are crazy and loveable, i mean how can i not love Tahdg, the 11-year-old potty mouth with no filter; Ollie, the most innocent and cutest 9-year-old kid who hustled Johnny for money and who is not ashamed of his cute lil tummy; Sean, the 3-year-old kid who made me aww so many times; and Joey, the second oldest of all the siblings and who basically raised/protected all of them from their abusive father and neglectful mother.
and Johnny's and Gibsie's (yes, I'm counting him), relationship with all of the brothers was so heartwarming to read. those kids was literally living in a nightmare for a looooong time and when Johnny supposedly "kidnapped" the baby brothers and took them to McDonalds and the park just because he knew they were all hungry was just so cute and adorable, my heart couldn't take it. and the scenes between Gibsie the manchild and the kids were one of the funniest things i've ever read.
Claire & Gibsie yes, yes. i know i've been going on and on about Gibsie but he's honestly the best character here. he completely outshines everyone, even the MCs. not even sorry that im completely more invested in Claire's and Gibsie's love story than Shannon's and Johnny's.
i mean, them being best friends since childhood and have been in love with each other since forever but of course, something happened and now Gibsie is a man ho and all that but still loves and protects Claire fiercely. honestly, I dislike characters/heroes who supposedly love the girl but goes on to be a man ho, but he still does things to the girl he "loves" that clearly shows how much he loves her but they're a "coward" and all that. thank god Gibsie didn't rub any of his OW escapades to Claire and i'm pretty sure he wasn't with anyone in this book, except for that creepy secretary. yeah, i dislike characters like him in other books but Gibsie was just... idk how to describe him because my words don't do him justice but just know that he's fan-fuckin-tastic.
they're story is literally the same as Knight's and Luna's from Broken Knight but in my opinion, Claire and Gibise are way more adorable and loveable and i just know their story is gonna make me cry.
"She freewheeled my hormones out of control and KO'd my heart"
anyways, I can't wait to read Joey's (Shannon's older brother) book and i DEFINITELY cannot wait for Claire and Gibsie's book
tw: emotional and physical abuse (scenes from the past) & murder/arson (off-page)
Merged review:
"I love you... a crazy fucking amount," she whispered... "I love you too-" my voice cracked... "Most in the world."
you know those type of long ass books where you're satisfied but you still want more? yeah, that's how i feel reading this book and it's rare for me to feel this way. it's a perfect contradiction, really.
i don't know what to say but JUST. READ. THIS. BOOK. it's perfect. it literally has everything i never knew i needed. it's long because it has a lot of showing than telling. reading this, it honestly felt like i was there with all the characters, i didn't feel disconnected or anything because the characters felt so real.
the first book ended with a cliffhanger and this was the continuation of everything unresolved. Johnny FINALLY pulled his head outta his ass so him and Shannon are a couple, so everything that didn't happen in the first book, definitely happened here... if ya know what i mean.
"I'm going to keep you," he whispered... "if that's okay?" "That's definitely okay," I breathed... "I want you to keep me."
honestly, there's so much going on in this book and i dont wanna give anything away so imma just list out everything i love:
bromance & friendships: Gibsie's love for our H, Johnny, was just so UGHHHHH *insert a million heart eyes*. it was too cute for words. Gibise was so loyal and supportive with everything Johnny. i mean, there's so many scenes that made me love their friendship like the scene where Gibsie cried when Johnny was leaving for rugby, when Gibsie sat on *ahem* "tissues" because, ya know, teenage boys and their hormones, when Gibsie acted like a proud mom whenever Johnny accomplishes something, and when Gibsie was always there for Johnny when tragedy happened... WE NEED MORE MALE FRIENDSHIPS LIKE THIS.
and the bond between Claire and our h, Shannon? fucking great. Claire is definitely the female version of Gibsie and their sisterhood/friendship made me so happy, especially after what Shannon has gone through.
Johnny, Gibsie & Shannon's brothers i LOVED all of Shannon's brothers (except for Darren, he's aight). all her brothers are crazy and loveable, i mean how can i not love Tahdg, the 11-year-old potty mouth with no filter; Ollie, the most innocent and cutest 9-year-old kid who hustled Johnny for money and who is not ashamed of his cute lil tummy; Sean, the 3-year-old kid who made me aww so many times; and Joey, the second oldest of all the siblings and who basically raised/protected all of them from their abusive father and neglectful mother.
and Johnny's and Gibsie's (yes, I'm counting him), relationship with all of the brothers was so heartwarming to read. those kids was literally living in a nightmare for a looooong time and when Johnny supposedly "kidnapped" the baby brothers and took them to McDonalds and the park just because he knew they were all hungry was just so cute and adorable, my heart couldn't take it. and the scenes between Gibsie the manchild and the kids were one of the funniest things i've ever read.
Claire & Gibsie yes, yes. i know i've been going on and on about Gibsie but he's honestly the best character here. he completely outshines everyone, even the MCs. not even sorry that im completely more invested in Claire's and Gibsie's love story than Shannon's and Johnny's.
i mean, them being best friends since childhood and have been in love with each other since forever but of course, something happened and now Gibsie is a man ho and all that but still loves and protects Claire fiercely. honestly, I dislike characters/heroes who supposedly love the girl but goes on to be a man ho, but he still does things to the girl he "loves" that clearly shows how much he loves her but they're a "coward" and all that. thank god Gibsie didn't rub any of his OW escapades to Claire and i'm pretty sure he wasn't with anyone in this book, except for that creepy secretary. yeah, i dislike characters like him in other books but Gibsie was just... idk how to describe him because my words don't do him justice but just know that he's fan-fuckin-tastic.
they're story is literally the same as Knight's and Luna's from Broken Knight but in my opinion, Claire and Gibise are way more adorable and loveable and i just know their story is gonna make me cry.
"She freewheeled my hormones out of control and KO'd my heart"
anyways, I can't wait to read Joey's (Shannon's older brother) book and i DEFINITELY cannot wait for Claire and Gibsie's book
tw: emotional and physical abuse (scenes from the past) & murder/arson (off-page)...more
but why do i wanna listen to country songs and drink whiskey after reading this??
not gonna lie, the whole heroine being engaged thing threw me off becbut why do i wanna listen to country songs and drink whiskey after reading this??
not gonna lie, the whole heroine being engaged thing threw me off because cheating. but honestly the whole situation was complicated and filled with movie-type drama that sometimes i forget the heroine was even engaged.
i don't condone any kind of cheating and there was a little bit of emotional cheating here but this book was just so C U T E.
why? because NOAH
Noah was just so swoony and to be honest, he's every girl's dream. i mean come on,
"Kissing Ruby Grace wasn't like kissing a normal girl. It was like kissing royalty, like kissing a goddess, like being hand-picked by the heavens to surrender your heart forever in exchange for just one, tender, earth-shattering moment."
i just -
[image]
want another one? alright guys i gotchu.
"Just looking at her was a blessing. I felt her presence swell into my chest, filling me up in some way that I never would have realized before. Because I didn't know I was empty. Not until she poured into my life."
i mean...
[image]
COME ON.
anyways, were there a lot of cheesy moments though? hell yes but they made my day sooo not complaining.
I just love Noah. and Ruby Grace? yeah i liked her too but her selflessness annoyed me at times but i understood her and kinda admired her for it.
"You're not meant to be a puppet in some man's sideshow, Ruby Grace. You're meant to be his entire world."
i really loved how Noah always put Ruby Grace first and became her personal cheerleader in hopes of making her dreams come true. their relationship reminded me of Faye, Rhys, and Tamlin from the ACOTAR series, where the fiance of Ruby Grace is like Tamlin and he treated our heroine like a trophy whereas Noah, like Rhys, treated her like an equal and helped her find her true self without any man or anyone overshadowing her dreams. that's basically what happened here. i love that.
and can i just say, I LOVE small town romance because i almost always tend to become attached to the characters because they're relatable and when they do mundane things i just feel comfortable? home-y? is that just me??
anyways, i can't wait to read Mikey's book because apparently it's a childhood best friends to lovers story and i could already feel the angst from his blurb....more
"I love you and I want you to let me love you and I want to make you mine. My woman. Just mine. All mine. I don't care what you want. I can't let y"I love you and I want you to let me love you and I want to make you mine. My woman. Just mine. All mine. I don't care what you want. I can't let you be someone else's. Mine, babe. Mine."
hold on while i swoon for a sec.
i was so excited for this and you bet your ass i dropped everything to read this and it did not disappoint me. i mean come on.
of course an ex-childhood best friends turned enemies book will reel me in and if you're into that too, then i 100% recommend this.
what i didn't expect were the emotions that i felt while reading this and the conflicts that happened here. this book deals with trauma, grief, and the mental and physical struggles of losing a loved one. i honestly thought this was just your typical new adult book but Stone (H) doesn't even go to college and he's actually already in the NFL. and that's my fault because i didn't read the blurb.
characters: — Dusty (h): she's fiercely independent, a survivor, and kind of a loner (with good reason that im not gonna spoil, sorry!). i felt bad for her in the beginning because of how her roommates treated her and especially when THAT thing happened. i really like and admire her character just because of how strong she is. though, i did wish she grew a little bit of a backbone towards her roommates.
— Stone (H): first of all he is NOT a man ho and has a personality of a slytherin. kinda swoony sometimes but also wanna smack him in the head because of the misleading ways Ms. Tijan made readers think about how he "doesn't" love the heroine and how he rejected her. BUT i do love how he says (or doesn't say) he doesn't have feelings for her but actually SHOWS how much he loves her, so that's a plus.
BUT just because i loved this, there's a reason why this isn't a 5-star read for me.
what i disliked: ↠ the beginning. it was a bit slow and we didn't get to meet Stone face-to-face until the 20% mark . ↠ "enemies" part wasn't that bad? don't get me wrong, they do fight a lot and there's a lot of pushing that came from the Dusty (h) but i don't know... it's not as bad as other books i've read. it's nothing too angsty in my opinion. ↠ Dusty's roommates are fake friends. her roommates neglected her and never tried to be her friend UNTIL they knew she was with Stone. ugh. i don't like any one of them except for Wyatt (one of the mean girls' boyfriend) and Nicole (roommate). i just wasn't convinced about their change. ↠ the romance was just meh. i know, i know. why would i rate a book high when the romance is meh? to be honest, i don't know HOWEVER i still rooted for Stone and Dusty to be together but their romance just didn't give me the giddy feelings i usually get. ↠ couldn't connect with Stone. as i said, his personality is like a slytherin but he just didn't stand out to me. he's doesn't have a lot of depth and i wish he had more chapters because i wanted to know his POV when he walked away from Dusty and their other "breakups". and he didn't show up till the 20% mark sooo...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
i read this in one sitting because it was a page-turner for me and are the other characters getting their own books? Cammie and Colby? Wyatt and Siobhan (yes i weirdly ship them)?
reading this instead of studying for finals was definitely worth it because it was soo good.
Landon & Shay are my babies and i'm so glad they got their HEA even though they went through some rough times (that's an understatement). there were so many emotions i felt while reading this and most of them are good but some of them resembled around disappointment?? don't get me wrong this still made me feel giddy and light but none of the things that i felt while reading the first one didn’t feel as intense when i read this one.
even if i liked this one, i just didn't love it as much as the first book. why?
well...
what i disliked (SPOILERS): ↠ where was the epic love? i didn't really feel the intensity of their love in this especially in the second half because there was a lot of telling than showing. i ended up being disappointed with this and honestly, the romance in the first book was incomparable to what happened here. they reconnected through being "fuck acquantainces" aka sex, and even that was more told than shown. sooo i didn't really get to see or feel the connection again. plus, there were so many side things happening that their connection/romance felt more like the side story.
and Landon's love towards Shay in the second half wasn't as powerful. or, it didn't feel powerful to me compared to the first book. not gonna lie, i feel like he didn't even try. yes, he wanted to be friends with her but Shay basically made all the first moves.
↠ Tracey? Shay's dad? Monica? Eric?? but where are all these characters?! there were so many questions left unanswered and side characters from the first one, and even this one, were forgotten or left aside! im always gonna wonder if Monica is ok or if Eric finally came out or if Tracey is even still friends with Shay. and Shay's dad? what the hell happened to him?
↠ Shay's dream. i really wish there was a plot where we get to see Shay fulfill her EGOT dream. that would've been so lovely. instead, we got that unnecessary drama at the end.
↠ Lack of Landon's perspective on what he went through the 10 years they were separated. i'm always gonna wonder if he really was a man ho? i mean, i read how he talked about the "woman" he supposedly slept with in Eleanor & Grey and im always gonna wonder how long it took for him to get over Shay? i just wish we actually got to experience what he went through instead of just being told ya know?
↠ the second half being rushed. i think this is the most important section in the book because this is where the reunion happens but there were just sooo many time jumps and fade-to-black scenes that the romance just felt so underwhelming. and the way they connected the most was through a no-strings-attached type of arrangement and im kinda disappointed with this because isn't connecting just with sex one of the main reasons why they broke up in the first place?
↠ the trust should've been built IN the actual story and not the epilogue.
"You're my story. You're my final page. You're my final word."
and just so if any of y'all are curious both weren't celibate during the 10 years they weren't together. they didn't get into much detail but in Greyson's book, apparently Landon is a man ho but Landon says he's not. he just said he was "trying to find Shay" in the women he's been with. doesn't say how long it took for him to get over Shay and move on to OWs though, but im pretty sure it's several years? but he told Shay that he was "with" someone a few months before they reunited and we all know what that means.
other than the things that left me disappointed here, i still very much loved everything in this book. Landon & Shay will forever be one of my favorite couples because of their journey in the first one and they were honestly just so loveable to me.
anyways, i really hope Karla (Greyson's daughter) will have her own story!...more
5+ stars i was UGLY CRYING the whole time i was reading this. no joke. and im still crying right now as im writing this.
the last time i ugly cried was probably when i first saw the Red Wedding but even then, i don't think ive cried as much as i did while reading this.
this book was just... breathtakingly B E A U T I F U L.
gotta be honest, when i read the blurb, i thought this was gonna be your typical ya/na romance full of cliches and petty drama but NO, oh noo. i was so wrong. i mean, the blurb literally said that this was gonna be about two enemies making a bet as to who would make one of them fall in love with the other first. so, i expected all these childish pranks but nope it was way way WAY more than that.
because of my previous notions, i wasn't expecting anything special and i definitely was not expecting that this is going to be one of my all-time favorites.
"We were just two kids who made a stupid bet a few months ago. Two kids who pushed one another. Two kids who pissed each other off, who made rude remarks, who battled each other tooth and nail. And then, somewhere in the midst of our hate, we accidentally fell in love."
the characters were AMAZING and that is an understatement.
— Shay (h): this girl is so strong and so full of love and i truly admire her character. while reading this, i felt like she was my best friend and honestly, that's all that we look for in a heroine right? if they feel like they can be your best friend, then that's a sure sign they're great and she is. and like what Landon said:
She was a vibrant light. She was the spark that lit up the sky. A fucking star.
damn. hold on while i swoon a little bit.
— Landon (H): listen, Shay was great and all but Landon? oh boy. after reading this, he is honestly my favorite Hero of the year, hands down. the depth that this character had was just so incredibly written. when i first read his chapter, i thought he was going to be your typical, cocky douche who's acting out because his parents are ignoring him but nope!
his struggles and his pain is way more deep than i could ever imagine.
the main reason why i was ugly crying was because of Landon. i felt his pain, his agony, his depression... i felt EVERYTHING.
the way the author wrote his pain was just so hauntingly beautiful yet painful to read. i've never EVER read a Hero who's so vulnerable and who is in so much pain. i literally felt my heart breaking for Landon the entire time i was reading his chapters because of his dark thoughts.
i felt so emotionally connected with this character i was literally drowning from his sadness and his pain. i just wanted to hug the shit out of him every time he was down and tell him that HE IS ENOUGH and that HE IS WORTH EVERYTHING.
Landon is definitely going to be one of the most memorable Heroe's i've ever read in my entire life. he's even up there with Rhysand from A Court of Mist and Fury and that's saying a lot.
"I wanted to know his story. His ugly, hard novel. I wanted to read his words, even though they seemed to bleed across the page in the most painful way."
i salute the author for talking about mental health and depression. the way she wrote about Landon's depression felt so raw and real and i was in fucking AWE. and the love between Landon and Shay? P O W E R F U L. i haven't felt their kind of love in a looong time.
anyways, i honestly regret reading this before the second book comes out because now i feel so hollow and empty. I NEED the second book right tf now thank you very much.
this does end in a bittersweet note (there is a second book after all) but i swear to god if the author pulls an Eleanor & Grey move and one of them falls in love with other people during their separation...
i don’t like pregnancy tropes and the cover obviously shows what this is gonna be about but im
✰5 stars✰
not gonna lie, i totally judged the cover.
i don’t like pregnancy tropes and the cover obviously shows what this is gonna be about but im so glad i read this because the MCs are one of the best characters out there.
“My Tinker Bell. My soul mate.”
i don’t wanna give anything away so imma just list the things i loved:
- the slowburn. - Pick (H) is not a man ho. he’s loyal, sweet, treats with women with respect, and HONORABLE.
i mean, he adopted and loved a child that wasn’t even his. AND he married his foster care friend out of convenience so she could have his insurance (dw, there’s barely any OW drama here. this friend and him are platonic).
- Eva (h) was a B I T C H in the first book and tbh, i don’t know how i was gonna like her after she called Sarah a “freak” but oh my goodness she won me over here.
she’s definitely my #1 favorite heroine in this series so far.
- the friendships between every characters! especially Mason and Eva. they hated each other in the first book but it’s great seeing them support one another here.
oh and Ten omfg can’t wait to read his book. And Quinn? the used-to-be-virgin, innocent football player? I CANNOT WAIT to read his book!
- and the little witch, vision thing in the prologue where Pick sees his “Tinker Bell”/soulmate. i loved that cuz it reminded me of the whole mate thing in ACOTAR and i LOVE Rhysand and Feyre.
“When I'm with you, though, you make me feel everything. I'm beautiful, loved, and clean.”
this series is definitely worth the read and i am DEFINITELY binge reading this series.
i also really like it because it reminds me of Kristin Ashley (the friendships and banter) and Mariana Zapata (slowburn and emotional connection) so that’s a win-win....more
Noel = new book boyfriend. Aspen = meh (but that's because Noel steals the show, sorry not sorry) Ten = omfg i can't wait to read his book Quinn4.5 stars
Noel = new book boyfriend. Aspen = meh (but that's because Noel steals the show, sorry not sorry) Ten = omfg i can't wait to read his book Quinn = what a cute teddy bear Mason = OMFG that baby mama drama, i wasn't expecting that.
loved this mainly because of Noel and his inner monologue when him and Aspen were separated? damn, i really felt his love for her and it was powerful as hell....more
4.5 stars [image] to summarize this book, it was A D O R A B L E.
i had my “aww” face the whole time i was reading this.
i mean, MCs being single parent4.5 stars [image] to summarize this book, it was A D O R A B L E.
i had my “aww” face the whole time i was reading this.
i mean, MCs being single parents with adorable kids is bound to have a lot of cute moments right?
tbh i liked the familial relationship more than the romance but don’t worry, the flirting and banter was still really cute!
i just love books where it’s full of mundane things and it feels like we’re just living through their lives. i like this because i get attached to the characters so easily as they feel so real. Mariana Zapata and Kristen Ashley are really good with this and since i've only read this and the third book, Bad for You, in the series by this author, she's pretty good at it as well.
❥what i liked: - Olivia’s (h’s daughter) “Reasons Why Nate Makes the Best Dad Ever” list ...more
ok so first of all, the cover is so pretty like wow.
second, i have no idea why, but the MCs and their sitso basically, this is blue lagoon but darker.
ok so first of all, the cover is so pretty like wow.
second, i have no idea why, but the MCs and their situation reminded me of Lorcan and Elide from Empire of Storms?? but just from that book though. i have no idea what these characters went through in Kingdom of Ash as i haven't read that yet. and yes, I do ship Lorcan and Elide.
third, i really really liked this! obviously, there are some fucked up things happening here and i don't condone some of the things the H did to the h at all (sleeping with OW in front of her, "punishing" her, and you know, KIDNAPPING her because she was sold into slavery and shipping her off to his boss) but he seemed likeable and i'm pretty soft when it comes to mysterious H's AND he redeemed himself imo, which is a plus.
and the heroine? well imma just show you why i loved her:
“You can break my body. It’s only a shell. But my spirit, you will never touch. That will always belong to me. So I’m ready. Do your best. Take me to Russia and deliver me to your boss, but know that I will never stop fighting for my freedom. I will never stop trying to break free.”
wow. [image]
i wasn't expecting this to have a little action/adventure( travelling the seas and being stuck in an island) and i was all for it.
Sketch(H), Romi(h) & Pres(best character in this series) = Harry, Hermione & Ron/Percy, Annabeth & Grover. yes, i know. Pres is definitely the HermionSketch(H), Romi(h) & Pres(best character in this series) = Harry, Hermione & Ron/Percy, Annabeth & Grover. yes, i know. Pres is definitely the Hermione/Annabeth in this group.
rescue mission, roadtrip adventure cuz duh people are hunting them, figuring out the mystery around their fucked up families.
honestly, what’s not to love?
this is book 2/4 and it’s fairly short. i THINK the author divided this book into 4 parts because if it’s one book, it would be too long. so, this is definitely not a series.
i don’t know what else to say without giving anything away so imma just show my favorite scene from my favorite character (Pres).
“Yes, that was sex, you inconsiderate bastards," a familiar voice slurred from the far side of the room. "Very good sex, by the sounds of it. Congratulations, vagina-muncher; making her orgasm during vaginal penetration her first time round is impressive. No whiskey dick for you, huh? Alas, you're both virgins no more. Now, pull your bionic dick out of the female and stop rocking the damn headboard. Some of us need a full eight hours sleep to function.”
we all love a good loyal/third-wheel bff like Presley. ...more
it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book where i don’t want it to end.
i was expecting this book to be the typical high school romance where jock mit’s been a long time since I’ve read a book where i don’t want it to end.
i was expecting this book to be the typical high school romance where jock meets shy girl and ya it kinda is but it’s definitely much more. i love books that focuses on the characters, friendships, relationships and family dynamics and this book has all of it. tbh, i wasn’t gonna read this book but the rating is so high and i was curious and all but i’m so glad i did.
ALSO, i wasn’t expecting this book to have a Mariana Zapata type of slow burn and i was all for it. and i know this book is long af but it’s like that because there’s more showing than telling and i loved this.
story & characters this book is long af but it didn’t feel long. if books are like this, you know it’s really freakin good and it is.
what drew me in are the characters. the story is pretty simple: girl gets bullied in her old school, she transfers to a more preppy/private school, she meets the most popular guy who also happens to be a rugby prodigy, they fall in love slowly but they both hide it from each other cuz duh its forbidden and all that. you know the drill. but the characters? fucking great. they were so relatable, hilarious, and the banter? the best thing i’ve read in a long time.
the side characters, Gibsie (H bff) and Claire (h bff) are THE BEST. i don’t think i’ve ever laughed so hard, i feel nonexistent abs forming on my tummy until Gibsie is introduced in my book-life. and Claire? she’s the kind of friend every girl needs. both of these characters’ loyalty and support was so refreshing to read, i just love em and i ship both of these characters so bad too.
Shannon (h) & Johnny (H) i felt so bad for Shannon that i just wanted to protect her from every single person who bullied and abused her. and knowing and reading about how she was being abused by her father? ughhhhh MY HEART. Shannon may seem weak, innocent, awkward, and naive (which is understandable after what she’s been through), but she’s actually so fucking strong, mature, the sweetest thing ever, and quite admirable tbh.
and omfg Johnny is the best hero i’ve read in a loooong time. he’s the perfect balance of sweet and alpha/protective/possessive type of hero. even though his pushing away from the heroine and implicitly leading her on frustrated me to no end, i’m still really glad that he was the one doing most of the chase. he may say to her he’s not interested but i mean, actions speak louder than words right?
im also so glad that Shannon calls Johnny out when he makes mistakes instead of just “giving in” just because, you know, he’s hot. ugh *cue eyeroll*. i’ve seen this trend in soo many NA books that it’s annoying as hell but thank god Shannon ain’t one of those weak and doormat/horny heroines.
drama wellll most of the drama here is the push and pull from both MCs, it can get frustrating, not gonna lie, but it’s definitely worth it.
the OW drama here was kinda entertaining but also kinda not important? i don’t know it just feels like it’s there for the sake of drama or putting a wedge between the MCs and im honestly not complaining because i’ve been in the mood for petty teenage drama for quite a while.
anywaysss, this book doesn’t have sex in it and it focuses a lot more on the stages of slowly and innocently (but genuinely) falling in love with your soulmate so if you like that, i recommend this 100%....more
LOL why did i reread this. im freaking depressed now. but anyways, Knight was annoying because of his stupid games, double-standard and shoving Poppy on Luna's face and let's not even start with the depressing drama at the end that made the romance from okay to meh.
original rating (aug 2019): 3.75 stars honestly, ...more
remember the cabin where Nina was attacked in The Gamble, which is one of my fave books by KA? well, this is about the owneryes Yes YES, I loved this!
remember the cabin where Nina was attacked in The Gamble, which is one of my fave books by KA? well, this is about the owner of those cabins, Cassie, and i freaking love this semi-crossover!
i don’t care if nothing angsty or dramatic or action worthy moments happened in the middle, I just loved reading bout Deacon and Cassie being all cute and passionate and doing mundane things and KA is so good with this shit cuz she makes grocery shopping and fixing rooftops interesting, and im like girl shit, how you even do that?
i actually appreciate this and its cuz you can really see the two MCs falling more in love with each other and i really like the fact that KA does a lot of showing instead of telling even though there’s a ton of time jumps in the beginning (i find this annoying in other books but with her books i don’t, so again, how does she do that?!).
And when the “angst” started to happen (because of the whole dead ex-wife thing) i was like yes, gimmeeee. though, i wanted more grovelling and that aspect didn’t really deliver cuz she forgave him too easily, imo.
Deacon was a big winner for me here though, and it’s because he’s the quiet and grumpy type of hero and i have a weakness for that. and ALSO he’s so different from other KA heroes and it’s because... well, let’s just say he wanted Cassie to do things to him that Luke from Rock Chick Revenge didn’t want Ava to do because he’s a “man” (ugh, whatever). and the fact that he was celibate the whole 6 years he’s known her? mind-fucking-blown....more
#1: the guy on the right ↠ 5 stars #2:the guy on the left ↠ 3 stars #3: the guy in the middle ↠ tbr
but can we have more “guy on the right” type of hero
#1: the guy on the right ↠ 5 stars #2:the guy on the left ↠ 3 stars #3: the guy in the middle ↠ tbr
but can we have more “guy on the right” type of heroes though??
friends to lovers, slowburn, perfect amount of drama, college setting, funny af scenes, TONS of sexual tension, and how they talk about the clear difference between lust and love? damn this book has everything i like.
ive been reading so many romance novels where the MCs say they love each other but all they did was have sex so i don’t really believe em when they say the L word, but here, we get to see the progression of their relationship that comes so naturally to me that i BELIEVE them when they said their i love you’s. honestly, this is one of the most important things i look for when im reading romance and im so glad it was well done here!
seriously tho, i have the biggest crush on Theo and i literally want to marry him. and Laney? she’s so crazy, i love her.
and can someone please tell me if Lance (H’s recluse roommate) will get his own book? will Troy (OM; H’s man ho/jock/arrogant roommate)? ahhh i need to know because they seemed so interesting!
anyways, this is definitely one of the best friends to lovers i’ve ever read ♡. ____________
update: I definitely picture Theo as the actor who played Carter from the Happy Death Day and Josh To All The Boys I've Loved Before....more
A heroine who supposedly doesn't feel anything and think she's a sociopath and is then shipped off to a boarding school for delinquents somewhere in the UK, then falls in love with a person who feels everything intensely?
[image]
so the prologue (set in the future) had me hooked because apparently the H, Ollie, was the one who ended up letting her go or something.
”Stay with me," you had said over and over. Who would have thought you would be the one to take a step into oblivion?"
but then it started to become slow for the first few chapters UNTIL we meet Ollie and his friends, and then it was all drama galore from there and i was H-O-O-K-E-D.
im not gonna say anything bout the story because it’s better to read it but just know that boarding school + crazy characters = GREATNESS.
there is insta love here and i really don't like this trope at all because i prefer a realistic progression but i actually find it very endearing here. and don't get me wrong, there's definitely progression but insta love is still present, especially in the H's side. this is definitely more character-driven than action/adventure type of book so if you like that, i definitely recommend this.
Mia (h): im gonna be real here, she annoyed me in the beginning. her pushing away from the H was frustrating as hell, especially when she did things to deliberately hurt him (sleeping with two OM, and kissing OM in front of H after they've already met and kissed.)
i feel this way because Ollie was the sweetest, most innocent boy out there and he would say all these swoony things that would just make me melt, and the h wasn't that likeable so far, sooo i was kinda biased.
listen, i really dislike when either h or H is intimate with OW/OM after having strong feelings for their love interest or that they were already intimate with them, especially when this is not a second chance romance and there are no time jumps. im selfish like that ok? how can i believe they really love their love interest if they're intimate with another person when the love of their life is literally RIGHT THERE?
yes, yes i know this is fiction and this happens in real life and nothing is all sweet and perfect but still! a girl can dream...
and the fact that these OM sex scenes are shown and not told? yeah... not my cuppa.
so, i didn't really like her in the beginning because i was biased towards Ollie. but then, her walls started to crumble and her character development? fucking AMAZING. Game of Thrones writers should learn a thing or two from the author.
she went from someone that annoyed me to someone i admired. we get to discover wtf happened to her and why she is the way she is and it was heartbreaking af.
and when she finally opened up to Ollie? [image]
MY HEART COULDN’T TAKE THE CUTENESS !!!
when they were finally together, i was like OM who?? and that plot twist towards THAT certain OM? i was actually shook. i did not see that coming AT ALL. anyways, i just wanted to punch those two OM because they were just assholes, who clearly have no idea what consent means. fuck them.
Ollie (H): this boy is just too cute and swoony for words, so imma leave it at that. BUT imma tell y'all that he calls Mia, "my love" AND he read The Notebook to her while he cuddled her! if that doesn't make you swoon and fall in love with him right then and there idk what can phase you. we all need the love of our lives to read to us, lets be real here.
”I'm not going to save you, Mia I don't want to be the one. I'm going to show you how to save yourself."
the whole setting of this book reminded me of hogwarts and vampire academy. is it because they're in a boarding school? yes, definitely. so, this book made me feel all nostalgic and im all for it.
“Sometimes even the darkest parts of us can become beautiful when seen through a different set of eyes.”
the writing here was so good and tbh, i don’t say this often but i really do think this should be adapted into a movie?? i can just imagine the oscars the actors portraying the MCs will be receiving.
this book does end in a cliffhanger and i can't wait to read the next one because DAMN that ending just left me so empty, but also, since im addicted to drama, im also so happy with it....more