You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
⭐️⭐️½ — Meh, I wanted to love it…
I was really looking forward to Deep End. Ali Hazelwood usually gives me the kind of smart, swoony romance I can’t put down—but this one just didn’t work for me the way I hoped it would.
The premise? Great. STEM setting, opposites attract, emotional walls to break down—classic Hazelwood stuff. But somewhere along the way, the spark kind of fizzled. The characters had potential, but they didn’t feel fully fleshed out, and the romantic tension felt more forced than organic. I kept waiting for that “click” moment between them, and it never really came.
Also, the pacing felt weird. It dragged in the middle, and then suddenly everything was wrapped up with a neat little bow that didn’t feel totally earned. I did enjoy a few witty lines and cute moments (Hazelwood’s voice still comes through!), but overall, it didn’t leave much of an impression.
Not terrible, but not memorable either. Hoping the next one brings back the magic I know she’s capable of.
I was really looking forward to Deep End. Ali Hazelwood usually gives me the kind of smart, swoony romance I can’t put down—but this one just didn’t work for me the way I hoped it would.
The premise? Great. STEM setting, opposites attract, emotional walls to break down—classic Hazelwood stuff. But somewhere along the way, the spark kind of fizzled. The characters had potential, but they didn’t feel fully fleshed out, and the romantic tension felt more forced than organic. I kept waiting for that “click” moment between them, and it never really came.
Also, the pacing felt weird. It dragged in the middle, and then suddenly everything was wrapped up with a neat little bow that didn’t feel totally earned. I did enjoy a few witty lines and cute moments (Hazelwood’s voice still comes through!), but overall, it didn’t leave much of an impression.
Not terrible, but not memorable either. Hoping the next one brings back the magic I know she’s capable of.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
It was not my favorite of hers but I mean I’m gonna read anything she publishes
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I AM AN ALI HAZELWOOD HATER but this book was better than her previous ones. The way she handled diving by not explaining every minutiae was really beautiful. There’s no reason to explain to the audience what an inward dive is until the early morning dive scene when it becomes relevant. I wish I could say the same for her treatment of STEM. When I had to read MCAT all spelled out like it’s not a common term, I almost perished. I kind of hate how, for a book centered around how kinky the main characters are, there was nothing but the most basic domination described. Pen’s storyline wrapping up with her inexplicably realizing she’s been wrong the whole time and flying halfway across the country to apologize, then fly home in the same day? Ridiculous. I also hate how all of Hazelwood’s books start with infodumping about every single unnecessary side character. Getting a 526 on the MCAT after barely studying was crazy. Writing such a bad admissions essay after getting into Stanford was crazy. The relationship was good.