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jessiandi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment, Violence, Sexual content, and Death
rosamaria's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Blood
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
kleinerdiktator's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Death of parent, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Violence, Car accident, Addiction, Physical abuse, Body shaming, and Bullying
Ben emotionally manipulates Fallon several times without it being acknowledged in the book and instead rewards him for this behavior.lilly8938's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Very Coho
Graphic: Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
fluture's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Cancer, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Death, Sexual content, Abandonment, Hate crime, and Misogyny
Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Dysphoria, and Sexual harassment
sadie_g's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was a interesting plot and I enjoyed the duo perspectives. I found it hard to get into but around 1/4 in I got very into it and just kept reading. I’m not a huge fan of all the choices made when writing this book but I did enjoy it.
I unfortunately already knew the twist for this book but I still found it interesting to read even with knowing.
Graphic: Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer and Death
Minor: Violence
thebookpaiges's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
penguin_20's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide
Moderate: Cursing, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Cancer
Minor: Grief, Alcohol, Violence, and Pregnancy
jen1804's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I cannot express how much I loved the concept; living your own lives and meeting on the same day once a year for 5 years before you allow yourselves to fall in love? Ugh stop it, it’s so freaking cute. I also really loved the fact that we get absolutely no narrative in between each November 9th! I love that we get to skip over all the mundane life stuff each year and jump straight back into the interaction between our two MCs. AND having said that, despite only getting a window into the lives of these two characters on one day a year, they in no way feel under developed because of the richness of their inner monologues, is CoHo a genius or what?
I have seen some hate towards Ben from other readers but I personally adore his character. Does Ben come with his flaws? Absolutely - I especially cringed during the first November when he tells Fallon what he wants her to wear to dinner because “he’s paying”, but they’re both very young at this point. And does Ben show character development and growth over the years as he matures? Yes, yes he does. But any boy who takes homework to read 5 romance novels that the girl has recommended is absolutely swoon worthy in my eyes. Add onto that that he’s a writer and is literally writing a novel about their love story - RIP me.
I disliked the Jordyn storyline but not because it was necessarily unrealistic, I can absolutely see how in that situation, two grieving people who already share a house and are now raising a child together could gravitate towards one another whilst subconsciously knowing it wasn’t what either of them ultimately want. It was just so sad and I felt my heart breaking for both Fallon and Ben in that moment!
I adored the body positivity messages woven throughout this book and how Fallon learned to love her scars. I feel like the fact that it was Ben who helped shape her confidence here is so freaking important.
The scene in the closet at the night club? Omg how can something so marginal be so hot? I loved that scene so much and I think it’ll live rent free in my head forever. And the scenes that followed too, “yes” to Ben’s nonchalance towards Theo and an even bigger “yes” to Ben, Glenn and Amber defending Fallon’s honour when Theo insults her.
I really did not like the sub plot of mother Kessler committing suicide, to me this was too unrealistic. I just can’t see how she, someone who loved her children as much as the book claims, would ever do that and allow her 16 year old son to find her dead with her brains blown out. It’s for this reason that I cannot give it a 5. I did however really like the description in Ben’s novel of the events that followed said mother’s death and gave good insight into the grief and trauma that Ben was experiencing, especially before reading his mother’s note.
Overall this was a really beautiful and complex coming of age story about love, forgiveness, family and self acceptance. Would highly recommend to YA contemporary romance readers.
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Cancer
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
ninahuynh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Suicide, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Car accident, and Pregnancy