Reviews - Noaz | The StoryGraph

43 reviews for:

Noaz

Crea Reitan

4.02 AVERAGE

booklifeisthelife's review

2.25

tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I didn't love this book but that's more so because it was just so...mundane? So slow and uneventful. The romance was cute and sweet but I couldn't stay engaged really. I don't think this is a bad book, just one that isn't for me. I liked the main characters.

Content Warnings

rlzirkle's review

5.0

I love the Van Dorens and can't wait for more. Noaz's story was compelling for so many reasons. You have Briar, who is so similar to Noaz. Both characters want a family and have a kinship in their desire to create a family unit that they can nurture, grow, and commit to fully. When Briar sees Noaz for the first time, he sees a stunning female and doesn't realize that this person is Uncle Noaz, who identifies as gender fluid. The way Briar is respectful and seems to understand how Noaz feels and makes Noaz feel seen is a beautiful thing. Really, the entire Van Doren family (even the black sheep) makes sure Noaz knows how important he/she is on any given day to their family unit. Being with the rest of the family is all Noaz has ever wanted, choosing an early retirement and raising kids just supports the desire to make his/her dreams a reality. The way Briar jumped right in painting Noaz's nails, target shooting, and never just addressing Noaz as one gender but always as both during intimate moments reinforced that he saw every facet of the person he was falling in love with. There's also this decision that has to be made that forces the Van Dorens to make a life choice, and I was swooning at how the choice was made. This group is truly one big family. The suspense part, and Briar realizing the family role Noaz is retiring from, happens in the latter half of the book when their unborn child and surrogate are put in danger. Even though Loren hinted at Noaz's dark side, Briar sees it for himself. Their HEA made my heart happy, and I can't wait for the releases that are coming next.

mult1s1mp4th3m's review

3.25

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-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

lost_windsock's review

4.5

dark emotional hopeful tense slow-paced

I don't think Briar could have gotten a better story than this! I'm really glad I read the author's note at the beginning of this book, because the spice level and action level in this book is a lot lower than Loren, and I would have been expecting the same levels had I not been told. For me, a good chunky slice of life book is really enjoyable, so it didn't bother me that the action didn't start until about 70% of the way through. And as much as I would have loved to have more fully played out spice, there was a satisfying amount on top of all of the fade-to-black moments. This book was really just Briar and Noaz getting to know each other, and then preparing to live their lives together, and I loved them as a couple so much. Briar really is as sweet as he seems, and treated Noaz like the most precious gift. Not only if he sweet, but he's also a huge badass at the end of the book, too. He held his own and stayed calm under pressure, and it was really really fun to read about Briar being involved in a bit of Van Doren justice. I really did enjoy this book! These two were made for each other.

tmclain4's review

Set the book down a while ago and haven't picked it up since

b00ks_in_nature's review

5.0

This was so so good! I read it on vacation and every time I had to put it down, all I could think about was picking it back up.

Noaz and Briar are both interesting, well-written characters. Their relationship is basically instalove and progresses extremely quickly. It didn’t feel fake or awkward though. In fact, I teared up HARD at a happy scene in the middle of the book - which almost never happens to me.

It gets intense in the second half of the book, which again I thought was really well done. It ends with a sweet HEA.

I will say that I didn’t read Loren (yet), and felt like I was missing a bit when it came to characters and their relationships at the beginning of the book. I did pick it up as it went on, though. I think it would likely be more enjoyable if read in order.

bekahs_books's review

This was a super cute books with sweet characters. With that being said, it’s basically domestic fluff the entire time - i love my family but i read to get away from household/family responsibilities. Just wasn’t for me.

sonia19's review

4.25

dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

tuckersgirl0905's review

4.0

dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I didn’t like this one as much as the first. This isn’t a slow burn as in it takes awhile for them to get together. They get together very fast and then you watch them develop more. I didn’t feel the connection between the two but it was still a good story. Lots of found family moments. The violence was very quick at the end.

tr33ny's review

4.25

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

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