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booksnbcys's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Death, Classism, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness
cameronbaomn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I was cautious as I don’t like age gaps and usually stay away from them, especially where the youngest is nineteen (Toby) and the oldest is thirty-seven (Laurie), but this worked.
The age gap was an actual discussion, an actual theme, and it was executed perfectly, in my opinion.
Because you get both characters’ POVs you can see that it isn’t predatory or manipulative and Laurie was very concerned about the age thing in the beginning and it’s a huge part of his development along with the conversation. Even in the BDSM setting, it isn’t used as a fetish and I think Laurie being submissive really works well because their dynamic is of equals and it shows the versatility of roles.
I also like finally seeing the representation of BDSM not being this weird thing, but instead turned really quite romantic.
Hall always writes characters that feel real and though this one has far less humour than boyfriend material, for example, there is still some and his voice is distinguished and really shines through in here as well.
Oh, and it was very sexy too
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Grief, and Death
Minor: Medical content
galleytrot's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
SECOND READ: Feb 2023
FORMAT: Digital, then Audio + Digital
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Cancer, Death, and Terminal illness
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Dementia, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Homophobia, Abandonment, Infidelity, Outing, and Medical trauma
dilaida's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death
calcifowl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death
anil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This doesn't do the second hand emberassment cringe humor thing that I've read in other Alexis Hall books and I am so grateful! Wish I'd known that earlier, it would've put this book at the top of my tbr immediately. I knew this dynamics would bring up a lot of feelings that I'm genuinely. I feel very sensitive about ok, and I wouldn't have know how to deal with that in a book that didn't take those feelings seriously, didn't handle them very carefully, but this does! Oh it does.
Moderate: Chronic illness and Death
thanmayi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Oh wow this book, It’s safe to say that I’m absolutely in love with it. This book was BDSM done right. l loved the story especially because it shed light on the part of the community that is just interested in the kink bit rather than the whole "aesthetic" of being into BDSM (there isn't anything wrong with being into the aesthetic either but this talks about something that I've never seen kink positive talk about)
The story follows Toby and Laurie who get into a BDSM relationship while being 19 years apart. People have different preferences in and out of the bedroom and Laurie displays that perfectly by being utterly submissive in the bedroom and not out of it. I really liked how he patiently taught Toby how to be a good dom without overstepping.
Their relationship was natural, it didn’t seem rushed or too slow. I loved their dynamics so much and how they got each other. Their conflicts were valid and didn’t seem like a plot point.
The most important part of this book was Laurie explaining that kink like all things needs practice and Toby trying things on himself before doing that Laurie shows how kink is so much more than what you see in extremely commercialized BDSM movies, there is so much more that goes into it than the actual scene itself.
Anyways pick this up if you want a healthy MLM kink-positive book filled with witty and fun characters and an absolutely cute love story.
Moderate: Death
jessiewolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Grief
nemaria's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, and Medical content
otterpebbles's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Dementia