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owlsreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another lovely and heartbreaking novel from Kennedy Ryan!
One thing I love most about her stories is how they're always so sensitive when tackling difficult and heavy subjects. There are so many things left unspoken in the real world and Ryan has such a way to bring them to light in her novels. I loved how depression was addressed here and how much she hit on therapy being something helpful during the healing process.
In regard to the romance bits: I very much enjoyed the relationship progression here, but it was a little too slow at times. I appreciate how complex of a situation Yasmen and Josiah were in with all the unsaid things and the hurt between them. They both needed time to come to terms with certain things and, while I was so here for that character development, the initial agreement when they got back together didn't work for me.
Even so! This was a great read, as expected, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel!
One thing I love most about her stories is how they're always so sensitive when tackling difficult and heavy subjects. There are so many things left unspoken in the real world and Ryan has such a way to bring them to light in her novels. I loved how depression was addressed here and how much she hit on therapy being something helpful during the healing process.
In regard to the romance bits: I very much enjoyed the relationship progression here, but it was a little too slow at times. I appreciate how complex of a situation Yasmen and Josiah were in with all the unsaid things and the hurt between them. They both needed time to come to terms with certain things and, while I was so here for that character development, the initial agreement when they got back together didn't work for me.
Even so! This was a great read, as expected, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
anna_m16's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death and Death
thejadamonique's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Love Kennedy Ryan and loved this book! Don't read many books with a couple who was together have to navigate being without each other but still being in each other's lives. Love the growth from the characters and a love story from a divorced couple. Only reason it's not a 5 is cause some small cliche moments and the focus seemed more on the sex initially rather than the relationship as a whole towards the end but still a great book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage and Death
itsjojo's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
“Even when she fell, she stayed; when everything urged her to give up and go, she stayed for us, and she fought until she found herself again.” 💪🏽 ✨
I loved this book with my WHOLE heart! ❤️ The author did such a great job of portraying the different sides of grief and depression and how we all handle things differently. The story of Yas and Si so devastatingly beautiful. This book for sure made me feel things. This is my first Kennedy Ryan book, but I can already tell I’ll probably read anything she writes! 🫶🏽
“I’ve learned that life isn’t about taking what you deserve, it’s about getting all you can while you can because it’s short. Because it’s fickle. Because it takes when we least expect it.”
I loved this book with my WHOLE heart! ❤️ The author did such a great job of portraying the different sides of grief and depression and how we all handle things differently. The story of Yas and Si so devastatingly beautiful. This book for sure made me feel things. This is my first Kennedy Ryan book, but I can already tell I’ll probably read anything she writes! 🫶🏽
“I’ve learned that life isn’t about taking what you deserve, it’s about getting all you can while you can because it’s short. Because it’s fickle. Because it takes when we least expect it.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Grief, Child death, Death of parent, and Death
bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Miscarriage
2am_readers_club's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Child death, Grief, Miscarriage, and Medical trauma
genesis_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
hellosarahpham's review
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
auteaandtales's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This one is probably on me because I’m not the biggest fan of second-chance romance, mainly because I think it’s hard to find a balance between having something that was strong enough to break them up but not bad enough (or ridiculous enough) that they can’t be together again. Also, I feel like it’s challenging to create an existing chemistry between two characters that the reader will believe, and not only that but you don’t get to see that chemistry build up, it’s like a lot of their interactions happened off-screen which is not my jam. Watching an emotional connection form always feels special to witness.
I think the extremely challenging topics in this book were handled well, although I have never been through anything like that before so I’m not the person to ask, and I think the breakup made sense, but the thing I struggled with was that I felt no chemistry. It didn’t feel natural. Not to say that none of this tugged at my heartstrings, a lot of this book is very emotional. I especially appreciated the relationship between Yasmin and Deja and the discussions on therapy and grief.
I loved the friendships, as well, and I’m really excited to get to know them more in book two! I enjoyed a lot about this book, and I even enjoyed them a lot together, I just wish we got some more banter and emotional bonding between them instead of what felt like was mostly a sexual bond, because I’m sure there’s more to them than that.
But my first Kennedy Ryan book is complete and I look forward to reading more, as I liked the writing style and the humour and the way difficult things were handled as well as the relationships in the ‘background’ characters. Also, there was a bit of miscommunication, but it was nice seeing adults communicate properly for the most part as well.
I think the extremely challenging topics in this book were handled well, although I have never been through anything like that before so I’m not the person to ask, and I think the breakup made sense, but the thing I struggled with was that I felt no chemistry. It didn’t feel natural. Not to say that none of this tugged at my heartstrings, a lot of this book is very emotional. I especially appreciated the relationship between Yasmin and Deja and the discussions on therapy and grief.
I loved the friendships, as well, and I’m really excited to get to know them more in book two! I enjoyed a lot about this book, and I even enjoyed them a lot together, I just wish we got some more banter and emotional bonding between them instead of what felt like was mostly a sexual bond, because I’m sure there’s more to them than that.
But my first Kennedy Ryan book is complete and I look forward to reading more, as I liked the writing style and the humour and the way difficult things were handled as well as the relationships in the ‘background’ characters. Also, there was a bit of miscommunication, but it was nice seeing adults communicate properly for the most part as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
clarkf87's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
At the start of this book, we find Yasmen and Josiah have been divorced for two years and are still trying to figure out how to co-parent and move on from their failed marriage.
This story is about how unhealed, back-to-back traumas can ruin relationships, even a marriage as strong as Josiah and Yasmen’s, and the great lengths we must take to begin healing and understanding why we make the choices we do when we are at our lowest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Abandonment and Grief
Minor: Suicidal thoughts