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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
This is only the second book by this author that I've read but I find that I am really digging her voice. While I liked, but was not crazy about the previous book of hers that I read, I still liked the writing.
In this one the heroine is a woman named Ruth who had been involved with Daniel, a rich spoiled scion of the the leading family in town. We don't quite know what the nature of the relationship was in the beginning, only that it ended acrimoniously and he continues to somewhat bitterly persecute her.
Into this morass comes Evan. He is Ruth's next door neighbor who takes a liking to the somewhat awkward woman.. wooing her with food and conversation.
I really liked how the author crafted both the characters of Ruth and Evan. Ruth is really not a typical romance heroine. She is prickly, acerbic, asocial and she's on the autism spectrum. I get the impression that her prickliness is more about her personality and less about her autism. Evan, otoh, is just a down to the heart decent guy. There isn't even a pretense of him being some alpha hole. The author doesn't even try it. He is just a a damned nice guy. But he isn't boring, you really get the feeling that if he needed to he would totally slay all of Ruth's dragons.
It doesn't come to that though. I like the structure of the story where we finally get the full story of Ruth and Daniel's acrimonious relationship and understand how Ruth has let it affect her for so many years. When Evan comes along , his quiet yet strong presence gives her the courage to In what I felt was a series of gratifying scenes for Ruth to slay all her own dragons.
In this one the heroine is a woman named Ruth who had been involved with Daniel, a rich spoiled scion of the the leading family in town. We don't quite know what the nature of the relationship was in the beginning, only that it ended acrimoniously and he continues to somewhat bitterly persecute her.
Into this morass comes Evan. He is Ruth's next door neighbor who takes a liking to the somewhat awkward woman.. wooing her with food and conversation.
I really liked how the author crafted both the characters of Ruth and Evan. Ruth is really not a typical romance heroine. She is prickly, acerbic, asocial and she's on the autism spectrum. I get the impression that her prickliness is more about her personality and less about her autism. Evan, otoh, is just a down to the heart decent guy. There isn't even a pretense of him being some alpha hole. The author doesn't even try it. He is just a a damned nice guy. But he isn't boring, you really get the feeling that if he needed to he would totally slay all of Ruth's dragons.
It doesn't come to that though. I like the structure of the story where we finally get the full story of Ruth and Daniel's acrimonious relationship and understand how Ruth has let it affect her for so many years. When Evan comes along , his quiet yet strong presence gives her the courage to In what I felt was a series of gratifying scenes for Ruth to slay all her own dragons.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
Ruth is amazing, Evan is soft and adorable, and I'm in love.
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
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:
Yes
I have many emotions right now. On one hand I was shaking this book was so cute and I wanted to throw my phone to show my love because good God, Evan and Ruth, have my heart as one of my favorites fiction couples. On the other hand why did the ending feel so abrupt, like he was meeting her family and then , were pregnant, months later???? I enjoyed the steam coming from the two of them and I needed more. Please I need a scene about them finding put their having a baby. I'm reading the sequel and I want Ruth and Evan to make many appearances.
I do wish there'd been a bit more [redacted] but otherwise perfect. Talia Hibbert can write a kind man like nobody's business and quite frankly it's ruining my life.
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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