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thereadinghammock's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
Another wonderful Hutchinson family romance! Jenna and long time best friend Marcus set out on the road trip they've always dreamed of doing together to work at Yellowstone National Park in hopes of securing a dream research position for scientists like them. Oh, and they both have had feeling for each other FOR EVER but the fear of changing the status quo of their rock solid friendship has kept them both scared to take that next step.
I don't think I realized how much I could love a friends-to-lovers story as much as I loved The Changeup. Everything about the dynamic between Jenna and Marcus just made so much sense. Her fear of telling him about her arthritis and not wanting it to change how he saw her. His fear of his relationship turning into that of his parents and turning sour. The dread of possibly losing a friendship if the romantic relationship doesn't work out. And there were a few times I just wanted to shake them both for being so oblivious to the other's signals and ask them "How could you not know???"
I can't wait to get to James's book next, but I'm definitely going to need to be in the right headspace for that one, as I can already tell it's going to a heavier read.
I was FURIOUS with Jenna's lab supervisor, Aiden, for all the bullshit he kept pulling. Not only harping on "you could be replaced" vibes, but then asking her to stay behind for more samples ALONE???? SIR?!? ARE YOU DAFT?!!? When she laid into him after everything she and Monica went through after his asinine request, I was nearly shouting with "YES! YOU TELL THAT DUCK SNORT WHAT FOR!!"
I don't think I realized how much I could love a friends-to-lovers story as much as I loved The Changeup. Everything about the dynamic between Jenna and Marcus just made so much sense. Her fear of telling him about her arthritis and not wanting it to change how he saw her. His fear of his relationship turning into that of his parents and turning sour. The dread of possibly losing a friendship if the romantic relationship doesn't work out. And there were a few times I just wanted to shake them both for being so oblivious to the other's signals and ask them "How could you not know???"
I can't wait to get to James's book next, but I'm definitely going to need to be in the right headspace for that one, as I can already tell it's going to a heavier read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Ableism
kb33's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Correction needed for this app: this isn’t a sports romance. Watching baseball on tv sometimes doesn’t make it a sports romance.
Second book in the series, and just as focused on the mfc’s chronic illness as the first book. This is not a lighthearted romance. There was nothing lighthearted about it. The primary focus is Jenna’s osteoarthritis, how she deals with it on a minute to minute basis, and how Marcus does things to help her. This series seems to be very much about how men support women with chronic illnesses and the women don’t have to support the men at all, feeling very imbalanced. The women cry CONSTANTLY, and I’m not exaggerating. It’s so ubiquitous throughout the first two books that I can’t continue this series. It wasn’t a happy book, balancing the struggles with the happy times. The struggles are the entire book, and it was depressing.
Also, 18 years of two adults not making a move? And the way it happened was so odd, in starts and stops. There’s very little chemistry between Jenna and Marcus, and it didn’t really feel believable. This romance is so clean they don’t even make out on their wedding night. You can’t call it “closed door” if they fall asleep without doing anything at all. I’m giving it two stars because it took place in Yellowstone, even though the author doesn’t know that Yellowstone is huge and nobody is going to spend two or three hours driving to pick up pizza on a weeknight on the regular.
Second book in the series, and just as focused on the mfc’s chronic illness as the first book. This is not a lighthearted romance. There was nothing lighthearted about it. The primary focus is Jenna’s osteoarthritis, how she deals with it on a minute to minute basis, and how Marcus does things to help her. This series seems to be very much about how men support women with chronic illnesses and the women don’t have to support the men at all, feeling very imbalanced. The women cry CONSTANTLY, and I’m not exaggerating. It’s so ubiquitous throughout the first two books that I can’t continue this series. It wasn’t a happy book, balancing the struggles with the happy times. The struggles are the entire book, and it was depressing.
Also, 18 years of two adults not making a move? And the way it happened was so odd, in starts and stops. There’s very little chemistry between Jenna and Marcus, and it didn’t really feel believable. This romance is so clean they don’t even make out on their wedding night. You can’t call it “closed door” if they fall asleep without doing anything at all. I’m giving it two stars because it took place in Yellowstone, even though the author doesn’t know that Yellowstone is huge and nobody is going to spend two or three hours driving to pick up pizza on a weeknight on the regular.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
jillkaarlela's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Taylor Swift songs: “you are in love”!!!
everyone, stop what you’re doing and read this book NOW. This book made me feel so loved and seen and understood, I cried so many times. The MC, Jenna, has Arthritis, just like me. I have had severe/“end stage” arthritis for coming on 4 years now. This closed door Romcom had such a real representation of arthritis that it felt like the author, Meg Cousins, took some of the lines straight from my brain. I cannot count the amount of times and though, “how did she know that was exactly how I felt?” The daily struggle that comes with not only horrible mind-numbing pain, but also the fact that it’s invisible. No one around me knows the pain that I’m going through, but I still have to go through the day like everyone else. I have read one book where the MC had arthritis, but it fails in comparison to this. I highly recommend those looking for an insight to what people like me have to struggle with on a daily basis. Can I just say, Jenna is my hero. She is not only battling Arthritis with such grace, but she is a hike-loving STEM-queen. I cannot put into words how much this book meant to me. I loved everything about this book. Not only was this so healing for me, but the romance was actually the sweetest. This book is friends to lovers, closed door, and forced proximity!!! Marcus and Jenna’s relationship is the most precious thing ever, and it made my heart so full and so happy reading about them. I may or may not have cried at the end too (happy tears), which is really rare for me because I don’t cry a lot at books, but I had such a strong emotional connection to this book!! I received this book as an Ebook ARC but I WILL be buying it as soon as it comes out. There is not a single thing that I would change about this book, it is truly one in a million.
Age rating: 13+ (Adult characters put completely closed door, and no foul language)
everyone, stop what you’re doing and read this book NOW. This book made me feel so loved and seen and understood, I cried so many times. The MC, Jenna, has Arthritis, just like me. I have had severe/“end stage” arthritis for coming on 4 years now. This closed door Romcom had such a real representation of arthritis that it felt like the author, Meg Cousins, took some of the lines straight from my brain. I cannot count the amount of times and though, “how did she know that was exactly how I felt?” The daily struggle that comes with not only horrible mind-numbing pain, but also the fact that it’s invisible. No one around me knows the pain that I’m going through, but I still have to go through the day like everyone else. I have read one book where the MC had arthritis, but it fails in comparison to this. I highly recommend those looking for an insight to what people like me have to struggle with on a daily basis. Can I just say, Jenna is my hero. She is not only battling Arthritis with such grace, but she is a hike-loving STEM-queen. I cannot put into words how much this book meant to me. I loved everything about this book. Not only was this so healing for me, but the romance was actually the sweetest. This book is friends to lovers, closed door, and forced proximity!!! Marcus and Jenna’s relationship is the most precious thing ever, and it made my heart so full and so happy reading about them. I may or may not have cried at the end too (happy tears), which is really rare for me because I don’t cry a lot at books, but I had such a strong emotional connection to this book!! I received this book as an Ebook ARC but I WILL be buying it as soon as it comes out. There is not a single thing that I would change about this book, it is truly one in a million.
Age rating: 13+ (Adult characters put completely closed door, and no foul language)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
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