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mabellene'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
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts
le3713'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
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Mental illness
mandaraffe'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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Emotional abuse
nicolaj1994's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mental illness, and Child death
snickies's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Minor: Child death
aileron's review against another edition
- 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: Mental illness and Child death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Medical content
savannahsshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Abandonment
onthesamepage's review against another edition
- 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
Steam level: 🌶🌶🌶
This unexpectedly dug its way into my heart. While the setup isn't necessarily my favourite, because a man falling for and pursuing his brother's ex-fiancé is a logistical nightmare that I can't ever see working out, there's an incredibly soft and sweet romance at the core of this, and I was powerless to resist it.
What really made this hit home for me was the mental health representation. The parts where Athena was experiencing depression and struggling with just getting through the day, really hit me hard. And the way Matthew dealt with that made me feel all the things. That scene in the bath tub? Chef's kiss.
I also appreciated that Matthew had his own issues, and that they got nearly as much focus as Athena's did. This is why I always prefer dual POV when it comes to romances. Matthew got to explain early on why he broke Athena and Johnny apart, which makes it a lot easier to root for him as a love interest. But I also felt for him. As the oldest sibling, he felt responsible for Johnny, in a way that was ultimately going to end with him burning out. I think both characters showed a lot of growth by the end. There is a third act breakup, but I understood where it came from, and thought it was fitting for this situation and these characters. I also like the groveling Matthew ended up doing to make up for his very bad decisions. It's impossible to change 30-odd years of behavior overnight, and I'm glad the author didn't try to do that.
Even though a big chunk of this book hit hard, there were also a lot of funny moments. Athena's plots for revenge against Matthew were hilarious to follow. I also really liked the side characters in Harlot's Bay, and I'm so excited for Karl's romance.
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
kaseybereading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Grief and Mental illness
susanpevensie'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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief