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pagesand_polish's review against another edition
emotional
slow-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
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Murder
mbichaela's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ENG
the best part of this book is probably the representation and the time dedicated to it in the story. but i also liked the friendship and developing romance.
(fmc and mmc, both suffer from ptsd; mmc has an amputated leg and suffers from depression)
the best part of this book is probably the representation and the time dedicated to it in the story. but i also liked the friendship and developing romance.
(fmc and mmc, both suffer from ptsd; mmc has an amputated leg and suffers from depression)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
nevertheless_she_reads's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'm currently in a romance reading season, discovering new-to-me tropes, themes and authors. My first read by romance author, Roni Loren was What If You & Me, a standalone and 2nd novel in her Say Everything series.
In What If You & Me, we meet Andi Lockley, horror novelist and podcaster, who has channeled her past trauma in a way to educate women on how to protect themselves from harm. Her new hunky neighbor/landlord is ex-firefighter Hill Dawson, who hasn't properly dealt with his own trauma of losing his leg in a fire.
This book had so much for me to love! The sparks between Andi and Hill were explosive in their forced proximity, opposites attract, grump-and-sunshine romance. I loved the sensitive nature in which Loren addressed mental health and grief, which Andi and Hill were both able to express and work through together. The character development was so rich, and enhanced for me, as the reader, the sexual tension between the two. And holy smokes, their chemistry! 🔥🔥🔥
This one came so highly recommended by a few fellow Bookstagrammers. And from it, I've found a new author and series I MUST read more of!
I loved this book!
In What If You & Me, we meet Andi Lockley, horror novelist and podcaster, who has channeled her past trauma in a way to educate women on how to protect themselves from harm. Her new hunky neighbor/landlord is ex-firefighter Hill Dawson, who hasn't properly dealt with his own trauma of losing his leg in a fire.
This book had so much for me to love! The sparks between Andi and Hill were explosive in their forced proximity, opposites attract, grump-and-sunshine romance. I loved the sensitive nature in which Loren addressed mental health and grief, which Andi and Hill were both able to express and work through together. The character development was so rich, and enhanced for me, as the reader, the sexual tension between the two. And holy smokes, their chemistry! 🔥🔥🔥
This one came so highly recommended by a few fellow Bookstagrammers. And from it, I've found a new author and series I MUST read more of!
I loved this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault and Murder
airin_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Murder, and Violence
trishavt's review
dark
emotional
tense
- 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: Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Stalking
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Death of parent
schlotte's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Murder
thefatpaperback's review
5.0
The best trust-building between characters I’ve ever read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Stalking, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death, Gore, Ableism, and Sexual assault
dalmavatai's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
This romance was great! I loved that Andie is a horror writer and that Hill is a retired firefighter - I loved the conversations about horror, misogyny and the treatment of women in horror including female writers, as well as the ones about disability and not feeling attractive/'manly' enough due to a disability. This romance has one of my favorite tropes which is when the MC and the LI both have baggage and trauma but they come together and help each other address and process what they've been through 😠Also, one of the best things about this book is how openly the MC and LI talk about boundaries and consent - it was beautifully done and I wish that all romances handled these topics with more care because I want to live in a world where young people read books where consent is openly negotiated and communicated, and where someone saying 'no' is always respected - because this is what they are going to model in their own relationships. This is probably the best romance book I've read with regards to consent and boundaries, and I especially appreciate that because it addressed a form of sexual/romantic trauma and how Andie needed to take things very slow and needed to be able to say no and trust that that will be taken seriously at every step along the way. A beautifully done, emotional, funny, and steamy romance - highly recommend! There were some cheesy moments including the third act conflict and I usually like a bit more angst and/or enemies-to-lovers vibes in my romances but aside from all that, a very solid read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content
Moderate: Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Violence, and Bullying
pauli_alarcon's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Sexual assault
amym84's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
4.5
Years ago, Andi experienced a horrific relationship and was lucky to get out of it, but she still suffers from extreme anxiety when certain situations present themselves. She's been able to channel some of her anxiety into her podcast where she talks about lessons-learned from popular horror movies, plus she also write her own horror novels under a penname. While on a deadline for her new book, Andi discovers her new neighbor's stomping around at all hours of the night does not help her get her work done.
Two years ago while on a call, former firefighter Hill Dawson was injured and that resulted in the loss of his leg and his career. While Hill is now on the mend physically, mentally he's not doing so great. But his new neighbor is not the type to let him be alone and brood.
Andi and Hill meet each other at just the right time. They're both still healing from past trauma and both on the precipice of moving forward, that is, if they can both just believe in themselves enough to take that step.
Andi was a standout character for me from the first book [b:Yes & I Love You|53439441|Yes & I Love You (Say Everything, #1)|Roni Loren|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593619484l/53439441._SX50_.jpg|83098605]. I was happy that she got her own book. It's a little bit of serendipity that I was concurrently reading this book - which deals with a character that kind of uses horror movies to help deal with their real-world anxiety - while also reading a book that deals with the "Final Girl" survivors that are immortalized in those horror movies. It was an interesting juxtaposition.
That being said, I liked how Roni Loren tackles both Andi and Hill's traumas. Seeing how they each handle their situations in their own way and the bad and good parts of that. Of course Andi's occurred quite a number of years before Hill's and while that doesn't mean that she should be further along in her recovery, it does mean that she's had more time to find the tools that work good for her in coping. Hill's is more recent and still raw. Not only did he lose a career he loved, and suffered a bodily injury that changes the rest of his life, but his fiancé also left him shortly afterwards, which also changes the trajectory he saw his life heading towards. Hill is still going through the why's and how's, doubting himself and it's made him very depressed.
Seeing both Hill and Andi help one another out of their almost self-imposed exile from the world was just sweet. Seeing their connection and their belief in the other was just written so seamlessly and could have not been done any other way.
I've so far really enjoyed this series and I'm hoping we'll get more books. I think Roni Loren has a deft hand at taking these various issues and circumstances that people deal with and making them seen and heard. Giving a different idea and perspective that I haven't experienced in the romance genre before. Taking some of the bad times and showing that, that is not all there is. There can be healing.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Years ago, Andi experienced a horrific relationship and was lucky to get out of it, but she still suffers from extreme anxiety when certain situations present themselves. She's been able to channel some of her anxiety into her podcast where she talks about lessons-learned from popular horror movies, plus she also write her own horror novels under a penname. While on a deadline for her new book, Andi discovers her new neighbor's stomping around at all hours of the night does not help her get her work done.
Two years ago while on a call, former firefighter Hill Dawson was injured and that resulted in the loss of his leg and his career. While Hill is now on the mend physically, mentally he's not doing so great. But his new neighbor is not the type to let him be alone and brood.
Andi and Hill meet each other at just the right time. They're both still healing from past trauma and both on the precipice of moving forward, that is, if they can both just believe in themselves enough to take that step.
Andi was a standout character for me from the first book [b:Yes & I Love You|53439441|Yes & I Love You (Say Everything, #1)|Roni Loren|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593619484l/53439441._SX50_.jpg|83098605]. I was happy that she got her own book. It's a little bit of serendipity that I was concurrently reading this book - which deals with a character that kind of uses horror movies to help deal with their real-world anxiety - while also reading a book that deals with the "Final Girl" survivors that are immortalized in those horror movies. It was an interesting juxtaposition.
That being said, I liked how Roni Loren tackles both Andi and Hill's traumas. Seeing how they each handle their situations in their own way and the bad and good parts of that. Of course Andi's occurred quite a number of years before Hill's and while that doesn't mean that she should be further along in her recovery, it does mean that she's had more time to find the tools that work good for her in coping. Hill's is more recent and still raw. Not only did he lose a career he loved, and suffered a bodily injury that changes the rest of his life, but his fiancé also left him shortly afterwards, which also changes the trajectory he saw his life heading towards. Hill is still going through the why's and how's, doubting himself and it's made him very depressed.
Seeing both Hill and Andi help one another out of their almost self-imposed exile from the world was just sweet. Seeing their connection and their belief in the other was just written so seamlessly and could have not been done any other way.
I've so far really enjoyed this series and I'm hoping we'll get more books. I think Roni Loren has a deft hand at taking these various issues and circumstances that people deal with and making them seen and heard. Giving a different idea and perspective that I haven't experienced in the romance genre before. Taking some of the bad times and showing that, that is not all there is. There can be healing.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
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