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erniedresser's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, and Car accident
leahsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to the libro.fm influencer program for providing me with a copy of this audiobook. I am providing my honest opinion voluntarily.
Seriously? Every time I think that I’ve read the most amazing romance that Talia Hibbert could possibly write, she writes another one and proves me wrong. I love each Brown sister’s story more than the last, and while I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I am also heartbroken that this series has ended.
There’s so many things that I adored about this book, so I’m just going to start at the top: the cover! Each cover in the series is bright and fun, and I love that it makes it clear that Eve is a plus-size/fat character, as well as highlighting the important role that music plays in the story. Since I listened to the audiobook version, I was also treated to the perfect narrator for this story. I’ve only read the previous book in hard copy, so hearing them read to me with a posh British accent only added to my enjoyment.
The representation in this story was absolutely incredible. It’s only recently that I’ve even seen books featuring characters who were plus-size and putting them in a body positive light. Eve specifically mentions at one point in the story about hearing that she was too dark and too big, and choosing not to let it affect her happiness. So when she finds a man who thinks she is absolutely perfect, it made my heart sing. Both main characters are on the autism spectrum, and it was beautiful to see how each of them develop their own protective coping mechanisms, and express themselves so differently. Not every person with autism is the same, and this story really highlights the uniqueness of how it is expressed for different people.
This story makes use of one of my favorite tropes that I definitely don’t read enough of — the sunshine one and the grumpy one. But there’s so much more than meets the eye. Eve is the sunny one, but her sunshine hides her difficulty connecting with people, and her lack of self-confidence as a result of a sense of failing at various ventures over the course of her life:
“She bombed school, every one of her professional dreams had died, none of her friends cared enough to hold her braids back while she threw up, and her last boyfriend had believed vaccines were a front for a government tracking system based around injectable microchips. She quite literally failed at everything, from meaningful employment to sound relationship choices.”
Jacob, on the other hand, comes off as grumpy for his own reasons. He has had his own difficulties and been hurt as well, and this is how he protects himself. In addition, he’s pretty rigid about his life as a means of preventing stress and chaos. Obviously, when Eve blows into his life and literally hits him with her car, this doesn’t get them started on the right foot, since she’s basically chaos personified.
“Jacob wasn’t in the habit of giving a shit about people who weren’t on his pre-approved list.”
The plot had me invested from the very start, and I laughed out loud so many times throughout the story. I love a great rom-com, and Talia Hibbert is one of the best in my opinion. Not just that, she writes an absolutely incredible sex scene. And there’s several in this story that had me practically panting. I loved seeing Eve and Jacob realize that they’re a good match, but even more than that, I loved seeing each of them grow as individuals, not just together. Jacob learned to push himself out of his comfort zone, and so did Eve, as she became more self-confident in her abilities and her strengths and learned to truly “act her age.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Minor: Ableism
caseythereader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
5.0
📚 Look, you all know I love Talia Hibbert, so do I even need to give you a real review of this book? Just go get it and read it now!
📚 A smart, quirky heroine who is still a real person and not just a collection of weird personality traits, and a grumpy hero who is never so mean as to make his softness unbelievable.
📚 They do truly make each other better, and I love it.
📚 I also love how (minor spoiler?) Eve figuring out she's on the autistic spectrum isn't treated as a Big Twist or as something she now has to Deal With. It's simply one of those "Oh, well, that makes total sense," moments of discovery.
📚 And here is where #ownvoices authors are so important - Jacob and Eve are both autistic, but it looks different for both of them, and neither is a total stereotype. The same is true for Eve's race and size.
And even with those heavy topics, this book is still wildly funny and full of whip smart banter. It's perfect.
📚 A smart, quirky heroine who is still a real person and not just a collection of weird personality traits, and a grumpy hero who is never so mean as to make his softness unbelievable.
📚 They do truly make each other better, and I love it.
📚 I also love how (minor spoiler?) Eve figuring out she's on the autistic spectrum isn't treated as a Big Twist or as something she now has to Deal With. It's simply one of those "Oh, well, that makes total sense," moments of discovery.
📚 And here is where #ownvoices authors are so important - Jacob and Eve are both autistic, but it looks different for both of them, and neither is a total stereotype. The same is true for Eve's race and size.
And even with those heavy topics, this book is still wildly funny and full of whip smart banter. It's perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Car accident
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
booksxjournals's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
The best Adult Romance I've ever read for sure! This my favorite out of the 3 Brown sisters Trilogy, and they were all fricken amazing! Absolutely recommend this series~ I might even reread them and that's saying something cuz I almost never reread books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cursing, and Sexual content
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