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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have not cried this hard over a book since I’ll Give You The Sun. Fuck, this book gutted me. And I wasn’t expecting it at all. Fuck fuck fuck. I don’t even know what to say.
The writing wasn’t the best and this book won’t go down in history as my favorite, but this story! Fuck, it killed me. My stomach hurts from sobbing so hard and my eyes are already swollen (I’ll barely be able to open them by morning).
I don’t know what else to say, but be fucking prepared to bawl!
The writing wasn’t the best and this book won’t go down in history as my favorite, but this story! Fuck, it killed me. My stomach hurts from sobbing so hard and my eyes are already swollen (I’ll barely be able to open them by morning).
I don’t know what else to say, but be fucking prepared to bawl!
I didn't think I'd ever stop crying.
***Reread 7/9/23 because I crave the emotional damage, I guess. Cried almost as much this time as I did on the first read. :/ No less frustrating, but for some reason I'm unable to pinpoint, I'm very attached to these characters. Emotional. Damage.
***Reread 7/9/23 because I crave the emotional damage, I guess. Cried almost as much this time as I did on the first read. :/ No less frustrating, but for some reason I'm unable to pinpoint, I'm very attached to these characters. Emotional. Damage.
This whole review is spoilers. Really, it's just me decompressing from reading the book, not a review that would be useful to those considering reading it.
Uggghhhhh I did not start reading this thinking the second half was going to be a heartbreaking story about slow decline and death resulting from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but that's what I got and now I'm nursing a severe emotional hangover, contemplating my own mortality and considering all the ways life might harm and cause an early end to my relationship with my longterm girlfriend before we get the chance to grow old together.
So I will say upfront that while I found the book emotionally enjoyable throughout, I almost did not finish the book after getting about 20% of the way through because I felt like Liam was not a very well-developed character up to that point and I didn't love how emotionally recalcitrant the main character Mike was, constantly hurting himself and Liam emotionally. But eventually Liam did get some good development and it became very clear that the author did a fantastic job of depicting Mike as a highly unreliable narrator. Though it remains subtext until near the end of the book, the reader (and eventually Liam) discover slowly that Mike's not just a stereotype of an emotionally constipated he-man, he's actually pretty fucked up by a father who was abusive (emotionally and probably physically) and eventually abandoned the family when Mike was a pre-teen.
Anyway, I cried a ton and am still feeling super sad, but it was a good book that was emotionally engaging from start to finish. If that's something that appeals to you, I hope you will enjoy this book!
Uggghhhhh I did not start reading this thinking the second half was going to be a heartbreaking story about slow decline and death resulting from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but that's what I got and now I'm nursing a severe emotional hangover, contemplating my own mortality and considering all the ways life might harm and cause an early end to my relationship with my longterm girlfriend before we get the chance to grow old together.
So I will say upfront that while I found the book emotionally enjoyable throughout, I almost did not finish the book after getting about 20% of the way through because I felt like Liam was not a very well-developed character up to that point and I didn't love how emotionally recalcitrant the main character Mike was, constantly hurting himself and Liam emotionally. But eventually Liam did get some good development and it became very clear that the author did a fantastic job of depicting Mike as a highly unreliable narrator. Though it remains subtext until near the end of the book, the reader (and eventually Liam) discover slowly that Mike's not just a stereotype of an emotionally constipated he-man, he's actually pretty fucked up by a father who was abusive (emotionally and probably physically) and eventually abandoned the family when Mike was a pre-teen.
Anyway, I cried a ton and am still feeling super sad, but it was a good book that was emotionally engaging from start to finish. If that's something that appeals to you, I hope you will enjoy this book!
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jesus fuck this book made my heart hurt
emotional
sad
Don’t read this if you’re looking for a romance. Absolutely incredible book but will rip out your heart and stomp on it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide
This book is devastatingly beautiful and tragic. It’s such a raw and honest portrayal of chronic illness and how hard it is to live it yourself and for someone else to be with you through it. I’ve read a lot of hockey romances and this is unlike most of them - so substantial and moving and real. I think it’s going to be one of my top books of this year.
Ugly cry...the best romance book I've read this year, yep this one has a journey and developmen of the character ,heartbreak moments, sad feelings but like Mike the lovely "asshole" said: That’s just the way it goes”.
As I'm writing this I'm still crying. Sobbing actually.
This book is the best I've read in a long time. It it also the saddest. Not everything is sad. It is also quite funny and sarcastic at times. But yeah, there's not happy-ever-after here. Well, I guess that's depending on your definition of HEA.
But anyway, this was a very good book.
This book is the best I've read in a long time. It it also the saddest. Not everything is sad. It is also quite funny and sarcastic at times. But yeah, there's not happy-ever-after here. Well, I guess that's depending on your definition of HEA.
But anyway, this was a very good book.
I knew it, I fucking knew it.
I can't even.
I'm broken, I'm distraught, I have *never* in my life cried as hard as I have at this book.
If you are on the fence about reading this, and you are in the mood to have your heart crushed, make this the next book you read.
I can't even.
I'm broken, I'm distraught, I have *never* in my life cried as hard as I have at this book.
If you are on the fence about reading this, and you are in the mood to have your heart crushed, make this the next book you read.