Reviews with content warning for Grief - The Score

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

just_one_more_paige's review

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? It's complicated

4.0

Ugh. Yes. This had all the questionable tropes I love, but very especially that overprotective shit that happens before they realize they're in love. I can't help it, I'm gonna swoon a bit for an intense "where is she?!" after being called in as a comfort person. Ooof. Plus, there was a lot of sex in this one, and I was here for all of it. This series (and I'm stopping here cause the next trope is a pregnancy one and that just *does not* do it for me: babies are not swoon-y, fight me) has hit all the points I needed and hoped for. I give it a ringing endorsement, if this is what you are looking for. It's exactly what it is.

Content Warnings

maddibleu's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

No empathy for someone grieving.

I was really enjoying this until we got to Dean’s “growth” or redemption arc or whatever. I honestly found Allie’s behavior and thoughts about Dean’s grief to be kind of disgusting. The whole situation was Dean’s best friend dies (as a plot device to show he can’t handle “difficult things” because he’s always been able to “throw money to fix things). So his friend dies and Dean starts to spiral into his grief. Drinking but still functioning through class and hockey. But he’s in a dark place, disconnected from his friends and Allie.

After THREE WEEKS, Allie starts to get tired of his behavior and uses it to solidify the fact that Dean’s basically jumps ship when confronted with difficult things, rather than facing them (his friend’s death) head-on and working through his feelings rather than avoiding.

Allie’s whole thought process was gross. The multiple “I shouldn’t judge how someone else grieves” but then doing it over and over. She was only thinking of herself. He misses her performance because he’s partying with the football team (who also just lost their best friend!!!) and she dumps Dean for not “growing up.”

He’s apologetic, but still out of it a bit, and says he’ll go to tomorrow’s show. But she “doesn’t want him there.” In any other situation besides him grieving the death of his best friend, I would write him off as an asshole who’s just blowing Allie office, but it’s been THREE WEEKS and everyone acts like he should already be able to face and move past his friend’s death.

This was such a shallow and horrible portrayal of grief. If an author is going to kill someone off as a plot device to give a character some dynamic growth, then that character should at least be given the space to grieve.

On top of all this Allie lost her mom as a child and has a father who has an incurable illness. You’d think she’d have more empathy and understanding. This book was about making Dean right for Allie, but not about making sure Allie was right for Dean. Ruined it for me.

Content Warnings

lindsaymck's review

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Allie and Dean are definitely the spiciest of the couples and were very entertaining to read about!

Dean has main character energy, for sure. I like how the author always seems to peel back the layers on her MMCs to reveal that there is more to them than meets the eye. They are not what their first impression might lead you to believe and I admire how she showed Dean’s true colors. The male characters always seem to have bit more growth and evolution, but as a female reader…I love that.

I found Allie’s attitude towards casual sex relatable and respected her taking a breather to know herself as an individual before becoming part of a couple again.

Big bombshell dropped at the end of the book makes me eager to dive into #4 and see how the previous books’ characters come into play now that they’ve all graduated.

Content Warnings

catastrophiclyss's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

elmead's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Dean offers to be Allie’s rebound after she breaks up with her long term boyfriend. It’s no issue for Dean, because he’s the king of casual sex. Except, he can’t stop thinking about Allie and their night together.

Content Warnings