Scan barcode
redheadedreader's review against another edition
5.0
[“This” by @cgblaine 5/5⭐️]
I read this because of @catchingupwithcrystal wonderful book club and let me just say, it was absolutely amazing!
I went into this book completely blind (which, honestly I’ve come to love doing) and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the fact that it was from both of Dane and Bennett’s perspectives. I also really loved the unconventional way they came to know each other.
Bennett is not your typical girl, she’s a stubborn, independent drifter that doesn’t let anyone or anything dictate her life. Dane used to be the same way until family changed his mind.
Thank you so much @cgblaine for giving us such a wonderful, well told story. And also for keeping me completely consumed with this book. I legit couldn’t put it down. ALSO, can we talk about this cover??
I read this because of @catchingupwithcrystal wonderful book club and let me just say, it was absolutely amazing!
I went into this book completely blind (which, honestly I’ve come to love doing) and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the fact that it was from both of Dane and Bennett’s perspectives. I also really loved the unconventional way they came to know each other.
Bennett is not your typical girl, she’s a stubborn, independent drifter that doesn’t let anyone or anything dictate her life. Dane used to be the same way until family changed his mind.
Thank you so much @cgblaine for giving us such a wonderful, well told story. And also for keeping me completely consumed with this book. I legit couldn’t put it down. ALSO, can we talk about this cover??
bookish_kayy's review against another edition
5.0
Up all night
Somehow, I’ve managed to fall down a CG Blaine rabbit hole. Started with something, that led me here, and now I’ve been up all night(4:15am) binge reading.
I fell in love with Bennett & Dane in an excerpt in the back of
another book. Angel & Snake, doing their walk of shame, but together was the cutest meeting I could have never thought of.
“We live by three rules. Be happy, be safe, be kind. We love by one. Be true to you.”
How absolutely imperfect this pairing is, a broken Bennett, and Dane trying to find his happy. And when it was good, it was great, and when it was bad, I had to fight not to cry.
I LOVED the side characters, the garage, and the people they stumbled upon in their journey. Everyone had an impact, whether it was big or small, and it was beautiful.
The dichotomy of Bennett & Dane vs Keaton & Liam was an interesting subject to witness as well, because while there were similarities in the 2 relationships, there were far more differences.
I was enthralled, hooked, captivated, riveted and any other similar word you can think of from the beginning.
Recommendation: definitely check this out ASAP. Fall in LOVE.
Somehow, I’ve managed to fall down a CG Blaine rabbit hole. Started with something, that led me here, and now I’ve been up all night(4:15am) binge reading.
I fell in love with Bennett & Dane in an excerpt in the back of
another book. Angel & Snake, doing their walk of shame, but together was the cutest meeting I could have never thought of.
“We live by three rules. Be happy, be safe, be kind. We love by one. Be true to you.”
How absolutely imperfect this pairing is, a broken Bennett, and Dane trying to find his happy. And when it was good, it was great, and when it was bad, I had to fight not to cry.
I LOVED the side characters, the garage, and the people they stumbled upon in their journey. Everyone had an impact, whether it was big or small, and it was beautiful.
The dichotomy of Bennett & Dane vs Keaton & Liam was an interesting subject to witness as well, because while there were similarities in the 2 relationships, there were far more differences.
I was enthralled, hooked, captivated, riveted and any other similar word you can think of from the beginning.
Recommendation: definitely check this out ASAP. Fall in LOVE.
trish_beautifulchaosreviews's review against another edition
4.0
First off, I have to say I like most of the characters in this book; there were some unique, quirky artistic types, a haughtier than average cat, a whole slew of brothers named after cars, and a BFF who left pink sticky notes everywhere. All of these helped This not get completely bogged down in Bennett's quest for home. I enjoyed This for the most part, but my heart struggled along with Bennett as she kept trying to find what she was looking for.
As I read This, I kept thinking of the old U2 song, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and the repeated moves Bennett kept making that ended up being more like running that seeking. You understand why Bennett does it, but she's locked into this "keep moving," behavior instead of breaking out of it, and it could get frustrating for the reader. In the end, she does find what she's looking for, and along the way, you get to meet all those mostly interesting people I mentioned in the previous paragraph.
For all the frustration that Bennett gives you, Dane more than makes up for it; he's friendly, charming, funny, and very romantic. What starts as just physical attraction turns into much more for Dane, and his lovely pursuit of Bennett via visits and texts makes this book a pleasure to read. But Dane trying to sustain the relationship cannot just go on, and there we meet the tension in the book. It's heartbreaking, but I understand Dane's perspective, and although I intellectually understand Bennett's "quest," I don't like it. It's not my quest; it's Bennett's and kudos to the author for not making it easy on me.
This is an enjoyable book, and the story ultimately is satisfying. Dane and Bennett finally end up being a great couple to read about, and the cast of characters surrounding them makes the book interesting and a pleasure to read.
As I read This, I kept thinking of the old U2 song, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and the repeated moves Bennett kept making that ended up being more like running that seeking. You understand why Bennett does it, but she's locked into this "keep moving," behavior instead of breaking out of it, and it could get frustrating for the reader. In the end, she does find what she's looking for, and along the way, you get to meet all those mostly interesting people I mentioned in the previous paragraph.
For all the frustration that Bennett gives you, Dane more than makes up for it; he's friendly, charming, funny, and very romantic. What starts as just physical attraction turns into much more for Dane, and his lovely pursuit of Bennett via visits and texts makes this book a pleasure to read. But Dane trying to sustain the relationship cannot just go on, and there we meet the tension in the book. It's heartbreaking, but I understand Dane's perspective, and although I intellectually understand Bennett's "quest," I don't like it. It's not my quest; it's Bennett's and kudos to the author for not making it easy on me.
This is an enjoyable book, and the story ultimately is satisfying. Dane and Bennett finally end up being a great couple to read about, and the cast of characters surrounding them makes the book interesting and a pleasure to read.
awhetstine's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book.
Every little detail that led to the end was so perfectly set to keep you on edge never knowing if there would really be a happy ending.
Lots of tears throughout. Loved all the characters and the entire story.
Every little detail that led to the end was so perfectly set to keep you on edge never knowing if there would really be a happy ending.
Lots of tears throughout. Loved all the characters and the entire story.
midaeros's review against another edition
5.0
I knew this book was gonna be five stars about 20% in. It made me laugh, and almost cry, and it wouldn't let me put it down.
Bennett and Dane are the kind of characters that stick with you. Also, every side character (except Bentley, screw that guy) was so wonderful.
Read. This. Book.
Bennett and Dane are the kind of characters that stick with you. Also, every side character (except Bentley, screw that guy) was so wonderful.
Read. This. Book.
energyrae's review against another edition
5.0
Bennett's mother who had always been distant up and moved away from her as a teen, leaving her in the care of Bennett's best friend Keaton's family. Now, all these years later, Bennett still can't handle commitment, so she runs when things look like they start to get serious. Dane is hooked on Bennett from the start and he knows that she runs away from commitment, so he lets her fly. Only the long-distance is starting to get to him, and no matter how hard Bennett runs, he will never be ready to let her go.
Bennett drove me insane, a good insane, because her running and pushing away, it was just so hard! I can't imagine being a guy interested in her, because she's near impossible to deal with. That being said, I totally get why she does it, with a mother that horrible, it makes complete sense. I hurt for her inability to commit because it was just one of the ways her mother leaving her has manifested. The only thing I did question was why she was keeping so many secrets (her relationship from her best friend, keeping Bentley from Dane). Those are huge secrets to keep and I'm not sure why she did that.
I loved Dane's persistence, I loved his unwavering love and support for Bennett. I loved the two of them together and the scenes would range from funny to sweet, from swoony to sexy, This has all the feels, including a few parts where I might have needed a few tissues because my heart just broke. Liam and Keaton are fantastic supporting characters, and even the characters that weren't as present as this duo were wonderful, I would love to see more of Steve, Aria, and Marco. Blaine has done a wonderful job with this book and I absolutely loved it.
Bennett drove me insane, a good insane, because her running and pushing away, it was just so hard! I can't imagine being a guy interested in her, because she's near impossible to deal with. That being said, I totally get why she does it, with a mother that horrible, it makes complete sense. I hurt for her inability to commit because it was just one of the ways her mother leaving her has manifested. The only thing I did question was why she was keeping so many secrets (her relationship from her best friend, keeping Bentley from Dane). Those are huge secrets to keep and I'm not sure why she did that.
I loved Dane's persistence, I loved his unwavering love and support for Bennett. I loved the two of them together and the scenes would range from funny to sweet, from swoony to sexy, This has all the feels, including a few parts where I might have needed a few tissues because my heart just broke. Liam and Keaton are fantastic supporting characters, and even the characters that weren't as present as this duo were wonderful, I would love to see more of Steve, Aria, and Marco. Blaine has done a wonderful job with this book and I absolutely loved it.
angelastl's review against another edition
4.0
Wow
Drifter at heart finally finds her forever after. Such a great story. So much love and angst between the two of them
Drifter at heart finally finds her forever after. Such a great story. So much love and angst between the two of them
mlbnbrit's review
5.0
This by CG Blaine gets all my stars. It is absolutely perfect.
I was hooked by the dedication. After only a few paragraphs, I was enamored with the main characters. By chapter three, I was falling just as hard for the secondary characters, and by chapter 14 the relationships were blowing me away. I fell in love with this novel almost immediately, and with every page my love only strengthened.
Bennet and Dane, with all their flaws and insecurities and issues, are perfect. Everything about their story is epic. From their unconventional, hilarious, and strangely sexy beginning (the antithesis of a meet-cute, btw), through the bumpy, twisted middle, all the way to the ending. The way CG Blaine cleverly weaves their lives together is pure art, and I was hanging on every word with bated breath. My heart was and still is totally wrapped up in their story, and they are two characters who will live with me for a long time.
I also appreciate how CG Blaine was able to keep me engaged the entire time without over-the-top dramatic conflicts. Instead, her gorgeous writing perfectly balances humor, romance, and pain. The well-developed characters, back stories, and plot were more than enough to grip my attention for the entirety of the novel. The biggest obstacles these characters need to face are internal, which not only makes it that much more relatable, it made me connect that much stronger with the characters and root harder for them. Each character and relationship is a unique gem, with their own complex quirks, histories, and dynamics. This is one of those novels where you get to know everyone, and as a result you end up loving everyone. If you told me today that there was going to be a sequel to This, and that every secondary character would be getting their own stand-alone, I would preorder those books SO FAST. I love them. I just….love them. I want more of them because I love them so much.
The writing. Don’t even get me started on how much I love the writing. The story flows so smoothly and with such seasoned elegance that it’s hard to believe This is CG Blaine’s second novel and not her 20th. Authentic voices. Picturesque imagery. Originality, nuance, patterns, and emotion. Everything about this book is unique and fresh, and I can’t think of a better word to describe it than perfect.
This is a 6 star read for me. I honestly loved every single page. Every word, every punctuation mark. The characters and writing owned me, and I’m officially a CG Blaine fangirl. I’m so excited to see what comes next from this author.
I was hooked by the dedication. After only a few paragraphs, I was enamored with the main characters. By chapter three, I was falling just as hard for the secondary characters, and by chapter 14 the relationships were blowing me away. I fell in love with this novel almost immediately, and with every page my love only strengthened.
Bennet and Dane, with all their flaws and insecurities and issues, are perfect. Everything about their story is epic. From their unconventional, hilarious, and strangely sexy beginning (the antithesis of a meet-cute, btw), through the bumpy, twisted middle, all the way to the ending. The way CG Blaine cleverly weaves their lives together is pure art, and I was hanging on every word with bated breath. My heart was and still is totally wrapped up in their story, and they are two characters who will live with me for a long time.
I also appreciate how CG Blaine was able to keep me engaged the entire time without over-the-top dramatic conflicts.
Spoiler
I didn’t need explosions or extreme tragedy to make me feel emotion or suspense (and you know how much I LOVE tragedy).The writing. Don’t even get me started on how much I love the writing. The story flows so smoothly and with such seasoned elegance that it’s hard to believe This is CG Blaine’s second novel and not her 20th. Authentic voices. Picturesque imagery. Originality, nuance, patterns, and emotion. Everything about this book is unique and fresh, and I can’t think of a better word to describe it than perfect.
This is a 6 star read for me. I honestly loved every single page. Every word, every punctuation mark. The characters and writing owned me, and I’m officially a CG Blaine fangirl. I’m so excited to see what comes next from this author.
arielle_reads's review
3.0
3.5
This was my first time reading a book by Blaine and I must say the writing was addicting and the characters were memorable. The reason my rating wasn't higher was because I can't handle these drama/angst filled relationships anymore. I can't relate to the dark pasts with family issues that make the characters hold back their feelings, I really can't. It was just hard for me to read about Bennett's indecision and the back and forth *shrug* if you're a person that loves a dash of that in your romance, I'm sure you'll enjoy this!
Huge thanks to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. ♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
This was my first time reading a book by Blaine and I must say the writing was addicting and the characters were memorable. The reason my rating wasn't higher was because I can't handle these drama/angst filled relationships anymore. I can't relate to the dark pasts with family issues that make the characters hold back their feelings, I really can't. It was just hard for me to read about Bennett's indecision and the back and forth *shrug* if you're a person that loves a dash of that in your romance, I'm sure you'll enjoy this!
Huge thanks to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. ♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
karja26's review
4.0
At first this was difficult for me to read, could t comprehend the actions of Bennet and wondering why Dane let her get on with them anyways. But eventually I warmed up to them and I was glad to see B and D had there HEA