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tostita's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Enemies-to-lovers is not my go-to trope, and hate-fucking is usually right out, but wow did this one work for me! I could feel the yearning deep in my belly — exactly the feeling I read romance for but don’t always find. Why did I sit on Kate Canterbary for so long? Thanks go out to the Bonkers Romance podcast for introducing me to this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexism
Minor: Infidelity
vasha's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a challenging book. It is an enemies-to-lovers romance of two characters who are in deep mental pain, and by chance discover that they are mutually good targets for venting by lashing out at each other. Sara and Sebastian's initial rage and hatred are all too real. They are equally matched combatants, and realize it after a while, after they've started having scorching hate-sex. Their pattern of fighting is a toxic one, though, and they have to try to convert negative commonality to positive commonality.
Looking for mental illness, psychiatry and therapy representation in fiction? Sara has a diagnosed disorder, and has a positive experience with treatment. After a big fight at work, Sara and Sebastian's boss requires them to attend conflict-management sessions together; the therapist (noticing that both of them already have experience with therapy and are pretty self-aware) mostly lets them find their own way to talk it out.
(Oh, and atheist represent! In one of the first real conversations Sara and Sebastian have they start finding common ground and one thing they have in common is that they attended religious schools that didn't suit them. At another point, a character gives Sebastian a pep talk that is the atheist version of inspirational.)
I don't know if I can believe in the HEA, though. They have such a LONG way to go at the beginning of the story, and they hurt each other so genuinely, that I don't know if they can avoid falling back into damaging ways after the end of the book.
That said, it's well written and full of details that make the world come to life. The main characters are surgeons and there's lots about their work in the book. (I've seen a comment from a medical professional that the depiction is right on the money.) I would give this book a thumbs up; my opinion of it is even improved by the fact that I'm conflicted and keep thinking about it.
Looking for mental illness, psychiatry and therapy representation in fiction? Sara has a diagnosed disorder, and has a positive experience with treatment. After a big fight at work, Sara and Sebastian's boss requires them to attend conflict-management sessions together; the therapist (noticing that both of them already have experience with therapy and are pretty self-aware) mostly lets them find their own way to talk it out.
(Oh, and atheist represent! In one of the first real conversations Sara and Sebastian have they start finding common ground and one thing they have in common is that they attended religious schools that didn't suit them. At another point, a character gives Sebastian a pep talk that is the atheist version of inspirational.)
I don't know if I can believe in the HEA, though. They have such a LONG way to go at the beginning of the story, and they hurt each other so genuinely, that I don't know if they can avoid falling back into damaging ways after the end of the book.
That said, it's well written and full of details that make the world come to life. The main characters are surgeons and there's lots about their work in the book. (I've seen a comment from a medical professional that the depiction is right on the money.) I would give this book a thumbs up; my opinion of it is even improved by the fact that I'm conflicted and keep thinking about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Eating disorder
Moderate: Sexism, Vomit, and Emotional abuse
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