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funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the lay-out of this book. Every chapter you find out something new about Poppy’s and Alex’s friendship.
It’s a feelgood story with slow-burn romance. About people who are finding out what makes them truly happy.
It’s a feelgood story with slow-burn romance. About people who are finding out what makes them truly happy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Bullying
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My unbiased review:
This is a basic friends to lovers romance. It progresses through vacations that poppy and Alex have gone on and we learn a lot about them along the way. If you enjoy friends to lovers then you will greatly enjoy this.
My biased review:
I couldn’t connect to this book. I couldn’t connect to poppy and Alex and because the whole plot is focused on their vacations together I found myself bored and trying to read as fast as possible just to be finished. I also thought the scenes of them in an actual relationship were incredibly short and I was super confused as to why they went through a second act breakup when they had barely been together. I also didn’t love the conclusion to their relationship issues.
HOWEVER going into reading this I knew it wouldn’t be for me and I was correct. I can definitely see this book being someone else’s cup of tea it is however not mine. I love some of Emily Henry’s other books though… just not this one
This is a basic friends to lovers romance. It progresses through vacations that poppy and Alex have gone on and we learn a lot about them along the way. If you enjoy friends to lovers then you will greatly enjoy this.
My biased review:
I couldn’t connect to this book. I couldn’t connect to poppy and Alex and because the whole plot is focused on their vacations together I found myself bored and trying to read as fast as possible just to be finished. I also thought the scenes of them in an actual relationship were incredibly short and I was super confused as to why they went through a second act breakup when they had barely been together. I also didn’t love the conclusion to their relationship issues.
HOWEVER going into reading this I knew it wouldn’t be for me and I was correct. I can definitely see this book being someone else’s cup of tea it is however not mine. I love some of Emily Henry’s other books though… just not this one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s Emily Henry, so you know the writing is there. I love her style and the characters are always great. I read it in just a couple of days. The plot relied more on miscommunication than I’d like, though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The introductory chapter was pretty good, but there is a lull between that and the chapters building up from their past. I liked how the author wrote in alternating timelines (past vs. present) and how you get to peel Poppy and Alex's relationship layer-by-layer.
I love how the relationship was also built up over time, and there is chemistry and banter, and they're both really oblivious about their feelings for each other. I feel like the miscommunication trope has been used here pretty well.
I sometimes have a hard time imagining scenes in locations, because sometimes there's just some quick transition from a thought to a scene to a different action, so it's kind of hard to visualize at times.
I love the buildup though and at the times that Alex bares himself and becomes vulnerable, admitting all his fears and his wants, I felt that immensely. And in Alex, somehow, I felt seen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Put off reading this book fir a whole year, just to read it in 2 days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-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
I really liked this book. It was funny, sad, mushy and very romantic. I feel like this was friends to lovers done correctly. Poppy and Alex are SOOO different from each other and it’s a big problem for them in the story but for me it’s why they work, they balance each other out. It’s so fun that we followed their friendship from day one and watched how their opinions and feelings for each other slowly change. And when I say slowly I mean SLOWLY, this story spans 12 years so it’s a true slow burn 😂. The yearning from both parts was amazing and Poppy using jokes to try and avoid her feelings was very funny. The best part for me was both characters facing their fears when it comes to their relationship. Poppy finally acknowledges that even though she is scared, she wants Alex to see all of her even the parts she thinks are too messy for someone else to deal with. For Alex losing his mother at such a young age and watching what that did to his dad made him grow up very guarded but in the end he realizes that not allowing himself to be truly happy because of his fears of possibly losing the person he loves is no way to live. It was beautiful watching them find a home within one another. I did not give it 5 stars because I HATE a third act breakup and they did have quite a bit of miscommunication.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief
Minor: Death of parent