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zgreyz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
also, i don’t love the asking for consent after you’re already doing the thing that often happened in this book. kinda defeats the purpose of asking consent.
overall a fun read though, even as someone who doesn’t follow sports at all.
Graphic: Sexual content and Mental illness
Minor: Abandonment and Addiction
emmas_bookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Addiction
bookcasey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Could be read as a stand-alone, but contains major spoilers for the previous two books.
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Mental illness and Addiction
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Immediately, I got hooked on the writing. The story started off strong but their brains being abuzz over one another immediately turned me off. I appreciated both of their respect for one another - green flag characters all around - but the fangirly-ness of it all was not for me (the whole love arc takes place across 2 months only).
Then there was the practice dating. I'm not usually a practice dating kind of person, the trope is very hit or miss for me, and this time around it was a miss. The priorities felt off and some of it felt way too fast, but again that might be a me problem.
I did like the mental health discussion, the chats about feeling behind because of a lack of dating (and possibly being aro/ace/demi), and the feeling of being mildly directionless, but for some reason it just didn't gel with me like these discussions usually would (cause hi, directionless, mentally ill demi here). I did love the reassurance that no label is really needed though, that was very gratifying. Also, the MC's relationships were also really well developed (though maybe the large cast was part of why I didn't love it??). Both MCs have full lives - family who they love and interact with, friends who pop in and help them through problems - and I loved that they had that, but it was a lot of take in. Maybe if I'd read the first two books I would have had a better handle on all the secondary characters.
Like I said, the writing was good, but something just didn't click for me and I'm as disappointed by that as you probably are. Might give their other books a try one day, but this was just okay for me.
Rep: sapphic, MC with depression and chronic migraines, MC questioning
TW: sexual content; mentions drug abuse, addiction, parental neglect
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 3/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Forever in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, and Drug abuse
thefatpaperback's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Drug abuse
the_book_bee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thanks to Forever for sending me an advanced copy! Anita, I hope you never stop writing books. <3
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Abandonment
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Lemme tell you what I normally like my romance fairly kink/smut forward with enough plot to sort of hold the thing together but this Tennessee set story of two folks navigating care (personal and systemic) and queerness and BASKETBALL done gone and challenged that notion for real.
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Chronic illness, and Mental illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
deetabz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Transphobia