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kristinlee___'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Not as enchanting and endearing as book one but that’s mostly because it’s hard to watch them struggle. Still love them and thought it was SO funny.
shiradfrankel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
stereograph's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahgee76's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
racham1123's review against another edition
2.0
This was trash.😠 [The exact words I said aloud after finishing this]
This was so disappointing.😭 [My after thought after I sat there for a minute in its trashiness]
... Did I even like this? [Brain is breaking at such trashy disappointment]
I stayed up for THIS? //Did I pay full price for this? God, I think I did- that's the actual worst.
[Starting to form real emotional responses now]
Okay, how to say this...This is an unnecessary sequel.
I will give it 2 full stars for the following reasons:
1. There were quite a very times I laughed out loud. The dialogue is mostly still pretty good. The authors voice is funny. I really just like the way they talk sometimes*, especially Luc and his mum. It has the same humor as the first one, which is great (thought its absolutely overshadowed by the fuckary of madness that is the actual book).
*A random example would be;
"It had been kind of the elephant in the room, and now I'd...I dunno. Had I shot the elephant? Had I said, Hey, is that an elephant? Was the elephant now rampaging around stomping on things? I didn't think it was a stomp atmosphere. Perhaps we were just staring at an elephant and going, Yup, that's an elephant all right."
2. It did hit a lot of great LGBT+ points/issues when it comes to family dynamics. There were a lot of important discussions to be had in this book, and that was lovely. The navigation through the choppy waters of identity was handled well.
That's it. Those are the two reasons. One star for each.
What didn't I like? Literally everything else. (Some Spoilers)
I didn't like that we spent the whole book going to other peoples weddings; weddings mind you that I didn't care about. Bridget, okay- maybe, but MILES- No, and Alex Twaddle- absolutely fucking not. The fact that the one funeral might have actually been the best section of this book really speaks volumes, I think. Simultaneously, as we navigate through three weddings and funeral Luc and Oliver get engaged and then continue to fight the entirety of the book. It is so clear that they should have never gotten engaged in the first place but we just keep fucking trucking along. SPOILERS COMING. And, then at the end when Luc finally realizes he doesn't actually want to get married, mind you the DAY BEFORE his wedding but he decides he can't just leave Oliver at the alter so he's going to go through with it for him- only for Oliver to then call the wedding off the day OF the wedding AND THEN LUC HAS THE FUCKING AUDACITY TO GET UPSET WHEN HE, IN FACT, DOES NOT WANT TO GET MARRIED EITHER.
Also, there's a god damn rainbow balloon arch that starts out as actual balloons and then becomes this super big metaphor for the men's different cultural backgrounds and comfortability with their gayness. I wish I could say this all happens in the course of one argument early on, but no. This fucking balloon arch follows us through the entire book. At this point, I think if I came in contact with an actual balloon arch I would pop every single balloon out of shear spite.
Also, also, we might as well have just killed Luc's dad off with actual cancer because he proves to be of zero contribution to this story line. He gets called once in the beginning, agrees to a favor and then never actually follows through on it. Personally, this felt like the other shoe was going to drop eventually but it never does. It's just two phone calls in the end. The first with a favor. The second in the last part, asking if he was invited to the wedding (he wasn't). So yeah, we couldn't have totally cut all of that.
Apparently there's going to be a third installment but I can confidently say I have NOTHING vested towards it. I loved the first one! Four stars! But, god, this was such a waste and I don't see how a third one could possibly redeem this train wreck.
This was so disappointing.😭 [My after thought after I sat there for a minute in its trashiness]
... Did I even like this? [Brain is breaking at such trashy disappointment]
I stayed up for THIS? //Did I pay full price for this? God, I think I did- that's the actual worst.
[Starting to form real emotional responses now]
Okay, how to say this...This is an unnecessary sequel.
I will give it 2 full stars for the following reasons:
1. There were quite a very times I laughed out loud. The dialogue is mostly still pretty good. The authors voice is funny. I really just like the way they talk sometimes*, especially Luc and his mum. It has the same humor as the first one, which is great (thought its absolutely overshadowed by the fuckary of madness that is the actual book).
*A random example would be;
"It had been kind of the elephant in the room, and now I'd...I dunno. Had I shot the elephant? Had I said, Hey, is that an elephant? Was the elephant now rampaging around stomping on things? I didn't think it was a stomp atmosphere. Perhaps we were just staring at an elephant and going, Yup, that's an elephant all right."
2. It did hit a lot of great LGBT+ points/issues when it comes to family dynamics. There were a lot of important discussions to be had in this book, and that was lovely. The navigation through the choppy waters of identity was handled well.
That's it. Those are the two reasons. One star for each.
What didn't I like? Literally everything else. (Some Spoilers)
I didn't like that we spent the whole book going to other peoples weddings; weddings mind you that I didn't care about. Bridget, okay- maybe, but MILES- No, and Alex Twaddle- absolutely fucking not. The fact that the one funeral might have actually been the best section of this book really speaks volumes, I think. Simultaneously, as we navigate through three weddings and funeral Luc and Oliver get engaged and then continue to fight the entirety of the book. It is so clear that they should have never gotten engaged in the first place but we just keep fucking trucking along. SPOILERS COMING. And, then at the end when Luc finally realizes he doesn't actually want to get married, mind you the DAY BEFORE his wedding but he decides he can't just leave Oliver at the alter so he's going to go through with it for him- only for Oliver to then call the wedding off the day OF the wedding AND THEN LUC HAS THE FUCKING AUDACITY TO GET UPSET WHEN HE, IN FACT, DOES NOT WANT TO GET MARRIED EITHER.
Also, there's a god damn rainbow balloon arch that starts out as actual balloons and then becomes this super big metaphor for the men's different cultural backgrounds and comfortability with their gayness. I wish I could say this all happens in the course of one argument early on, but no. This fucking balloon arch follows us through the entire book. At this point, I think if I came in contact with an actual balloon arch I would pop every single balloon out of shear spite.
Also, also, we might as well have just killed Luc's dad off with actual cancer because he proves to be of zero contribution to this story line. He gets called once in the beginning, agrees to a favor and then never actually follows through on it. Personally, this felt like the other shoe was going to drop eventually but it never does. It's just two phone calls in the end. The first with a favor. The second in the last part, asking if he was invited to the wedding (he wasn't). So yeah, we couldn't have totally cut all of that.
Apparently there's going to be a third installment but I can confidently say I have NOTHING vested towards it. I loved the first one! Four stars! But, god, this was such a waste and I don't see how a third one could possibly redeem this train wreck.
linkolywood's review against another edition
3.0
This would have been five stars but for the last 50 or so pages of the the book it just felt exhausting with all of the constant bickering. And the ending was really upsetting.
bookknobsandbroomsticks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.25
fjcookie's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
3.75
a very fun holiday read. I love love love Oliver (and Luc, but Oliver has my heart).
My problem with it is that, because it is all Luc's POV, I felt like we never get to see Oliver's journey. I don't feel like I know or followed his journey from complete rejection of a queer community to accepting that marriage feels like he is replicating heteronormativity. Any conversations Oliver and Luc had about it descended into arguments so even then I feel like I missed loads of Oliver's depth. On a similar note, I wish we had a few more happy moments of Oliver and Luc; they were meant to have been together two years and yet their relationship always felt unstable.
My problem with it is that, because it is all Luc's POV, I felt like we never get to see Oliver's journey. I don't feel like I know or followed his journey from complete rejection of a queer community to accepting that marriage feels like he is replicating heteronormativity. Any conversations Oliver and Luc had about it descended into arguments so even then I feel like I missed loads of Oliver's depth. On a similar note, I wish we had a few more happy moments of Oliver and Luc; they were meant to have been together two years and yet their relationship always felt unstable.
wtedwards24's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75