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the_love_librarian's review
- 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
Though this was about Kyrell and Quinn's romance, I do feel at times the book focused heavily on Kyrell and his family drama. A big plot point is that Kyrell finds out his father has terminal cancer, and wants the chance to reconnect with his son before his death (NOTE - his dad had no clue about the abusive mother). Kyrell's level of hurt and resentment is beyond measurement, so it takes him some time to adjust to the idea. I love when authors show heroes who go to therapy and work on processing their past hurts so they can break toxic habits. We do see him and his father reconcile, with Quinn's help, which was beautiful to see given his dad's diagnosis.
This one definitely took me off guard with how emotionally traumatized the hero was, so content warnings would be helpful for readers who prefer to avoid certain topics in this book. That aside, it was another successful read for me from this author.
TROPES: black romance, friends with benefits, hero with emotional trauma, rich hero, reformed player
TRIGGER WARNINGS: parent with terminal illness/cancer (on page), death of a parent (on page), mental health rep (suicidal ideation), parental abuse/neglect
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Cancer, and Suicidal thoughts
taneetraxo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Death, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
leelovesbooks_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent and Cancer
Minor: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts
sarah_thebooknerd's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
3.5 🌶️
I really love the banter and way that A E Valdez writes her characters, plot, stories and how they build on one another within this friend group. Her characters have such a vibe. I’m excited to read the next book.
CW: child abuse- in detail, alcoholism of parent, sexual content, medical content, pregnancy and labor/ delivery , cancer, death of a parent
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Medical content, Child abuse, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Blood
aelin_morgenstern's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Terminal illness, Cancer, Grief, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Outing and Suicidal thoughts
jaz_gets_literary's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Addiction