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scoodle42's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Imani and Xavier meet again at a mutual friends' wedding and the sparks are still there from their high school love. Xavier is all gung-ho to give it another try, but Imani is hesitant. She needs to take it slow, for herself and her dermatology practice she's trying to get off the ground. Also Xavier is running for public office and she has a shame in her past she's been running from that she thinks will affect him negatively.
Okay I'm going start right out with the thing that bothered me most and I'm not going to cover the spoiler because I don't want anyone to be triggered. There is a point in this book where the FMC admits to the MMC (who says he loves her beyond all reason and wants her in his life SO badly), that she was SA'd and he doesn't believe her. That was really icky. So that's the first thing.
Also, it was a second chance romance--but they never explore why he left her all those years ago and broke her heart; they never address why he gave up on them, and he never apologizes for it. For me, that reads like a plot hole. Sorry. Their push/ pull was nice; that part was written well and it kept me interested, but I didn't like the way the side characters in the book acted like the onus was on Imani to just accept this man's love and take him back no matter what. He needed to be shown how to earn her, and everyone was too busy on their "he's a good man, Savannah!" I hated that for Imani. She was working through trauma and deserved all of the grace and patience she asked for.
I know Xavier was bothered by what came out about Imani's past but his first concern should have been her, or else why step to her in the first place? He could have left her alone for all that. Plus, as a character he was little too self-righteous for me. He had a great presence in the community, but that didn't give him the right to dismiss the very real things that were happening to Imani (i.e the clinic break-in and how that tied to her dad, who had died of a violent crime). It felt like he cared about too many other peoples' feelings over hers in a few places. He wasn't the most likeable.
All in all, the writing style was good and the plot interesting enough that you make it to the end.
Okay I'm going start right out with the thing that bothered me most and I'm not going to cover the spoiler because I don't want anyone to be triggered. There is a point in this book where the FMC admits to the MMC (who says he loves her beyond all reason and wants her in his life SO badly), that she was SA'd and he doesn't believe her. That was really icky. So that's the first thing.
Also, it was a second chance romance--but they never explore why he left her all those years ago and broke her heart; they never address why he gave up on them, and he never apologizes for it. For me, that reads like a plot hole. Sorry. Their push/ pull was nice; that part was written well and it kept me interested, but I didn't like the way the side characters in the book acted like the onus was on Imani to just accept this man's love and take him back no matter what. He needed to be shown how to earn her, and everyone was too busy on their "he's a good man, Savannah!" I hated that for Imani. She was working through trauma and deserved all of the grace and patience she asked for.
I know Xavier was bothered by what came out about Imani's past but his first concern should have been her, or else why step to her in the first place? He could have left her alone for all that. Plus, as a character he was little too self-righteous for me. He had a great presence in the community, but that didn't give him the right to dismiss the very real things that were happening to Imani (i.e the clinic break-in and how that tied to her dad, who had died of a violent crime). It felt like he cared about too many other peoples' feelings over hers in a few places. He wasn't the most likeable.
All in all, the writing style was good and the plot interesting enough that you make it to the end.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Gun violence, and Death of parent
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