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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
i cried so much during the last two chapters of the book. it was so much. victoria crying for his brother’s happiness and bill fighting for deacon.
deacon and julian’s story was mostly about their grief for rhett and trying to navigate through their guilt of being together despite julian being rhett’s ex boyfriend. what is interesting though is deacon’s family was mostly not about the grief: rhett’s death only highlighted this huge problem that theyve been avoiding the confrontation for so long and its how deacon’s mom strained her relationship with deacon because of comparisons with rhett.
deacon and julian’s story was mostly about their grief for rhett and trying to navigate through their guilt of being together despite julian being rhett’s ex boyfriend. what is interesting though is deacon’s family was mostly not about the grief: rhett’s death only highlighted this huge problem that theyve been avoiding the confrontation for so long and its how deacon’s mom strained her relationship with deacon because of comparisons with rhett.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
This was an endearing love story about overcoming grief and while finding unexpected love. The beginning of the books takes a minute to take off since everyone is working through some heavy feeling but all in all I thought it was an easy read and really enjoyed this union.
emotional
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
Get a box of tissues coz you’ll be crying while reading this book from start to end. Fudge! Like all kinds of tears - happy tears, heartbreaking tears, cries of anguish. Damn.
I absolutely devoured this novel. It was my first from this author and definitely not my last. It contains a variety of tropes that felt unique and poignant to both main characters. This story contains hurt/comfort, bisexual awakening, and second chances. I could not put this romance down and anxiously anticipate more from this wonderful author. This was a story that immediately grabs your attention as you move forward on a fantastic journey.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
audio book is one of the best I've heard!!
I cried !!! I thought I would be all about deacon but to be honest Julian made this book!!!!!!!!!
Julian was everything and he deserved everything
deacons issues were a lot and I'm not sure he really did enough to overcome them!!
But Julian!!!! read the book for him!!
I cried !!! I thought I would be all about deacon but to be honest Julian made this book!!!!!!!!!
Julian was everything and he deserved everything
deacons issues were a lot and I'm not sure he really did enough to overcome them!!
But Julian!!!! read the book for him!!
It was ok. It didn't grip me like other MM romance books have and the pacing felt off.
The blurb describes Julien as his brother's best friend but he was his boyfriend and that's very different.
It bothered me that Julien never read the letters, even if he couldn't read them after a year, reading them later would have been acceptable. It felt like ignoring something precious that Rhett put effort into with assumptions about what he probably wrote.
Also Deacon never defended himself, he visited his brother fortnightly and let his mother think he didn't even care.
Overall the end resolution felt like it needed more. I needed a 5 years later where you can see how the family dynamic has changed, if the mum tried to fix the relationship, if the sister had a little boy or not. Plus Julien reading those damn letters and getting closure.
The blurb describes Julien as his brother's best friend but he was his boyfriend and that's very different.
It bothered me that Julien never read the letters, even if he couldn't read them after a year, reading them later would have been acceptable. It felt like ignoring something precious that Rhett put effort into with assumptions about what he probably wrote.
Also Deacon never defended himself, he visited his brother fortnightly and let his mother think he didn't even care.
Overall the end resolution felt like it needed more. I needed a 5 years later where you can see how the family dynamic has changed, if the mum tried to fix the relationship, if the sister had a little boy or not. Plus Julien reading those damn letters and getting closure.
4.5/5 stars ⭐ Yep, I wiped away tears after this one. I've officially accepted that taboo is apparently what my book heart wants right now because I blew through this. It was the perfect blend of chemistry, plot and raw emotion. The concept definitely made me uncomfortable at first, but I loved the way everything played out. Both the romance build up and the family dynamic were so well crafted. It does get a little cheesey by the end, but the climax and final chapter were absolutely perfect.
*Spoilers below*
POV: Dual POV, first person, present tense
Romance Type: Slow burn
Series Info: Standalone
Trope(s): One-sided enemies to lovers, pan/bi-awakening, shared grief, forbidden love vibes, taboo, dead brother's best friend/boyfriend
Ending: HEA
Triggers: Major grief and loss warning. Death of brother from cancer and parent deaths from car accident. Self worth and family issues, neglectful/borderline abusive mom due to sick brother
OW/OM: No cheating. Deacon breaks up with his girlfriend right at the beginning.
Steam: Open door
# of times: 3-4
*Spoilers below*
POV: Dual POV, first person, present tense
Romance Type: Slow burn
Series Info: Standalone
Trope(s): One-sided enemies to lovers, pan/bi-awakening, shared grief, forbidden love vibes, taboo, dead brother's best friend/boyfriend
Ending: HEA
Triggers: Major grief and loss warning. Death of brother from cancer and parent deaths from car accident. Self worth and family issues, neglectful/borderline abusive mom due to sick brother
OW/OM: No cheating. Deacon breaks up with his girlfriend right at the beginning.
Steam: Open door
# of times: 3-4