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hailstorm3812's review
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
This is one of those books that if it had found me at the right time it would have absolutely decimated me. As it stands now, it still hits extremely hard. Despite the extremely fun premise, everything feels so deeply real for this book. The characters and relationships all made me feel the deep gut pull of connection. It's just so good and I love the ending so much. And the beginning. And middle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Abandonment
jippieyay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Definitely one of the LGBTQ+ reads I've loved most this year. And by year I mean ever since I dove into reading queer (BIPOC) authors a bit over a year ago, not 2024. But it will probably also be one of my 2024 reads that'll stay with me the longest. So much insight, such good storytelling, so much love in all it's many (albeit somet mes difficult) forms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Racism and Panic attacks/disorders
msrae89's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Self harm
Moderate: Racism, Medical content, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Alcohol
choicepotatoes_20240331's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.75
a tender, wholesome, heartfelt read.
i was ready to give this five stars untilthe birthday montage around two-thirds in, when the author made it clear that the vast majority of the book took place in 2020. suddenly, the whole story became an AU in which covid never happened, as opposed to a believably contemporary romance.
maybe it’s silly, but that one almost throwaway detail toward the end of act two pretty much completely destroyed my suspension of disbelief and made it really difficult for me to settle back into the story.
i loved it until that moment, though, and did eventually wind up getting wrapped up in the story again.
i was ready to give this five stars until
maybe it’s silly, but that one almost throwaway detail toward the end of act two pretty much completely destroyed my suspension of disbelief and made it really difficult for me to settle back into the story.
i loved it until that moment, though, and did eventually wind up getting wrapped up in the story again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Abandonment and Mental illness
cass_ward's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
I’m always so bad at reviews bc I don’t know how to not go overboard. But this one deserves it. This book is sweet and sad and so good. Morgan writes about some really hard things, and everything was given respect and honor, while having an undercurrent of hope. I went on this journey of healing with Grace, and come out of it a better person. Stories like this are so important, not only bc of the honesty about mental health, but also the constant reminders that community is everything. Found family is everything. We can stand alone in the face of a world that wasn’t created for us, and be eaten up by the hardness and the hurt. Or we can lean on those we love, trusting them to always stand with us, as best they can. In the end, our best is what we’re able to give while remaining true to ourselves. And that will always be enough.
Morgan, thank you a thousand times for this story. For the bravery in your characters, for the fight to be seen that you gave absolute justice to, for talking about queerness in more ways than one, and for acknowledging that things are hard and they do suck sometimes. From one lonely creature to another lonely creature - thank you.
Read this book! You won’t regret it.
Morgan, thank you a thousand times for this story. For the bravery in your characters, for the fight to be seen that you gave absolute justice to, for talking about queerness in more ways than one, and for acknowledging that things are hard and they do suck sometimes. From one lonely creature to another lonely creature - thank you.
Read this book! You won’t regret it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
megelizabeth's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
"...the person she looked up to as God for so many years is just a man. He is just her father."
This is a brilliant book in many ways. It deftly and movingly explores mental health and burnout, parental and societal expectations, friendship and love, and the experience of being in your twenties not knowing what you should do with your life. I really liked Grace's character and a lot of the side characters are fabulous too. There's more romance than I was expecting, but that wasn't a bad thing as I loved seeing Grace and Yuki connect and come together. It's also very unapologetically queer and we always love to see that!
The main thing I didn't like - or which I at least which had been properly explored - was the ethically questionable relationship between two characters. The writing style is also a bit pretentious and is overly saccharine at times, and it's very millennial (but it is literally mentioned on the blurb that the author writes for millennials and so I suppose I can't really complain about that!). As I've said, I did really appreciate this book overall and did find it to have a lot of great things to say, and despite the writing style grating on me at times, I'm still interested to see if Morgan Rogers comes out with anything else in the future.
This is a brilliant book in many ways. It deftly and movingly explores mental health and burnout, parental and societal expectations, friendship and love, and the experience of being in your twenties not knowing what you should do with your life. I really liked Grace's character and a lot of the side characters are fabulous too. There's more romance than I was expecting, but that wasn't a bad thing as I loved seeing Grace and Yuki connect and come together. It's also very unapologetically queer and we always love to see that!
The main thing I didn't like - or which I at least which had been properly explored - was the ethically questionable relationship between two characters. The writing style is also a bit pretentious and is overly saccharine at times, and it's very millennial (but it is literally mentioned on the blurb that the author writes for millennials and so I suppose I can't really complain about that!). As I've said, I did really appreciate this book overall and did find it to have a lot of great things to say, and despite the writing style grating on me at times, I'm still interested to see if Morgan Rogers comes out with anything else in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Drug use
catch__up's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Abandonment
Minor: Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, and Sexual content
strawberrytheauthor's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
This book starts off with a drunken marriage in vegas. That alone was enough to pull me in, especially because it was with two women.
I enjoyed the book and I’m very happy that Grace (the main character) was able to work through her problems with a therapist. However, by the end of the book she still hadn’t told her father about her wife. Wack!
I enjoyed the book and I’m very happy that Grace (the main character) was able to work through her problems with a therapist. However, by the end of the book she still hadn’t told her father about her wife. Wack!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Mental illness, Self harm, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Cursing, Terminal illness, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment and War
mariebrunelm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Grace Porter has always had a plan and now she has accomplished it. PhD in hand, she’s ready to take on the next part of her journey. But what will that part look like? And how hard will she have to work to earn her father’s pride and respect from her white coworkers? When she celebrates in Las Vegas with her closest friends, ending up married to a stranger was definitely not part of the plan. But can it be?
This heartfelt novel was tender and full of yearning. I fell head over heels for Grace and her found family. True, I sometimes thought “having so many endearing characters is not like real life”. But none of these characters is without flaws - they are all painfully human. Grace Porter’s journey struck a chord deep within me. Of course, I cannot compare to the hardships she has to face as a Black, queer woman in a scientific environment filled with white men. But I know something of feeling lonely and lost, almost done with a PhD at 29 and with the gnawing feeling that people have had time to figure things out and get started with life while you’re deep in theoretical work.
The poetry within Morgan Rogers’s prose utterly charmed me. As a reader who tends to stay as far away from romances as possible, this one felt both messy and sweet, and the willingness of those two girls to make this marriage work somehow touched me. Who knew a contemporary romance would end up as one of my favourite books of the year?
Rep: queer, lesbian MC. Asian, lesbian love interest. Diverse & queer cast of characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Racism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Self harm
beebeewin's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
This is sapphic love story and a story of finding yourself, that is moving, funny, cute, and poignant. While I can't identify with everything Grace is going through, I can deeply relate to her emotional and mental journey in this book. Being the "perfect" child is impossible and Morgan Rogers captures how painful it is to learn that for yourself. Grace is a well written character, who's flaws are relatable and raw. Rogers writes stunning inner monologues, something you can really appreciate in this novel. I was drawn in by Grace and her friends who are so full-bodied and alive; I stayed for the simmering romance that was incredibly cute. The ending felt so true to the rest of the novel and all loose ends were tied up, if not full resolved. I appreciate how nothing is glossed over or mysteriously resolved, but instead we are left with an ending that feels true to life. It is messy, imperfect, and beautiful. My only critique is Grace's friends got much more attention and care than Yuki's friends, and I want to know Yuki's friends. This is the kind of novel where I almost want a sequel from Yuki's perspective. For the fullness in character for everyone else, it made Yuki's friends seem like props instead of full-fledged characters. I recommend this to anyone wanting a little romance mixed with mental health journey.
My favorite quote (apologies for any errors, I transcribed it from the audiobook ;]) "Here's the thing about the tar, the sludge, the inky black poison. Once it starts its ascent out of your body, there is nothing you can do to stop it. It tastes like volcano ash and fire, and you must taste it and gag on it, and ultimately you must spit it out. There comes a time when you cannot swallow it down any longer. Everything that is buried will be unburied. Everything that is pushed down will find its way out. It's the way of the universe." Did this quote hit me like a ton of bricks? Why, yes it does.
My favorite quote (apologies for any errors, I transcribed it from the audiobook ;]) "Here's the thing about the tar, the sludge, the inky black poison. Once it starts its ascent out of your body, there is nothing you can do to stop it. It tastes like volcano ash and fire, and you must taste it and gag on it, and ultimately you must spit it out. There comes a time when you cannot swallow it down any longer. Everything that is buried will be unburied. Everything that is pushed down will find its way out. It's the way of the universe." Did this quote hit me like a ton of bricks? Why, yes it does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Misogyny