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wishbea's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5
I adored the depiction of Jacob and Eve as neurodiverse adults, their romance was adorable, all of the characters were so heartfelt. The only reason this isn't 5 stars was because of the unnecessary and frustrating breakup in the final act, obviously it doesn't stick, but it still irritated me and made this otherwise amazing book less enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Sexual content, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism and Abandonment
jessyhayward'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? No
3.75
“Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it's melting Jacob's frosty exterior.”
Rep: Black and autistic mc, another autistic mc, diverse background characters.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Thalia Hibbert is a light-hearted and warm contemporary romance about a family outcast who must find her path in life.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Thalia Hibbert is a light-hearted and warm contemporary romance about a family outcast who must find her path in life.
Though that sounds cheesy - and it is, a little - it’s an adorable and well-written story that’s perfect for summer vacations.
I don’t relate much to Eve, but I can certainly empathise with her lack of direction and critical family, as well as feeling like an outcast in your own household. Sure, Eve is wealthy and much older, but the story is, at its core, about finding yourself. She’s a fun and bubbly character who definitely fulfils the ‘sunshine’ part of the sunshine x grumpy trope.
Jacob, on the other hand, fulfils the latter. An uptight and slightly rude worker, Jacob is quite frustrating at times. Despite this, he is a loveable character who made me laugh through the entire story. Their romance is cute, spicy, and mature all in one and I truly believe in their relationship.
I also really appreciate the diversity in this story. As you can see above, it features a Black main character, not one but two autistic main characters (in a romance, no less), and minor characters from all backgrounds and paths (shoutout to my fave sapphic grandmothers). This is so, so needed in books, and even more so in romance.
The reason I’ve rated this 3.75 stars instead of 5 is simply because it could’ve been more. However, I haven’t read the other books in this series which may be why I feel this way, so take this with a grain of salt. Overall, it’s short and sweet and a great addition to the genre!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Medical content, Abandonment, Ableism, and Injury/Injury detail
onefineelephant's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
10/10. This is the autistic love story of my dreams. I can't tell who I relate to more. Between Jacob's abandonment issues and Eve's fear of being a disappointment/failure and their combined autism, this book is perfect for me. I love that they were both scared to be in a real relationship because of their fears but still persevered and were able to be happy. This book made me laugh, cry, and be horny. I can't figure out if I like this book more or Chloe's book so I'll have to read them both again to figure it out. This is now one of my favorite romances of all time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Abandonment, Car accident, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Ableism
The book mentions and partially describes parental emotional neglect and the emotional effects of parental emotional neglect.mrsmishler's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexual content, and Car accident
Moderate: Abandonment
madeline_schmidt20's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Ableism
booknerdxo88's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
unsurepeach's review against another edition
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Ableism, and Abandonment
daniellesharp's review against another edition
5.0
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Ableism
Moderate: Ableism, Car accident, and Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
I wanted to read this series as my goal last year was to discover new authors and this series have been all over the community. I loved the first book, Dani and Zaf own my heart so I was so excited and sad to read Eve’s story and say goodbye to the Brown Sisters.
This book has two points of view. The first is Eve Brown. She is the youngest of the Brown Sisters and she is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong – so she gave up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding, her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself – even though she’s not entirely sure how. The second point of view is Jacob Wayne. He is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her – supposedly by accident. Now Jacob’s arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen – and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore – and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.
I really enjoyed this book, I thought it was fun, inclusive, flirty and a really strong storyline. I love the humour that Eve has and that she loves to make people laugh. Eve is such a strong woman who I want to be friends with. I want to be friends with all the sisters please. I love all the storylines in this series and I love how Talia Hibbert managed to write mental health so damn well. You can really see from the characters perspective that mental illness is much more than people think. I love how the sisters interact together and how Chloe and Dani were so worried about Eve and if she joined a sex cult. This book was fast-paced but didn’t feel rushed. The whole way through this book I was rooting for Eve and Jacob. I loved the fact that Eve wasn’t scared about how Jacob came off cold and exterior and just felt guilty for hitting him with the car. Jacob was so sweet and that man knows how to use his words. I just love that Eve joked about him being a robot but then he literally sees her for the first time and malfunctions.
I don’t think there are any weaknesses to this book, it just wasn’t my favourite of series (DANI AND ZAF OWNED MY HEART AND SOUL). I cannot wait to read more of Talia’s work and making me fall in love with more of the fictional men that she has created.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, and Ableism
Moderate: Abandonment
lara_r's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Abandonment
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Ableism and Bullying