Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Seven Days in June

Es un libro que sabe manejar las emociones del lector y sabe llevarte por el mundo en el que se maneja, se me hace muy interesante la perspectiva de los personajes y cómo se explica el contexto de ellos. Siempre he preferido leer romance a verlo en la pantalla y este libro es una de esas razones. La parte política que también se trata fue muy interesante, por más historias donde las voces no escuchadas puedan alzarse.

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now_booking's review

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dark emotional inspiring lighthearted sad 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

There’s a lot going on in this book in the best of ways. On the surface it is witty and smart and incisive as it comments on contemporary Black culture without being a book about race. But what it actually is a story about a society where two young Black kids, representative of so many others, fall through the cracks of dysfunction and end up in toxic cycles of relationships and substance abuse. It’s a love story about a woman with an invincible chronic illness, self-harming tendencies and a lot of emotional baggage, and an emotionally-damaged man struggling with addiction, being brave enough to feel, and a lot of emotional baggage. Somehow when these two lost souls meet, they have to figure out a way to heal and lighten each other’s load.

The premise is that single mother Eva is struggling with writer’s block for her long running paranormal erotic romance series when she meets blast from her past, Shane, at a panel about race and is blown away by the strong feelings that never left. But with the trauma and toxicity associated with their past relationship and the weight of the baggage they both still carry, any chance of a second chance romance seems dead on arrival.

The best thing about this book is it’s sharp take on contemporary society. It’s full of smart, funny observations and perfectly excerptable quotes about Black culture and Black lived experience that you’ll find yourself nodding to in agreement as you picture the exact cultural reference the author means. This book is heavy on trauma and is potentially very triggering- there is severe addiction, self-harm, sexual assault, abuse, abandonment, neglect, self-harm, chronic pain (chronic illness), misogyny, toxic relationships, and others don’t like it. The story itself and the way it is told is also absolutely gorgeous- you fall in love with the characters and root for them from the very beginning. Particular favourites of mine were Eva, Shane and Audre. Reading Eva and the people in her life navigate her chronic migraines, felt incredibly raw and it was written with a lot of authenticity and heart and was for me, a highlight of this book. Perhaps I didn’t really “buy” that Eva-Cece-Belinda friendship because I didn’t think it was utilized to the max and it didn’t quite “fit” for me, but even they were likable and inoffensive and I love seeing female friendship celebrated. I loved that the book featured marginal groups from society and positioned them as romantic leads- Eva with her debilitating chronic migraines, and Shane, actively in recovery from addiction. I loved the choice of these characters and how they were portrayed. The thing is that this love never felt quite healthy and there was so much unresolved trauma and damage in their lives, it would have been nice for some more of the healing to be on page, just so you know this time they’re for real. This is one of those where you love the couple together but wonder if they’ll be able to overcome the dysfunction long-term.

One thing that bothered me a bit about this book is it’s attitude towards romance. It’s not that it was disparaging in anyway- but there’s an air of tongue-in-cheek speak about it in this book sometimes that make it feel like a second class genre or not “worthy” or serious. And I felt like sometimes the author’s fatigue with writing her erotic romance series made her indirectly disparaging of the genre and I didn’t like that. I would have liked to see more of Eva’s relationship with her mother once she decided looking into her family tree. There were crumbs around this plot point and these themes of matrilineal lines and curses and patriarchal systems that condemn difference that left a lot of space for further exploration.

Overall, there’s no denying how fabulous this was. I highly recommend it to everyone- be safe and consider your triggers.

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caseythereader's review

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emotional funny reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the free copy of this book.

- I'm discovering that I love a second-chance romance, especially when it's as electric as SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE. Eva and Shane are a couple for the history books. Their personalities and their chemistry just fly off the page.
- I loved how Eva's chronic migraines figured into this book, and how over the course of the story she realizes not only that she deserves to be supported and not seen as a burden, but also that professionally speaking, she shouldn't have to hide when she's not feeling well.
- Also, Eva's daughter Audre was a riot. Amid all the heavy stuff in this book, it was also hilarious and a joy to read.

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ebonyrose's review

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dark emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I gotta be cursed. Almost all of my incredibly anticipated 2021 releases are just not hitting for me.

I know I'm the outlier with my rating on this book, but just hear me out. I see why folks loved this. In my view, it had an extremely strong start, and it had a lot of potential. It had the bones to be a knockout read for me, but didn't quite get there.

I'll start with what I loved about Seven Days in June. Firstly, the book is really funny, which I had not expected based on the book cover and description. I also loved the disability representation here. I think the author wrote about the main character's chronic migraine condition with tenderness and honesty, and I really appreciated that. I also think the chemistry between the main characters Eva and Shane was positively electric, and literally leapt off the page. And that is the whole reason for a romance novel, isn't it? So, slam dunk there. Eva and Shane's connection and dialogue had my heart racing.

What did not work for me, however, sort of outweighed my enjoyment of the above. Firstly, the book is crammed with every single possible Black cultural reference possible, and it feels very effortful and a little try-hard. I get it, this is a Blackity Black book, and I appreciate that, as a Blackity Black person. But it started to weigh the narrative down in some parts of the book, where the story could have been moe streamlined.

I also think the book is unnecessarily dramatic. I usually love a high-stakes story, I love high drama in my books - when it feels warranted and fleshed out. When it makes sense. So, our main characters met as two messy teens and have an electrifying week together, and then don't see each other for fifteen years. However, the teen versions of the characters felt like two characters off the show of Eurphoria. Like, the premise of their week together and not seeing each other for fifteen years is, in my opinion, dramatic enough to keep a reader engaged. And, I'm not opposed to the characters meeting when they were both incredibly fucked up kids (I actually like the fact that this romance was not cookie-cutter or typical in that way), but the characterization of teenaged Eva and Shane was just really intense and extreme, in my view.

Lastly, I take real issue with how many of the hood/lower class/working class Black folks are written in this story. It was very much giving classism, and it made my skin crawl. The characters were all these bizarrely outdated archetypes relying on some stereotypical notions of blackness and poverty, and it really soured my view of the book as a whole (and, the author.)

I had more issues with this read, but my hands are tired from typing so I'ma leave it there. In all, this book had potential but didn't live up to what I'd hoped for it. I'm happy others seem to be enjoying it, though.

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caribbeanjournal's review

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

This book broke me and made whole again in the span of five hours. I'm forever in love with these characters 💖

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