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hmatt's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Another more-than-meets-the-eye love story by Beth O'Leary. I described her style in my review of The Road Trip, as "a hilariously-told and very cute romance with complex characters and a slightly ridiculous premise", which mostly holds true for this novel as well. I'll say that this story is a bit more solemn, though, and deals with some heavier topics. I didn't quite connect with the characters as much as I have in some of her other books - I wish some of the POV storylines had been more fleshed out, I think this would have helped. But that's sort of what you get when you've got 3-4 main characters in an average-sized novel, so.
My CWs contain plot spoilers.
My CWs contain plot spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Alcohol
Moderate: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Dementia
Minor: Stalking, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
kfmcf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I'm going to out this entire review in spoiler brackets for my own sanity -
I knew there was a twist, obviously, and I will say that it was not overtly telegraphed which was very well done. When i saw that it was 2019 towards then end right before the reveal, I knew that was significant in some way. However, I don't think the characters Endings were what I would have hoped.
First off, Siobhan was the only character with growth and then she DIED. So that was a big bummer. Miranda was great to start and then n o t h i n g happened with her. And Jane had an interesting plot but as a character only HAD that plot as a trait. I wish she had more layers because I could not understand why he liked her so much.
Why did Miranda call him Carter. I wish that had been explained. It was kind of weird.
I think this book could have still been fascinating and utilized that twist without Siobhan dying from a traffic accident. Felt like shock value and I just...felt a bit betrayed as a reader in a lot of ways.
I am more intrigued to read O'Leary's other books now. I've been wanting to check out The Road Trip for awhile, but I think I'll definitely add The Switch to my list, too.
First off, Siobhan was the only character with growth and then she DIED. So that was a big bummer. Miranda was great to start and then n o t h i n g happened with her. And Jane had an interesting plot but as a character only HAD that plot as a trait. I wish she had more layers because I could not understand why he liked her so much.
Why did Miranda call him Carter. I wish that had been explained. It was kind of weird.
I think this book could have still been fascinating and utilized that twist without Siobhan dying from a traffic accident. Felt like shock value and I just...felt a bit betrayed as a reader in a lot of ways.
I am more intrigued to read O'Leary's other books now. I've been wanting to check out The Road Trip for awhile, but I think I'll definitely add The Switch to my list, too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Grief
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Car accident
Minor: Sexual content, Dementia, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
sophie1_xox's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. The beginning took a bit to get into and I think most of my problems came from trying to figure out what was going to happen. I found it totally different to any other romance I have read and honestly feel that it was more of a story about Joseph and processing grief than it was about the women. This made it totally different from other books where the women were more the focus and this really had an interesting perspective at encapsulating some of what Joseph was going through through the eyes of other people, especially as the timeline was revealed and the story spotted into place. By the end, I found it an amazing book and further enforced how much I love Beth O'Leary as a romance author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual content and Vomit
lauramparis's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Sexism, Dementia, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cursing, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
Taylor Swift Songs: “All Too Well (TV)”, “back to December”, “daylight”
This book exceeded all of my expectations. I am absolutely in shock at how my I utterly adored this. I am very hesitant to give 5 stars, I have only done it a handful of times, but this was an easy 5 stars for me. Also beware, this is not really a “Romcom” it’s more of just general fiction. This had absolutely everything, it had amazing plot and twists I could never expect, it had depth and raw emotion and heart, and not just romance but true unadulterated love. This book breaks my heart into a thousand pieces and glued it back together again. I have cried to books maybe 3 times but I cried to this one, oh my gosh, but in a good way. Happy tears. “Your heart is so full it’s going to burst” tears. One of my favorite books I’ve read. Please do yourself a favor and read this. I am hesitant to say too much, because it is better to go into this book and be shocked by the plot twists, trust me.
Age rating: 15+, a few brief steamy scenes
This book exceeded all of my expectations. I am absolutely in shock at how my I utterly adored this. I am very hesitant to give 5 stars, I have only done it a handful of times, but this was an easy 5 stars for me. Also beware, this is not really a “Romcom” it’s more of just general fiction. This had absolutely everything, it had amazing plot and twists I could never expect, it had depth and raw emotion and heart, and not just romance but true unadulterated love. This book breaks my heart into a thousand pieces and glued it back together again. I have cried to books maybe 3 times but I cried to this one, oh my gosh, but in a good way. Happy tears. “Your heart is so full it’s going to burst” tears. One of my favorite books I’ve read. Please do yourself a favor and read this. I am hesitant to say too much, because it is better to go into this book and be shocked by the plot twists, trust me.
Age rating: 15+, a few brief steamy scenes
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Death, and Sexual content
pixelghost's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
madsmcw_reads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.0
There's just something about Beth O'Leary that is absolutely incredible. Every single one of her books has a different feel to it and they all are SO good. The versatility and variety of her writing continues to amaze me.
As for The No-Show you can't really say much because you don't want to give anything away. I was confused and trying to figure out what was going on for literally 75% of the book. But, whenever everything finally clicks together, I was left speechless. I was sobbing with a broken heart but then it gets pieced back together. Even though a lot of this happens at the end of the book, it doesn't feel like it wraps up too quickly.
If you love slow burn books and commit to the long haul, this is definitely the book for you!
As for The No-Show you can't really say much because you don't want to give anything away. I was confused and trying to figure out what was going on for literally 75% of the book. But, whenever everything finally clicks together, I was left speechless. I was sobbing with a broken heart but then it gets pieced back together. Even though a lot of this happens at the end of the book, it doesn't feel like it wraps up too quickly.
If you love slow burn books and commit to the long haul, this is definitely the book for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
quasinaut's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have such mixed feelings about this book! The especially good: I love a story that captures when two people are perfectly decent together, but just not right for each other long term -- that's most relationships, right??
I figured out what I thought was going to happen pretty early on, and ended up being mostly right, though the way each perspective unfolded certainly kept me guessing. There were moments that were absolutely heart wrenching, moments of joy, moments of humor. All in all, just what I've come to expect from a Beth O'Leary novel!
I figured out what I thought was going to happen pretty early on, and ended up being mostly right, though the way each perspective unfolded certainly kept me guessing. There were moments that were absolutely heart wrenching, moments of joy, moments of humor. All in all, just what I've come to expect from a Beth O'Leary novel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
theespressoedition's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was so unexpected, but shouldn't that actually be expected when it comes to Beth's writing? She constantly surprises me with emotional twists and turns and I'm 100% here for it.
I'm incredibly glad that I listened to the audiobook. It was beautifully narrated and completely immersed me in each woman's story. By the halfway point, I felt as though I was just sitting and listening to my friends talk about their romance woes, life struggles, and strange encounters. It was a level of familiarity that I haven't experienced many times.
This book tackles some really, really challenging topics. From infidelity to miscarriage, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, and more. Please be aware of that before going into this. It's not your average "rom-com" and I wouldn't even put it in the comedy genre at all. It has a few sweet, giggle-worthy moments, but there's a heavier emphasis on the emotional aspect.
I was caught completely unaware when I reached the last quarter of the book. I absolutely did not see the twist coming and it blew me away. I was so caught up in the individual stories of each woman that I never saw how things were going to come to a close. If you're looking for a book with a great twist, this is one you'll want to pick up.
Honestly, I can't recommend this enough. While it might not be my favorite of all her books (that spot is forever reserved for The Flatshare), this was absolutely incredible!
I'm incredibly glad that I listened to the audiobook. It was beautifully narrated and completely immersed me in each woman's story. By the halfway point, I felt as though I was just sitting and listening to my friends talk about their romance woes, life struggles, and strange encounters. It was a level of familiarity that I haven't experienced many times.
This book tackles some really, really challenging topics. From infidelity to miscarriage, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, and more. Please be aware of that before going into this. It's not your average "rom-com" and I wouldn't even put it in the comedy genre at all. It has a few sweet, giggle-worthy moments, but there's a heavier emphasis on the emotional aspect.
I was caught completely unaware when I reached the last quarter of the book. I absolutely did not see the twist coming and it blew me away. I was so caught up in the individual stories of each woman that I never saw how things were going to come to a close. If you're looking for a book with a great twist, this is one you'll want to pick up.
Honestly, I can't recommend this enough. While it might not be my favorite of all her books (that spot is forever reserved for The Flatshare), this was absolutely incredible!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicidal thoughts