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sierrabowers's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Was a great addition to the first book! I really like when authors have series that are focused around different family members. This was was just as good or even better than the first, with a new perspective on Dreamland.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Medical content, Cursing, Misogyny, Abandonment, Classism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders
bbygirl21's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
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? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed this book so much more than the first one. I love the dynamic between Iris and Declan and although they may be toxic at times, I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. I love that Iris is the only one that can talk back to Declan and have him not retaliate. It shows that he cared about her long before their initial marriage contract.
One thing I loved about this book over the first one was that there was only one break up rather than the two that was in Rowan and Zahra's book. I think the two breaks ups in the fine print was a bit excessive, so it was nice to only get one "breakup" between Declan and Iris.
This book is also way faster paced than the previous one, which I was quite happy about. I found I didn't need to take at many breaks reading this book at I did with The Fine Print.
So overall, I highly enjoyed this book and would absolutely recommend. I'm excited to get into Cal's book.
One thing I loved about this book over the first one was that there was only one break up rather than the two that was in Rowan and Zahra's book. I think the two breaks ups in the fine print was a bit excessive, so it was nice to only get one "breakup" between Declan and Iris.
This book is also way faster paced than the previous one, which I was quite happy about. I found I didn't need to take at many breaks reading this book at I did with The Fine Print.
So overall, I highly enjoyed this book and would absolutely recommend. I'm excited to get into Cal's book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Medical content, and Misogyny
myyam's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny and Gaslighting
melissa_rueff's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is just fine? I didn’t hate or like the main characters. But I do hate this man trying to trap a woman with him through manipulative tactics and just weird power grabs? I understand that the main lady doesn’t care about it but even when you don’t feel like you’re being manipulated or like controlled by a romantic partner you are? I feel like, if you have like a controlling partner thing you might be into this, but for me, it was just a lot of red flags decorated in like acts of service and ways to show your love through like presents and things. So if you’re in any of that, I think you’d be into this book but for me, I got a bit of a ick but I wanted to finish.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Ableism, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
hannahmcl394's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5
Definitely preferred this one to the first in the series, although I wouldn’t say there is a drastic difference as I have seen others review.
Declan appealed to me more a lot more than Rowan, despite being described as the more “robotic” or heartless of all the brothers I found him a lot more loveable and thoroughly enjoyed reading the book from his pov (most notably the secret smiles he doesn’t allow Iris to see)
The wedding in particularly coaxed a visceral reaction from me and absolutely reeked havoc with emotions.
Love love loved Iris and Cals friendship!! I only wish there was more of it (however there is always book 3) and thoroughly enjoyed the small moments of Declan’s jealously over it.
Initial rating: 5 stars
Reviewed rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5
While this is my favourite Lauren Asher book so far and in some ways it could deserve the five star rating when compared to books by other others (Ana Huang) the writing falls short and so it must be dropped a fraction of a star.
Spice rating: 🌶🌶🌶 3.5 spice
Not huge amounts of smut but worth the buildup and definitely integrated well into the storyline without feeling forced. Very much a slow burn romance with great pay off. <spoiler?> THE OFFICE SCENE OH MY GOD!!
Would I read again? Yes
Would I recommend? Yes
Declan appealed to me more a lot more than Rowan, despite being described as the more “robotic” or heartless of all the brothers I found him a lot more loveable and thoroughly enjoyed reading the book from his pov (most notably the secret smiles he doesn’t allow Iris to see)
The wedding in particularly coaxed a visceral reaction from me and absolutely reeked havoc with emotions.
Love love loved Iris and Cals friendship!! I only wish there was more of it (however there is always book 3) and thoroughly enjoyed the small moments of Declan’s jealously over it.
Initial rating: 5 stars
Reviewed rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5
While this is my favourite Lauren Asher book so far and in some ways it could deserve the five star rating when compared to books by other others (Ana Huang) the writing falls short and so it must be dropped a fraction of a star.
Spice rating: 🌶🌶🌶 3.5 spice
Not huge amounts of smut but worth the buildup and definitely integrated well into the storyline without feeling forced. Very much a slow burn romance with great pay off. <spoiler?> THE OFFICE SCENE OH MY GOD!!
Would I read again? Yes
Would I recommend? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Minor: Medical content, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy
readerorwateva's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, and Bullying
kim03's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.5
I'm glad i managed to finish this one. Now. Onto my critique.
- Declan and his abusive characteristics (is it possible that ppl who've been abused are more likely to become abusers?)
- Declan was horrible from start to finish.
- The writing style was not mine. The pacing was also really weird and all over the place. The reader was threw right into the action aka the shit we all came here for: engagement announcement.
- Character building: the way the characters just felt "it" from the start, the "spark" that would grow into "love" without any actual chemistry or proof. Then Declan would randomly change emotions, go from i love this woman to it's just sex, etc. It's like make up ur mind old man. And while i think Iris deserved better, at one point i was like this is on her now. Like. She kinda brought this mess into her life on her own and doesn't make any efforts to get out of the mess.
- The fact the every time Declan needed to be seen as sympathetic by the reader, his mom would get mentioned.
- The fact that he says she looks fine ON THEIR WEDDING DAY, with the outfit she spent hours on. Wow. The audacity.
- The fact that he bought her a dog, which he doesn't want to take care of, as part of his pathetic apology scheme.
- The fact that she has dyslexia or something and thinks that she has to work twice as hard as a result of that (a mindset he does not help her change) as opposed to actually getting the accomodations she needs in order for her work to be more fair.
- Sex in the office. No. Absolutely not. ESPECIALLY not when she says no not here.
- He insults her and then is sad that she doesn't kiss him back.
- Now. I have been abused before, in perhaps a similar way to Declan, but would i ever let it out on other ppl???? No. I would let it out on me bc I'm self destructive but that's not the point (I'm also a ppl pleaser so). I just don't see why he doesn't see how toxic he is, when the bad example is right in front of him (both his father and his mirror image lol) and seek therapy to end the cycle. But no. He lets it out on everyone else, including his brothers and Iris.
- The two of them are so toxic, but most of it is Declan.
- Circling back: Declans abusive traits. Fuck that man.
The only reason this book didn't get less stars is because I've read worse. So.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
zc2's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Epilogue was a little much. Kinda forgot they went on a Safari tbh. It did help the growth of the characters though, it’s def a slowburn but it does give you taste of how they will progress as characters. I was not a fan of how Declan just one day out of the blue decided he was in love with Iris but yea it was pretty good ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
ka_ke'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
5.0
Lauren Asher sure knows how to grab your attention with another fantastic rom-com. It was refreshing to see that not everything was resolved with Declan, and I enjoyed seeing the family dynamics on all sides. Cal may be my favourite of the Kane brothers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Cursing, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content