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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
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:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
I loved this book so much. No unnecessary drama, just a story about two people falling in love and learning how to build a relationship, just the way I like. I love low angst stories and this was a perfect one, with well written and charismatic characters (even the bro dude from the zip lining). I can't wait for book 2!
Loved these two coming to learn that people might have reasons for being too busy to be organized or too organized as a way of control. I didn't really see the chemistry between them, but I liked them as characters.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
DNF @ 43%
Ok, I have some thoughts and feelings about this book and they aren't great.
1. See, the thing about "enemies to lovers" is that it kind of has to be a slow burn to work, and that's what I love about the dynamic. If all it takes for your characters to stop hating each other is working together to get a couple of tents off of a high shelf, it really doesn't deserve that label and is going to disappoint fans of that trope.
2. The dynamic in general - I feel like the author was going for the extroverted ADHDer / introverted autist vibe, which again, is a dynamic I usually love. But somehow it just didn't work and I actively disliked both MCs.
3. Alright, this is kind of a big one. The fatphobia. I love that this book incorporated an all-too-rare-in-MM-romance overweight character. However, this character is also portrayed as slovenly, sloppy / unkempt, and occasionally lazy. I probably don't need to explain how that ropes in a whole bunch of negative stereotypes of larger people. And it's possible that the author was trying to illustrate that the other characters see him this way because of their own internalized fatphobia, but it really doesn't feel like that (it's consistent among all viewpoints and in the narration). I recognize that I might be doing the book a disservice by not sticking around to see if the author redeems it later (feel free to comment and let me know if I'm way off base based on the remainder of the book), but so far the book only seems to be reinforcing those stereotypes, and I was tired of subjecting myself to it.
In summary, even at 3x speed on audio I couldn't make myself finish (Nick J. Russo does great narration, though). Maybe this book is a win for certain audiences, but I am not among that audience.
Ok, I have some thoughts and feelings about this book and they aren't great.
1. See, the thing about "enemies to lovers" is that it kind of has to be a slow burn to work, and that's what I love about the dynamic. If all it takes for your characters to stop hating each other is working together to get a couple of tents off of a high shelf, it really doesn't deserve that label and is going to disappoint fans of that trope.
2. The dynamic in general - I feel like the author was going for the extroverted ADHDer / introverted autist vibe, which again, is a dynamic I usually love. But somehow it just didn't work and I actively disliked both MCs.
3. Alright, this is kind of a big one. The fatphobia. I love that this book incorporated an all-too-rare-in-MM-romance overweight character. However, this character is also portrayed as slovenly, sloppy / unkempt, and occasionally lazy. I probably don't need to explain how that ropes in a whole bunch of negative stereotypes of larger people. And it's possible that the author was trying to illustrate that the other characters see him this way because of their own internalized fatphobia, but it really doesn't feel like that (it's consistent among all viewpoints and in the narration). I recognize that I might be doing the book a disservice by not sticking around to see if the author redeems it later (feel free to comment and let me know if I'm way off base based on the remainder of the book), but so far the book only seems to be reinforcing those stereotypes, and I was tired of subjecting myself to it.
In summary, even at 3x speed on audio I couldn't make myself finish (Nick J. Russo does great narration, though). Maybe this book is a win for certain audiences, but I am not among that audience.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
emotional
funny
lighthearted
This was such a fun read. I loved how the characters slowly came together.
true enemies to lovers, attracted to each other while they hate each other
dual pov with two gay single dads and sons in the same grade
humorous and dramatic you dialogue and inner monologue, quite a few puns about tents and bears
single dads club of gay men and his coworker is dating a woman
russ is a control freak and cal is messy
40 and 41 years old
head of operations at EbbCo, grocery store cashier and voiceover artist living in his inherited house
love seeing them begin to like each other as they get to know each other. scout leaders together
i think more than a week passed between his kid declaring he hated him and the parent teacher conference
father 9 years ago but he adopted his 9 year old son at 2 years old. somethings not adding up
i like that there are boys and girl in the Falcon scouts
one tent
moms at the school are mean girls and cliquey
russ pushes his son away by being afraid of his son getting hurt and dying, like his husband
one got married and had a kid while the other was a slut when he was a twink until his 30s when he adopted a son
never had a wild side vs years of awful sex
charming how russ stands up for cal
interesting reading about 9 year olds (3rd graders) in the age of the cell phone
they’re both so horny
cal reluctant to step into a relationship because of his past relationship failures
i like how it’s never mentioned whether quinton is russ or his dead husbands biological so
practice safe sex, goes from bear bottom to vers
loved the tension and overcoming an obstacle in the ending, bear attack!
ending leaves you on a cliffhanger about mayor leo and now i want to read that. wish we got to know their gay friends a bit more though i get that’s content for the next 3 books, but it did make it more telling than showing that they’re found family
love that they became a family
overall i just loved the humor, shameless puns, outdoor vibes, and watching the dads and sons become lovers and friends respectfully before becoming a family
"These kids have energy to burn. Just give me five minutes.Then we can all learn to pitch tents like we're flipping through an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog."
by the end of this, i wanted to read buzz and shane’s story and was pleasantly surprised there a prequel novella that i jumped right into
Notes on Three Nights With the Manny since there’s no listing for it
new nanny and VP of a fragrance company go on a business trip together in colorado during winter, they’re so cute and fun winter vibes
his boss is a old white guy mysogonist who doesn’t understand the artists brand
afraid of love based on his parents relationship/children vs too busy for a relationship
3 nights changed their lives
good intro into book 1 and makes why their moving to seattle make more sense
Fun seeing Cal and the epilogue takes place during the time when cal is on a committee with russ which is referenced in book 1 to fuel his hatred
dual pov with two gay single dads and sons in the same grade
humorous and dramatic you dialogue and inner monologue, quite a few puns about tents and bears
single dads club of gay men and his coworker is dating a woman
russ is a control freak and cal is messy
40 and 41 years old
head of operations at EbbCo, grocery store cashier and voiceover artist living in his inherited house
love seeing them begin to like each other as they get to know each other. scout leaders together
i think more than a week passed between his kid declaring he hated him and the parent teacher conference
father 9 years ago but he adopted his 9 year old son at 2 years old. somethings not adding up
i like that there are boys and girl in the Falcon scouts
one tent
moms at the school are mean girls and cliquey
russ pushes his son away by being afraid of his son getting hurt and dying, like his husband
one got married and had a kid while the other was a slut when he was a twink until his 30s when he adopted a son
never had a wild side vs years of awful sex
charming how russ stands up for cal
interesting reading about 9 year olds (3rd graders) in the age of the cell phone
they’re both so horny
cal reluctant to step into a relationship because of his past relationship failures
i like how it’s never mentioned whether quinton is russ or his dead husbands biological so
practice safe sex, goes from bear bottom to vers
loved the tension and overcoming an obstacle in the ending, bear attack!
ending leaves you on a cliffhanger about mayor leo and now i want to read that. wish we got to know their gay friends a bit more though i get that’s content for the next 3 books, but it did make it more telling than showing that they’re found family
love that they became a family
overall i just loved the humor, shameless puns, outdoor vibes, and watching the dads and sons become lovers and friends respectfully before becoming a family
"These kids have energy to burn. Just give me five minutes.Then we can all learn to pitch tents like we're flipping through an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog."
by the end of this, i wanted to read buzz and shane’s story and was pleasantly surprised there a prequel novella that i jumped right into
Notes on Three Nights With the Manny since there’s no listing for it
new nanny and VP of a fragrance company go on a business trip together in colorado during winter, they’re so cute and fun winter vibes
his boss is a old white guy mysogonist who doesn’t understand the artists brand
afraid of love based on his parents relationship/children vs too busy for a relationship
3 nights changed their lives
good intro into book 1 and makes why their moving to seattle make more sense
Fun seeing Cal and the epilogue takes place during the time when cal is on a committee with russ which is referenced in book 1 to fuel his hatred
funny
hopeful
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:
No
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A