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kays_reading_journal's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.75
Rep: Pansexual Jewish FMC, Trans MMC
I really did love this book. A Shot in the Dark is a contemporary romance that examines recovery from substance abuse, difficult childhoods, falling in love, and figuring out what your future holds.
This novel is written in 1st person dual pov between the two main characters, with a few flashbacks scattered about. The flashbacks worked perfectly for me and were placed just where I was yearning for some more background info.
This book taught me so much about Jewish culture and I really loved it for that. I did have to look up some terms at times but it was still really easy for me to understand everything (as someone who knows almost nothing about any religion).
The chemistry between the two characters was really strong, I don’t see how that could ever be argued. However, the whole “can we can’t we” got pretty old pretty quick.
The first few chapters and the last few chapters didn’t really do it for me, but everything else felt perfect. I just felt that the ending had way too much conflict thrown in in a really short amount of time.
I really wish and hope that this is advertised more as a contemporary than a romance. I went into this expecting a pretty fluffy romance, even from the synopsis, and it was anything but.
Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a heavy contemporary about starting your life over with a dash of romance.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Antisemitism and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse
allena_inwonderland's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
A hot one night stand?
Turns out he’s your teacher. 🤭🫠
We have pansexual rep.
Trans male main character rep.
A beautiful romance between two people who are sober and through their recovery, with a passion for the arts. Strong friendship support systems.
I truly loved this story so much! I didn’t want to leave the characters, I wanted more.
As someone who’s pansexual and married to a trans man this was life changing to read. I enjoyed seeing my relationship aspects 🌶️ specifically because it’s something I’ve never personally read before.
I truly appreciated the authors note at the very beginning about substance abuse and addiction.
Ely is a recovering addict who’s been sober for four years, who is going through a stage of life when she’s trying to discover who she is. What her faith is, and if she’s going to be accepted into the community or not still. Ely is Jewish and left the community, but is now back in New York City not far from where she grew up.
Wyatt is a recluse, famous photographer and really ever seen in public. Maybe even one of the most eligible bachelors.
These two work through their own struggles with family dynamics, work life, and relationships. At times this book felt raw, and truthful in the experiences you can face.
I love, and loved people with addiction this story shows you a little bit of each side.
I definitely had some moments where I teared up. I’m excited to read more from Victoria Lee and can’t wait to get the final copy of this!
Oh and I’ll be referring to myself as a pansexual icon now 💁🏻♀️
#AShotintheDark #NetGalley
Turns out he’s your teacher. 🤭🫠
We have pansexual rep.
Trans male main character rep.
A beautiful romance between two people who are sober and through their recovery, with a passion for the arts. Strong friendship support systems.
I truly loved this story so much! I didn’t want to leave the characters, I wanted more.
As someone who’s pansexual and married to a trans man this was life changing to read. I enjoyed seeing my relationship aspects 🌶️ specifically because it’s something I’ve never personally read before.
I truly appreciated the authors note at the very beginning about substance abuse and addiction.
Ely is a recovering addict who’s been sober for four years, who is going through a stage of life when she’s trying to discover who she is. What her faith is, and if she’s going to be accepted into the community or not still. Ely is Jewish and left the community, but is now back in New York City not far from where she grew up.
Wyatt is a recluse, famous photographer and really ever seen in public. Maybe even one of the most eligible bachelors.
These two work through their own struggles with family dynamics, work life, and relationships. At times this book felt raw, and truthful in the experiences you can face.
I love, and loved people with addiction this story shows you a little bit of each side.
I definitely had some moments where I teared up. I’m excited to read more from Victoria Lee and can’t wait to get the final copy of this!
Oh and I’ll be referring to myself as a pansexual icon now 💁🏻♀️
#AShotintheDark #NetGalley
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Drug use
traeumenvonbuechern's review
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Transphobia
butterbrioche's review
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for giving me an arc of this!
This was so heart wrenching and beautiful. This is a complex story about love, faith, and recovery that I felt was crafted with so much tenderness and care.. Reading about Ely’s journey was so touching and felt for her immensely. I think my favorite part about this book was Ely rediscovering her faith and coming to terms with what that means for her. That was something that I really related to a lot as I read this.
There were times where I felt that the dialogue wasn’t as strong but there were so many instances where I felt like the rest of what Lee wrote made up for that. I DO think Wyatt could’ve groveled just a little bit harder. Maybe Lee though that gift (that’s a crazy expensive gift) made up for it but I would’ve liked to see more of that.
This was so heart wrenching and beautiful. This is a complex story about love, faith, and recovery that I felt was crafted with so much tenderness and care.. Reading about Ely’s journey was so touching and felt for her immensely. I think my favorite part about this book was Ely rediscovering her faith and coming to terms with what that means for her. That was something that I really related to a lot as I read this.
There were times where I felt that the dialogue wasn’t as strong but there were so many instances where I felt like the rest of what Lee wrote made up for that. I DO think Wyatt could’ve groveled just a little bit harder. Maybe Lee though that gift (that’s a crazy expensive gift) made up for it but I would’ve liked to see more of that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, and Addiction
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