Scan barcode
jourdanicus's review
emotional
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? No
5.0
Ooh, this book gave me the warm fuzzies š„° I think Cat Sebastian might be one of my favorite queer romance authors now!
This checked all the boxes of my romantic fiction requirements: diverse characters, characters being kind to one another, a good balance of external and internal conflict, open-door intimacy, just enough plot to keep things interesting without overshadowing character development, and an interesting setting that was present but also didn't overshadow the characters.
Usually I get impatient with slower burn romances; this one wasn't exactly slow burn because Nick and Andy definitely had desire for each other from the beginning. But something about it did seem a little slower - I think it was the way the internal plot developed. Their need to figure out where their relationship was going was present, but not so urgent that it got in the way of them enjoying each other.
The little moments of domestic intimacy also really drew me in, and I think that's what made this story really special to me. It combined the excitement and hesitancy of new love with the familiarity of a couple who lives together comfortably (to which I can relate as someone in a very long term LTR).
Finally, I'm no history buff so I wasn't exactly fact checking every little thing, but it seemed evident that the author did their research for this. I felt very present in the time and place while reading.
Yay for another 5 star read in 2024!
This checked all the boxes of my romantic fiction requirements: diverse characters, characters being kind to one another, a good balance of external and internal conflict, open-door intimacy, just enough plot to keep things interesting without overshadowing character development, and an interesting setting that was present but also didn't overshadow the characters.
Usually I get impatient with slower burn romances; this one wasn't exactly slow burn because Nick and Andy definitely had desire for each other from the beginning. But something about it did seem a little slower - I think it was the way the internal plot developed. Their need to figure out where their relationship was going was present, but not so urgent that it got in the way of them enjoying each other.
The little moments of domestic intimacy also really drew me in, and I think that's what made this story really special to me. It combined the excitement and hesitancy of new love with the familiarity of a couple who lives together comfortably (to which I can relate as someone in a very long term LTR).
Finally, I'm no history buff so I wasn't exactly fact checking every little thing, but it seemed evident that the author did their research for this. I felt very present in the time and place while reading.
Yay for another 5 star read in 2024!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Police brutality, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Abandonment
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-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? No
5.0
I adore Nick and Andy, Cat Sebastian writing mid-century New York, every single side character, painfully awkward flirting, and even that silly orange cat. This is often described as cozy and low-angst, and that's true for the character interactions - this is flawlessly executed friends-to-lovers, where the characters have deep-seated respected and care for each other, so we always know they will be kind, even when they're dummies. I would note, though, that the external conflict and the periphery of the story is stressy - this is 1950s New York, so it's obviously hostile to queer men, and the threat of the police lurking throughout this entire story had me on edge for a large part of the plot.
This is for those who love slice-of-life trope lasagna (Can we make that a thing? It's no haphazard trope soup, but a rich and layered dish of all of my very favorite tropes?). If you love friends-to-lovers, caretaking, hurt-him-and-I'll-hurt-you, let-me-make-you-soup, roommates-to-more, etc., this is swoony and delicious.
Also - I LOVED the bi-awakening we see on page. It is one of the most familiar and affirming I've seen in romance recently, and it gave me lots of fuzzy feelings.
This is for those who love slice-of-life trope lasagna (Can we make that a thing? It's no haphazard trope soup, but a rich and layered dish of all of my very favorite tropes?). If you love friends-to-lovers, caretaking, hurt-him-and-I'll-hurt-you, let-me-make-you-soup, roommates-to-more, etc., this is swoony and delicious.
Also - I LOVED the bi-awakening we see on page. It is one of the most familiar and affirming I've seen in romance recently, and it gave me lots of fuzzy feelings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Hate crime, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
smokeandwires's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Outing, and Alcohol
wanderlust_romance's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
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? No
4.0
Nick Russo x Andy Fleming forever. These two! š„° I donāt know if Iād go so far as to call Andy a himbo, but heās just a little clueless and forgetful but also so sweet and willing to be emotionally vulnerable. The care is everywhere: in meals shared, in Yankee games attended, in lighting each otherās cigarettes, in stolen quiet moments down in the newspaper morgue files, in carefully worded long distance phone calls, and so much more. This story highlights the challenges of being queer in the late 1950s. What a wonderful and emotional love story. Read with your eyeballs for maximum enjoyment (the narration is just OK).
This is the bar Iām setting for the sake of comparison when it comes to M/M romance written by a woman. Thereās something telling about the level of thoughtfulness and intentionality behind We Could Be So Good. It never felt fetishized (but Iām a straight cis woman, my opinion is moot) as some popular contemporary M/M novels written by female romance authors can be. Honestly, it made me pause to reflect that my reading has not been as inclusive as Iād like it to be. A good check on my own blind spot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Outing
themdash's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Police brutality, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
comradeant's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
I somehow feel like I wasnāt reading a slow burn between the characters but it was instead a slow burn with characters and me. Like you got to know the cast so easily and relate to them instantly. The plot felt so absolutely in character and natural and āof course it happened that way, how else would it happenā. This book had me so in love, toes gripping the sheets like I needed to know everything about them immediately. Happy endings in queer books are the only option from here on.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Violence, and Outing
saskiahill's review
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Police brutality, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
quinnyquinnquinn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Outing
Minor: Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
katiemack's review against another edition
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
I absolutely adored this--it's realistic yet incredibly sweet, and it's filled with tiny nuances and intimate gestures that made me root for Nick and Andy even more than I already was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Outing
Minor: Death of parent
ronniethereader's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Homophobia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Violence, and Outing