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jlye's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
I read this book for Canada Reads. I will straight up admit that I am not a fan of romance novels and this book did not change my opinion. I found the characters and basic plot to be unoriginal. Fern, in particular, was very annoying. Her entire life is consumed by a guy she spent one day with and she is more than happy to change the course of her life and family relationships based on this single interaction. The way she pines and chases after him from start to finish… Girl, have some dignity!! The truth is that Fern doesn’t really know Will at all, which comes to a head in the rushed last quarter of the book. The author’s note regarding mental health themes at the end of the book earned it an extra 0.75 of a star, but more time spent on character development would have a better way to convey these themes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness
samrichwhit's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Drug use, and Grief
remy_licked_my_book's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
4.5
This book was a 4 star read for me until I read the authors note at the end of the book. As someone who is 7 months postpartum, her words resounded so much in me. Bravo to Carley for so openly sharing her struggles so others may seek help.
Fern and Will have a beautiful relationship and I was cheering for them from the beginning. My heart broke for both of them many times. I agree with what others have said that the grieving process for Fern seemed rushed. Otherwise it's a lovely love story.
Fern and Will have a beautiful relationship and I was cheering for them from the beginning. My heart broke for both of them many times. I agree with what others have said that the grieving process for Fern seemed rushed. Otherwise it's a lovely love story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
kelseyfontaine's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
I loved this book during my beach vacation! Getting to know the stories of Fern and Will drew me in for hours.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Pregnancy and Mental illness
Minor: Drug use
ksamaine95's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
LOVE! Only a small gripe Not quite 5 stars because chapter 27 was odd to me. The mental health aspect gave one-sided incesty vibes. I think the author was going for heart felt but it got a little meddled for me otherwise lovely.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment and Mental illness
meixymei's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Sexual content
embee09's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Mental illness and Pregnancy
hanngigi's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Pregnancy
shaykay's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
I've made many plans for reading this year, and so far, I've failed to follow through. I love that I could pick up the audiobook for Meet Me at the Lake. It's one of my 23 books for 2023 that I wanted to read, and it's a standalone. Standalones have been a rare thing for me to find this year, so I loved that this one had no other connection to some other book. So, I had a lot of fun with this book, and it was wild seeing where everything was going. I really wanted to love this one, and for the most part, I did, but now, looking back, I just can't remember everything that happened. This one is a good summertime read because it gives a contemporary summer vibe. I also liked that we bounced around not only different points of view but also different timelines. I want to read more books by Fortune, but at the same time, my reading tastes have changed. I have just been reading Kindle after Kindle book, and most indie authors are more out there or have a faster pace. But I liked what happened in this book and saw how many people would enjoy this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
nina_readsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol and Mental illness