Reviews - The Companion | The StoryGraph

813 reviews for:

This was such a disappointing read. There’s definitely not enough plot for it to be a full-length novel but it was so underdeveloped. The characters get involved after knowing each other for what feels like a day, before they have any chemistry or connection or know literally anything about each other. I feel like the characters’ meals had more development than the relationships. On one hand, I feel like this should have been longer so the characters could actually get to know each other, but on the other hand it was so boring that I wouldn’t have wanted to read more of it.

solly's review against another edition

4.0

3.5

joey_the_noun's review against another edition

2.5

funny hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

salome_esteves's review against another edition

2.0

What did I want from this book? I wanted conversation, healing, trauma, complicated emotions... What did I get? Sex... So much sex... Too much sex. And I have questions: here are two adult trans women in the post-war USA. What happened in the war? Were they soldiers or were they able to not fight? How was being a trans woman fighting as a man? What kinds of wounds sprung from it? Can they have a conversation about it? Besides, we never see any of them interact with people from neighboring communities. They are mentions of problematic encounters, but we never get to experience them. Overall, I had no connection with these characters and wasn't invested in their relationship. And that is particularly disappointing because the premise is fascinating.

horrorbutch's review against another edition

4.0

This is a very sweet and lovely trans romance. It's t4t4t, poly, bisexual and very lovely.
Madeline is an author, who struggles to make it in the New York art scene without having to compromise her bodily integrity as more famous authors there expect "favors" in exchange for their help. This scary part of her past is only lightly touched upon, but the narratives manages to showcase very well the exploitation and oversexualisation trans women are often faced with.
She manges to find a save haven in the house of fellow trans writer Victor. Victor is already a successful author, but still struggles with wether or not his audience will accept everything he writes. He also experienced the judgement of the New York art scene, but was able to escape, mainly living as a shut in on the country side now. As these two get closer and Madeline finally starts to believe she's found somewhere she can finally write, she meets Victor's neighbor, the farmer Audrey and finds herself drawn toward her.
This is when the story moves through a variety of romance tropes. Madeline is a virgin, who finds herself swept of her feet by handsome Victor and equally intruiged beautiful Audrey. The sex is always fantastic and there's lots of it. But Madeline can't decide who she wants more and fears that her desires are unnatural and shameful. There is some conflict around that, but that is rather quickly resolved and in general there is very little conflict in this story.
At points the lack of conflict made the story feel a bit flat, despite the interesting characters and the sweet romance, but if you enjoy your vibes saccharine it is definitely still very lovely. There's also a lot of sex, which is obviously great, but not something I had expected going in. So uh... be aware or be intruiged, depending on where your preferences lie. There's also less wooing and more quickly falling in love and lust than I expected. All in all I found myself really liking this story, but it is only a four star read for me. But if you enjoy quiet sweet high heat t4t4t romances with incredible vibes and lush prose that really draws you in this is a book to check out.