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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Okay
I normally love Amy Aislin but I found this book unsatisfying.
The writing is lovely, as usual, and the characters should have been engaging on the surface, as should the story.
There is a lot going on in the book, with different characters' working through feelings of guilt, which feels excessive and repetitive; there is also the mystery of Ethan's adoption/Dylan's disappearance, which is disappointingly resolved.
I just didn't always feel engaged in the character's journeys and felt the story was overly long for what actually happens, especially as you find out part way through the book that everyone involved with Dylan's disappearance has been prosecuted or is dead.
Once you find this out, the drama of Ethan working through his feelings and adjusting to his new situation needs to be enough to keep you interested; for me, this was not the case.
I understand that in real life, things aren't always neatly resolved and that often multiple people going through trauma from the same event will have feelings of guilt, but those two things don't always translate well to page.
I also understand it's probably meant to be an ongoing backstory for the series, but you still need a payoff at the end of each nov and at the end of this one, it doesn't feel like Ethan has worked through any of his issues at all, which isn't really reflected in the final paragraph.
I normally love Amy Aislin but I found this book unsatisfying.
The writing is lovely, as usual, and the characters should have been engaging on the surface, as should the story.
There is a lot going on in the book, with different characters' working through feelings of guilt, which feels excessive and repetitive; there is also the mystery of Ethan's adoption/Dylan's disappearance, which is disappointingly resolved.
I just didn't always feel engaged in the character's journeys and felt the story was overly long for what actually happens, especially as you find out part way through the book that everyone involved with Dylan's disappearance has been prosecuted or is dead.
Once you find this out, the drama of Ethan working through his feelings and adjusting to his new situation needs to be enough to keep you interested; for me, this was not the case.
I understand that in real life, things aren't always neatly resolved and that often multiple people going through trauma from the same event will have feelings of guilt, but those two things don't always translate well to page.
I also understand it's probably meant to be an ongoing backstory for the series, but you still need a payoff at the end of each nov and at the end of this one, it doesn't feel like Ethan has worked through any of his issues at all, which isn't really reflected in the final paragraph.
I did enjoy this, felt it was well paced and kept me interested. It did kind of end abruptly and there are enough missing pieces in the whys and wherefores of Dylan’s kidnapping that this will be a theme through any subsequent books, and we have Shay/ian and Evan/mystery person(s) to go for at least 2 more!!!
Mainly it is about dealing with the shit life throws at us - Nat is carrying oodles of guilt about his father’s death though he is gradually educated away from this. Quinn is happy until all the Dylan kidnapping lands at his feet and he is on a whirlwind of emotions, all which seem realistic. He is very focussed on himself and then his family without thinking of Evan and Shay and how they feel - very different sides of the same issue.
Quinn and Nat are more insta-attraction and thrown together by everything going on - and yet still trying to date!
Enjoyed, will be looking for the next one.
Mainly it is about dealing with the shit life throws at us - Nat is carrying oodles of guilt about his father’s death though he is gradually educated away from this. Quinn is happy until all the Dylan kidnapping lands at his feet and he is on a whirlwind of emotions, all which seem realistic. He is very focussed on himself and then his family without thinking of Evan and Shay and how they feel - very different sides of the same issue.
Quinn and Nat are more insta-attraction and thrown together by everything going on - and yet still trying to date!
Enjoyed, will be looking for the next one.
The prologue was confusing. When the words came back towards the end, they made sense.
I can see where there are possible sequels in the stories of Shay and Evan, also a look back to Court and Jamie.
I can see where there are possible sequels in the stories of Shay and Evan, also a look back to Court and Jamie.
Okay
I normally love Amy Aislin but I found this book unsatisfying.
The writing is lovely, as usual, and the characters should have been engaging on the surface, as should the story.
There is a lot going on in the book, with different characters' working through feelings of guilt, which feels excessive and repetitive; there is also the mystery of Ethan's adoption/Dylan's disappearance, which is disappointingly resolved.
I just didn't always feel engaged in the character's journeys and felt the story was overly long for what actually happens, especially as you find out part way through the book that everyone involved with Dylan's disappearance has been prosecuted or is dead.
Once you find this out, the drama of Ethan working through his feelings and adjusting to his new situation needs to be enough to keep you interested; for me, this was not the case.
I understand that in real life, things aren't always neatly resolved and that often multiple people going through trauma from the same event will have feelings of guilt, but those two things don't always translate well to page.
I also understand it's probably meant to be an ongoing backstory for the series, but you still need a payoff at the end of each nov and at the end of this one, it doesn't feel like Ethan has worked through any of his issues at all, which isn't really reflected in the final paragraph.
I normally love Amy Aislin but I found this book unsatisfying.
The writing is lovely, as usual, and the characters should have been engaging on the surface, as should the story.
There is a lot going on in the book, with different characters' working through feelings of guilt, which feels excessive and repetitive; there is also the mystery of Ethan's adoption/Dylan's disappearance, which is disappointingly resolved.
I just didn't always feel engaged in the character's journeys and felt the story was overly long for what actually happens, especially as you find out part way through the book that everyone involved with Dylan's disappearance has been prosecuted or is dead.
Once you find this out, the drama of Ethan working through his feelings and adjusting to his new situation needs to be enough to keep you interested; for me, this was not the case.
I understand that in real life, things aren't always neatly resolved and that often multiple people going through trauma from the same event will have feelings of guilt, but those two things don't always translate well to page.
I also understand it's probably meant to be an ongoing backstory for the series, but you still need a payoff at the end of each nov and at the end of this one, it doesn't feel like Ethan has worked through any of his issues at all, which isn't really reflected in the final paragraph.
I loved that the romance is not the main plot! I loved that it was about guilt and grief.
BUT : PLEASE WE NEED A SEQUEL? I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ???
BUT : PLEASE WE NEED A SEQUEL? I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ???
Quinn has moved to Lakeshore to kick off his life and his career. He opens up a dance studio on the main street of the two, where he meets Nat, who was eyeing the same space but lost out on it to Quinn. There’s more to Quinn though. He was adopted and he’s still searching for his biological family.
There’s something familiar about Lakeshore to Quinn though. Turns out, Quinn might have been the twin that had been taken right from his front yard.
There were times I wondered what this story was actually about and what they were trying to accomplish. It didn’t mesh well for me.
I was expecting much more romance and interaction between Quinn and Nat. That was something I definitely didn’t get. In the beginning they were pitted against each other as feuding business owners. Then all of a sudden that changed with a snap of the fingers. I felt like there wasn’t a balance between Nat’s conflict and Quinn’s.
I do think this could have worked out really well. The premise was one I was very interested in. I wanted the mystery and the excitement of finding out what truly happened and why it happened. There wasn’t much explanation.
Saying that, this is a series and we may eventually get all those answers. I was disappointed by this though. It didn't have what I expected from an Amy Aislin book. It was a miss for me.
There’s something familiar about Lakeshore to Quinn though. Turns out, Quinn might have been the twin that had been taken right from his front yard.
There were times I wondered what this story was actually about and what they were trying to accomplish. It didn’t mesh well for me.
I was expecting much more romance and interaction between Quinn and Nat. That was something I definitely didn’t get. In the beginning they were pitted against each other as feuding business owners. Then all of a sudden that changed with a snap of the fingers. I felt like there wasn’t a balance between Nat’s conflict and Quinn’s.
I do think this could have worked out really well. The premise was one I was very interested in. I wanted the mystery and the excitement of finding out what truly happened and why it happened. There wasn’t much explanation.
Saying that, this is a series and we may eventually get all those answers. I was disappointed by this though. It didn't have what I expected from an Amy Aislin book. It was a miss for me.
I liked the romantic tangle Nat and Quinn find themselves in. Quinn is a quirky dance teacher, Nat is only grumpy because Quinn bought the place he wanted for his new woodworking shop.
Unfortunately the push and pull didn't last long. Their endeavour got overshadowed by Quinn's long lost family and the blooming relationship got pushed into the background. To me this book was about family, and as such, it was a good one, but that's not what I wanted to read about. Eventually Nat too got to solve his familial problems with the help of Quinn by his side.
The mystery of Quinn's kidnapping mostly got solved, though there are some questions left, purposefully. The whole plot will probably go on in the coming books with the secondary characters, though hopefully it wont be that prominent (except maybe the FBI guy's book, if he gets to tell his story). Quinn's brothers (both by blood and by adoption) are all promising characters. I'm most curious about the childlike, sweet, adorable and very animated Evan with his mysterious "friend".
If you're looking for a good mystery... not it.
If you're looking for a sweet romance with hot steamy moments... not it.
If you're looking for a book that talks about family connections, about love and acceptance, about grief and guilt and moving on... this is for you.
Unfortunately the push and pull didn't last long. Their endeavour got overshadowed by Quinn's long lost family and the blooming relationship got pushed into the background. To me this book was about family, and as such, it was a good one, but that's not what I wanted to read about. Eventually Nat too got to solve his familial problems with the help of Quinn by his side.
The mystery of Quinn's kidnapping mostly got solved, though there are some questions left, purposefully. The whole plot will probably go on in the coming books with the secondary characters, though hopefully it wont be that prominent (except maybe the FBI guy's book, if he gets to tell his story). Quinn's brothers (both by blood and by adoption) are all promising characters. I'm most curious about the childlike, sweet, adorable and very animated Evan with his mysterious "friend".
If you're looking for a good mystery... not it.
If you're looking for a sweet romance with hot steamy moments... not it.
If you're looking for a book that talks about family connections, about love and acceptance, about grief and guilt and moving on... this is for you.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am amazed at the variety in this author’s work and how she does it all so well. Hockey romance, cowboy romance, holiday romance, etc. This book is much more angsty than her other work that I’ve read and I enjoyed it but it was a higher angst level than I usually like. I’m not the most patient person and after a while I just wanted to say “let’s move on” which is totally not appropriate and so insensitive considering the circumstances for the MCs and everyone else involved. So the rating is more a reflection of my reaction than the quality of the book so take that for what it’s worth.
The overriding themes here are ‘what makes a family’ and ‘guilt’. Those themes intertwine to create a heart wrenching story. Nat squeezes your heart from the beginning but it is the transformation in Quinn that is the most compelling. He goes from irrepressible and lighthearted to burdened and flailing with the exposure of a life altering situation. The multiples levels of guilt he feels are suffocating him. In combination with Nat’s situation it’s a lot to take in, especially since in neither situation are they guilty of anything.
And then, as in al, good romance books, the power of love comes to the rescue but in a plethora of new and different ways. I’m hoping there are more books to come in this series. Shay needs to find his HEA and we need to meet Ian. There is a very bizarre scene towards the end with Evan (and his “friend”) that I assume will be the subject of a future book because otherwise there was no point in inserting it. I’m also wondering whether we will find out more about the missing parents and the ongoing mystery of what happened to Dylan.
The overriding themes here are ‘what makes a family’ and ‘guilt’. Those themes intertwine to create a heart wrenching story. Nat squeezes your heart from the beginning but it is the transformation in Quinn that is the most compelling. He goes from irrepressible and lighthearted to burdened and flailing with the exposure of a life altering situation. The multiples levels of guilt he feels are suffocating him. In combination with Nat’s situation it’s a lot to take in, especially since in neither situation are they guilty of anything.
And then, as in al, good romance books, the power of love comes to the rescue but in a plethora of new and different ways. I’m hoping there are more books to come in this series. Shay needs to find his HEA and we need to meet Ian. There is a very bizarre scene towards the end with Evan (and his “friend”) that I assume will be the subject of a future book because otherwise there was no point in inserting it. I’m also wondering whether we will find out more about the missing parents and the ongoing mystery of what happened to Dylan.
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping
So, this book. I have thoughts, lots of thoughts but mostly I really loved the whole premise of the plot and I think that element was carried out perfectly.
Now, my other major thought is that, due to the vast majority of the romantic elements - including the smexy times which help to build up an emotional connection between the characters and the reader - happening mostly off page or fading to black, I wasn't as invested in Nat and Quinn as a pairing as much as I was with their individual story arcs.
Don't get me wrong, I loved them together, I'd have just liked to have seen more of them together and I don't necessarily mean steamy erotica, but just more of the emotions that come through physical intimacy.
But, the main plot itself, about dealing with loss and guilt and the idea of what makes a family, was mostly well done, with the exception of Quinn's real parents.
It may be, as this is a new series, that this element is continued on in future books, but I did feel something was missing there.
Overall, this book was a success for me and I liked that it wasn't a traditional romance or a traditional suspense/mystery but married the two together.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Now, my other major thought is that, due to the vast majority of the romantic elements - including the smexy times which help to build up an emotional connection between the characters and the reader - happening mostly off page or fading to black, I wasn't as invested in Nat and Quinn as a pairing as much as I was with their individual story arcs.
Don't get me wrong, I loved them together, I'd have just liked to have seen more of them together and I don't necessarily mean steamy erotica, but just more of the emotions that come through physical intimacy.
But, the main plot itself, about dealing with loss and guilt and the idea of what makes a family, was mostly well done, with the exception of Quinn's real parents.
It may be, as this is a new series, that this element is continued on in future books, but I did feel something was missing there.
Overall, this book was a success for me and I liked that it wasn't a traditional romance or a traditional suspense/mystery but married the two together.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.