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azurahh's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.5
A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club ( https://sapphicbookclub.tumblr.com) in exchange for an honest review.
Kelly has recently escaped an abusive relationship as her girlfriend died in a car crash – but her friends don’t know that it was abusive. Tabby is a roller derby enthusiast and secret nerd who desperately wants to be in a relationship but keeps having one night stands instead. They hook up on New Years’ Eve and then find themselves falling into each other again… and again… and again.
Overall, this was a fine romance novel; I enjoyed this but found it a bit of a slog at times. Some of the writing about their emotional baggage was a bit heavy-handed at times and they seemed to have fundamentally similar emotional issues. I also found the miscommunications and set-up a bit too heavy-handed; they agreed to be friends with benefits and call it off if they caught feelings, but it was obvious they already liked each other romantically at that point, so the agreement didn’t ring true. This might be a personal preference as I am not a huge romance reader – I tend to intersperse my romance reading with sci-fi, fantasy, and YA, so I find some romance conventions a little jarring.
I have not read any of the other books in the series before this, but of course it stood by itself just fine! I honestly would have enjoyed more focus on the board game café setting and the Dungeons and Dragons group, but nerdiness and gaming were definitely a clear thread throughout the book.
I enjoyed Tabby’s arc more than Kelly’s, probably just because I found her a more relatable character. The side characters felt a bit flat and as if they were just there to advance the romantic arc, but I think if I had read the previous books about them, I would feel more like they were fleshed out.
A major theme throughout the book was being true to yourself and standing up for yourself – ultimately, Kelly’s arc was about finding self-love and hope after her abusive relationship, while Tabby’s was about reconnecting with buried parts of herself and asserting boundaries with family members. Both of these themes will likely resonate with queer readers, especially gender-non-conforming women (as they did for me!).
Overall, I would recommend this as a fun-but-sometimes-angsty read for someone who likes romance novels, especially if they also like table-top games, butch/femme relationships, and a good dash of hot sex on the side.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
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