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zoiejanelle's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-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
3.0
i read this book for the first time last year. it is straight up pornography, but focuses way more on character this time around.
i was disappointed in how the plot was centered around coming out. i don’t think this sequel was necessary, but i would read anything about ilya rozanov. i would read his grocery list. his team roster. the ingredients in his antidepressants.
yes i would read this book again. no i will not be taking questions.
i was disappointed in how the plot was centered around coming out. i don’t think this sequel was necessary, but i would read anything about ilya rozanov. i would read his grocery list. his team roster. the ingredients in his antidepressants.
yes i would read this book again. no i will not be taking questions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Outing, and Mental illness
Moderate: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Medical content
potatogrr's review
4.0
honestly mildly addicted to these idiots and glad they got a second book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
reniareads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Death of parent
potion96's review
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
This book was everything I wanted it to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
snapbea's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book began very slow and it was often difficult to get beyond the cheesiness, but It improved once actual conflict was introduced.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Homophobia
evaorange's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.75
I would read 7 more books about these two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicide, and Sexual content
jayreadsss's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Homophobia
scmp73's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This was a beautiful way to wrap up Ilya and Shane’s story, and it was everything I hoped it would be. This book had me feeling all the emotions. I found myself cheering them on, crying with Ilya, and getting angry on their behalf. I love when books can make me feel emotionally invested like that.
I loved Shane being a little more confident and sure of himself as this book went on. He was a little more timid in the first book, so it was nice to see how he evolved and became more comfortable with who he was in this book. I loved his love of Ilya. I wish he would have attended therapy to work through some of the issues he had that made him want to keep the relationship a secret, but I did like that he seemed to do a bit to work on himself.
I loved Ilya. I loved him the most in their first book, and I loved him in this book. He was confident and strong, while also admitting that he needed help. His mental health struggles were hard, and he chose to get help for himself. This is what I love to see. MCs being open and honest with their mental health and seeking help when they need it. I also loved the community he built for himself in Ottowa. His friends and teammates were amazing, and I loved the relationships he developed with them as the book went on.
Shane and Ilya getting outed was what I was worried about throughout the first book and most of this one. I was figuring that was what would happen, but it still hurt my heart to read. I think my biggest issue with the way this book ended was the lack of anything happening to the shitty commissioner and Shane’s former teammates. I know people get away with this shit all the time in the real world, but I would have liked to see some of them get what they deserved.
I loved Shane being a little more confident and sure of himself as this book went on. He was a little more timid in the first book, so it was nice to see how he evolved and became more comfortable with who he was in this book. I loved his love of Ilya. I wish he would have attended therapy to work through some of the issues he had that made him want to keep the relationship a secret, but I did like that he seemed to do a bit to work on himself.
I loved Ilya. I loved him the most in their first book, and I loved him in this book. He was confident and strong, while also admitting that he needed help. His mental health struggles were hard, and he chose to get help for himself. This is what I love to see. MCs being open and honest with their mental health and seeking help when they need it. I also loved the community he built for himself in Ottowa. His friends and teammates were amazing, and I loved the relationships he developed with them as the book went on.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Outing and Homophobia
silver_lining_in_a_book's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
sad
tense
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
4.25
Kiss me, Ilya wanted to say. Kiss me and hold me in front of all these people. Pull me onstage and do it. I don’t care anymore. Please. I’m dying. “Nothing,” Ilya said, and stepped away. “Nothing.”
This book cover, unfortunately, is not at all representative of how difficult some parts of this book were to read, particularly in the first half of the book. I was expecting to just have a tonne of fun as I did with the first part of Ilya and Shane's love story, but instead, I was greeted with depictions of untreated depression, undiagnosed (and not discussed) orthorexia, and Ilya's heartbreaking and under-appreciated sacrifices for Shane's sake. Many of the discussions in this book were so important, but I found them to be so mentally draining at times.
However, after slightly struggling through the first part of the book, I finally found myself sinking into the story and I couldn't stop reading it. Shane's behaviour in this sequel slightly disappointed me - he didn't quite feel like the same person at times and I thought he was really taking Ilya for granted - but he did get better throughout this novel. Ilya, on the other hand, has to be one of my favourite characters. I absolutely loved him because of how relatable he was to me. His emotions and actions felt very realistic and true to his character; I appreciated the depiction of his mental health struggles and how well he understood his own emotions, and my heart absolutely went out to him.
Overall, I think this was a really great book and it must be one of the best follow-ups to an enemies-to-lovers romance that I have ever read. It didn't feel like Reid was forcing any unnecessary conflict into the book, but there were still lots of high stakes and emotions throughout!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
cluckieduck's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Oh man, I am having a hard time reviewing this one because it is so obviously fan-service - filled with soooo much Rozander smut, but also touching on some really heavy issues surrounding depression, trauma, and stress which would have been better handled (I think) if there was more focus on the plot > porn. So, on the one hand I loved it - inject as much Ilya ❤ Shane content into my veins as possible, please. On the other hand, the writing felt a bit rushed with all the forced conflict to progress the story, which I felt was a disservice.
I loved how the story overlapped with some of the timeline in Role Model, especially surrounding a particular incident.
This go-round is very Ilya-centric and he does a lot of the heavy lifting plot-wise. A lot of the reviews shit on Shane, and yeah, he was a bit oblivious, but stress manifests differently in every one. Shane very obviously exhibited signs of disordered eating, but it was only brought up in a joking manner with an eye-roll at his expense. He also, IMO, showed signs of dissociation. Neither of these were really dealt/written about beyond the surface. Perhaps if he was given as much depth as Ilya was, maybe he could have been a bit more sympathetic of a character.
Before Ilya sought out his therapy, Shane directly asked him if he was ok, and that he would be there for him whether Ilya wanted to talk to him or not. Being in a relationship is hard enough (not even counting the fact that it's a secret one), but being in a relationship with a depressed partner presents it's own challenges. Especially when said partner keeps trying to push you away because they don't think they're good enough and deserving of happiness.
On a lighter note, there were so many cute moments in this one - I mean...Uncle Ilya & painting nails!?! Major swoon. And their talks about a future with children?? I just can't. I feel greedy in saying this, but I think they need another book (at least a novella) without any angst where they can just be settled, grounded, and happy in their relationship.
I have an idea about who the next book will be about (perhaps a certain Centaur rookie), so I look forward to seeing more of our past couples pop up in the future!
I loved how the story overlapped with some of the timeline in Role Model, especially surrounding a particular incident.
This go-round is very Ilya-centric and he does a lot of the heavy lifting plot-wise. A lot of the reviews shit on Shane, and yeah, he was a bit oblivious, but stress manifests differently in every one. Shane very obviously exhibited signs of disordered eating, but it was only brought up in a joking manner with an eye-roll at his expense. He also, IMO, showed signs of dissociation. Neither of these were really dealt/written about beyond the surface. Perhaps if he was given as much depth as Ilya was, maybe he could have been a bit more sympathetic of a character.
Before Ilya sought out his therapy, Shane directly asked him if he was ok, and that he would be there for him whether Ilya wanted to talk to him or not. Being in a relationship is hard enough (not even counting the fact that it's a secret one), but being in a relationship with a depressed partner presents it's own challenges. Especially when said partner keeps trying to push you away because they don't think they're good enough and deserving of happiness.
On a lighter note, there were so many cute moments in this one - I mean...Uncle Ilya & painting nails!?! Major swoon. And their talks about a future with children?? I just can't. I feel greedy in saying this, but I think they need another book (at least a novella) without any angst where they can just be settled, grounded, and happy in their relationship.
I have an idea about who the next book will be about (perhaps a certain Centaur rookie), so I look forward to seeing more of our past couples pop up in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Outing, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent and Suicide