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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
[arc review]
i'm kind of sad i didn't like this one that much. i thought it was okay but i'll be so fr, i don't understand the need to mention or reference acotar in books. a physical copy of acotar is pretty important to the plot of this book but at the same time, i felt like it could've easily been any other book and the impact of it would've been the same.
acotar aside, i felt like ash and ellie were sort of just going through the motions. i was very confused trying to follow the writing style of the book in part 1, where ash and ellie meet when interrailing through europe. they has a whirlwind 3 days and then poof ash is gone.
they meet again 6 years later, when she's a new gardener and finds out ash is a viscount. ash keeps trying to talk to ellie but she doesn't really want to talk because she feels like she's been betrayed in some way. their interactions from part 2 onward seem sort of childish to me and gave me a weird feeling. i wasn't a fan of that or the way ellie treated ash.
i'm kind of sad i didn't like this one that much. i thought it was okay but i'll be so fr, i don't understand the need to mention or reference acotar in books. a physical copy of acotar is pretty important to the plot of this book but at the same time, i felt like it could've easily been any other book and the impact of it would've been the same.
acotar aside, i felt like ash and ellie were sort of just going through the motions. i was very confused trying to follow the writing style of the book in part 1, where ash and ellie meet when interrailing through europe. they has a whirlwind 3 days and then poof ash is gone.
they meet again 6 years later, when she's a new gardener and finds out ash is a viscount. ash keeps trying to talk to ellie but she doesn't really want to talk because she feels like she's been betrayed in some way. their interactions from part 2 onward seem sort of childish to me and gave me a weird feeling. i wasn't a fan of that or the way ellie treated ash.
Didn't feel invested in the romantic storyline
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was a lot to wrap my head around - mostly the classism conversation surrounding the main characters and the miscommunication littering the entire plot 😠but paige toon’s writing style is so beautiful I couldn’t help but become entranced!
ash and ellie meet while abroad in portugal and immediately fall head over heels with each other in just a few days - and while insta love usually isn’t my jam, their story was so beautiful … until the entire truth comes out seven years later 👀 and wow, how can you know everything about a person but have no idea what their last name is and who their family is??
in their bones, ellie and ash felt like two halves of the same person, but in reality, it felt like a prince and pauper story… ash being the heir to a wealthy family shouldn’t have been as big of a deal as it was, but ash and ellie refused to have a decent conversation with each other about it 🙄
if they sat down and explained each other’s emotions and views for the future, the conflict and flight response would have been null and void. and while I can understand how hurt they both were at the end of the book, it drove me nuts that they chose to not speak and push each other away instead of talking out their feelings!!!!! what a concept!!!!
why must love interests always assume the worst I swear 🥴🥴🥴
a huge thank you to putnam and penguin random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: portugal albariño
ash and ellie meet while abroad in portugal and immediately fall head over heels with each other in just a few days - and while insta love usually isn’t my jam, their story was so beautiful … until the entire truth comes out seven years later 👀 and wow, how can you know everything about a person but have no idea what their last name is and who their family is??
in their bones, ellie and ash felt like two halves of the same person, but in reality, it felt like a prince and pauper story… ash being the heir to a wealthy family shouldn’t have been as big of a deal as it was, but ash and ellie refused to have a decent conversation with each other about it 🙄
if they sat down and explained each other’s emotions and views for the future, the conflict and flight response would have been null and void. and while I can understand how hurt they both were at the end of the book, it drove me nuts that they chose to not speak and push each other away instead of talking out their feelings!!!!! what a concept!!!!
why must love interests always assume the worst I swear 🥴🥴🥴
a huge thank you to putnam and penguin random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: portugal albariño
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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