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I didn’t really believe the romance, mostly because the FMC was kinda insufferable for a good chunk of the book?? Don’t get me wrong— we all love a couple consisting of one very affluent and distinguished doctor and the other a small town, lower middle class sweetheart who meet by chance. Wrong side of the tracks, their worlds don’t go together. Opposites attract etc. BUT Alexis did not deserve Daniel, our golden retriever MMC. I loved Daniel and how he loved so easily and fully, how he took care of people without it being his job. Yes, Alexis is complex and has past relationship trauma with her ex and her parents kinda suck, but I still couldn’t get past a lot of her actions in regard to Daniel and his hometown. She annoyed me so much that it took me forever to finish this book because every few chapters I’d have to stop reading and huff around the house at something she did or said to Daniel. GIRL YOU ARE THIRTY-SEVEN-YEARS-OLD. Get over yourself and stop pretending your boyfriend doesn’t exist to everyone you know.
I did enjoy the ending and Alexis’ final redemption arc, which I knew was coming because duh. Romcom HEA formula achieved. I just really did not vibe with her character.
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, Classism
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Grief, War
I wanted to scream at Alexis throughout the book that she was making things harder than they needed to be for herself. Her parents were toxic AF. I can kind of see why she thought she had to stay, but I wish her friend had been honest with her and snapped her out of it earlier.
The book was much longer than I felt it needed to be. I get that the author wanted to tackle different kinds of domestic violence, but I think that one storyline with it and a more minor mention or two would have been enough. The whole book was steeped in toxic relationships and abusive dynamics, excluding the romance between Daniel and Alexis, and their relationships with some of their friends.
Overall, just too dark and depressing for me, and I had hoped for more of a romantic comedy, this was kind of that but with so much darkness included too.
Narrators' Rating: 3.25 stars
Overall, they did a good job, but the tone that Zachary Webber used for Alexis was quite irritating.
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Physical abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, Classism
Minor: Toxic friendship
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol
At times, it can feel a bit slow and clichéd - why must it take sooo long for the two to fully commit and come together? We know it must happen - it is undoubtedly from the start a happy ever after book.
However, realistically, their struggles are real and would keep two lovers apart. She lives in the city, working at the family hospital. He is the mayor of a small town his family founded. It doesn’t really work, and both seem too important to their town/area to leave for the other. I think of how hard it would be to be in Alexis’ shoes and juggling such high expectations and an important career with love. On a much smaller scale, I think many of us can relate to juggling our family’s expectations and opinions about relationships and careers and not wanting to disappoint, even for a loving relationship.
A big theme of the big is abuse - the book explores both physical and mental abuse by both partners and parents. Exploring mental abuse was definitely interesting and enlightening - it is more typical to read about some type of physical abuse, so I do feel it was informative to explore relationships strictly emotionally/mentally abusive. The tidbits about helping someone in an abusive relationship by helping prepare for when/if they decide to leave (having a place for them to stay, funds, transportation) is definitely something I will keep in my back pocket (and hopefully never have to use).
The best theme of the book is Wakan, the main setting of the book, and its magic. The natural elements adjusting to the circumstances and emotions of the town - becoming beautiful to attract Alexis to stay, and raining when she’s gone. Storms brewing when an abuser is near, or pelting grumpy visitors with acorns from trees. A raccoon happening to cause a car to drive into a ditch leading to the driver staying and never really leaving. That Wakan is an entity of its own and gets what it needs is a special, unique element.
And of course, the animals! Hunter and Kevin Bacon, plus Chloe, add a level of charm to this town that I found extra lovable.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Minor: Death, Classism
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Toxic friendship