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4.48 AVERAGE
4.48 AVERAGE
sophslilbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
This is the first book I’ve read that has ASL/Deaf representation, and it was phenomenal from start to finish!
Told in a dual POV format with flashbacks, this story follows Evelyn and Otis, who have been best friends for 10 years, when a traumatic event leaves them trying to navigate their feelings for each other. They lean heavily on each other whilst helping each other heal, and Larissa captured this in such a beautiful way.
The book is incredibly detailed: the main characters are relatable and flawed, the supporting characters are important to the storyline without taking away from Evelyn and Otis, and the story highlights the lack of inclusivity there is for the Deaf community and the challenges they face.
I absolutely loved that there was no miscommunication trope. There were plenty of real issues involved that weren’t just quickly glossed over, instead, they sorted through the issue each time, and seeing a real, healthy relationship forming between them just felt really special.
It's safe to say I could not put this book down, and despite being 448 pages, it just wasn't long enough. Book 2 is coming out on December 5th, and I cannot wait to continue the series with Deans story!
*Thank you so much to Sunny Babe PR and Larissa C. Moyer for providing me with a copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review.*
Told in a dual POV format with flashbacks, this story follows Evelyn and Otis, who have been best friends for 10 years, when a traumatic event leaves them trying to navigate their feelings for each other. They lean heavily on each other whilst helping each other heal, and Larissa captured this in such a beautiful way.
The book is incredibly detailed: the main characters are relatable and flawed, the supporting characters are important to the storyline without taking away from Evelyn and Otis, and the story highlights the lack of inclusivity there is for the Deaf community and the challenges they face.
I absolutely loved that there was no miscommunication trope. There were plenty of real issues involved that weren’t just quickly glossed over, instead, they sorted through the issue each time, and seeing a real, healthy relationship forming between them just felt really special.
It's safe to say I could not put this book down, and despite being 448 pages, it just wasn't long enough. Book 2 is coming out on December 5th, and I cannot wait to continue the series with Deans story!
*Thank you so much to Sunny Babe PR and Larissa C. Moyer for providing me with a copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review.*
katshomeig's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t even say enough about how much I loved this book! Otis and Evelyn’s story is just about the sweetest thing I have ever read and probably one of the best written books I have read. This is on the longer side but I read it one day and begrudgingly only put it down when I had to.
This book takes place in Chicago and is about Evelyn, a coffee shop owner, and Otis, her best friend, ex-boyfriend’s brother, a writer and who also happens to be deaf. This story is so sweet, heart-warming, emotional and just amazing. I loved the story in the present-tense and also the flashbacks. They both have gone through tragedy and things that have wilted their spirits, but together they have managed to breathe life back into each other to become the people they were always meant to be. Otis is the epitome of the “cinnamon roll” character but with so much depth and compassion. This is not just about love, but also about family and friends.
I really highly recommend this book! To the author: you really have a gift for writing and I thoroughly enjoyed this!
This book takes place in Chicago and is about Evelyn, a coffee shop owner, and Otis, her best friend, ex-boyfriend’s brother, a writer and who also happens to be deaf. This story is so sweet, heart-warming, emotional and just amazing. I loved the story in the present-tense and also the flashbacks. They both have gone through tragedy and things that have wilted their spirits, but together they have managed to breathe life back into each other to become the people they were always meant to be. Otis is the epitome of the “cinnamon roll” character but with so much depth and compassion. This is not just about love, but also about family and friends.
I really highly recommend this book! To the author: you really have a gift for writing and I thoroughly enjoyed this!
dkornowski76's review against another edition
5.0
Such a great story! Loved Otis and Evelyn’s characters. Your heart ached for the two of them after their tragic event they experienced together. Their relationship was fun to watch evolve and loved their humor.
bookstagram_mama's review against another edition
5.0
This story was as beautiful as it was raw emotion. Their story captured me from the beginning and I’ll be honest I’m 100% a enemies to lovers fan BUT THIS friends to lovers romance has convinced to read this trope more. The ASL representation, mental health, PTSD Evelyn went through so much and to show her raw feelings and to feel her pain and anxiety was riveting. Larissa this is 100% one of my new favorite reads. And you’ve officially made it on my favorite indie authors shelf lol. I can’t wait to read deans story. I did have so many questions about him by the end of the book!
wordsbychiara's review against another edition
5.0
Rating: 4.5 stars / Spice rating: 2.5 peppers
IN OUR HANDS is a masterfully written romance novel, and also so much more! Yes, the love story between Otis and Evelyn was a big highlight (and it's definitely perfect if you love tropes such as best friends to lovers, forced proximity and ex's brother), but friendship, family, forgiveness, healing...those were such huge parts of this as well. I found it to be a truthful and heartfelt representation of joys and sorrows of everyday life, and would highly recommend it to all lovers of romance in double PoV who want something diverse, inclusive (Otis, the MMC, is deaf), spicy, but definitely far from the same old story. This one leaves a mark!
I really loved how the narration was split in past and present chapters. Sometimes friends to lovers stories suffer from the lack of seeing how the bond formed, so getting to see how Otis and Evelyn met, became friends and some key moments of their history made everything in the present chapters much sweeter and also frustrating (in a good, tension-filled way) from a shipper perspective. But the past chapters also made the complicated relationship between Otis and his brother (and Evelyn's ex) Dean so much more bittersweet. The bromance was beautiful and you can bet that I was rooting for a reconciliation. And also that I fell in love with Dean (because of course I would fall for the bad boy).
The characterization was this book's biggest strength. These characters were incredibly relatable in both their virtues and their vices, and through their experiences the author shed light on important
topics such as sexual assault, anxiety, depression, trauma, healing, and the importance of inclusivity. These were prefectly balanced within the romance, creating a reading experience that was never too funny or too heavy, but just right.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
IN OUR HANDS is a masterfully written romance novel, and also so much more! Yes, the love story between Otis and Evelyn was a big highlight (and it's definitely perfect if you love tropes such as best friends to lovers, forced proximity and ex's brother), but friendship, family, forgiveness, healing...those were such huge parts of this as well. I found it to be a truthful and heartfelt representation of joys and sorrows of everyday life, and would highly recommend it to all lovers of romance in double PoV who want something diverse, inclusive (Otis, the MMC, is deaf), spicy, but definitely far from the same old story. This one leaves a mark!
I really loved how the narration was split in past and present chapters. Sometimes friends to lovers stories suffer from the lack of seeing how the bond formed, so getting to see how Otis and Evelyn met, became friends and some key moments of their history made everything in the present chapters much sweeter and also frustrating (in a good, tension-filled way) from a shipper perspective. But the past chapters also made the complicated relationship between Otis and his brother (and Evelyn's ex) Dean so much more bittersweet. The bromance was beautiful and you can bet that I was rooting for a reconciliation. And also that I fell in love with Dean (because of course I would fall for the bad boy).
The characterization was this book's biggest strength. These characters were incredibly relatable in both their virtues and their vices, and through their experiences the author shed light on important
topics such as sexual assault, anxiety, depression, trauma, healing, and the importance of inclusivity. These were prefectly balanced within the romance, creating a reading experience that was never too funny or too heavy, but just right.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
michelles_bookish_adventures's review against another edition
5.0
This was a sweet story about how two best friends learn to heal from the trauma they have both faced, and it was beautiful!
jsilfen924's review against another edition
5.0
4.5⭐️One of the strongest indie debuts I’ve read!!
If you are in the mood for an emotional read that will make you feel it all, look no further! Told in a dual POV format with flashback scenes, this story follows Evelyn and Otis, two best friends who ultimately come to terms with how they feel after tragedy hits.
I adored both Otis and Evelyn and their special relationship. They were multi-layered and real characters who learned to lean on each other to get through past traumas and life’s hardships. I love how Moyer emphasized the importance of finding someone to complete you and who you feel safe around no matter what. The deaf representation was also really strong, and I found it easy to step into Otis’s shoes and experience the world as he did.
Read if you like:
-ASL rep
-Emotional, messy romances
-Slow burn
-Best friends to lovers
-Mental health rep
-Chicago setting
-Coho and Mia Sheriden books
If you are in the mood for an emotional read that will make you feel it all, look no further! Told in a dual POV format with flashback scenes, this story follows Evelyn and Otis, two best friends who ultimately come to terms with how they feel after tragedy hits.
I adored both Otis and Evelyn and their special relationship. They were multi-layered and real characters who learned to lean on each other to get through past traumas and life’s hardships. I love how Moyer emphasized the importance of finding someone to complete you and who you feel safe around no matter what. The deaf representation was also really strong, and I found it easy to step into Otis’s shoes and experience the world as he did.
Read if you like:
-ASL rep
-Emotional, messy romances
-Slow burn
-Best friends to lovers
-Mental health rep
-Chicago setting
-Coho and Mia Sheriden books
bariatricbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
"I wanted the guy who noticed everything to notice me."
I would have plowed right through this in one day if I did not have to do adult things. How dare work gets in the way of a GREAT book.
I am utterly in love with the way that the author has not only set us up for book two, which I will be starting immediately, but the way that she brought past and present together. The characters all come with their own hefty trauma and go on their healing journey together. Otis and Evelyn really grew and overcame past and current events that only made their existing bond stronger.
I would have plowed right through this in one day if I did not have to do adult things. How dare work gets in the way of a GREAT book.
I am utterly in love with the way that the author has not only set us up for book two, which I will be starting immediately, but the way that she brought past and present together. The characters all come with their own hefty trauma and go on their healing journey together. Otis and Evelyn really grew and overcame past and current events that only made their existing bond stronger.
readbookswithjaz's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you so much to Sunny Babe PR and Larissa Moyer for a copy of this amazing book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Evelyn owns the local coffee shop and her best friend is Otis, a deaf writer who writes fluff articles for the local paper. One day while walking home a horrifying and traumatizing event changes the course of their lives while they help each other heal.
Ok this was an amazing read. It’s a heartfelt story about navigating through trauma. Her characters are well written and make you feel like your going on a journey with them.
I also love the fact that she brings the difficulty Otis has navigating in a hearing world as a deaf person.
It’s a story that makes you think about life and is an emotional read.
Do yourself a favour and go read it. It’s out now with the companion novel releasing in December.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Evelyn owns the local coffee shop and her best friend is Otis, a deaf writer who writes fluff articles for the local paper. One day while walking home a horrifying and traumatizing event changes the course of their lives while they help each other heal.
Ok this was an amazing read. It’s a heartfelt story about navigating through trauma. Her characters are well written and make you feel like your going on a journey with them.
I also love the fact that she brings the difficulty Otis has navigating in a hearing world as a deaf person.
It’s a story that makes you think about life and is an emotional read.
Do yourself a favour and go read it. It’s out now with the companion novel releasing in December.
sunflowerygalreads's review against another edition
5.0
Evelyn and Otis have been best friends since college when she started dating his brother, Dean. Until the night Dean left her with no explanation. Fast forward to seven years later where Otis gets injured in an attack and Evelyn steps up to care for him, their relationship changes in ways they weren't expecting. This book does have some heavy topics so check trigger warnings, but Evelyn and Otis are able to work through their traumas together.
There's no better way to start the year off than with this gem; I adored this book! It had a strong ASL rep, which I thought was portrayed beautifully. The connection of characters in books where one person is deaf always tugs on my heart strings a little more because they have to rely on so much more to build their relationships. Otis and Evelyn will have my heart forever.
"What's your favorite smell?" Evelyn signs.
"Burning leaves." He signs back.
"Your voice is burning leaves to me, Otis."
Read if you like:
• ASL rep
• PTSD/anxiety rep
• overcoming trauma
• ex's brother
• small town feel in a big city
• emotional romance
• friends to lovers
There's no better way to start the year off than with this gem; I adored this book! It had a strong ASL rep, which I thought was portrayed beautifully. The connection of characters in books where one person is deaf always tugs on my heart strings a little more because they have to rely on so much more to build their relationships. Otis and Evelyn will have my heart forever.
"What's your favorite smell?" Evelyn signs.
"Burning leaves." He signs back.
"Your voice is burning leaves to me, Otis."
Read if you like:
• ASL rep
• PTSD/anxiety rep
• overcoming trauma
• ex's brother
• small town feel in a big city
• emotional romance
• friends to lovers