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cabc's review
5.0
Absolutely read this story if you need a sweet, uplifting romance that is guaranteed to make you smile.
Coby and Eli’s love story warmed my heart and I caught myself with a smile throughout the book. Coby (and his bff) made me laugh and Eli is a total (HOTTIE, as in lifts weights and wears a uniform HOT) sweetheart. Their meet-cute is adorable and while the relationship does have some bumps, they handle it like mature adults, which I always appreciate. They’re both pressured to date, and handle their dating life in different ways based on their past experiences, and I could so relate to outside pressure and, sometimes unwanted, advice/opinions from well-meaning friends and/or family. Also, their Jewish history is a nice extra element to the story; with each Felice book I read, I get another glimpse at New York City and it’s diverse population, and it just makes her books even better. And as always, the side characters are all fantastic. Coby’s best friend, and their relationship, is my favorite!
This is a must-read, especially if you have loved previous Felice books. (And if you haven’t, go read her Man Up series now!!!)
Coby and Eli’s love story warmed my heart and I caught myself with a smile throughout the book. Coby (and his bff) made me laugh and Eli is a total (HOTTIE, as in lifts weights and wears a uniform HOT) sweetheart. Their meet-cute is adorable and while the relationship does have some bumps, they handle it like mature adults, which I always appreciate. They’re both pressured to date, and handle their dating life in different ways based on their past experiences, and I could so relate to outside pressure and, sometimes unwanted, advice/opinions from well-meaning friends and/or family. Also, their Jewish history is a nice extra element to the story; with each Felice book I read, I get another glimpse at New York City and it’s diverse population, and it just makes her books even better. And as always, the side characters are all fantastic. Coby’s best friend, and their relationship, is my favorite!
This is a must-read, especially if you have loved previous Felice books. (And if you haven’t, go read her Man Up series now!!!)
si0bhan's review
4.0
I’ve become quite the Felice Stevens fan, happily diving into each new release. With each book, Felice Stevens offers a romance that is incredibly sweet whilst also dealing with a real-life factor. With The Coincidence, we have exactly what I expected from my most recent Felice Stevens read, meaning I was not disappointed by the story I was given.
The Coincidence sucked me in from the very first page, and although it took a while before our characters were interacting, I was sucked into their individual stories. Both characters had individual stories I was sucked into, details I wanted more of, and when their paths finally crossed I found myself sucked into the way both of their stories developed together.
As the title would have you believing, the book is based upon coincidences. There are plenty of layers to it, multiple coincidences that may seem farfetched. However, they come together well, and were inspired by real life events, making them even more enjoyable.
With great characters, a wonderful storyline, and the usual Felice Stevens sweetness, The Coincidence was another winner from the author.
The Coincidence sucked me in from the very first page, and although it took a while before our characters were interacting, I was sucked into their individual stories. Both characters had individual stories I was sucked into, details I wanted more of, and when their paths finally crossed I found myself sucked into the way both of their stories developed together.
As the title would have you believing, the book is based upon coincidences. There are plenty of layers to it, multiple coincidences that may seem farfetched. However, they come together well, and were inspired by real life events, making them even more enjoyable.
With great characters, a wonderful storyline, and the usual Felice Stevens sweetness, The Coincidence was another winner from the author.
endemictoearth's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Not quite how I expected this to go based on the blurb, but quite enjoyable. Features two Jewish protagonists (which features in the plot.) There's quite a lot of set-up to the story; they don’t meet until about a third of the way through the book, but then they fall into a relationship pretty quickly. (And there was some eleventh hour drama, but I didn't mind it that much.) Really liked the side characters/family members--they all felt pretty real and not just there to further the plot.
tink535's review
4.0
Another lovely story from Felice Stevens. Adorable MCs, fab secondary characters and the narration was great.
cadiva's review
5.0
This book is simply beautiful.
Buried deep is a story of traumatic loss reaching back to the Second World War, when Nazi Germany was determined to wipe out anything that didn't conform to its twisted ideals and whole communities were wiped out in moments.
Felice Stevens draws on her own family history to give this gorgeous romance, between two Jewish men brought up in wildly different circumstances, a pathos that isn't often found in narratives of this type and it adds layers of feeling.
Coby and Eli are opposites, one out and proud but trampled on by a shitty ex who treated him like dirt, the other a virgin and only just taking his first steps into admitting his sexuality.
It's almost impossible from more than eight decades later, to be able to put yourself back in those days but as we get to know the characters and their families, we see how life's experiences can fundamentally change the way emotional connections develop.
In a world of coincidences, which may just be fate, Coby's best friend sets him up on a blind date with Eli.
Everything about their slow burn falling in love worked for me. From Eli's hesitant first steps, to Coby fearing he'd not be enough, their journeys are shaped by their experiences at home.
Coby has had love and acceptance from his family, while Eli and his brother Darren have never met their father's expectations.
But, as the narrative unfolds, we get more clues behind this behaviour and by the end, I felt perhaps a bit more of an understanding for why that was the case, even if I didn't forgive it.
The romance itself is just the type I love, there's no real angsting once Coby and Eli have talked. Their slow fall into love is depicted with ease by Felice and there's a great bunch of secondary characters hanging around to bring a touch of lightness.
It's difficult to express just what captivated me in this book but a lot of it is to do with the cultural heritage found throughout.
I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for a Jewish family in the 1930s, but I can understand totally the need to hold to those traditions and values that were so nearly lost forever.
The premise which shines through this book is simple - to find that other being who just makes life that little bit more special and to hold them tight because not everyone gets that chance.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Buried deep is a story of traumatic loss reaching back to the Second World War, when Nazi Germany was determined to wipe out anything that didn't conform to its twisted ideals and whole communities were wiped out in moments.
Felice Stevens draws on her own family history to give this gorgeous romance, between two Jewish men brought up in wildly different circumstances, a pathos that isn't often found in narratives of this type and it adds layers of feeling.
Coby and Eli are opposites, one out and proud but trampled on by a shitty ex who treated him like dirt, the other a virgin and only just taking his first steps into admitting his sexuality.
It's almost impossible from more than eight decades later, to be able to put yourself back in those days but as we get to know the characters and their families, we see how life's experiences can fundamentally change the way emotional connections develop.
In a world of coincidences, which may just be fate, Coby's best friend sets him up on a blind date with Eli.
Everything about their slow burn falling in love worked for me. From Eli's hesitant first steps, to Coby fearing he'd not be enough, their journeys are shaped by their experiences at home.
Coby has had love and acceptance from his family, while Eli and his brother Darren have never met their father's expectations.
But, as the narrative unfolds, we get more clues behind this behaviour and by the end, I felt perhaps a bit more of an understanding for why that was the case, even if I didn't forgive it.
The romance itself is just the type I love, there's no real angsting once Coby and Eli have talked. Their slow fall into love is depicted with ease by Felice and there's a great bunch of secondary characters hanging around to bring a touch of lightness.
It's difficult to express just what captivated me in this book but a lot of it is to do with the cultural heritage found throughout.
I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for a Jewish family in the 1930s, but I can understand totally the need to hold to those traditions and values that were so nearly lost forever.
The premise which shines through this book is simple - to find that other being who just makes life that little bit more special and to hold them tight because not everyone gets that chance.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
georgiewhoissarahdrew's review
2.0
The MCs meet at the 38% mark. That's right - nearly forty percent of this book is filled with backstory, and 2-D secondary characters before the MCs make contact.
"Perhaps," you say hopefully, "perhaps the book improves after they do meet? Is there a touching romance, offset by character-defining conflict designed to make the reader's little heart beat faster?"
Um, no? There's lots more on the backstory, though, and oodles more of those secondary characters, if that helps? Most of the words are spelt right, too.
You back away slowly. "Um, no, not really. Don't think I'll bother."
Good call, you.
"Perhaps," you say hopefully, "perhaps the book improves after they do meet? Is there a touching romance, offset by character-defining conflict designed to make the reader's little heart beat faster?"
Um, no? There's lots more on the backstory, though, and oodles more of those secondary characters, if that helps? Most of the words are spelt right, too.
You back away slowly. "Um, no, not really. Don't think I'll bother."
Good call, you.
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