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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Lotus by Jennifer Hartmann is a story that lingers in the depths of your heart, both breaking it and piecing it back together in ways you didn’t know were possible. It’s a book that demands to be felt—raw, painful, and profoundly beautiful.
From the moment we meet Oliver, a man who was stolen from his childhood and thrust back into a world he barely recognizes, you can’t help but ache for him. His journey of rediscovery is tender yet heartbreaking, and Jennifer Hartmann doesn’t shy away from portraying the heavy weight of trauma and the slow, fragile process of healing.
Then there’s Sydney, the anchor in this storm of uncertainty. Her unwavering love, her patience, and her own vulnerabilities create a perfect balance to Oliver’s pain. Their relationship isn’t perfect, but that’s what makes it so achingly real—it’s messy and complicated, yet so full of hope and redemption.
The writing in Lotus is stunning, with prose that feels like poetry and emotions that leap off the page. Hartmann masterfully weaves suspense, romance, and deep emotional introspection, leaving you gasping, crying, and ultimately cheering for Oliver and Sydney as they find their way back to each other and themselves.
This book isn’t just a love story—it’s a testament to human resilience, to finding light even in the darkest of places. It’s about survival, forgiveness, and the courage to reclaim a life that was stolen.
By the end, Lotus doesn’t just tell a story; it leaves a permanent mark on your soul. It’s a reminder of how love—both for others and for ourselves—can bloom even in the most desolate of circumstances.
Lotus isn’t just a book you read—it’s one you feel in your bones. Jennifer Hartmann, thank you for writing something so deeply moving and unforgettable.
This is my 2nd Jennifer Hartmann book, so I can say confidently that her FMCs always read as “not like other girls” with a healthy helping of “pick me”. I think it’s just the way Hartmann writes quirky traits, it’s just a tad on the cringe side of things.
The characters in this book all suck, with the exception of Oliver, the MMC. The FMC’s sister, Clementine, is a horrible human being. All she can think to do is objectify and sexualize a man who just went through something tragic and is extremely vulnerable. It’s not funny, it’s not comic relief, it’s creepy as hell. All that virginity talk, too. It’s inappropriate and gross.
And Gabe, the best friend and the MMC’s (Oliver) brother, is also terrible, going out to party and leaving his traumatized and panic-attack-prone brother home alone after barely a month of time to adjust, saying ”I have a life.” Nice. Not to mention the way he sabotages the FMC at every turn. And then the sister parades around half naked while the traumatized MMC is home, still adjusting. And her excuse is that she ”forgot” he existed. Ok? You suck?
Then the FMC leaves her sister’s kid alone with a man that neither the kid nor her sister really know or are familiar with. And when her sister understandably completely freaks out and calls out Sydney’s reckless negligence, Sydney has the audacity to say, repeatedly, that her sister’s completely overreacting. No, she isn’t. That’s a very appropriate reaction to have upon finding out your sister, who you trusted implicitly to watch over your child, left said child alone with a stranger. I genuinely hate these people, they’re narcissistic egomaniacs. I know that’s redundant, but it bears repeating.
I also don’t totally love the flashbacks from a technical standpoint. They’re written with a childlike mentality, which makes sense given that the MCs are both, what, 7 years old? But then Jennifer Hartmann also uses adult terms, such as “denim jumper” or “disperse” and no child would ever use those words. You kinda have to pick and commit. If you’re gonna write from the POV of a 7-year-old, then stick to 7-year-old’s vocabulary. Or choose 3rd person narrator perspective. There’s only so far I can suspend my disbelief.
There was also this line, ”Lotus. Why would his captor write that on his arm? I wonder if it’s a mystery that will ever be solved.” That’s just incredibly heavy-handed, I actually rolled my eyes when I read that line. I don’t know why so many authors think their audience is too stupid to pick up on subtlety. Like, yes. I wonder. Especially now that you’ve gone and specifically pointed it out to me.
All in all I found this book to be painfully underwhelming given its premise, especially after reading Still Beating, which has a similar story. AND IT WAS SO LONGGGGG. Doesn’t help that I also viscerally hated everyone except Oliver. Hard to enjoy a book when you’re actively rooting for everyone’s downfall.
The characters in this book all suck, with the exception of Oliver, the MMC. The FMC’s sister, Clementine, is a horrible human being. All she can think to do is objectify and sexualize a man who just went through something tragic and is extremely vulnerable. It’s not funny, it’s not comic relief, it’s creepy as hell. All that virginity talk, too. It’s inappropriate and gross.
And Gabe, the best friend and the MMC’s (Oliver) brother, is also terrible, going out to party and leaving his traumatized and panic-attack-prone brother home alone after barely a month of time to adjust, saying ”I have a life.” Nice. Not to mention the way he sabotages the FMC at every turn. And then the sister parades around half naked while the traumatized MMC is home, still adjusting. And her excuse is that she ”forgot” he existed. Ok? You suck?
Then the FMC leaves her sister’s kid alone with a man that neither the kid nor her sister really know or are familiar with. And when her sister understandably completely freaks out and calls out Sydney’s reckless negligence, Sydney has the audacity to say, repeatedly, that her sister’s completely overreacting. No, she isn’t. That’s a very appropriate reaction to have upon finding out your sister, who you trusted implicitly to watch over your child, left said child alone with a stranger. I genuinely hate these people, they’re narcissistic egomaniacs. I know that’s redundant, but it bears repeating.
I also don’t totally love the flashbacks from a technical standpoint. They’re written with a childlike mentality, which makes sense given that the MCs are both, what, 7 years old? But then Jennifer Hartmann also uses adult terms, such as “denim jumper” or “disperse” and no child would ever use those words. You kinda have to pick and commit. If you’re gonna write from the POV of a 7-year-old, then stick to 7-year-old’s vocabulary. Or choose 3rd person narrator perspective. There’s only so far I can suspend my disbelief.
There was also this line, ”Lotus. Why would his captor write that on his arm? I wonder if it’s a mystery that will ever be solved.” That’s just incredibly heavy-handed, I actually rolled my eyes when I read that line. I don’t know why so many authors think their audience is too stupid to pick up on subtlety. Like, yes. I wonder. Especially now that you’ve gone and specifically pointed it out to me.
All in all I found this book to be painfully underwhelming given its premise, especially after reading Still Beating, which has a similar story. AND IT WAS SO LONGGGGG. Doesn’t help that I also viscerally hated everyone except Oliver. Hard to enjoy a book when you’re actively rooting for everyone’s downfall.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
Holy shit I loved this book. It included a lot of elements that I enjoy. Damsel-in-distress turned hero. Kidnap survivor overcoming trauma for his childhood love. God I loved it. I’m planning on reading Still Beating next, but I have a feeling I’ll like this one better.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
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:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was just as good as the previous, Still Beating. This book brings a new story with different characters but some overlapping appearances from characters in Still Beating. This one e is a slow burn second chance romance. Childhood friends to lovers. The whole story and the way it is written is so beautiful. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming. Jennifer has such a way of writing these characters that you feel every bit of emotion they are experiencing. It’s raw and beautiful and such a good emotional read.
I wanted to love this, but the first book set a high bar for me, and this one was nothing like it. It was beautiful but at the same time, I didn’t find the story as compelling. I’m not a fan of the whole “you’re too good for me and I don’t want to try things out, so let’s just stay friends while I intermittently give you mixed signals” trope. The FMC got on my nerves and at times, the story felt like it was dragging. I do think it was a good story overall, just not the one I was looking for.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
MY FUCKING HEARTTTTT!!!! I think Jennifer Hartmann is quickly on her way to my “auto buy authors” list. One thing she knows how to write is a moving love story. It was funny, it was quirky, it was SAD and relatable and so human. The title of the book is genius once you know what it means. And she always sprinkles in the most beautiful easter eggs right at the end. I loved this, Syd and Oliver were everything!!!!
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
dark
emotional
sad