Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Off the Deep End

Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Off the Deep End by Emily Silver

4 reviews

galleytrot's review

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

READ: Feb 2024

FORMAT: Digital

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 3.25 / 5⭐

TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 3.5 / 5⭐

FINAL – OVERALL: 3.25 / 5⭐

In this story, Wes has been freshly cleared to return to his diving career after extensive physio and recovery from an injury, and he’s been asked to allow Finn to document his comeback journey for a series of articles. Mistrustful of Finn’s motives, Wes agrees with reluctance but tries to keep Finn at arm’s length, though the seeds of attraction root themselves deep. As the pair learn more about one another throughout Wes’ long weeks of training, their connection only grows stronger and cements a bond of support and trust.

This is one of those books that ultimately leaves me with the feeling, “Yep, that definitely was a book, and I sure did read it.” My feelings towards it are perfectly ambivalent; I wouldn’t say it’s a good book, but I also wouldn’t call it a bad one. It simply was a book. Half of me thinks, yeah, diving isn’t a sport I’ve seen written about before and it’s very interesting to see and learn about something new for once. The other half tries to break down all that happens within the book, and comes to the conclusion that it was a whole lot of nothing. Wes builds up towards another attempt at an Olympic medal, he encounters a small hiccup along the way, and then he does the thing, and meanwhile Finn just watches and learns and supports, and also they date and catch feelings.

The synopsis sort of hints that the book might have elements of enemies-to-lovers trope, in that Wes immediately suspects the worst of Finn and treats him poorly on the jump (while never establishing why Wes might be so immediately distrustful in the first place). However, his misgivings are water under the bridge so quickly, and then it’s full steam ahead for the pair to have a risk- and conflict-free relationship. Most romances that carry a deadline like this one at least hang the eventuality of the two will having to go their separate ways, but even that is played off as extremely low-stakes.

It's a bit disappointing, because I immediately thought the characters were set up with some fantastic chemistry in the beginning, but the moment the sexual tension was resolved, it was the end of any sort of tension or conflict between the pair for the remainder of the story.

This book has representation for gays. There is otherwise little else in the way of diversity.

The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.

This book contains:

past injury (ruptured Achilles tendon); brief mention of past sports-related fatality; alcohol use; and, panic attack.

Content Warnings