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gatesbetch's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aglittercobra's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
theblisstour's review against another edition
5.0
Edit, 3/3/21: re-read the whole trilogy and yeah. Still 5 stars for the whole series. Will read again. One brief change: I felt the joy at the end of Harbor this time, and it felt a lot funnier.
Of the three in the series this was my least favorite, but I'm still giving it 5 stars because they're all so good and I love them all.
In all three books there are
But the books have very definite themes.
This third book had so much to say about loneliness and the fear of being alone, of not deserving love. I'm not someone who needs to relate to or identify with characters, but ugh, this broke my heart.
The strong theme in the first book, Haven, was grief, although that's a strong theme in this third book as well. Maybe Haven wasn't so much about loneliness, but being alone in the world? which may not be different, but it felt different.
The second book, Sanctuary, was about blowing up your life to build another one after a traumatic event. Which requires so much bravery. But there was a joy at the end of Sanctuary that I didn't feel at the end of either Haven or Harbor. They're both romances with a well earned HEA, but. ugh. they kind of broke my heart.
Anyway, I could go on. I read the last two books back-to-back. I will probably re-read Haven again before the year is out. Maybe Sanctuary too. Maybe all of them.
Of the three in the series this was my least favorite, but I'm still giving it 5 stars because they're all so good and I love them all.
In all three books there are
- Black women who've experienced trauma
- hot bearded men of various shades who live outside of big cities
- bondage
- a tight knit group of girlfriends who love each other
- And there are dogs.
- Also there is so much trauma I'm repeating it here.
But the books have very definite themes.
This third book had so much to say about loneliness and the fear of being alone, of not deserving love. I'm not someone who needs to relate to or identify with characters, but ugh, this broke my heart.
The strong theme in the first book, Haven, was grief, although that's a strong theme in this third book as well. Maybe Haven wasn't so much about loneliness, but being alone in the world? which may not be different, but it felt different.
The second book, Sanctuary, was about blowing up your life to build another one after a traumatic event. Which requires so much bravery. But there was a joy at the end of Sanctuary that I didn't feel at the end of either Haven or Harbor. They're both romances with a well earned HEA, but. ugh. they kind of broke my heart.
Anyway, I could go on. I read the last two books back-to-back. I will probably re-read Haven again before the year is out. Maybe Sanctuary too. Maybe all of them.
blreese's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
autumnaldusk's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pam_h's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
I think this would be more successful from an MF reader's perspective, just because the weak link is one of the guys. I never understood Shaw, and there's a big gap in The Feels department on his end because of that.
It affects his pairing with Brooklyn just as much (actually probably even more so) as his pairing with Vaughn, but the result is that Vaughn and Brooklyn *seem* like the stronger pairing at the end, even though I don't think they're supposed to? Based on the high ratings for this one, I'm guessing that's a bigger issue for me as an MM reader.
I liked the steam between the three of them -- and I was really worried, because I've never read anything BDSM with a female MC in the sub dynamic, and I already struggle with the subtext of that dynamic in MF romances *without* BDSM... -- but the bottom line is we never get answers about Shaw.
And it's a definite flaw in the writing. I'm sure it's much harder to fit three POVs in vs. two, but I've read lots and lots of polyamorous romances that manage it just fine. It was very clear with this one that the author had a much better handle on two of her three characters.
If you take out the prologue and the epilogue, it's a pretty condensed timeline, too.
It really needs a couple of chapters between the guys first meeting Brook and their reconnection with her that focus on Vaughn and Shaw's troubles after losing their first partner and let us understand where exactly Shaw's issues with letting people in come from and how Vaughn has come to a place of acceptance with them. Without that, there was just too big of a gap with Shaw to ever fully enjoy this.
I think this would be more successful from an MF reader's perspective, just because the weak link is one of the guys. I never understood Shaw, and there's a big gap in The Feels department on his end because of that.
It affects his pairing with Brooklyn just as much (actually probably even more so) as his pairing with Vaughn, but the result is that Vaughn and Brooklyn *seem* like the stronger pairing at the end, even though I don't think they're supposed to? Based on the high ratings for this one, I'm guessing that's a bigger issue for me as an MM reader.
I liked the steam between the three of them -- and I was really worried, because I've never read anything BDSM with a female MC in the sub dynamic, and I already struggle with the subtext of that dynamic in MF romances *without* BDSM... -- but the bottom line is we never get answers about Shaw.
And it's a definite flaw in the writing. I'm sure it's much harder to fit three POVs in vs. two, but I've read lots and lots of polyamorous romances that manage it just fine. It was very clear with this one that the author had a much better handle on two of her three characters.
If you take out the prologue and the epilogue, it's a pretty condensed timeline, too.
It really needs a couple of chapters between the guys first meeting Brook and their reconnection with her that focus on Vaughn and Shaw's troubles after losing their first partner and let us understand where exactly Shaw's issues with letting people in come from and how Vaughn has come to a place of acceptance with them. Without that, there was just too big of a gap with Shaw to ever fully enjoy this.
justavoraciousreader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tsprengel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kittenreader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
booksteaandchocolate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I just think Rebekah Weatherspoon's writing is not for me. I have tried a couple of her books now and either they've been mediocre or I haven't vibed with. I don't think that means objectively they are bad books at all. I completely understand why my friends have read and loved her books. For me it's just a matter of writing style.