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jasperw's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was a really fun and quick read (I read the majority of it in one day). Overall I thought it was a fun take on romance. Having guys in heteronormative relationships actually read romance to understand their partners better, like so many straight woman joke about wanting, was a fun plot. I thought the issues between Gavin and Thea were realistic and made sense and were interesting to follow.
I do think the ending had a lot happen very fast, but it kind of worked. There were also some comments about food and body size that I didn't like (especially as they weren't addressed as a real issue, but just brushed off). More and more I am seeing romance books work on tackling issues woman face, which is great, but things like body positivity need to go both ways. Men in romance books deserve it too. The idea that x food makes you fat, and that's a bad thing, is harmful language. I know that Gavin's job as a professional baseball player means that he needs to be fit, but I don't think that makes the language less toxic or how Mack teases him about getting fat. That is the biggest thing that moves this rating from a 3.5, maybe 4, to a 3. While it's not a huge element, I think that kind of language is just so toxic and harmful, and it's not addressed as an issue within the text.
Gavin does have a stutter and I think it's shown and handled well (that said as someone who does not have a stutter I can't speak on the accuracy of it's portrayal).
Overall I am curious enough to potentially continue with the others, but it's not like a ground-breaking, I'll be thinking of Thea and Gavin all the time kind of book.
I do think the ending had a lot happen very fast, but it kind of worked. There were also some comments about food and body size that I didn't like (especially as they weren't addressed as a real issue, but just brushed off). More and more I am seeing romance books work on tackling issues woman face, which is great, but things like body positivity need to go both ways. Men in romance books deserve it too. The idea that x food makes you fat, and that's a bad thing, is harmful language.
Gavin does have a stutter and I think it's shown and handled well (that said as someone who does not have a stutter I can't speak on the accuracy of it's portrayal).
Overall I am curious enough to potentially continue with the others, but it's not like a ground-breaking, I'll be thinking of Thea and Gavin all the time kind of book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming
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