Reviews with content warning for Death - Long Shot

I need to gather my thoughts but honestly, I hate this story for being so good. It’s downright painful to read but also hard to put down and the ending was everything I could’ve hoped for after the first part. It was rough and heartbreaking and important and unfortunately relatable for a lot of people.
This is not for folks looking for a light read.

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tennasdiary's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is a rough read, be aware that the first half of the book is heavily centered around her abusive and toxic boyfriend, I personally was not prepared for just how abusive he was, definitely left me bawling my eyes out for the main female lead, she did not deserve everything she went through, it's an emotional read, do check TRIGGER WARNINGS ⚠️ It does end in a HEA, but this book can be very hard for some people, so please do check everything about this book before going into it.

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claureading's review

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense slow-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

2.5

I have to say that this rating is no way the author’s fault. I love Kennedy Ryan’s writing! I just didn’t do enough research on the book before starting it and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I saw it recommended as a sport’s romance and immediately downloaded it on my kindle. Should’ve looked up trigger warnings first. Still, I found it difficult to connect with some characters because of the dialogue, it didn’t really feel natural to me. Anyway, I do think the abuse and circumstances of the FMC were very well represented and felt very real. I really connected with the book in that aspect, and I feel it is the only romance out there (that I’ve read) that takes the matter seriously and handles it well. Still, don’t be like me and check TW so you know what to expect. This is in no way a fun fluffy sports romance!!!

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cathyo_113's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I love this book, but also finding myself wanting to chuck it against the wall. I don’t think this is a Romance book. The first half the book is spent showing how Iris and August are living separate lives and come together at different points with a deep connection and tension between them. Theirs is a love story. It’s heartbreaking and for Iris, tragic, but ultimately this is not a romance novel.

There is no happy ending or happy for now for both characters before the epilogue. There’s certainly resolution of a major plot point for the MMCs.

But really, this is a contemporary sports fiction novel with romantic elements and an emotional love story between the main characters at the heart.

I never felt - from the start of the book - that Iris was in love with Caleb.

I also never understood why her character would willingly choose to have a baby with a man who, for all intents and purposes in this book, sounds like he sabotaged their contraceptives. For all her grandstanding to August about what an independent woman she was she caved when she found out she was pregnant with someone who she barely liked.

There are descriptive depictions of physical and emotional abuse, rape, and sodomy against the FMC. Yes, there is a trigger warning at the start of the book about intimate partner violence but, this was hard to read and, admittedly I skipped those parts of the book to finish the book and intermittently went back to read/skim for context.

I’m bothered that the real love story for Iris and August, where they can truly be together and with each other is comprised of 144 pages (prior to the Epilogue) while 264 pages are dedicated to detailing Iris’ toxic relationship with Caleb, including detailed pages of the intimate partner violence Iris suffers, and August’s pining for Iris while seeking physical pleasure with other women. 36 pages are dedicated to the epilogue and bonus epilogue where the HEA/HFN happen.

Again, I loved the writing and story telling in the book. I kept turning each page because I had to know what was happening. But I just wish this would have been a duet rather than this all-in one story.

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