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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Truly, Madly, Deeply by L.J. Shen is an angsty, banter filled, second chance romance. Row and Cal slept together once, but when they got caught by Row's sister (Cal's best friend) the relationship between Cal and the siblings fell apart. Luckily Cal was about to head off to college and Row was heading back to Europe to continue his culinary training. 5 years later all three find themselves back in their small town of Staindrop. Can Cal and Dylan patch up their friendship? Can Cal and Row put their anger aside and be there for each other, or will their history and Cal's trauma end things before they can even begin?
The plot of this story is very much a second chance small town romance. This was less about the town than it was about both main characters letting go of their trauma and learning to accept love from someone other than their family. The setting was believable and appropriate for the story. The Characters were weird and quirky which made the story incredibly humorous. That being said, I definitely liked some of the side characters better. The banter between Cal and Dylan had me cracking up. Row was fun, flirty, and protective which I adored; but the drama between him and Cal sometimes felt like too much and was more forced than just banter. I would have liked a little less will they won't they between the MCs. It got to be a bit repetitive after 300 pages. The spice was there, but it wasn't my favorite and it felt rushed instead of intentional. Almost as if the author couldn't decide if they wanted it to be an open or closed door romance. Row however, definitely had some great lines that had me blushing. I would recommend this for fans of snarky characters, and trauma processing.
- Setting 4/5
- Plot 3/5
- Characters 4/5
- Emotional Impact/Vibe 3/5
- Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5
- Spice 2.5/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Umm, this book was weird. I’m unsure I liked it but also didn’t hate it. The representation of trauma and different cultures was pretty good though.
Oh and the spice was interesting. I mean the use of food during spicy time was interesting.
Oh and the spice was interesting. I mean the use of food during spicy time was interesting.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love to hate all of LJ’s men, and Row was no different.
Most of this book was me yelling at Row to stop being an asshole and for Cal to just communicate properly. Because damn, girl… y’all clearly love each-other 🤣
Did I eat this up in one day? Yeah, I absolutely did. Am I moving on to Wildest Dreams today?
*insert meme of John C Reilly in Step Brothers because why am I the only one who can’t figure out how other people do that in their reviews* YUP!
It was predictable in all the right ways, and I really did adore the minor characters. I’m glad Dylan is the star of the show for book 2– I grew to really appreciate the character growth she experienced and can’t wait to see how this world continues to expand.
Most of this book was me yelling at Row to stop being an asshole and for Cal to just communicate properly. Because damn, girl… y’all clearly love each-other 🤣
Did I eat this up in one day? Yeah, I absolutely did. Am I moving on to Wildest Dreams today?
*insert meme of John C Reilly in Step Brothers because why am I the only one who can’t figure out how other people do that in their reviews* YUP!
It was predictable in all the right ways, and I really did adore the minor characters. I’m glad Dylan is the star of the show for book 2– I grew to really appreciate the character growth she experienced and can’t wait to see how this world continues to expand.