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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
This book was incredibly easy to read which I LOVED!! I really liked Salem’s character. I think her not knowing her future and being perfectly happy in her small town was special. We don’t have to have our future planned out at 18. It’s bull that there this perception that we should.
I also adored how organic hers and Thayer relationship came about. Sadly, yes she technically cheated which usually turns me off right away but at 18 being with Caleb was the east choice even though that whole summer they were content being apart. So when it happened I wasn’t too disappointed in Salem because he also had his fair share of the demise of their relationship.
But WTF. WHY WOULD YOU KILL THE 6 YEAR OLD. TRULY WHAT THE FUDGE IS WRONG WITH YOU. That was so unnecessary it literally killed me. So so wrong.
I also adored how organic hers and Thayer relationship came about. Sadly, yes she technically cheated which usually turns me off right away but at 18 being with Caleb was the east choice even though that whole summer they were content being apart. So when it happened I wasn’t too disappointed in Salem because he also had his fair share of the demise of their relationship.
But WTF. WHY WOULD YOU KILL THE 6 YEAR OLD. TRULY WHAT THE FUDGE IS WRONG WITH YOU. That was so unnecessary it literally killed me. So so wrong.
Omg is all I have to say, definitely would recommend every time! Off to read the next book. :)
So bookstagram might have influenced me to read this. I saw this book before but it was an age gap romance and nowadays those are written in such a distasteful manner i skipped it. But as always, I like to waste my time so here we are.
First of let me tell you, there's cheating here. Which I absolutely detest. No, it doesn't feel romantic to me, not even in fiction. While this book was not the worst book I have ever read, nor it is written in some disgusting way with older men lusting after immature teenagers. I guess age gaps work well when the girl is more mature and developed and the guy not a jackass. I mean, Thayer and Salem seemed ok characters, nothing really special.
The writing was pretty normal, also nothing extraordinary, not strong enough to make me hurt or swoon nor boring enough to make me drowsy. Also not bad enough to make scream in anger and frustration. It was just ok.
So Salem met Thayer because he just moved in next door. She has a boyfriend, Caleb and he seems like the perfect boyfriend. Very attentive and loving. Although he is moving to another city for college and his mother might be kinda meddling in their relationship. But we never get to see her or know why. Salem does not wish to go to college and while Caleb insists her upon joining him, he says it only because he loves her and wants her near. But for some reason, Salem thought she was pressuring her which I didnt think. Yes, he mentioned it but never tried to force her.
Even though she hass boyfriend, she fell for this nice and attractive man who is her neighbour. Thayer has a son and she babysat for him, they spent time and fell for each other. two things really bothered me. Thayer is a grown up man. I dont understand he just let himself develop feelings for a young girl just like that. Doesn't matter she was really mature and worldly. Secondly, after meeting Thayer, Salem tried to find faults with Caleb that wouldn't have even bothered her before. Caleb was pretty much the perfect boyfriend. Oh, lastly. Have I mentioned how Salem and Thayer hooked up while she was still with Caleb? And none of them even felt a single ounce of guilt. No remorse. After that, she breaks up with Caleb, does not matter because she still cheated on him. Caleb was genuinely hurt. And she does not even miss him or feel sad despite being dating for so long.
After that Salem and Thayer play house together, living a nice life until it all comes crashing down on them. The writer tried to make it very dramatic, but her writing was not effective enough to make me bother about it. Salem's mother gets cancer and then she also rec0vers. Out of nowhere, it ws completely apparent that it was a plot device, that Thayer's son drowns and dies. Thayer spins out of control, he's depressed (understandable) and self destructive. He breaks up with Salem because he is not enough for her. Salem should have stuck around for him. She did kinda try but the moment Thayer and Caleb fought over her, she gave up for what I have no idea.
Then she moves away and maybe pregnant with his child. We'll see in the next book.
The characters are pretty one dimensional. Thayer was not really impressive or memorable, just a guy who was there. In fact everything felt 1d. However, the author did try to give some depth to Salem with her abusive history and all. Not a bad book, at least not as bad as I thought it would be. Just ok.
First of let me tell you, there's cheating here. Which I absolutely detest. No, it doesn't feel romantic to me, not even in fiction. While this book was not the worst book I have ever read, nor it is written in some disgusting way with older men lusting after immature teenagers. I guess age gaps work well when the girl is more mature and developed and the guy not a jackass. I mean, Thayer and Salem seemed ok characters, nothing really special.
The writing was pretty normal, also nothing extraordinary, not strong enough to make me hurt or swoon nor boring enough to make me drowsy. Also not bad enough to make scream in anger and frustration. It was just ok.
So Salem met Thayer because he just moved in next door. She has a boyfriend, Caleb and he seems like the perfect boyfriend. Very attentive and loving. Although he is moving to another city for college and his mother might be kinda meddling in their relationship. But we never get to see her or know why. Salem does not wish to go to college and while Caleb insists her upon joining him, he says it only because he loves her and wants her near. But for some reason, Salem thought she was pressuring her which I didnt think. Yes, he mentioned it but never tried to force her.
Even though she hass boyfriend, she fell for this nice and attractive man who is her neighbour. Thayer has a son and she babysat for him, they spent time and fell for each other. two things really bothered me. Thayer is a grown up man. I dont understand he just let himself develop feelings for a young girl just like that. Doesn't matter she was really mature and worldly. Secondly, after meeting Thayer, Salem tried to find faults with Caleb that wouldn't have even bothered her before. Caleb was pretty much the perfect boyfriend. Oh, lastly. Have I mentioned how Salem and Thayer hooked up while she was still with Caleb? And none of them even felt a single ounce of guilt. No remorse. After that, she breaks up with Caleb, does not matter because she still cheated on him. Caleb was genuinely hurt. And she does not even miss him or feel sad despite being dating for so long.
After that Salem and Thayer play house together, living a nice life until it all comes crashing down on them. The writer tried to make it very dramatic, but her writing was not effective enough to make me bother about it. Salem's mother gets cancer and then she also rec0vers. Out of nowhere, it ws completely apparent that it was a plot device, that Thayer's son drowns and dies. Thayer spins out of control, he's depressed (understandable) and self destructive. He breaks up with Salem because he is not enough for her. Salem should have stuck around for him. She did kinda try but the moment Thayer and Caleb fought over her, she gave up for what I have no idea.
Then she moves away and maybe pregnant with his child. We'll see in the next book.
The characters are pretty one dimensional. Thayer was not really impressive or memorable, just a guy who was there. In fact everything felt 1d. However, the author did try to give some depth to Salem with her abusive history and all. Not a bad book, at least not as bad as I thought it would be. Just ok.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault
“I want to have the confidence of wildflowers—to never give up, to flourish, and thrive.”
So this book starts off pretty fast and to the point. I enjoyed that the language wasn't super complex and neither was the writing. Like it hits on some tough topics but it's not a book that is overly wordy or even super complex. You can put it down and pick it up at leisure. Salem is newly graduated from high school and her friend and boyfriend are both about to leave town while she remains. Salem has some trauma but it's one of those things that makes her a stronger person and she seems much older than she should. Enter the grumpy new neighbor, Thayer. The two slowly spend some time together and become friends. Salem often babysits his son for him. She forms this amazing bond with the kid. I mean this is basically most of the book honestly. We have the development of their friendship and relationship, which really develops as Caleb her boyfriend lets her down.
I have to admit that the book wasn't like one of those I don't want to put it down kind of things, but it was this no pressure read that you could take your time with. However, towards the end the pace really picks up and takes a turn. Salem must confront a surprise from her mother which really turns her world upside down for a bit. I have to admit this is when the emotions really start getting brutalized in this story. The book has some big shock moments in store before the end. I was honestly considering a three star rating until the last like 50 pages of the book to be honest. I hate books were all the action happens at the end, but also it was enough to make me want to read the next one. I think this is one of those romance books that deals with heavy topics.. so you have to be emotionally ready for those... but it's also just this low pressure read that you can enjoy reading.
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes