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swhence's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Addiction
flower_mail's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Cursing
ittywitty's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Violence, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol
scmiller's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, Drug use, Grief, and Violence
greatestheights's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Addiction, and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent
wilybooklover's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Wow, what a gorgeous, gorgeous book. I've said many times that I really love books that are quiet and slow and character-driven, and this is the most perfect rendition of that. There are so many soft little domestic scenes that are just quietly romantic and intimate. Such a lovely heartwarming story full of growth and forgiveness.
One thing that really stood out to me while I was reading was the absolute total vulnerability that the characters were allowed to feel and showcase. It's quite rare to see in romance, especially in male characters, and I loved it. Georgie and Levi had such depth to them and were written with such care. Kate Clayborn has such a gift for writing characters that feel real. I personally found both characters very relatable — Georgie in all of her impulsive, chaotic mess and not knowing what she wants to do and Levi in his quiet, withdrawn introversion. The characters feel like complete opposites at first (the archetypal grumpy and sunshine) but as the story continues and they communicate with each other (such great communication in this) you begin to see that deep down they are very alike in their strength and softness and worldview. I saw one review compare Levi to Cash Wall from Against a Wall and I am so offended on Levi’s behalf. Cash was a petty bully mired in toxic masculinity and unwilling to take accountability for his actions (please excuse me while I take any chance I can to hate on him). Levi is basically the exact opposite of that, just shy and socially awkward. He categorically refuses to let others make excuses for his past behaviour. Oh, and he's a dog dad and it's just so CUTE.
One thing that really stood out to me while I was reading was the absolute total vulnerability that the characters were allowed to feel and showcase. It's quite rare to see in romance, especially in male characters, and I loved it. Georgie and Levi had such depth to them and were written with such care. Kate Clayborn has such a gift for writing characters that feel real. I personally found both characters very relatable — Georgie in all of her impulsive, chaotic mess and not knowing what she wants to do and Levi in his quiet, withdrawn introversion. The characters feel like complete opposites at first (the archetypal grumpy and sunshine) but as the story continues and they communicate with each other (such great communication in this) you begin to see that deep down they are very alike in their strength and softness and worldview. I saw one review compare Levi to Cash Wall from Against a Wall and I am so offended on Levi’s behalf. Cash was a petty bully mired in toxic masculinity and unwilling to take accountability for his actions (please excuse me while I take any chance I can to hate on him). Levi is basically the exact opposite of that, just shy and socially awkward. He categorically refuses to let others make excuses for his past behaviour. Oh, and he's a dog dad and it's just so CUTE.
Another thing I really loved about this was the portrayal of strong female friendship. The friendship plotline is one of the things I really disliked about Love Lettering, and I'm so pleased that wasn't the case here. Bel and Georgie are always there for each other, supporting and caring for one another in the most authentic way. The scene where Bel confesses that she hates small town living and Georgie is immediately supportive was so wonderful (and another great example of vulnerability in this book).
I also appreciated the lack of drama in the family plot. A lesser author would have created a lot of melodrama out of the situation but instead it felt calm, mature, and just well-suited to the characters.
I also appreciated the lack of drama in the family plot. A lesser author would have created a lot of melodrama out of the situation but instead it felt calm, mature, and just well-suited to the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Violence, Terminal illness, Cancer, Chronic illness, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Taylor swift songs: “jump then fall (tv)”, “mine”
This is the ideal version of small-town grumpy(mmc)-sunshine(FMC)! Where he is actual just grumpy bc he is jaded but he’s also the sweetest, softest, kindest cinnamon roll man there ever was who is a vegetarian, goes to therapy, and is best friends with his rescue dog hank🥹. I usually don’t love grumpy sunshine because when they say that, usually it means the man is just an a**hole, and they make the female character delusionally and annoyingly positive. However, that is definitely NOT the case here!!
This is told in dual POV, which for this story really works well!! We get to hear Levi and his perspective and how he is literally so in love with Georgie it is actually so precious. When I say he falls first and falls harder, I MEAN IT! Everyone needs a Levi. Their love story is just so precious.
I feel like a lot of people can relate to both characters!! Georgie spent her life as a PA (personal assistant) and has made a career out of making other people’s lives easier/better but never thought about/knew what she actually wanted. Levi is very introverted and scared of getting close to and letting people know him because he is afraid he will let them down.
Overall, I highly recommend if you want a really sweet, heartwarming small-town romance that feels like “sweet tea in the summer” (lol Taylor Swift reference, from “seven”)
*also fun side note, Georgie’s mom has RA just like me!
Age rating: 15+ (one very brief spicy scene, 0.5/5🌶️)
This is the ideal version of small-town grumpy(mmc)-sunshine(FMC)! Where he is actual just grumpy bc he is jaded but he’s also the sweetest, softest, kindest cinnamon roll man there ever was who is a vegetarian, goes to therapy, and is best friends with his rescue dog hank🥹. I usually don’t love grumpy sunshine because when they say that, usually it means the man is just an a**hole, and they make the female character delusionally and annoyingly positive. However, that is definitely NOT the case here!!
This is told in dual POV, which for this story really works well!! We get to hear Levi and his perspective and how he is literally so in love with Georgie it is actually so precious. When I say he falls first and falls harder, I MEAN IT! Everyone needs a Levi. Their love story is just so precious.
I feel like a lot of people can relate to both characters!! Georgie spent her life as a PA (personal assistant) and has made a career out of making other people’s lives easier/better but never thought about/knew what she actually wanted. Levi is very introverted and scared of getting close to and letting people know him because he is afraid he will let them down.
Overall, I highly recommend if you want a really sweet, heartwarming small-town romance that feels like “sweet tea in the summer” (lol Taylor Swift reference, from “seven”)
*also fun side note, Georgie’s mom has RA just like me!
Age rating: 15+ (one very brief spicy scene, 0.5/5🌶️)
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Cursing, Drug use, and Sexual content
morellomel's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Loved this story and the journey of the characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Addiction, and Drug abuse
oceanwriter's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I don't know how I'm feeling about this one. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it either.
Georgie finds herself back home and reevaluating her life. Having spent a life of people pleasing, she's ready to start figuring out her own wants and needs after rediscovering a 'friendfic' she wrote as a teenager. An old high school acquaintance, Levi, helps her along on her journey of self-discovery.
The concept of this book is wonderful. I had really high hopes. Unfortunately, it felt like a strange mishmash of genres. The main plot felt like it wanted to be literary, but it was not written in a literary style. The romance plot felt like it wanted to be a romcom, but it wasn't comedic. While I liked the Georgie/Levi pairing, I grew bored of them quickly. I also found some of their romance scenes far too graphic for my taste. Disappointing overall, but ultimately comes down to a matter of preference and wrong assumptions of what the book was going to be.
Georgie finds herself back home and reevaluating her life. Having spent a life of people pleasing, she's ready to start figuring out her own wants and needs after rediscovering a 'friendfic' she wrote as a teenager. An old high school acquaintance, Levi, helps her along on her journey of self-discovery.
The concept of this book is wonderful. I had really high hopes. Unfortunately, it felt like a strange mishmash of genres. The main plot felt like it wanted to be literary, but it was not written in a literary style. The romance plot felt like it wanted to be a romcom, but it wasn't comedic. While I liked the Georgie/Levi pairing, I grew bored of them quickly. I also found some of their romance scenes far too graphic for my taste. Disappointing overall, but ultimately comes down to a matter of preference and wrong assumptions of what the book was going to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Addiction
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
jessgj's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is so lovely. It feels a bit strange to call a romance book lovely but it is. This is my first Clayborn book and I'm definitely picking up more of her books. My taste in romance runs more dramatic (One could even say chaotic and messy) but this book, y'all.
I'm about the same age as Georgie and Levi so Georgie's confusion and feelings landed a little too close to home. I was also someone who had no idea what I wanted to do or be when I got older. I've seen people my age (Or younger) get married, get divorced or have kids. Meanwhile, I'm just strolling through life, knowing what I didn't want but not knowing what I did want. Wondering if everyone has their lives together. It can be frustrating and lonely and Clayborn's writing really captures that feeling.
This isn't a big, flamboyant book about finding yourself but a soft, comforting, slow burn of finally sitting with your thoughts and feelings. Those moments aren't flashy but god, they feel so triumphant.
Clayborn's writing style is so natural and easy, it's stunning. The slow reveal of Levi's past worked so well because it almost feels like you already knew it. The scenes with the natural and familiar back and front between Bel and Georgie or the settled quirkiness of Georgie's parents were just so good. I have read so many other books trying to do the same thing and it can feel flat or sitcom-ish but this? Clayborn shines. (As a writer, I both want her to teach me her ways and cry about how I'm never going to be that good, lol)
Also, as a reader, one of my pet peeves is characters (Read: Writers) using outdated pop culture reference/slang. No matter how good the book is, it will always be jarring when a 25-year-old character makes a reference to something like Matlock. Thankfully, Clayborn knows her stuff and I was spared. Her references to Twilight and the Jonas brothers landed with the perfect level of nostalgia and embarrassment.
If I had to nitpick, I'd say this is a slow burn of a book. Not just with the romance (Although that too) but the pacing. It took me about to get really get into the groove and get attached to Georgie and Levi. I mostly stuck around for Hank the dog. I cannot stress enough how much I love Hank. He is the best boi, TEAM HANK 5EVER!!!
I give this 4.5 stars. Highly recommend it if you need a slower, gentler read that packs a big emotional punch.
Trigger warning: drug use, offscreen drug abuse, offscreen violence, parental abuse, offscreen death of parent
This book is so lovely. It feels a bit strange to call a romance book lovely but it is. This is my first Clayborn book and I'm definitely picking up more of her books. My taste in romance runs more dramatic (One could even say chaotic and messy) but this book, y'all.
I'm about the same age as Georgie and Levi so Georgie's confusion and feelings landed a little too close to home. I was also someone who had no idea what I wanted to do or be when I got older. I've seen people my age (Or younger) get married, get divorced or have kids. Meanwhile, I'm just strolling through life, knowing what I didn't want but not knowing what I did want. Wondering if everyone has their lives together. It can be frustrating and lonely and Clayborn's writing really captures that feeling.
This isn't a big, flamboyant book about finding yourself but a soft, comforting, slow burn of finally sitting with your thoughts and feelings. Those moments aren't flashy but god, they feel so triumphant.
Clayborn's writing style is so natural and easy, it's stunning. The slow reveal of Levi's past worked so well because it almost feels like you already knew it. The scenes with the natural and familiar back and front between Bel and Georgie or the settled quirkiness of Georgie's parents were just so good. I have read so many other books trying to do the same thing and it can feel flat or sitcom-ish but this? Clayborn shines. (As a writer, I both want her to teach me her ways and cry about how I'm never going to be that good, lol)
Also, as a reader, one of my pet peeves is characters (Read: Writers) using outdated pop culture reference/slang. No matter how good the book is, it will always be jarring when a 25-year-old character makes a reference to something like Matlock. Thankfully, Clayborn knows her stuff and I was spared. Her references to Twilight and the Jonas brothers landed with the perfect level of nostalgia and embarrassment.
If I had to nitpick, I'd say this is a slow burn of a book. Not just with the romance (Although that too) but the pacing. It took me about to get really get into the groove and get attached to Georgie and Levi. I mostly stuck around for Hank the dog. I cannot stress enough how much I love Hank. He is the best boi, TEAM HANK 5EVER!!!
I give this 4.5 stars. Highly recommend it if you need a slower, gentler read that packs a big emotional punch.
Trigger warning: drug use, offscreen drug abuse, offscreen violence, parental abuse, offscreen death of parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Gun violence