Reviews with content warning for Grief - In the Event of Love

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae

12 reviews

fanboyriot's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

♡ Winter Vibes

♡ Second Chance

♡ Hallmark Movie Vibes

📖𓋼𓍊 REVIEW 𓍊𓋼📖

Entertaining from the start, I loved the winter romance vibes. Going back home after publicly causing some work drama things get worse before they get better for Morgan. I really enjoyed this plot, it was so good. While second chance romance might not be my favorite this book writes it so well!

This had all the cozy elements of a Hallmark movie, but with an interesting plot and well written characters. It’s a classic; party planner heads back home only to try and save her home town’s local businesses and reconnect with old friends… and of course fall head over heels for the woman she left behind. Super wholesome and cute with hints of on page spice.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)

Angst Level: 💧 (1/5)

POV: First Person

Release Date: 30, August 2022

Rep: Bisexual (Main Character and Love Interest), LGBTQIA+ (Main and Side Characters)

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bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

“Have you ever loved someone for so long that if you had to tell them how much you care, you’d be scared to even begin and that you may never stop talking once you start?”

➽ In the Event of Love is a cute, wintery Romance set in the small-town Fern Falls. The story follows Morgan Ross, who is a successful event planner, but after a scandal, she's forced to lay low in her hometown. I really liked Morgan, she has complicated feelings about Fern Falls due to a bad breakup and family issues. She couldn't wait to get out of there and has now found success in LA. Having to confront her past and feelings of insecurity is tough on her, but she has no other choice. Her boss Johanna literally forces her to take a break in order to reorient herself, especially as a big promotion is coming up and Morgan has been overworking herself. I liked seeing Morgan rediscover her hometown and reflect on what she really wants her future to look like.

➽ Morgan has to team up with her ex-best friend and crush Rachel, whose Christmas Tree Farm is on the brink of ruin and it's up to Morgan to plan the perfect fundraiser. Fern Falls is at risk of a corporate takeover like the next town over. I liked how the book discussed the impact that a corporation moulding a town into the perfect resort has on local, small businesses and the individuality of the town. Morgan doesn't want Fern Falls to be bought off, as she can already see the store owners being driven out by chain stores and prices they can't compete with.

➽ Despite liking the romance and themes discussed, this fell flat for me. I thought Rachel and Morgan's romance was cute, but I don't feel like we got to know Rachel as much as I'd like. A dual POV might have worked better here and avoided some of their communication issues!

-> I also didn't like Ben as much as I was supposed to. He crossed a lot of boundaries in the very beginning and it rubbed me the wrong way.

He set up both Morgan and Rachel when it came to the fundraiser, neither of them knew who the client really was. It's even worse in Morgan's case, as Ben hadn't spoken to her in years!! He even gave Rachel the address of her Airbnb. That was brushed off, but so uncomfortable to me, as he had no right to give out Morgan's private information like that, especially as he knew about their bad history. I know Ben and her rekindled their friendship, but I don't like how presumptuous he was.

-> I felt like the story took on too many different topics, but didn't manage to do them all justice. Some aspects just felt underdeveloped, such as Morgan's grief or the discussion of alcoholism. The main antagonist and

the attempted redemption

also felt flimsy.

-> The epilogue made me cringe.

The proposal would have been fine, I have come to expect it from most Romance epilogues. But Rachel literally throws Morgan a surprise wedding immediately after the proposal!? I was flabbergasted, as Morgan had no say in any of it and just went along with it. What if she said no? Or what if Morgan wanted more time? Rachel had already invited everyone without asking. By that time they had maybe been together for half a year? Which makes this even more sudden, especially given their history.

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monicalaurette's review

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Ever wanted a Hallmark/sappy Christmas romance movie but in book format that was also queer? May I introduce you to this book. It was such a simple read that I was able to get it done in two days (really like half a day if you don’t count when I had to break for work & sleep). A lot of the book was predictable due to the premise but I loved the different twists that made it original. This is not the best book that I’ve read, but it’s one that I’m glad that I at least took a chance with.

Things did happen very fast in this book timeline wise and there was a promise of a slow-burn that was instead almost a quick burn so that was upsetting but the second-chance romance and friends-to-lovers aspects were right on the money.

Wished there was more of a climactic or satisfying ending with Christy & Vaughn Enterprises but I guess her realizing she wasn’t being true to herself was fine and fit in more with the Hallmark-esque vibe going on. Lots of stuff happened and got fixed what seemed like really quickly afterwards but this quote I think summed that up and made me rethink things and mistakes I’ve made in the past.

“Sometimes, mistakes are the beginning of something wonderful.”

Do I think I’ll read the next Fern Falls book about Adam & Ben? Probably not, but that one is archillian in romance so if that’s more your style I’m sure you could just read that one and not have to read this one.

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joensign's review

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hopeful lighthearted medium-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? Yes

3.0

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emmehooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

3.75

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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

4.5

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the_lesbrarian's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.75

Craving a sapphic holiday hallmark movie? In the Event of Love is the kind of magical holiday romance novel where you never once have to question how it might end, with its endearingly predictable plot and comforting setting.

After an accidental scandal, a mid-20s event planner living in the big city and married to her job must retreat to her quiet hometown for the holidays where she (quite literally) falls into her high school sweetheart turned ghosted nemesis, who runs a christmas tree farm (hell yeah lumberjack lesbian). When a big company threatens to buy out the failing tree farm and turn the cozy small town into an overpriced capitalist hellscape, the girls must work together to throw a fundraising party to save the town (and maybe fall in love along the way).

The two main characters are immature, and their choices and disagreements can seem childish.

the big fight that led them to not talk for 7 years was truly just not that serious.

I found the narrator not very likeable for the first half of the book, but as she came into herself more, she and her very sweet relationship grew on me. The romance felt authentic and just right for this genre. Always lovely to have more queer women rep in the genre, especially a story with no coming out storyline or drama.

This is not a complex, didactic novel, but it isn’t supposed to be. It is a silly, cozy holiday romance— reading it feels like sipping hot cocoa cuddled up on the couch with snow falling outside.

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callidoralblack's review

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emotional lighthearted

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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pvbobrien's review

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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lexa's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing

3.75

Fun, sapphic Christmas romance. Loved the cozy small town vibes, story was a bit over the top at times (but isn’t that what a Hallmark-style book is all about?) and the MCs repetitive internal dialogue annoyed me a bit. That said, overall a solid festive read.

Second chance, friends to lovers.

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