Scan barcode
ghostboi's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
aprillen's review
5.0
Lovely, sweet and fluffy poly romance with a wonderfully neurodivergent main character. R Cooper writes thoughtful and slow stories with flawed but good people whom you just can't help but root for.
sepiareece's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet and fun. There was good representation of obsessive thoughts/anxiety/depression which seems like it would mean the book was really angsty, but somehow it wasn't.
The MC is represented as neuroatypical. I think it's done pretty well, *but*
I know we were supposed to feel frustrated by the MC's obliviousness, but it seemed like it went on longer than really necessary.
Also, I felt a little weird about the almost manic pixie dream boy being an affluent white boy and being imperious with his (if I'm perceiving things correctly) non-white boyfriends.
Also, there isn't a whole lot of sexytimes action, which can be good or bad depending on what you like.
The MC is represented as neuroatypical. I think it's done pretty well, *but*
Spoiler
IME, it's the neurotypicals who are generally so invested in traditional relationship structures that they can't get their heads out of their asses.I know we were supposed to feel frustrated by the MC's obliviousness, but it seemed like it went on longer than really necessary.
Also, I felt a little weird about the almost manic pixie dream boy being an affluent white boy and being imperious with his (if I'm perceiving things correctly) non-white boyfriends.
Also, there isn't a whole lot of sexytimes action, which can be good or bad depending on what you like.
myllady's review
5.0
I don't usually write reviews but there is not a lot of them and this book really deserves the praise. I liked everything about it, I was so invested in Izzy and his happiness.
It's really rare to read atypical characters well fleshed out, where you 'see' and live through their different way of seeing the world instead of just being told they feel/get things differently.
Well done, I really beautiful and enjoyable read !
It's really rare to read atypical characters well fleshed out, where you 'see' and live through their different way of seeing the world instead of just being told they feel/get things differently.
Well done, I really beautiful and enjoyable read !
relly's review
5.0
Beautiful
5 🌟
Wow I think Iz has just about taken over from Clematis as my favourite R Cooper character.
R Cooper is an author I’m a big fan of. She has a standard trope of miscommunication and characters having half conversations, that either works well within the story or frustrates me. Obviously it works for me, even when it frustrates me, because she is one of my favourites and I pick up everything she releases.
In this one it worked and worked well, all due to Iz. He genuinely didn’t understand the cues most people take for granted, but he understood that and tried his best to still do what he thought was right for everyone. Ronnie and Rocco were a great match for him as they gently prodded and tried to steer him in the right direction without actually pushing him past his boundaries and in the same time allowing him to come to his own conclusions. Yes he needed a bit of a heavier helping hand as he missed some of the subtle clues from them but they got there in the end.
Iz’s confusion and his decision to help Ronnie and Rocco get together was well done, I felt for him and understood why he did it. I really felt like I understood what he was going through, and that is a big thing for me, because while I empathise I generally don’t fully understand what some of the characters I read are going through as I have no personal reference to draw from.
I loved the group of friends. Iz has surrounded himself with people who just accept Iz as Iz and never make him feel like he is different and should be worried about his quirks. Patricio was a great best friend. He listened and just lets Iz talk and then gently questioned and suggested things for Iz to think about without forcing his opinion or pushing Iz one way or another.
When I read an R Cooper book I try and slow it down, because she has an ability to make every conversation count even when it seems like just a normal conversation and weaves them into the bones of the story, so by the time the end has come and I see how it’s all played out I want to go back and immediately start again, that way I can pick up on all of these little nuggets I’ve missed in the first read through. This one was no exception and I had to force myself to put it down and go to bed and not start it again
I’d recommend this one to everyone.
5 🌟
Wow I think Iz has just about taken over from Clematis as my favourite R Cooper character.
R Cooper is an author I’m a big fan of. She has a standard trope of miscommunication and characters having half conversations, that either works well within the story or frustrates me. Obviously it works for me, even when it frustrates me, because she is one of my favourites and I pick up everything she releases.
In this one it worked and worked well, all due to Iz. He genuinely didn’t understand the cues most people take for granted, but he understood that and tried his best to still do what he thought was right for everyone. Ronnie and Rocco were a great match for him as they gently prodded and tried to steer him in the right direction without actually pushing him past his boundaries and in the same time allowing him to come to his own conclusions. Yes he needed a bit of a heavier helping hand as he missed some of the subtle clues from them but they got there in the end.
Iz’s confusion and his decision to help Ronnie and Rocco get together was well done, I felt for him and understood why he did it. I really felt like I understood what he was going through, and that is a big thing for me, because while I empathise I generally don’t fully understand what some of the characters I read are going through as I have no personal reference to draw from.
I loved the group of friends. Iz has surrounded himself with people who just accept Iz as Iz and never make him feel like he is different and should be worried about his quirks. Patricio was a great best friend. He listened and just lets Iz talk and then gently questioned and suggested things for Iz to think about without forcing his opinion or pushing Iz one way or another.
When I read an R Cooper book I try and slow it down, because she has an ability to make every conversation count even when it seems like just a normal conversation and weaves them into the bones of the story, so by the time the end has come and I see how it’s all played out I want to go back and immediately start again, that way I can pick up on all of these little nuggets I’ve missed in the first read through. This one was no exception and I had to force myself to put it down and go to bed and not start it again
I’d recommend this one to everyone.
terriaminute's review
4.0
4.5 stars (really want this option, GR) - while this could have used one more line edit to insert missing words and change incorrect ones, if you love Iz, you won't care. I adored all the characters, and only come away with one quibble about the plot, but you shouldn't care. It's only important to love these guys and hope for the best. They are all so very kind, each in his own way, and it's just lovely. It's also lovely to read a story about queer characters in which no one has suffered to get where they are. And for those of you averse to sex scenes, this one is all kissing and afterword-reference.
I am so glad this one exists.
I am so glad this one exists.
endemictoearth's review
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up for great ace rep.
Someone else mentioned in a review that this author often writes from the POV of the more introverted and clueless character in a relationship. For the most part that doesn't bother me, but I could see others being a bit frustrated. Izzy is ace and I would venture to say he's also on the autism spectrum. He doesn't experience emotions the way other people do, and has to experience things his own way to truly learn them.
As a result, this is a slow, sweet book about someone discovering they can have feelings of love and romance, and then discovering they can have them for more than one person at once. It feels a little like a modern fairytale at times, and occasionally I wanted Rocco and Ronnie to sit him down and spell out what was going on, but they got there in the end.
There were a couple of spots where the names were switched; I'm sure it was just something missed in the final edit, easy to miss with two similar names for main characters.
Someone else mentioned in a review that this author often writes from the POV of the more introverted and clueless character in a relationship. For the most part that doesn't bother me, but I could see others being a bit frustrated. Izzy is ace and I would venture to say he's also on the autism spectrum. He doesn't experience emotions the way other people do, and has to experience things his own way to truly learn them.
As a result, this is a slow, sweet book about someone discovering they can have feelings of love and romance, and then discovering they can have them for more than one person at once. It feels a little like a modern fairytale at times, and occasionally I wanted Rocco and Ronnie to sit him down and spell out what was going on, but they got there in the end.
There were a couple of spots where the names were switched; I'm sure it was just something missed in the final edit, easy to miss with two similar names for main characters.
More...