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challenging
emotional
sad
tense
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
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:
No
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Kennedy Ryan has a way of ripping my heart out and putting it back together again, like no one else can. Holy shit. I could never have imagined that I’d pick up a basketball romance and experience the level of depth that this book reached. A story of trauma, abuse, survival, family, love, soul mates, motherhood, depression, second chances, and rebuilding. I absolutely adored August, and was so inspired by Iris. Kennedy Ryan has cemented herself as an insta-read author, in my book! I absolutely loved this!
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
One of the things that I credit Kennedy Ryan with is her ability to write characters for who you immediately care about and for whom you are rooting for. Within the first few chapters, we are rooting for August and Iris. Their chemistry leaps off the page, and their banter is fantastic. In that same vein, she also has a talent for writing some truly villainous characters. It has been a while since I’ve read a character that I’ve hated more than Caleb in this book and while he gets his just desserts, it almost doesn’t feel like it’s enough given everything he puts Iris through. This book is heartbreaking and terrifying in equal measures. I recommend checking the trigger warnings. A lot of the domestic of that happens happens on the page and it is truly bone chilling. The book does have a happy ending and a lot of what happens in the second part of the book is Iris healing and that is hard in a different way.
Where is with other books it sometimes takes time to get into the story and enjoy the characters I have found that with Kennedy Ryan’s novels that does not happen. She has a way of writing such compelling prose and characters who you just enjoy learning more about so when bad things happen your heart breaks with and for them. I will be reading the other books in this series but I need to sit with this one for a bit and just process. That’s another thing that I am finding I really enjoy about Ryan’s writing is that she writes beautiful love stories, but they are going to make you think and feel everything. For that, I think she’s one of the best contemporary romance writers right now.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-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