Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-paced
This book came highly recommended by several fellow “I turned my trauma into kink” buddies, but unfortunately it hit one too many soft triggers for me.
It’s not a bad book. It’s well written and a lot of the parts that triggered me did so because the writing was too good. The depictions of the fmc’s disorder were visceral and real and not something I personally can handle in my romance.
I’m into the escapism of it all, so too much grit or realism isn’t fun for me.
This would be a fantastic read for the right person, but I am very obviously not that person.
It’s not a bad book. It’s well written and a lot of the parts that triggered me did so because the writing was too good. The depictions of the fmc’s disorder were visceral and real and not something I personally can handle in my romance.
I’m into the escapism of it all, so too much grit or realism isn’t fun for me.
This would be a fantastic read for the right person, but I am very obviously not that person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness
There’s no getting around that the fmc is 18 and even the mmc is creeped out by his buddy perving on her because of how young she is. If a barely legal fmc and an mmc in his thirties are a limit for you, definitely skip this one.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have a habit of falling in love with Carian Cole’s men and Jude is no exception. He’s far from perfect, but he’s just so inherently good it’s hard not to LOVE him. This story is hard at times. They struggle. I personally had a difficult time with the struggles that Skylar herself faced. Her personal difficulties could be triggering for some readers... The love they share is beautiful though and there are secondary characters that I completely adore! Here’s to another happy ending (and a thank you for a cameo appearance)!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
It's so hard to do an age gap romance with an 18 or 19 year old and not have it be creepy but this one did a great job! I genuinely liked both Jude and Skyler as individuals and felt the real angst of their attraction (especially from Jude) and I just wanted them to find a way to be happy and be together.
I liked how much open communication there was in the book. Between Skyler and Jude, Skyler and Megan, Jude and his aunt and uncle, Skyler and her boss, Jude and Skyler's mom, Skyler with her principal at school and therapist... everybody was just being transparent when it mattered with the people it mattered to. *With the one major exception of Skyler and Judekeeping their true feelings and wants bottled up and pretending they both agreed being apart was best in the back half of the book , of course. But honestly that felt believable. Again, especially Jude's part... his concerns were so valid.
All in all, how solid of a dude Jude was + his background is what really worked to make me believe he, a 34 year old, could have a genuine connection with Skyler, an 18 year old. Jude's genuine concern with and commitment to consent was also so sexy.
I liked that Skyler wasn't super immature, even if she was forced to grow up and take care of herself for really depressing reasons. But her life experiences and figuring out how to navigate them also made her feel truly mature in a way many 18 year olds are not. But she still had her moments that made her feel young, so it didn't feel like she was the 18 going on 30 or something. But communication did feel like one of the places she was mature, and that went a long way. I liked that she confronted Jude and said how she felt and forced him to say how he felt and actually communicate... like adults.
Spice and steam were both good and added dynamicism to the story, advancing both the plot and the character development. The scene with the back massageturned gentle back and leg caress turned sitting spooning hug session turned gentle make out session 🥵 so steamy! And Jude was so sweet about it after, shutting it down saying they will not be kissing again (even if they obviously did) ... but the way he tried. Just so gentle.
Other things:
High school mean girls make me sad. Poor Skyler. Those bullies were gross and pitifiul. Butbashing Paige in the face with a lunch tray was ok haha . Glad she didn't just take the bullying laying down forever and eventually stood up for herself.
Kyle is an absolute skeeve! What a douche. Talking about getting women drunk so he can have sex with them is gross. Talking about 18 year old women (or potentially 17!! he didn't know!) who you're watching walk around AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL is next level nauseating.
The chapter where Jude was so excited abouthis sister being alive and back was so heartbreaking because as a reader of course we knew it was not going to go well. 😩 And then to have the extended outcome it did where he felt he had caused Skyler harm... Poor Jude!
Some nice caretaking scenes and rushing to each other's side/aide - for both Jude and Skyler.
All in all, this book did a great job executing on a hard-to-do-well trope, while also integrating some challenging topics like trauma-based eating disorders, addiction, abandonment, mental illness, and substance abuse well (among others).
I liked how much open communication there was in the book. Between Skyler and Jude, Skyler and Megan, Jude and his aunt and uncle, Skyler and her boss, Jude and Skyler's mom, Skyler with her principal at school and therapist... everybody was just being transparent when it mattered with the people it mattered to. *With the one major exception of Skyler and Jude
All in all, how solid of a dude Jude was + his background is what really worked to make me believe he, a 34 year old, could have a genuine connection with Skyler, an 18 year old. Jude's genuine concern with and commitment to consent was also so sexy.
I liked that Skyler wasn't super immature, even if she was forced to grow up and take care of herself for really depressing reasons. But her life experiences and figuring out how to navigate them also made her feel truly mature in a way many 18 year olds are not. But she still had her moments that made her feel young, so it didn't feel like she was the 18 going on 30 or something. But communication did feel like one of the places she was mature, and that went a long way. I liked that she confronted Jude and said how she felt and forced him to say how he felt and actually communicate... like adults.
Spice and steam were both good and added dynamicism to the story, advancing both the plot and the character development. The scene with the back massage
Other things:
High school mean girls make me sad. Poor Skyler. Those bullies were gross and pitifiul. But
Kyle is an absolute skeeve! What a douche. Talking about getting women drunk so he can have sex with them is gross. Talking about 18 year old women (or potentially 17!! he didn't know!) who you're watching walk around AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL is next level nauseating.
The chapter where Jude was so excited about
Some nice caretaking scenes and rushing to each other's side/aide - for both Jude and Skyler.
All in all, this book did a great job executing on a hard-to-do-well trope, while also integrating some challenging topics like trauma-based eating disorders, addiction, abandonment, mental illness, and substance abuse well (among others).
TW for eating disorders, anxiety, mental illness and bullying.
Wow! This book blew me away! Skyler is an 18 year old high school senior with a difficult home situation and Jude is a 34 year old reformed bad boy with a hard past who is trying to be a better man. To help Skyler, Jude proposes an arrangement that will get Skyler the help she needs and will give Jude the opportunity to redeem some past mistakes. What they didn't expect was that they would form a close connection. This book was an amazing slow burn romance with just the right amount of spice. The characterization in this book is fantastic, especially the way the author handled Jude. The author addresses the issues with the age gap and really makes Jude falling for Skyler make sense and not in a creepy or physical sense. This book contains eating disorders and anxiety issues and the author did an amazing job with these. The way she handled dealings with anxiety disorder blew me away with how accurate her depiction was. The book was a little long near the end with the will they or won't they get together, but other than that this book was fantastic! Definitely 5 stars!
Wow! This book blew me away! Skyler is an 18 year old high school senior with a difficult home situation and Jude is a 34 year old reformed bad boy with a hard past who is trying to be a better man. To help Skyler, Jude proposes an arrangement that will get Skyler the help she needs and will give Jude the opportunity to redeem some past mistakes. What they didn't expect was that they would form a close connection. This book was an amazing slow burn romance with just the right amount of spice. The characterization in this book is fantastic, especially the way the author handled Jude. The author addresses the issues with the age gap and really makes Jude falling for Skyler make sense and not in a creepy or physical sense. This book contains eating disorders and anxiety issues and the author did an amazing job with these. The way she handled dealings with anxiety disorder blew me away with how accurate her depiction was. The book was a little long near the end with the will they or won't they get together, but other than that this book was fantastic! Definitely 5 stars!
Almost a 3* for me. I'd heard positive reviews from the few booktubers that I follow. Overall story good and definitely felt the angst of these two, their longing and romance. I also liked both characters and thought he was a total sweetie for her. However, I was getting whiplash from the back/forth, thought story was too long. I almost DNF'ed about 50% in but then someone came into the story from his side and then someone came into the story from her side, and just seemed too contrived that both would happen in the short period of time. I did like the ending and I believed that they belonged together but was thinking story could have been 20% shorter. I also liked the side characters of the heroine's friend, and his aunt/uncle.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
Damn! I love a good age gap story!
And Carian Cole did not disappoint!
So many unseen obstacles for Lucky and Skylar
So much angst and frustration just trying to live life and survive!
Some unexpected twists that made the story even sweeter!!
Loved the spice
Hated the bullying and shaming
Loved the soul connection
Hated the doubt
Loved Megan, Uncle Al & Aunt Suzy
Loved the found family aspect
Such a great read all around 😍
And Carian Cole did not disappoint!
So many unseen obstacles for Lucky and Skylar
So much angst and frustration just trying to live life and survive!
Some unexpected twists that made the story even sweeter!!
Loved the spice
Hated the bullying and shaming
Loved the soul connection
Hated the doubt
Loved Megan, Uncle Al & Aunt Suzy
Loved the found family aspect
Such a great read all around 😍