Scan barcode
spectacles_and_books's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcoholism
skye_era_books's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Drug abuse
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Age rating: 17+ (3 spicy scenes, 1.5/5🌶️)
This was such an emotionally moving romance!!! HBY really knows how to handle hard/difficult topics with grace!! The conversations around the two main characters’ family trauma and history as well as their current struggles with helping their siblings in the foster care system was so well done!
This book has forced proximity (and they were roommates…) and grumpy MMC X sunshine FMC, but he’s a secret cinnamon roll. Chloe is such a relatable main character because she has been working so hard at pleasing and taking care of everyone else, and I loved her journey of allowing someone else help her, care for her, and love her the way that she deserves!! And I loved seeing Warren show his sensitive and caring side, because he truly is a huge softie and such a sweet man. I definitely did cry at some points, iykyk.
I also was not expecting to be so heart warmed by their relationships with their younger siblings and creating this little found family!! (Usually I hate kids in books, especially babies, but not in this one!)
Overall, highly recommend as long as you check the Trigger warnings!!
Trigger warnings: abandonment, substance abuse, parental neglect, foster care, ableism (characters who are deaf), emotionally manipulative parents
Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Addiction
breathehopebooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Medical content, Drug abuse, and Medical trauma
Minor: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Death of parent
spellbindingtomes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Read if you like:
🕊️forced proximity
🔧found family
🕊️foster/guardian romance
🔧grumpy x sunshine
🕊️disability rep
Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent
achristi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, and Abandonment
alexandrafren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Physical abuse
caitlaird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A bit of cutesy / millennial humor and writing, but for the contemporary romance books of today it wasn’t too cheesy, I personally do not enjoy that type of writing but it was rather sparse so It wasn’t too distracting. (I know that is some people’s cup of tea, so all love <3 but I will usually DNF if it’s too bad).
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Drug abuse
kaitrates's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
And while there are exceptions to this—books like The Rose by Tiffany Reisz feature sex early on followed by so many ups and downs—a lack of tension and/or insta-love tends to severely reduce my enjoyment of a book.
All this is to say, that for the first 60% of Next of Kin I was INVESTED! I couldn't put the book down! There was so much tension between our lead Chloe and Warren and the stakes were SO high—they had to figure their shit out for their siblings' sakes! They were thrust into this uncomfortable ass situation and needed to make the best of it while also managing their growing attraction for one another. I was convinced this would be a new favourite book and 5+ star read.
Then,
Really, though, I think its because Warren's way of keeping his distance was to be a cocky asshole. And though we, alongside Chloe, see hints of more depth and love, he's not really given a chance to grow on page. And while I understand how, based on their backstory, their relationship and love make sense, I didn't enjoy quickness with which they were in love and happy. Especially with both of them having such heavy trauma histories.
Like I said: toxic trait. lol
The pacing of the last 40%, particularly the romance aspect of it, felt both rushed and surface level. This is a deliciously deep book! It tackles the foster and adoption systems as well as ableism in families and the world. I wanted their romance to have that same depth and to just feel like trauma bonding. Similarly, the way the final conflict gets sorted out felt rushed—although I think Bonam-Young did a great job capturing the panic and urgency that comes with such a situation. Just left me with a sense of like "wait that's it? you guys are good again?!"
On the plus side, and unlike Out on a Limb I really enjoyed both epilogues. Getting Warren's POV in the bonus one was such a fun surprise!
I'm still a huge fan of Bonam-Young and excited to read Next to You, own and reread OOAL, and continue to read whatever she puts out. I also think this will absolutely work for others who don't share my toxic trait as it does have a lot of depth and heart.
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse and Drug abuse
jane1le's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Death of parent