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andreaaaoid's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death
lindsaymck's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was sweet, but I’m looking forward to the sequel a bit more after listening to the first chapter! August (and his banter with Natalie) seems *hilarious* and I admit that I’m more excited for their enemies-to-lovers story than I was for this secret admirer story.
Honestly, the anonymous love letters come into the story late enough that the title had me confused; it seems like a minor part of the story considering it’s the title. I think Hallie only sends 3 letters and receives 1? In the end, Hallie’s guilt about writing the letters frustrated me. She was being romantic and putting herself out there in a way she felt comfortable with, especially considering she hasn’t ever been emotionally or physically intimate with anyone before. But, she doubted herself the moment Julian found out she wrote them and retreated into himself, even though she knew he has done that before AND incorrectly assumed the letter was the cause. Julian falling off the grid for two and a half weeks after she was her most vulnerable also made the ending fall flat for me. Even though I could’ve done without this miscommunication trope, his anxiety and rigidness with time and scheduling was well established to justify it and her 15 years pining for him made it clear why she wouldn’t write him off.
Hallie’s bubbly, spontaneous, and colorful personality clashing with and shaping Julian’s rigidity and need for structure was enjoyable to read. The opposites really do attract with these two! Chaos and control <3 Tessa Bailey successfully wrote two characters with very different personalities deciding to put their relationship first and learn to compromise in a way that didn’t feel like either was changing, but instead evolving.
In my opinion, I think Hallie carried the first half of the book and Julian carried the second half. She was strong, interesting, and independent in the beginning, but then turned into an “oh my god” “yes” girl and doubted herself with the love letters. Her sparkle seemed to dim for me as Julian’s POV really took over the spotlight and his backstory and anxieties were explored. He definitely had more growing to do in letting go of his routines to accept and embrace the wildness that is Hallie, and Tessa developed him really well (perhaps at the expense of Hallie).
A final note: Julian’s dirty talk was surprisingly great for an uptight professor, but sometimes went overboard. Dirty talk is a delicate line to walk and sometimes he nailed it, sometimes it missed the mark.
Honestly, the anonymous love letters come into the story late enough that the title had me confused; it seems like a minor part of the story considering it’s the title. I think Hallie only sends 3 letters and receives 1? In the end, Hallie’s guilt about writing the letters frustrated me. She was being romantic and putting herself out there in a way she felt comfortable with, especially considering she hasn’t ever been emotionally or physically intimate with anyone before. But, she doubted herself the moment Julian found out she wrote them and retreated into himself, even though she knew he has done that before AND incorrectly assumed the letter was the cause. Julian falling off the grid for two and a half weeks after she was her most vulnerable also made the ending fall flat for me. Even though I could’ve done without this miscommunication trope, his anxiety and rigidness with time and scheduling was well established to justify it and her 15 years pining for him made it clear why she wouldn’t write him off.
Hallie’s bubbly, spontaneous, and colorful personality clashing with and shaping Julian’s rigidity and need for structure was enjoyable to read. The opposites really do attract with these two! Chaos and control <3 Tessa Bailey successfully wrote two characters with very different personalities deciding to put their relationship first and learn to compromise in a way that didn’t feel like either was changing, but instead evolving.
In my opinion, I think Hallie carried the first half of the book and Julian carried the second half. She was strong, interesting, and independent in the beginning, but then turned into an “oh my god” “yes” girl and doubted herself with the love letters. Her sparkle seemed to dim for me as Julian’s POV really took over the spotlight and his backstory and anxieties were explored. He definitely had more growing to do in letting go of his routines to accept and embrace the wildness that is Hallie, and Tessa developed him really well (perhaps at the expense of Hallie).
A final note: Julian’s dirty talk was surprisingly great for an uptight professor, but sometimes went overboard. Dirty talk is a delicate line to walk and sometimes he nailed it, sometimes it missed the mark.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
notsailingalone's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I thought the characters were interesting but I disliked the virgin aspect to the story . I don't enjoy women who are infantalised and men who are written like they're constantly teaching a 30 year old grown woman. Those aspects would be okay if they are eventually turned on their head in some way but they aren't here and it just fell flat for me because of that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
mepereyra6's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
katierosecrane's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book has a good message in it but it reminded me too much of a hallmark movie. It was a little too cheesy for my taste and I think the conflict through Hallie’s eyes are dumb.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Alcohol, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
csl4240's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition
This book is not for me. I felt like the FMC was very immature for someone pushing 30 and she was super inexperienced and continued pining over her 14 year old crush. She compared everyone to this man and held him and everyone else up to this high school idea of him. Julian’s severe anxiety would not be so easily thwarted meeting someone for the first time. The entire passage about her breasts at the beginning was cringey and felt like it was written for the male gaze. Julian being threatening also was cringey. They had nice banter but no chemistry outside of that and Hallie’s obsession of him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death and Fire/Fire injury
sunshinekmp's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
whatsophreadnext_'s review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death
bookfett's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I liked the character development of the two main characters. They grew and changed, and not for each other but for themselves. However, I was exasperated by how insecure they were and how slowly the plot moved along. The secondary characters were afterthoughts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders