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nora_knight's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I'm gonna preface this by saying I'm not a big romance reader.
I liked Ivan and Jasmine's dynamic and I thought a lot of their relationship was cute. Also, the figure skating pair Scott-and-Tessa energy was fun. But I didn't like how many comments there were abt Jasmine's weight and I hated that his nickname for her was "Meatball" WTF. Also, the writing was not good and practically every third word was a curse word, which seemed unnecessary. There were a bunch of things that got brought up once and then were never/rarely mentioned after, it seemed like they were forgotten about and it made the plot hard to follow. There was this sex scene that I literally started laughing in the middle of because of how weird the descriptions were of his dick. It was an odd time. Anyways, idk why I trusted romance booktok, it's a scary place. I think I'll steer clear of plain old romance for a while.
I liked Ivan and Jasmine's dynamic and I thought a lot of their relationship was cute. Also, the figure skating pair Scott-and-Tessa energy was fun. But I didn't like how many comments there were abt Jasmine's weight and I hated that his nickname for her was "Meatball" WTF. Also, the writing was not good and practically every third word was a curse word, which seemed unnecessary. There were a bunch of things that got brought up once and then were never/rarely mentioned after, it seemed like they were forgotten about and it made the plot hard to follow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, and Body shaming
Minor: Medical content
baylakressi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
Warning: the slowest of slow burns. This is my first Mariana Zapata book and I kind of heard slow burn was her thing, but I didn’t expect it to take 3/4 of the (quite long) book to get there. Despite this element, it was a lovely story about hope and perseverance and following your dreams, and how the right support makes all the difference. I enjoyed the development of their relationship (enemies to friends to lovers) and seeing Ivan break down Jasmine’s walls so she could shine. Ivan- man that guy is good stuff!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Body shaming, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
tkatt20's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-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
4.75
OMG THIS BOOK. I do not even have the words to describe how much i loved this book. I have been in a slump for so long and this pulled me right out, I already want to read it again.
This is not my first book by this author so i had an idea of what i was in for, but that could not prepare me for how much I loved this book. The characters are amazing, each one had their own personality and quirks and were so fleshed out, they all felt like real people to me. And I loved how much insight we were given into the competitive skating world and getting to see how both characters dealt with the immense stress they were under. This is a longer romance but it didn’t feel like it with how lovable the characters were and how entertaining the situations they were in were to read about. I loved the extra added layer of family drama we got. It helped break up the focus on their skating and allowed me to see more insight into the main character’s life and her personality while also showing a bit of what drives her to succeed and what effects her mood throughout practice and in her day to day life. We were also given some feminist undertones and that will always be a plus for me.
My only negative for this book and the reason I dropped it down a to a 4.75 is the writing style; more specifically the wording. I found some scenes, mostly in the beginning, didn’t feel very natural and the wording in some descriptions were a little out of left field and pulled me out of the story. This is such a minor grievance and these instances were very sparse and didn’t effect me as much as it could have which is why I didn’t rate it lower. Otherwise I genuinely enjoyed this story to the very end.
I could gush for hours about how much I loved this but I’ll leave it at that. This has quickly moved to the top of my favorites list and I can’t wait to read more by this author.
This is not my first book by this author so i had an idea of what i was in for, but that could not prepare me for how much I loved this book. The characters are amazing, each one had their own personality and quirks and were so fleshed out, they all felt like real people to me. And I loved how much insight we were given into the competitive skating world and getting to see how both characters dealt with the immense stress they were under. This is a longer romance but it didn’t feel like it with how lovable the characters were and how entertaining the situations they were in were to read about. I loved the extra added layer of family drama we got. It helped break up the focus on their skating and allowed me to see more insight into the main character’s life and her personality while also showing a bit of what drives her to succeed and what effects her mood throughout practice and in her day to day life. We were also given some feminist undertones and that will always be a plus for me.
My only negative for this book and the reason I dropped it down a to a 4.75 is the writing style; more specifically the wording. I found some scenes, mostly in the beginning, didn’t feel very natural and the wording in some descriptions were a little out of left field and pulled me out of the story. This is such a minor grievance and these instances were very sparse and didn’t effect me as much as it could have which is why I didn’t rate it lower. Otherwise I genuinely enjoyed this story to the very end.
I could gush for hours about how much I loved this but I’ll leave it at that. This has quickly moved to the top of my favorites list and I can’t wait to read more by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Vomit
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Car accident
valeria_balzan's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Even though this book is 531 pages long, it doesn't feel like it. Maybe it was because it was reading at big chunks at at time but the pages and the narrative just read very easily. It doesn't feel overwhelming in any way.
The romance evolved very slowly, which made it believable. They got to know themselves first, building up trust and achieving their goals for competitions. Romance just came after that. Which was fine, but that the end it felt a little rushed. You guys just kissed for the first time and then you're fucking? okay I guess
ALSO, Jasmine, my queen, you actually have a personality? Loved that.
My main critique of the book is that, at times, the novel was not focused on figure skating at all. Which is the whole setting and the thing the book is trying to sell you in the beginning. But in the parts that it is, it is very enjoyable. The descriptions help you easily picture both Ivan's and Jasmine's movements on the ice.
My other main complain, which kind of goes along with the previous one, is that the author choooses to focus on certain things or scenes and not on the ones it is setting up to like I wanted to see the competiotion and them winning the medals in present tense, not just in the epilogue.
The romance evolved very slowly, which made it believable. They got to know themselves first, building up trust and achieving their goals for competitions. Romance just came after that. Which was fine, but that the end it felt a little rushed.
ALSO, Jasmine, my queen, you actually have a personality? Loved that.
My main critique of the book is that, at times, the novel was not focused on figure skating at all. Which is the whole setting and the thing the book is trying to sell you in the beginning. But in the parts that it is, it is very enjoyable. The descriptions help you easily picture both Ivan's and Jasmine's movements on the ice.
My other main complain, which kind of goes along with the previous one, is that the author choooses to focus on certain things or scenes and not on the ones it is setting up to
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
fremzz's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I’m so late to the hype but omg this was so good 😫😫
The visceral reactions this got from me are actually mental like every three seconds I was giggling or screaming or crying and that epilogue had me on the floor crying help help help
Had its issues but I pretend I do not see 🫡 (really it was just the meatball thing cause that was weird).
The visceral reactions this got from me are actually mental like every three seconds I was giggling or screaming or crying and that epilogue had me on the floor crying help help help
Had its issues but I pretend I do not see 🫡 (really it was just the meatball thing cause that was weird).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
ididnotmakeapie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
3.25
more graphic than I had thought it would be, did skip a couple scenes.
There were a few really, really poignant, emotive scenes. the part where Jasmine (and Ivan) deals with the emotional abuse her father hurls at her and the way she talked about her dyslexia!! The handling of it made me very happy. Jasmine and Ivan's talk in the aftermath of Jasmine's injury, I liked that it did actually lead to a proper conversatio and then subsequent reconciliation.
I enjoyed the way the actual *romantic* relationship between the two main characters came to be.
I really liked Jasmine's family, all the character's were very vivid and well characterised. Also liked the casual rep from Jojo and James' marriage.
The A and B plots all intertwined well to create the overarching theme of Jasmine's renewed confidence in herself.
I liked a lot of what Jasmine herself had going on as a character and her drive is inspirational.
There were a few really, really poignant, emotive scenes.
I enjoyed the way the actual *romantic* relationship between the two main characters came to be.
I really liked Jasmine's family, all the character's were very vivid and well characterised. Also liked the casual rep from Jojo and James' marriage.
The A and B plots all intertwined well to create the overarching theme of Jasmine's renewed confidence in herself.
I liked a lot of what Jasmine herself had going on as a character and her drive is inspirational.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Minor: Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Racism
cozyfiend's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
heather077's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Sexual content
jessieslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Stalking, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident and Fatphobia
whatjasread's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-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
5.0
• holy Lukov
• honestly just floored, maybe it’s a case of me being sad as hell and Ivan saying all the things I needed to hear right now but this was so good
• as a fat person myself I didn’t like all the comments about appearances and weight it just felt so unnecessary with no explanation *but* the book has just been amazing vibes for me which is why I haven’t knocked stars off
• my heart bleeds for jasmine so much I adore her
• the bracelet!!!!!
• the Hershey kisses!!!!!
• I lost it with the hair stroking and the nursing to health honestly on the floor sobbing
• so so good honestly I’ve loved both the zapata books I’ve read so far maybe they’re an autobuy author now???
TWs: fatphobia, mockery of learning disability, mention of racism, bullying, car accident (mother, off page), skating accident & injury, strained family relationships, burnout, social pressure, sexual harassment (mail, social media), mention of stalking
Tropes: enemies to lovers, best friend’s brother, I see how they look at you, who did this to you, nursing to health, found family, celebrity romance
• honestly just floored, maybe it’s a case of me being sad as hell and Ivan saying all the things I needed to hear right now but this was so good
• as a fat person myself I didn’t like all the comments about appearances and weight it just felt so unnecessary with no explanation *but* the book has just been amazing vibes for me which is why I haven’t knocked stars off
• my heart bleeds for jasmine so much I adore her
• the bracelet!!!!!
• the Hershey kisses!!!!!
• I lost it with the hair stroking and the nursing to health honestly on the floor sobbing
• so so good honestly I’ve loved both the zapata books I’ve read so far maybe they’re an autobuy author now???
TWs: fatphobia, mockery of learning disability, mention of racism, bullying, car accident (mother, off page), skating accident & injury, strained family relationships, burnout, social pressure, sexual harassment (mail, social media), mention of stalking
Tropes: enemies to lovers, best friend’s brother, I see how they look at you, who did this to you, nursing to health, found family, celebrity romance
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Stalking
Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Mental illness, and Fatphobia
Minor: Racism and Car accident