Reviews

Great book! Lots of spice!

Really could have done without the whole "I could be your Mom" line over and over. I understand that the character is conflicted but either get over it or end it!

mela_318's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful tense 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? No

5.0

The audiobook was great! The author smoothly transitioned between characters with different accents (British, French & Japanese)...it was amazing. In the end, I still think the movie was better.

cherreadssharereads's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Obsessed with this book. How Lee writes Hayes and Solene makes me really feel for them. I can’t imagine a love story more perfect and well-set up. This one enthralled me especially bc I knew it was gonna end and wanted to enjoy every bit of the ride. I enjoyed that the chapters were split up by destinations given the memories that were made in each place in between concerts. The ending made me sad and longing for more of Solene and Hayes. I loved that last line “long before I stopped loving him.” Sigh.

reignited_reader's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I didn't love the book but I didn't hate it either. Having an independent FMC, empowered to reclaim her sexuality and who goes against what society deems appropriate for a woman, was a highlight of the story and the reason I ended up sticking with the book.

This is my first reverse age gap romance and it should be noted that I am much closer to Solene's 40 years than I am to Hayes' 20 years. With that in mind, one would think that I would find Solene' more relatable but that isn't the case here. I found her written character to be pretentious + rigid and cold at times. Because their personalities and lives were so vastly different, it seems odd to me that this would've become anything more than a one-night stand. A full fledged, yet short and tragic, love story was asking too much from either character. And, though I can understand why it was chosen, that ending just pissed me off.

That said, don't let the reviews of the book deter you from considering the movie. In the movie adaptation, Solene became a much more universally relatable person and the ending was adjusted to be much less anger inducing. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

deannamullican's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

All I can say is that I loved this. I loved Hayes and Solène. Hayes is mature for his age and he feels deeply. Their passion for each other is strong. He is kind and she is smart and they're both talented.

Solène loved Hayes and wanted to be with him but felt wrong and uncomfortable with the relationship. This is a commentary on society and the arbitrary norms made her feel this way.

Ultimately, choosing her daughter's well-being was the right decision. But the end made me sad.

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