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emotional
inspiring
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Medical trauma, Gaslighting
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
The main character has some traumas I found hard to relate to, so her struggles were occasionally frustrating to read about (its ok to love him dangit!) , but overall I greatly enjoyed this book. The kink aspects were well done and the spicy scenes were spiiiicy for me! (Which I appreciated!) The friendship connection between the MC and her bestie was surprisingly touching, and it was refreshing to see friends handling conflict in a healthy way by the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
i don’t mind that her past two books have been sexual relationships first, i just miss her slow burns :(
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Alcohol
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
📚 I loved this book. It fit my story interests, my sense of humor, my kinks, my politics. Ali Hazelwood deviated from her tried and true formula on this one but it still worked great. And wow Lukas is a perfect book boyfriend, my goodness. Just green flags all over the place.
🎧 Duet narration, even though the story is single POV (FMC's). And hoo boy, the Lukas voice 🥵
🌶️ 4/5 This was a spice-forward book but not like straight up erotica. The two MCs are kinky and they explore that on page in several scenes, since this is both of their first relationship with another kinkster. It's mainly power exchange (mdom/fsub) during sexytimes with some forcefulness, like advanced beginner level. No props or anything complex really.
✊🏳️🌈 There's casual mention of a queer character or two, and a couple mentions of POC. But mainly everyone seems pretty white and straight. The FMC is recovering from an injury, but she's fully physically recovered. She does deal with anxiety and PTSD from an abusive relationship in her past, and trauma from the time of the injury.
🎧 Duet narration, even though the story is single POV (FMC's). And hoo boy, the Lukas voice 🥵
🌶️ 4/5 This was a spice-forward book but not like straight up erotica. The two MCs are kinky and they explore that on page in several scenes, since this is both of their first relationship with another kinkster. It's mainly power exchange (mdom/fsub) during sexytimes with some forcefulness, like advanced beginner level. No props or anything complex really.
✊🏳️🌈 There's casual mention of a queer character or two, and a couple mentions of POC. But mainly everyone seems pretty white and straight. The FMC is recovering from an injury, but she's fully physically recovered. She does deal with anxiety and PTSD from an abusive relationship in her past, and trauma from the time of the injury.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
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:
Complicated
I enjoyed this as was looking for something light and fun. Always a smile with AL
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
funny
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
God did I love this book. The audio was phenomenal and I DEVOURED it. I couldn’t get enough and when I wasn’t listening to it, I was thinking about listening to it. This book just might be my new favorite by Ali. Actually, scratch that, IT IS my new favorite by her.
Also can we talk about Lukas? Lukas. F**king. Blomqvist. Aka my newest book boyfriend. This man right here? 😮💨 Everything that just came out of his mouth had me falling in love with him. And then how he was with Scarlett just reinforced that love. Their chemistry was off the charts and the banter was perfection. Oh and the spice was H O T (and the audio probably turned it up notch because damn).
Ugh, I just can’t get over how much I loved this one.
Also can we talk about Lukas? Lukas. F**king. Blomqvist. Aka my newest book boyfriend. This man right here? 😮💨 Everything that just came out of his mouth had me falling in love with him. And then how he was with Scarlett just reinforced that love. Their chemistry was off the charts and the banter was perfection. Oh and the spice was H O T (and the audio probably turned it up notch because damn).
Ugh, I just can’t get over how much I loved this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can start with the good stuff: this was a decent exploration of two individual’s first kink relationship. I think the kinks they explore are very entry level, realistic, nothing too in the deep end (pun intended). I can admit to some giggling, kicking of my feet, twirling my hair, etc when Lukas said some of his iconic lines in the book. I also think that we got some good mental health representation with Scarlett’s anxiety returning to diving after her injury. Unfortunately, that’s where the praise ends.
My main issue comes down to how they practiced safer sex/ kink. You don’t get any on page negotiation of scenes which I felt really uncomfortable with not being incorporated (a very rare moment of tell me AND show me). The list they fill out is great and all, but it doesn’t mean much (to me) without the accompaniment of a conversation NOT INTERRUPTED BY PEN. The amount that Scarlett and Lukas don’t communicate/ text each other seemed totally unrealistic. A lot of their issues seemed to be solved after a bathroom quickie. The core issues of miscommunication were not addressed.
Adding onto this, the somewhat surprise anal sex scene when Lukas was not in the right headspace to dom really put me off. To me, that read as a very unsafe situation for both of them. Furthermore, following their first sexual encounter (unprotected without Lukas having a recent negative STI panel), he basically abandons her forgoing any responsibility for more long term post-scene aftercare. This leaves Scarlett obviously confused and hurt and in a state of sub drop which was totally avoidable.
Pen is shit friend too.
I didn’t dislike this book; I still somewhat enjoyed it, however, my issues with their communication overshadowed most of that enjoyment.
Adding onto this, the somewhat surprise anal sex scene when Lukas was not in the right headspace to dom really put me off. To me, that read as a very unsafe situation for both of them. Furthermore, following their first sexual encounter (unprotected without Lukas having a recent negative STI panel), he basically abandons her forgoing any responsibility for more long term post-scene aftercare. This leaves Scarlett obviously confused and hurt and in a state of sub drop which was totally avoidable.
Pen is shit friend too.
I didn’t dislike this book; I still somewhat enjoyed it, however, my issues with their communication overshadowed most of that enjoyment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Mental illness, Death of parent, Toxic friendship