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emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ali does it again! Loved the swim/dive backdrop, the (generally) good communication between our main pairing, the positive portrayal of therapy, and of course, the chemistry between S and L.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
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
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes, etc: Friends with Benefits, Best Friend’s Ex, Swimmer/Diver, He Falls First, Kink Exploration
POV: Single, 1st Person
3rd Act Breakup?: Yes
Song Association: HEARTFIRST by Kelsea Ballerini
Notable Quote: “He used to want to prove to himself that he could thrive, even without her.
He has given up on that. Now he just wants her.”
Brief Summary: When a friend confides in Scarlett about her sexual incompatibility with her longtime boyfriend and their resulting breakup, Scarlett learns that Stanford’s star swimmer’s kinks perfectly align with her own. The two of them decide to explore their desires together, no strings attached…or so Scarlett thinks.
The Praise: I really loved Scarlett and Lukas together and their chemistry. I also really enjoyed the contrast between how Lukas behaved with Penelope and with Scarlett. The romance was really sweet, and Ali’s trademark humor had me laughing out loud.
The Critique: My only complaint is that we didn’t learn more about what happened between Penelope and Carissa.
Final Thoughts: Another banger from Ali! As usual, this was funny and sweet and kept me glued to the page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent
emotional
funny
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: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcohol
challenging
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Mental illness
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
My first love? Books
My second love? Olympic swimmers and divers (helloooooooo Nathan Adrian in his prime)
My third love? One of my favorite authors writing a book about NCAA/Olympic swimmers and divers
There’s something I love so much about a college romance and the stage of life it focuses on. Make it more complex with a bunch of college athletes and a kinky relationship? Sold.
Compared to Ali’s last attempt at a much more spicy book, Deep End gave me everything I was searching for. The chemistry was there. There was character development. There was drama. I loved it.
Now Ali, can I get another book about Pen and her time in the pro diving world?? Pretty please???
My second love? Olympic swimmers and divers (helloooooooo Nathan Adrian in his prime)
My third love? One of my favorite authors writing a book about NCAA/Olympic swimmers and divers
There’s something I love so much about a college romance and the stage of life it focuses on. Make it more complex with a bunch of college athletes and a kinky relationship? Sold.
Compared to Ali’s last attempt at a much more spicy book, Deep End gave me everything I was searching for. The chemistry was there. There was character development. There was drama. I loved it.
Now Ali, can I get another book about Pen and her time in the pro diving world?? Pretty please???
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Bullying
This was a good book.
What I didn't like:
Penn was too prevalent in this story, especially considering she didn't make a move for the MMC. She knew she was done with him she was panicking and acted like an arse.
For the two main characters to be elite athletes, they were very emotionally immature which usually isn't the case with highly driven athletes and pre-med students. Their emotional immaturity made them good for each other, though
I wanted their lists done together to discuss.
The weird addition of threesomes and bisexuality in the plot near the end. Why?
Troll? That is never a cute nickname nor a term of endearment in any language.
The long times in between communicating. It isn't the way that people communicate nowadays. These relationships would have been dead in the water in real life.
Side story of Penn's old rivals. The story wasn't about Penn. We never got clarification if Penn was a bad person or if she was in the wrong place and cried about abuse and wore the consequences.
What I did like:
The level of spice for a new BDSM couple. I imagine that their experiences would grow with experience.
I liked the chemistry between the two and when they were just a couple, I found them endearing, though they didn't know they were a couple yet.,
.
What I didn't like:
For the two main characters to be elite athletes, they were very emotionally immature which usually isn't the case with highly driven athletes and pre-med students. Their emotional immaturity made them good for each other, though
I wanted their lists done together to discuss.
The weird addition of threesomes and bisexuality in the plot near the end. Why?
Troll? That is never a cute nickname nor a term of endearment in any language.
The long times in between communicating. It isn't the way that people communicate nowadays. These relationships would have been dead in the water in real life.
Side story of Penn's old rivals. The story wasn't about Penn. We never got clarification if Penn was a bad person or if she was in the wrong place and cried about abuse and wore the consequences.
What I did like:
The level of spice for a new BDSM couple. I imagine that their experiences would grow with experience.
I liked the chemistry between the two and when they were just a couple, I found them endearing, though they didn't know they were a couple yet.,
.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
Oh my god this book was so good! Ali Hazelwood always does her research and her reads always feel scholarly without being snooty (and they’re always fun 😉) the sprayed edges really made me feel like I was in the pool with the main characters! This book touches on so many great topics: mental health, STEM careers, swimming and diving (I had to google a bit) found family, healthy interpersonal relationships both physically and emotionally. It’s all there. I took my time with this one because it really is Ali’s best work to date (and I loved Bride and her other books). Definitely will be rereading this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Would have made this 5 stars with exception to the resolution with the antagonist/conflict in the end. The epilogue was satisfying but I struggled with how Pen remained friends with the Scarlett and Lukas. It is clear that Pen was emotionally manipulative and I can’t imagine someone remained best friends with a person like that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Gaslighting
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment