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medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
so, so good but also like… why wasn’t it kinkier??? where are the lists?????
overstimulation/repetitive orgasms and throwing a good girl in sometimes doesn’t automatically mean bdsm 🥲
🩱single, first person POV (FMC)
🩱college/university athletics
🩱accurate premed representation
🩱power exchange/mild BDSM
🩱FWB/secret-ish relationship
overstimulation/repetitive orgasms and throwing a good girl in sometimes doesn’t automatically mean bdsm 🥲
🩱single, first person POV (FMC)
🩱college/university athletics
🩱accurate premed representation
🩱power exchange/mild BDSM
🩱FWB/secret-ish relationship
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying
There’s a hefty amount of OWD , especially towards the end. The MMC doesn’t get back together with her , but it’s still prevalent enough where you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved this book. Ali once again killed it. Scarlett was a really relatable character for me. I love the way Ali is able to capture the impact anxiety can have on our lives. I loved getting to see Scarlett grow, learn to trust herself and others, and heal from her past traumas. Lukas was an absolute delight. Their romance bloomed beautifully as they explored their sexual interests, love of science, and love of water together. I thought Ali did a brilliant job capturing the emotional intimacy and trust in each of their sexual encounters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
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
Loved this one. Might takeover as my favorite Hazelwood novel. I don’t know why but I just really loved these two MCs.
Always appreciate the character cameos as well.
Always appreciate the character cameos as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent
emotional
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Scarlett "Vandy" Vandermere and Lukas Blomqvist are both competitive college level athletes. Scarlett is a diver recovering from an horrific injury that almost ended her career and Lukas is a child prodigy Olympic swimmer who is focussed on all things control, be it in the pool or the bedroom. When Luk and his girlfriend Pen break up due to his wish to be more dominant in the bedroom, she confides in her diving team mate Vandy, who as luck would have it is a willing submissive.
Now I love Ali Hazelwood's books, having read almost all of them now, and as always there was a nice throw back to an earlier one as The Deep End features both Olive and Adam from the Love Hypothesis. But this one just didn't do it for me! There was all the talk of BDSM and then barely anything more than a few slightly spicier than usual sex scenes. Which would be fine if the characters really had that much chemistry. They jump from barely knowing each other to sleeping together, and yes they then start to chat more but they're so frequently in different parts of the world that the story is mainly made up of Scarlett trying to overcome the mental block of her injury and the two characters having fairly vanilla sex.
I didn't hate the story, the way that Lukas is dominant without verging on mentally damaging is well done, and there's clearly some research gone into how divers both train and recover from injury. It was just a bit flat for me. I either wanted a more epic love story that then turned into a kinky one, or full on smut that had less talk and more action, this was neither. And I really missed the STEM elements which this started to go towards and then took a sharp turn away from never to be mentioned again!
Now I love Ali Hazelwood's books, having read almost all of them now, and as always there was a nice throw back to an earlier one as The Deep End features both Olive and Adam from the Love Hypothesis. But this one just didn't do it for me! There was all the talk of BDSM and then barely anything more than a few slightly spicier than usual sex scenes. Which would be fine if the characters really had that much chemistry. They jump from barely knowing each other to sleeping together, and yes they then start to chat more but they're so frequently in different parts of the world that the story is mainly made up of Scarlett trying to overcome the mental block of her injury and the two characters having fairly vanilla sex.
I didn't hate the story, the way that Lukas is dominant without verging on mentally damaging is well done, and there's clearly some research gone into how divers both train and recover from injury. It was just a bit flat for me. I either wanted a more epic love story that then turned into a kinky one, or full on smut that had less talk and more action, this was neither. And I really missed the STEM elements which this started to go towards and then took a sharp turn away from never to be mentioned again!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t think I’m capable of not loving a book by Ali Hazelwood! I read this in a day, I just couldn’t put it down!! I LOOOOVEEEE Lukas & Scarlett! They are just so perfect for each other! And despite the drama with Pen getting in their way, they found a way to rise above it! Like Pen was sus, & I never trusted the way she didn’t want to tell anyone they broke up, like she had a right to change her mind & hold on to him even though she broke up with him. But Scarlett & Lukas didn’t let that get in their way! & They are just meant to be!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
Es que Ali no decepciona 😭 bueno Not In Love no fue mi favorito pero Whet definitivamente entra en el top 3
Quiero mucho a Scarlett, me identifique mucho en el desbalance psicológico que es creer que solo se es buena en una cosa y que tu mundo se derrumbe al fallar.
Lukas es el nuevo novio perfecto, que increíble inteligencia emocional (si no contamos que tiene que probarse a sí mismo que merece cosas.
La Pen sí me cayó mal por un par de capitulos pero que bueno que recapacitó.
Me encantan Olive y Adam, siempre voy a esperar su aparición en el Aliverse
Quiero mucho a Scarlett, me identifique mucho en el desbalance psicológico que es creer que solo se es buena en una cosa y que tu mundo se derrumbe al fallar.
Lukas es el nuevo novio perfecto, que increíble inteligencia emocional (si no contamos que tiene que probarse a sí mismo que merece cosas.
La Pen sí me cayó mal por un par de capitulos pero que bueno que recapacitó.
Me encantan Olive y Adam, siempre voy a esperar su aparición en el Aliverse
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
funny
lighthearted
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
I would have preferred more science content but I understand that Diving and Swimming were the main focus. I thought the characters were fine but the FMC did feel like a bit of a combination of the FMC's from her previous books. I was happy that the 'antagonist' was not some evil mastermind but I still found the third act a bit eye roll worthing from all the miscommunication. Be aware that they basically spend the entire book in a situationship while the entire school thinks he is dating her best friend (yikes). Overall it was fine but this was not my favourite Ali book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Medical content
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent