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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Another Kate Cantabury banger. Loved. Loved. Loved.
slow-paced
You know what? This book is just f*cking cute, alright? This is a classic grumpy x sunshine trope. Our FMC sticks the hell up for herself and I found myself applauding her throughout the story. Stuff like this:
“I’m a kind person,” she said. “Actually, I’m very kind. Most everyone agrees. I’m also really tolerant and accepting. I let people live their lives and respect that everyone is going through something I’ll never understand. But you’re being outrageous and unreasonable. I don’t know what your problem is with me but I’m not going to put up with it any longer. If you want a war, Beckett, I’ll give you a war. I just hope you know what you’re asking for.”
There is a LOT of romance out there where the female lead is essentially a doormat. Stunned stupid by the male lead’s looks/possessiveness/energy/whatthefuckever. Not able to speak in the male lead’s presence. While Sunny here definitely falls for his looks/persona, she (thank fuck) keeps her backbone, her morals, and continues to fight for what she believes in. All my stars are for that!
“I’m a kind person,” she said. “Actually, I’m very kind. Most everyone agrees. I’m also really tolerant and accepting. I let people live their lives and respect that everyone is going through something I’ll never understand. But you’re being outrageous and unreasonable. I don’t know what your problem is with me but I’m not going to put up with it any longer. If you want a war, Beckett, I’ll give you a war. I just hope you know what you’re asking for.”
There is a LOT of romance out there where the female lead is essentially a doormat. Stunned stupid by the male lead’s looks/possessiveness/energy/whatthefuckever. Not able to speak in the male lead’s presence. While Sunny here definitely falls for his looks/persona, she (thank fuck) keeps her backbone, her morals, and continues to fight for what she believes in. All my stars are for that!
I loved being back in the town of Friendship!! And in Shucked you get to meet so many more of the colorful characters this place had to offer. The banter between EVERYONE was fantastic. Not just our two main characters, Sunny and Beckett, but the coworkers, the siblings, the FBI, absolutely everyone was such a vivid character that it made Friendship feel like home. This was a feel good, sweet, and touching book with a good amount of humor thrown in.
I received an ARC of this book, but the opinions are my own.
Merged review:
I loved being back in the town of Friendship!! And in Shucked you get to meet so many more of the colorful characters this place had to offer. The banter between EVERYONE was fantastic. Not just our two main characters, Sunny and Beckett, but the coworkers, the siblings, the FBI, absolutely everyone was such a vivid character that it made Friendship feel like home. This was a feel good, sweet, and touching book with a good amount of humor thrown in.
I received an ARC of this book, but the opinions are my own.
I received an ARC of this book, but the opinions are my own.
Merged review:
I loved being back in the town of Friendship!! And in Shucked you get to meet so many more of the colorful characters this place had to offer. The banter between EVERYONE was fantastic. Not just our two main characters, Sunny and Beckett, but the coworkers, the siblings, the FBI, absolutely everyone was such a vivid character that it made Friendship feel like home. This was a feel good, sweet, and touching book with a good amount of humor thrown in.
I received an ARC of this book, but the opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
Fun enemies to lovers contemporary romance. I really liked both characters, but especially Sunny who was independent and took no nonsense. Beck was super protective and generally sweet under the grumpy exterior. I enjoyed the disability representation of Sunny's epilepsy but it didn't define or overwhelm her character, which sometimes happens. The first sex scene on this was off the charts, but there was only one and subsequent ones were more emphemistic. The "best friend's sister" aspect wasn't played up to much which was good.
Merged review:
Fun enemies to lovers contemporary romance. I really liked both characters, but especially Sunny who was independent and took no nonsense. Beck was super protective and generally sweet under the grumpy exterior. I enjoyed the disability representation of Sunny's epilepsy but it didn't define or overwhelm her character, which sometimes happens. The first sex scene on this was off the charts, but there was only one and subsequent ones were more emphemistic. The "best friend's sister" aspect wasn't played up to much which was good.
Merged review:
Fun enemies to lovers contemporary romance. I really liked both characters, but especially Sunny who was independent and took no nonsense. Beck was super protective and generally sweet under the grumpy exterior. I enjoyed the disability representation of Sunny's epilepsy but it didn't define or overwhelm her character, which sometimes happens. The first sex scene on this was off the charts, but there was only one and subsequent ones were more emphemistic. The "best friend's sister" aspect wasn't played up to much which was good.
This book made me feel insane, and not in a good way. I’m not joking, at any given moment fifteen different plot points are happening at once.
I read to chapter 5 and really struggled to get into it because I felt like I was reading the same meet cute four times so then I skipped a whole chunk to Chapter 19 and I genuinely do not think I missed anything significant at all. The hero’s thoughts felt so circular, the first time the MCs met it was like insta-love for him but then the insistence it was inappropriate and repeat ad nauseam.
I kid you not, they spend a significant amount of time referring to sex and their chemistry but there is only ONE legitimate sex scene in the whole book which is fine but seriously the plot is like Groundhog Day! There are at least THREE separate instances where the heroine is at risk/in danger/hurt/needs help and he runs to the rescue, then they bicker but oh it’s their love language?
The emotional conflict of them defining their relationship / whether he’s going to stay in town is at once constantly talked about but NEVER properly discussed and worked through and resolved. It’s like chaos chaos chaos, epilogue.
I genuinely have a headache but it’s not because the writing is bad or I didn’t like the characters, there’s just so much going on nothing is properly focussed on so you can settle in and enjoy a story. I need to go lie down.
I read to chapter 5 and really struggled to get into it because I felt like I was reading the same meet cute four times so then I skipped a whole chunk to Chapter 19 and I genuinely do not think I missed anything significant at all. The hero’s thoughts felt so circular, the first time the MCs met it was like insta-love for him but then the insistence it was inappropriate and repeat ad nauseam.
I kid you not, they spend a significant amount of time referring to sex and their chemistry but there is only ONE legitimate sex scene in the whole book which is fine but seriously the plot is like Groundhog Day! There are at least THREE separate instances where the heroine is at risk/in danger/hurt/needs help and he runs to the rescue, then they bicker but oh it’s their love language?
The emotional conflict of them defining their relationship / whether he’s going to stay in town is at once constantly talked about but NEVER properly discussed and worked through and resolved. It’s like chaos chaos chaos, epilogue.
I genuinely have a headache but it’s not because the writing is bad or I didn’t like the characters, there’s just so much going on nothing is properly focussed on so you can settle in and enjoy a story. I need to go lie down.
Dnf @50% I thought I would like this cuz of the tropes, but I just got bored
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail