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kitstercronk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Firstly, I really appreciated the autism rep. Honestly a lot better done than some traditionally published romances I’ve read lately. I LOVE that Charlie does something big and scary (moving to Scotland temporarily) despite it being difficult for her. Honestly I wish we saw more autistic characters doing that while still being real about how challenging it is with a disability.
And I think Page’s history and reasons for his issues were believable. He was a great character and I loved his friends and family.
Some parts of the plot felt a little predictable and like a few too many ideas were trying to happen at once - but I’d expect that from any debut indie author, and perfecting that will just come with time! The core elements of great characters, a charming setting, and a romance we can cheer for are all there. It was a lovely story to read on a rainy day!
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Ableism
Minor: Car accident, Child death, and Death of parent
rachtmh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The book includes: disability rep, LGBTQIA+ rep, found family, Crippling Anxiety, Geeky Sci-Fi, Books and Bookshops, Academia like setting and stunning views.
It also has multiple POV and the bursts of script and social media posts between chapters really adds to the story as a whole.
The author used sensitivity readers and it’s so clear in the respectful and authentic way the experience of the characters in this book are written.
As a person who is Bi, Female & Neurodivergent, it was so wonderful and validating to see myself and my fellow Neurodiverse and LGBT friends and family represented in the day to day.
Thank you so much Caden for writing this beautiful story and for such wonder characters.
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Ableism, Car accident, Grief, Abandonment, and Death
itsbethmay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The book explored autism, anxiety and queerness so beautifully, and though the plot itself was slightly predictable (hence a 4 star read for me), I fell in love with the characters and loved watching them interact and grow their relationships.
I loved the specific dual POV, which is something I haven't read much of lately, and how you could see explicitly how different moments in the story affected Page and Charlie respectively.
Overall, I loved the book, although I was so engrossed in how much I related to the anxiety and autism aspects that I probably overlooked how it was written beyond representation on the page. At times you could also tell that it was Caden's debut novel, but none-the-less it was still an amazing piece, just improvement that naturally comes over time!
Would definitely recommend this as a warm-hearted book with amazing representation and a side of spicy scenes!
Graphic: Ableism and Homophobia
Moderate: Sexism, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Car accident
edieisconfused's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Car accident, Outing, Bullying, Ableism, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Grief
turnthepages_nl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I loveeeee the tropes in this book. Except for one. There was a lot of miscommunication or lack of communication. And that was not my fav. It worked really great for the story! But personally not my fav trope. I just wish better for the characters haha.
But the tension between these two? Absolutely obsessed! And the representation? Amazing!
I am not autistic, I have ADHD and am bisexual tho! And what I loved most was how this story portrayed the neurodivergent rage. The rage we get when things are unfair, unjust and so totally WRONG. I see that aspect of neurodivergence not often mentioned in fiction. So it made my heart very happy to see it in 'Truthfully, yours'! And it was done so so well. It really hit home and is what I loved most about this story.
Lastly, I see a lot of potential in Cadens writing. I could tell this is her debut, there is room to grow and that's okay! The ending felt a bit rushed for example and the reason for Page's anxiety felt a little bit too sensationalized. But that didn't stop me from absolutely loving this story. And I am so so so excited to read more by her hand! I hope to maybe see the story of Callum and Lillian next?
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual content, Child death, Ableism, and Car accident
addiesbookshelf_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Ableism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident
lessoningravity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Page is deliciously frustrating in the beginning, which just makes his character development even more satisfying. Charlie’s lived experiences of late-diagnosed autism felt real and honest, without (personally) being triggering. On the contrary, it felt so right to see neurodiversity represented in a classic romcom like this - ever present, but not all-consuming.
I also ADORED all the side characters!! They truly enriched the story and made the world feel even more real (and full of queer people, all with their own lives and personalities - shock!).
I’m really stingy with my five stars, and the only minor thing for me was the pacing at times - but honestly, I couldn’t recommend this book more! I expect this to join my pile of comfort reads that I’ll revisit over and over again.
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Ableism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child death and Medical trauma
Main character has trauma from undiagnosed autism. Ableist language a main conflict in the book. Comprehensive trigger warnings at the start of the book.thesilverquill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
As someone who was diagnosed with autism in her late 20s, reading about Charlie and her struggles was like reading my own experience. I cried multiple times. This felt cathartic.
I’m so happy with the ending to this story, and that there was a character development of both her’s and Page’s character that not only felt believable, but was practical, and with how they end up together ❣️
I wish I could reread this again for the first time! Highly recommend.
Graphic: Ableism, Sexism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent, Car accident, Child death, and Grief