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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
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
It just felt too long for some reason
3/5 stars!
Truth be told: I've always avoided Riley Hart books but it seemed unfair to do that without giving it an actual chance so I did. This was a first for me and I managed to complete it so that's definitely something positive.
Story: 3.25/5
First half: 4/5
It started out great. I liked the representation. I laughed and grinned so much I ended up creating a 'laughed out loud' shelf. It delivered what it promised and more! One of the best surprises was how the first times for every intimate act panned out.
Second half: 2/5
After the 70% mark, I practically had to drag myself to complete it. Which made me think maybe it was 80-100 pages too long.
Characters: 3.5/5
Milo and Gideon were endearing characters and brought me so much love. Gideon consistently supporting Milo and Milo being openly affectionate with Gideon - super sweet!
But sadly, while I started out with so much love for Milo, his character started to exhaust me. But I strongly believe that has a lot to do with the writing style. It's very...wordy.
And Gideon...he's too selfless from the start to the end. So maybe a case of insta-love from his side. It's not a bad thing at all, but I don't enjoy insta-love as it leaves very little room for growth. Especially when the book is this long.
Writing: 2/5
It didn't work for me. The style of mentioning something and proceeding to explain it for a whole paragraph over and over again. It's repetitive and tiring. It's even harder to ignore when the book is over 350 pages. There's also a tendency to TELL instead of SHOW. As a reader, I don't like being told everything. I want to see those little subtle consistent signs and pick up on it myself.
Also, I hate it when epilogues are in 'telling' mode - this happened, that happened, I'm so happy, we got a house, married blah blah etc etc. It really takes me out. So the ending left a bitter taste for that reason.
Audio: 4.5/5
Iggy Toma is a fantastic narrator. That definitely factored in in not dnf-ing towards the 75% mark. Though I did skip majority of the section for my own sanity.
I really wanted to love it and thought I'd rate it way higher than I did, but the last 20-25% took it away unfortunately. It could just be me but it is what it is. I doubt I would be picking another Riley Hart.
Truth be told: I've always avoided Riley Hart books but it seemed unfair to do that without giving it an actual chance so I did. This was a first for me and I managed to complete it so that's definitely something positive.
Story: 3.25/5
First half: 4/5
It started out great. I liked the representation. I laughed and grinned so much I ended up creating a 'laughed out loud' shelf. It delivered what it promised and more! One of the best surprises was how the first times for every intimate act panned out.
Second half: 2/5
After the 70% mark, I practically had to drag myself to complete it. Which made me think maybe it was 80-100 pages too long.
Characters: 3.5/5
Milo and Gideon were endearing characters and brought me so much love. Gideon consistently supporting Milo and Milo being openly affectionate with Gideon - super sweet!
But sadly, while I started out with so much love for Milo, his character started to exhaust me. But I strongly believe that has a lot to do with the writing style. It's very...wordy.
And Gideon...he's too selfless from the start to the end. So maybe a case of insta-love from his side. It's not a bad thing at all, but I don't enjoy insta-love as it leaves very little room for growth. Especially when the book is this long.
Writing: 2/5
It didn't work for me. The style of mentioning something and proceeding to explain it for a whole paragraph over and over again. It's repetitive and tiring. It's even harder to ignore when the book is over 350 pages. There's also a tendency to TELL instead of SHOW. As a reader, I don't like being told everything. I want to see those little subtle consistent signs and pick up on it myself.
Also, I hate it when epilogues are in 'telling' mode - this happened, that happened, I'm so happy, we got a house, married blah blah etc etc. It really takes me out. So the ending left a bitter taste for that reason.
Audio: 4.5/5
Iggy Toma is a fantastic narrator. That definitely factored in in not dnf-ing towards the 75% mark. Though I did skip majority of the section for my own sanity.
I really wanted to love it and thought I'd rate it way higher than I did, but the last 20-25% took it away unfortunately. It could just be me but it is what it is. I doubt I would be picking another Riley Hart.
oh wow !! absolutely loved this Milo and Gideon are exactly as the title says " goals"
they are so sweet and the way we hear Milo's thoughts and his honesty.
This read is a sweet, low angst, small town ( with some mild family drama), heartwarming love story!
they are so sweet and the way we hear Milo's thoughts and his honesty.
This read is a sweet, low angst, small town ( with some mild family drama), heartwarming love story!
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
hopeful
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:
Yes
Meh. I had heard of this from
Booktok and enough people recommended it for me to download it on KU.
Milo, a neurodivergent accountant, and Gideon, tattoo parlor owner and out of place with his lawyer family, strike up a friendship after Milo inherits a lost grandmother’s bookstore.
From there we enter FWB and eventually dating with all conflicts being the push and pull of Milo’s autism and peoples’ desires to protect him despite his desire for autonomy and choice.
They are all very good messages and important to see however the whole thing read as too sickly sweet for my tastes. Gideon reconciles (which like his feelings of being different weren’t that stark) with his family in a straight from an after-school special discussion ending in hugs for everyone. Any conflict is the most minor and really is just used for Milo and Gideon to discuss their feelings again with other minor characters before having them AGAIN with each other.
It’s a quick sweet read but a little too sugar coated for me.
Booktok and enough people recommended it for me to download it on KU.
Milo, a neurodivergent accountant, and Gideon, tattoo parlor owner and out of place with his lawyer family, strike up a friendship after Milo inherits a lost grandmother’s bookstore.
From there we enter FWB and eventually dating with all conflicts being the push and pull of Milo’s autism and peoples’ desires to protect him despite his desire for autonomy and choice.
They are all very good messages and important to see however the whole thing read as too sickly sweet for my tastes. Gideon reconciles (which like his feelings of being different weren’t that stark) with his family in a straight from an after-school special discussion ending in hugs for everyone. Any conflict is the most minor and really is just used for Milo and Gideon to discuss their feelings again with other minor characters before having them AGAIN with each other.
It’s a quick sweet read but a little too sugar coated for me.
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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Boyfriend Goals
I just love reading what this author writes. This was so sweet, it makes your heart sigh. So glad I stole some time to read it!
I just love reading what this author writes. This was so sweet, it makes your heart sigh. So glad I stole some time to read it!
funny
lighthearted
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:
No