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spectacles_and_books's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Hannah's writing is just heartfelt and beautiful. I loved Warren and Chloe's story of love, healing and hope.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcoholism
skye_era_books's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.5
I never would’ve thought I would love a book like this. I could feel the love from the pages — the love for Willow, for Warren, even for Luke. This found family is truly beautiful. My only wish is that we could’ve had dual POV with Warren. I would have loved to see how his mind worked.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Drug abuse
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Taylor Swift songs: “New Year’s Day”
Age rating: 17+ (3 spicy scenes, 1.5/5🌶️)
This was such an emotionally moving romance!!! HBY really knows how to handle hard/difficult topics with grace!! The conversations around the two main characters’ family trauma and history as well as their current struggles with helping their siblings in the foster care system was so well done!
This book has forced proximity (and they were roommates…) and grumpy MMC X sunshine FMC, but he’s a secret cinnamon roll. Chloe is such a relatable main character because she has been working so hard at pleasing and taking care of everyone else, and I loved her journey of allowing someone else help her, care for her, and love her the way that she deserves!! And I loved seeing Warren show his sensitive and caring side, because he truly is a huge softie and such a sweet man. I definitely did cry at some points, iykyk.
I also was not expecting to be so heart warmed by their relationships with their younger siblings and creating this little found family!! (Usually I hate kids in books, especially babies, but not in this one!)
Overall, highly recommend as long as you check the Trigger warnings!!
Trigger warnings: abandonment, substance abuse, parental neglect, foster care, ableism (characters who are deaf), emotionally manipulative parents
Age rating: 17+ (3 spicy scenes, 1.5/5🌶️)
This was such an emotionally moving romance!!! HBY really knows how to handle hard/difficult topics with grace!! The conversations around the two main characters’ family trauma and history as well as their current struggles with helping their siblings in the foster care system was so well done!
This book has forced proximity (and they were roommates…) and grumpy MMC X sunshine FMC, but he’s a secret cinnamon roll. Chloe is such a relatable main character because she has been working so hard at pleasing and taking care of everyone else, and I loved her journey of allowing someone else help her, care for her, and love her the way that she deserves!! And I loved seeing Warren show his sensitive and caring side, because he truly is a huge softie and such a sweet man. I definitely did cry at some points, iykyk.
I also was not expecting to be so heart warmed by their relationships with their younger siblings and creating this little found family!! (Usually I hate kids in books, especially babies, but not in this one!)
Overall, highly recommend as long as you check the Trigger warnings!!
Trigger warnings: abandonment, substance abuse, parental neglect, foster care, ableism (characters who are deaf), emotionally manipulative parents
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Addiction
breathehopebooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
4.0
Very cool rep across the board: deafness, foster care, adoption, fetal alcohol syndrome. Despite the story occuring over the course of a single year, the romantic relationship seemed to develop really fast, but i understand how major life changes—such as raising an infant—can bring people together. I also found Warren’s sweet talking a little weird, but that might just be me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Medical content, Drug abuse, and Medical trauma
Minor: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Death of parent
spellbindingtomes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The premise of Next of Kin tugged at my heartstrings with Willow and Luke 🥹 it was such a unique concept and I enjoyed the family dynamics here. I loved Chloe. She was funny and loving. How she stepped up to take care of Willow was incredibly admirable. I wasn't a super fan of Warren especially with the way he acted towards the end and though the pacing was a bit off, I really enjoyed Hannah's writing in this book.
Read if you like:
🕊️forced proximity
🔧found family
🕊️foster/guardian romance
🔧grumpy x sunshine
🕊️disability rep
Read if you like:
🕊️forced proximity
🔧found family
🕊️foster/guardian romance
🔧grumpy x sunshine
🕊️disability rep
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent
achristi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, and Abandonment
alexandrafren's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Physical abuse
caitlaird's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? No
3.0
A fun and sweet romance. We love a DEVOTED man (it’s the only way they should be). Chloe is such a kind character, I love that she sticks up for herself. Her relationship with Warren’s brother, Luke, is so sweet. Warren is a bit of a dreamboat, if not way too unrealistic for being so in love, but we do love to read it. This book really takes some license with CPS and the foster care system but it sure is a fun idea.
A bit of cutesy / millennial humor and writing, but for the contemporary romance books of today it wasn’t too cheesy, I personally do not enjoy that type of writing but it was rather sparse so It wasn’t too distracting. (I know that is some people’s cup of tea, so all love <3 but I will usually DNF if it’s too bad).
A bit of cutesy / millennial humor and writing, but for the contemporary romance books of today it wasn’t too cheesy, I personally do not enjoy that type of writing but it was rather sparse so It wasn’t too distracting. (I know that is some people’s cup of tea, so all love <3 but I will usually DNF if it’s too bad).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Drug abuse
kaitrates's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
One of my toxic traits is that if couples in books say ILU too soon (according to me lol) or have sex too quickly, I tend to lose interest. I LIVE for the buildup, the interrupted make-out (or more) sessions, the cooling off and trying to rationalise why they shouldn't be together.
And while there are exceptions to this—books like The Rose by Tiffany Reisz feature sex early on followed by so many ups and downs—a lack of tension and/or insta-love tends to severely reduce my enjoyment of a book.
All this is to say, that for the first 60% of Next of Kin I was INVESTED! I couldn't put the book down! There was so much tension between our lead Chloe and Warren and the stakes were SO high—they had to figure their shit out for their siblings' sakes! They were thrust into this uncomfortable ass situation and needed to make the best of it while also managing their growing attraction for one another. I was convinced this would be a new favourite book and 5+ star read.
Then,they said I love you and I lost my interest.
Really, though, I think its because Warren's way of keeping his distance was to be a cocky asshole. And though we, alongside Chloe, see hints of more depth and love, he's not really given a chance to grow on page. And while I understand how, based on their backstory, their relationship and love make sense, I didn't enjoy quickness with which they were in love and happy. Especially with both of them having such heavy trauma histories.
Like I said: toxic trait. lol
The pacing of the last 40%, particularly the romance aspect of it, felt both rushed and surface level. This is a deliciously deep book! It tackles the foster and adoption systems as well as ableism in families and the world. I wanted their romance to have that same depth and to just feel like trauma bonding. Similarly, the way the final conflict gets sorted out felt rushed—although I think Bonam-Young did a great job capturing the panic and urgency that comes with such a situation. Just left me with a sense of like "wait that's it? you guys are good again?!"
On the plus side, and unlike Out on a Limb I really enjoyed both epilogues. Getting Warren's POV in the bonus one was such a fun surprise!
I'm still a huge fan of Bonam-Young and excited to read Next to You, own and reread OOAL, and continue to read whatever she puts out. I also think this will absolutely work for others who don't share my toxic trait as it does have a lot of depth and heart.
And while there are exceptions to this—books like The Rose by Tiffany Reisz feature sex early on followed by so many ups and downs—a lack of tension and/or insta-love tends to severely reduce my enjoyment of a book.
All this is to say, that for the first 60% of Next of Kin I was INVESTED! I couldn't put the book down! There was so much tension between our lead Chloe and Warren and the stakes were SO high—they had to figure their shit out for their siblings' sakes! They were thrust into this uncomfortable ass situation and needed to make the best of it while also managing their growing attraction for one another. I was convinced this would be a new favourite book and 5+ star read.
Then,
Really, though, I think its because Warren's way of keeping his distance was to be a cocky asshole. And though we, alongside Chloe, see hints of more depth and love, he's not really given a chance to grow on page. And while I understand how, based on their backstory, their relationship and love make sense, I didn't enjoy quickness with which they were in love and happy. Especially with both of them having such heavy trauma histories.
Like I said: toxic trait. lol
The pacing of the last 40%, particularly the romance aspect of it, felt both rushed and surface level. This is a deliciously deep book! It tackles the foster and adoption systems as well as ableism in families and the world. I wanted their romance to have that same depth and to just feel like trauma bonding. Similarly, the way the final conflict gets sorted out felt rushed—although I think Bonam-Young did a great job capturing the panic and urgency that comes with such a situation. Just left me with a sense of like "wait that's it? you guys are good again?!"
On the plus side, and unlike Out on a Limb I really enjoyed both epilogues. Getting Warren's POV in the bonus one was such a fun surprise!
I'm still a huge fan of Bonam-Young and excited to read Next to You, own and reread OOAL, and continue to read whatever she puts out. I also think this will absolutely work for others who don't share my toxic trait as it does have a lot of depth and heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse and Drug abuse
jane1le's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Death of parent