Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - The Falling in Love Montage

Reread this thinking it was a romcom. It was at the start and then. I got absolutely burned alive. Cried and had a breakdown at one tiny (probably) insignificant paragraph but i still loved reading it.

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annorabrady's review

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dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.75

The characters set out to recreate a series of romcom tropes but this book proves the complexities that written word can channel in ways the visual medium would struggle with. While a movie night get to keep one or two of the side plots or backstory elements, this book is able to tackle some complex topics like a having a parent with dementia, being the sibling of someone with a lifelong disability, income inequality, remarriage of a parent, the act of forgiveness, learning how to see past your biases to who someone actually is, learning to make friends after betrayal, and coming to terms with the potential of losing everything because of circumstances beyond your control while also having fun with the cheesy romcom tropes.

I will say, as someone who took care of their grandmother who had Parkinson's induced dementia and whose mother died 6 months ago, there was a lot in this book that was both triggering and healing. I'm glad I read it, but if you've been there yourself and you're still working your way through the trauma that can come from those situations, this book might be too much.

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ana_the_frog's review against another edition

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3.75

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ashylibrarian's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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

3.5

This was a fine, enjoyable read. I read it at the same time as Better That the Movies, not realizing that they are very similar in plot lines, so it wasn't anything spectacularly special for me.

I feel like this is a nice summer romance read that is fun and adventurous with a satisfying yet not wrapped-up-in-a-bow ending.

I don't foresee myself reaching to reread this title, but I will likely recommend it, especially as a summer read.

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sagakam's review

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emotional funny 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

4.25

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lolajh's review

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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

3.25

First of all, any potential readers know that Saoirse’s name is pronounced Seer-sha and I only found that out at the end of the book where she explains it and it’s not something like say-or-rees or say-ors or freaking ‘sauce’ like I’ve been pronouncing in my head the past two weeks of reading this. Anyways! Here’s the review!

I just want to say that I am ANGRY. This book right up until literally the last chapter was an absolute five-star read. I hated the ending and feel so underwhelmed.

You’re telling me these lesbian ass bitches didn’t drop their futures to break the rule of the montage and “having to break up” (because they didn’t have to at all) to be gay in Ireland together? What the fuck! WHO IS VERONICA. FUCK OFF I NEED SAOIRSE AND RUBY TO BE ENDGAME HELLO? Where was their wedding? I cannot tell you how much I NEEDED the (what I thought would be) predictable cheesy plot twist where it isn’t literally JUST A SUMMER THING and they’d JUST FUCKING DATE. Sorry. I’m so opinionated about this book. Where was the “happily ever after” that’s literally above the book’s blurb, the thing that’s foreshadowed throughout the whole book? The meet cute happened, the falling in love montage, the big fight, the hero realising they’re wrong, the grand gesture, now where is the happily ever after? I thought my fucking book was printed wrong and missing the actual last pages. I’m so pissed off.

Now, onto what I liked. So, Saoirse, let me tell you I loved to hate her. Why? Because she’s ME. She is the most relatable character I’ve ever read the perspective of. Her life and character all has such human reason it feels like she really is real. Flawed characters are the best <3

And I FUCKING LOVED RUBY (among other characters like Oliver and Beth and not really Saoirse’s dad) She is a lovable little ball of sunshine that in some parts maybe deserved more than Saoirse and shouldn’t have forgiven her so many times, but that’s okay.

I don’t have much else to say. Maybe if the ending was different I’d be able to appreciate the parts of this book that I loved so much, but I really feel like I can’t. I’m going to be resorting to ao3’s alternate endings to this book immediately to fill the void in my heart that I now have because of that ending.

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luananki's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

i have no strong feelings towards this book, i enjoyed reading it. the story is sweet and talks about important topics, a quick and easy read

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