Scan barcode
millah's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked this one, especially the writing style with the tempting mix of emotion, tension and humour. The love story pulled me in from the start and the characters and their interaction were engaging. Justin and Eli had huge traumas in their past and I was curious about how that would influence their story. I liked how the tension and attraction built between them. It was intense (almost too much to be believable but not too much, if that makes sense). The hot times between them and the kink were steamy and seemed well negotiated. We got some hints that they both had issues that they didn't talk about and that these things could end up destroying everything. And yes, when the shit finally hit the fan, it was really shitty. I couldn't help feeling that some of it could have been avoided, so the last part of this book felt a bit heavy on miscommunication and trauma-induced angst. Still, the writing was good, and the whole situation made my heart ache for Justin and Eli and kept the tension up. It's hard to resolve a conflict like this in a satisfying way (at least for me and my hangups), but it ended up better than I feared. I won't spoil it, but I appreciated the communication. The last part of the book and the ending was a very sweet HEA ending. To sum it up, this book was an enjoyable read and I'll definitely read the next book in this series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Minor: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Classism, Homophobia, Outing, and Religious bigotry
More...