Reviews with content warning for Grief - Behind the Scenes

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Behind the Scenes by Karelia Stetz-Waters

10 reviews

mollysbooklist's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Loved this book!

It’s equal parts funny and emotional but not overly done.

The narrator was great too. Lori Prince was great with her timing.

Thanks to Forever Publishing for the physical arc in exchange for my honest review. I was enjoying the book so much I bought the audiobook so I could keep going while I did chores today.

Trigger warnings: airplane phobia, parent loss, car accident, female sexual dysfunction, and ablism by side character in the past

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nikspandya's review against another edition

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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

5.0

this read has me all in my feels. It really does. I feel that a lot contemporary romance readers are drawn to the word “realistic” to describe whether a book pulls at their heartstrings the correct or incorrect way. But that doesn’t feel right to me. The satisfaction of Behind the Scenes for me lies in its E X E C U T I O N. It was executed to a T.

With only one book under my belt, Karliea Stetz-Waters has become an auto buy author for me. Her method of storytelling is exactly my taste, her pacing is my speed. Her characters Rose and Ash are REAL people, 38 and 40 year olds that have lived a life thus far that was only made full with meeting each other.

I love film. I loved Rose and Ash’s backstories that led them together in such a sweet serendipitous way. The additions of their passions for sight and sound molding their bond closer, making them necessary to one another. This book also touches on healing and sexual dysfunction, which is not something I’ve read before but was happy to read and learn about.

The chapters are short and read like scenes from a movie, the exposition is introduced with care and excitement for what’s to come. I would watch the shit out of this movie (much like I will reread this book later in the year). Behind the Scenes is just so….wonderful from start to finish and I’m going to put Satisfaction Guaranteed on my future library holds list lol. Highly recommend this lovely sapphic romance!

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imstephtacular's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

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4.0

Behind the Scenes by Karelia Stetz-Waters was one of my most anticipated new releases in January and I devoured it in two days. It’s a sapphic romantic comedy with personal growth, laughs, and spice – a favorite combo for me.

In it we meet Rose and Ash, whose careers intersect at pivotal moments in each of their lives. Ash is laying it all on the line to finance her next film and get her career back on track after a devastating break up that challenged her credibility at work. After a chance meeting with sparks, she hires Rose as a business consultant for her big pitch to the financer.

Their arc from initial meeting…to showing flaws…to personal healing…to secret love…to out loud love had me all in. There’s character depth and trauma healing while being witty and entertaining, with dashes of spice. It’s grown-up love with a sugary sweet ending. Bonus… if you enjoy ASMR there is a sub-plot with Rose that is fun!

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book, I appreciate you!

Content warnings: Sexual content (moderate), Grief

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skudiklier's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I'm giving this 4.5 stars because it was a good romance, and I was invested, and overall I enjoyed it. I had some small things I didn't like though.

Some of the pacing is weird; like their first kiss is pretty anticlimactic, and some scenes felt super drawn out while others felt brushed over, in ways that took away from the story in my opinion.

Also there was just so much repetitive stuff about their trauma and anxiety--now, please don't get me wrong, I am super down for those parts of the story. And mostly it was well-done I think, but some of it felt forced/on the nose in a way where it's like, okay I get it, this is the major conflict here, but having it brought up multiple times in every scene is a little much.

Small things I liked though: the Portland stuff, and how they clearly made sure to keep their lives separate in a healthy way. Also I would read a sequel about Ty and Emma, ngl.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

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emmreadsbooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A slow burn sapphic romance with an ASMR subplot, all about processing your trauma and respecting boundaries? Y-E-S. Like... how could I not be head over heels for this book? Rose and Ash are compelling characters in their own right, but the chemistry they have is next level. This book feels like an exercise in edging, building up all of the tension and then letting it just SIT there while the drama plays out. Also, I just need to say that we STAN a book with no 3rd act break-up. It isn't necessary for this book at ALL!! But that isn't to say that there aren't some truly devastating twists along the way. I can't wait to read more from Karelia Stetz-Waters.

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

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thisboricuareader's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

WHEN I TELL YOU THIS BOOK IS GOOD, IT'S FUCKING GOOD!

oh my god, it took me awhile because I was too in love with Ash and Rose. I wanted to hug them and keep them in my life forever.

First of all, they have one of the funniest/cutest meet cute ever. Second, Ash's story broke my heart sometimes and all of her thoughts and feelings were so real that they made me feel something. Third, ASMR. You really have to read this book to understand this part of the review.

The story is well written. Even though they know each other for a month, you get to see their relationship develop and it's not just them wants to fuck each others bones. I think Ash's growth was well done and by then end it's not like "magically fixed" because she found love.

Every second I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about them. Thank you so much netgalley for the e-arc of this book.

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duckyreads's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

3.0

Behind the Scenes is my first read from Karelia Stetz-Waters, and it's a cute sapphic romance. I really enjoyed that both female leads are older and more established in their careers. Karelia tackled several heavy topics, and I loved how intimacy was discussed (especially with the inclusion of sex toys). Karelia has a very relatable writing style that makes it very easy to dive in to the story.

Although I enjoyed watching Ash and Rose get to know each other and become a safe place for each other, some aspects of their relationship/story felt slow and dragged slightly.

I recommend this for fans of slow-burn workplace romances!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central) Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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arthur_ant18's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.5

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I've had Satisfaction Guaranteed, the 2021 sapphic opposites-attract contemporary romance by Karelia Stetz-Waters, on my TBR pile for a while now. That's why I was eager to get the opportunity to read the ARC for Behind the Scenes, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! Her upcoming 2023 rom-com follows the love story between Rose Josten, a business consultant who's anxious about reaching middle age (particularly since she owns the numerous pugs that are needed to qualify her for the, as it's called in the book, "pug lady" period of her life), and Ashlynn "Ash" Stewart, a former director who's been essentially blacklisted from Hollywood after undergoing a messy divorce with her ex-wife and previous filmmaking colleague Victoria and is now looking to translate a new lesbian rom-com of hers from dream to reality. This leads to Rose and Ash teaming up to work towards that goal and attain a bigwig producer's financial backing, which, of course, is when they start to fall for each other.

Behind the Scenes is a heartwarming romance that got me rooting for it all the way through. It sees Stetz-Waters reusing the opposites-attract trope while throwing in a bit of instant attraction to kick things off, although it then builds up in a slow-burn fashion for the first half of the book or so. Plenty of chemistry explodes between Rose and Ash as they get to know each other and slowly but surely become vulnerable about their ambitions and pasts. On Rose's part, I enjoyed reading about the time she spends posting ASMR videos online under the alias Cherry Covered Apron (videos that, we learn early on, an oblivious Ash has been watching to relax herself), which I felt added surprisingly sensual layers to a rom-com that's already fairly steamy in certain parts. As for Ash (with whom I easily connected as an aspiring filmmaker myself), I was compelled by the journey she went on to overcome the psychological trauma that came not only from injuries she'd incurred in a car accident, but also from her relationship with Victoria and its toxic facets that said accident dredged up. Together, Rose and Ash were an endearing power couple that I wanted nothing but pure happiness for.

Stetz-Waters does an excellent job at writing Rose and Ash's sex scenes with a sensitivity that's perfect for their sweet dynamic, and the scenes always emerge organically, never feeling as if they've been randomly tossed onto the page. Amping up the lovability is Rose's family, which I found to be as hugely entertaining and adorable as the eponymous family in the Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert. If possible, I'd be keen to see them pop up again in a future book.

My only major complaint is that the leads' dual perspectives mirror each other too much, often leaving me confused as to whose POV I'm in. I wish their voices had been written more distinctly. At the same time, though, this doesn't detract much from my abundance of love for Behind the Scenes. As for the third-act conflict, I initially believed it was going to be a major issue for me when it came up. But then it subverted my expectations and veered away from the misunderstanding that I thought it would revolve the whole fight around in favor of a much more convincing and satisfying direction for Rose and Ash.

Overall, Behind the Scenes is one of the most enjoyable contemporary romances I've picked up in a while, and I'm pumped for this to be published out in the open world on Jan. 31, 2023. I'll definitely have to move Satisfaction Guaranteed up my TBR pile, too.

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decklededgess's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

trigger warnings: death of parents, ptsd, phobia of flying, car accident, physical injury, sexual trauma related to accident, alcohol mention, grief, toxic relationship

The book starts out slow but knowing this was a Karelia Stetz-Waters book, I knew I just had to wait until the tension kicked in. I was right. It takes a couple of chapters for the exposition to wrap up but it's so needed. There is a lot of backstory to Ash and Rose that comes into play later in the book so the character set up was essential for all the emotional points of the story to hit their mark.

Rose is such a strong protagonist in every way. She's the supporter of her family after her parents died. Self sacrificing to a fault, a bad bitch through and through, and afraid of losing control and losing loved ones. To complement her, Ash has already lost control, doesn't feel like she has any control and so is grasping and any semblance of stability she can to avoid another public spectacle that led to her career demise. They're two sides of the same coin and the slow explosion of their romance as they navigated their own traumas to learn how to let go was BEAUTIFUL.

Truly a beautiful book and I really hope we see a Ty and Emma book soon!!

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