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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
I read Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young about a year ago and although I enjoyed that book for some reason it didn't fully click with me. This book though, I was fully in for this one!
In this book we follow Chloe who just finished her studies and started to stand up on her own legs with her (adoptive) parents all the way in Barcelona, her college friends dispersing over the country and her birth mother out of her life. When she gets a call that Connie - her birthmother - unexpectedly gave birth to daughter and she wants Chloe to take care of her.
Warren has been trying to get custody of his fifteen-year-old Deaf brother for some time, but same as Chloe, he can't *quite* pass the evaluation. Teaming up is the only way they will get their siblings from the system.
First of all, I have to say that the character work in this was excellent. I don't usually do summaries in my reviews but it felt necessary here, because so much of who our characters are is tied into their complex life stories. We only follow Chloe's POV and as such Warren is almost insufferable at the beginning. But by the end his behaviour more than make sense.
This might seem like a non-sequiter to you, but talking about Warren brings me to the topic of third-act conflict/breakup/whatever, I want to talk about this because it stressed me out the whole time I read the book, because of how this book is build having any sort of drama toward the end could be really damaging to their whole situation and to the kids. So... I'm going to softly spoil this for you (won't give any specific details) if you don't want to know, just skip this paragraph đ There is no third act breakup, there is a bit of drama, but it makes sense with the type of trauma these characters accumulated through their lives, especially Warren and this is actually one of the rare cases where I really liked the drama toward the end of the book because it was truly tied together with the character's development. Thumbs up from me!
Honestly, I'm just like... I don't want to spend this whole review just talking about Warren, but like his and Willow's relationship was everything to me? Even when he is trying to keep his distance part of him is very consistantly going "this is my daughter!" What can I say, I'm weak for men who are good with babies especially if they are not biologically theirs.
Also, just... once he got over himself and decided he was in for it, he was 100% in for it, not causing any unnecessary drama when Chloe was rejecting him in a way. Honestly that was easily the hottest scene in the book.When he knows he has to win her over and makes pancakes for her shirtless and when she tells him she can't risk getting involved with him because of their situation he just accepts it and is like... January 15th then (which at that point is like 3 months away I believe) will you let me take you on a date then? My heart!
Also, ALSO! If you are like me... and with each romance book you read you are like, how is it she never gets her period when they want to have sex? What type of bodily magic is this?! This book goes there!They are finally going to have sex for the first time and she's like... Actually, I kind of forgot that I'm having my period right now... and that's not how I want our first time to go. And then they cuddle. I fucking love that! And for this single reason I'm going to read eveerything Hannah Bonam-Young ever written. Her sex scenes might not fully connect with me, but I love what she is doing with the genre!
Anyway, as you can tell, I really loved this, which I wasn't expecting. It was such an emotional read, I both cried and laughed a lot and those types of reads are some of my very favourites. Really looking forward to Next to You because "friends to idiots to lovers" is imo a perfect trope and I really hope that Emily's book will get published soon, because her story really interests me a lot. Ugh, loved this, would recommend!
P.S. There is a bonus epilogue, which is free, but there are some annoying adds involved, the author says it should be available from her page, but I couldn't find it there: https://www.scribd.com/document/68067...
In this book we follow Chloe who just finished her studies and started to stand up on her own legs with her (adoptive) parents all the way in Barcelona, her college friends dispersing over the country and her birth mother out of her life. When she gets a call that Connie - her birthmother - unexpectedly gave birth to daughter and she wants Chloe to take care of her.
Warren has been trying to get custody of his fifteen-year-old Deaf brother for some time, but same as Chloe, he can't *quite* pass the evaluation. Teaming up is the only way they will get their siblings from the system.
First of all, I have to say that the character work in this was excellent. I don't usually do summaries in my reviews but it felt necessary here, because so much of who our characters are is tied into their complex life stories. We only follow Chloe's POV and as such Warren is almost insufferable at the beginning. But by the end his behaviour more than make sense.
This might seem like a non-sequiter to you, but talking about Warren brings me to the topic of third-act conflict/breakup/whatever, I want to talk about this because it stressed me out the whole time I read the book, because of how this book is build having any sort of drama toward the end could be really damaging to their whole situation and to the kids. So... I'm going to softly spoil this for you (won't give any specific details) if you don't want to know, just skip this paragraph đ There is no third act breakup, there is a bit of drama, but it makes sense with the type of trauma these characters accumulated through their lives, especially Warren and this is actually one of the rare cases where I really liked the drama toward the end of the book because it was truly tied together with the character's development. Thumbs up from me!
Honestly, I'm just like... I don't want to spend this whole review just talking about Warren, but like his and Willow's relationship was everything to me? Even when he is trying to keep his distance part of him is very consistantly going "this is my daughter!" What can I say, I'm weak for men who are good with babies especially if they are not biologically theirs.
Also, just... once he got over himself and decided he was in for it, he was 100% in for it, not causing any unnecessary drama when Chloe was rejecting him in a way. Honestly that was easily the hottest scene in the book.
Also, ALSO! If you are like me... and with each romance book you read you are like, how is it she never gets her period when they want to have sex? What type of bodily magic is this?! This book goes there!
Anyway, as you can tell, I really loved this, which I wasn't expecting. It was such an emotional read, I both cried and laughed a lot and those types of reads are some of my very favourites. Really looking forward to Next to You because "friends to idiots to lovers" is imo a perfect trope and I really hope that Emily's book will get published soon, because her story really interests me a lot. Ugh, loved this, would recommend!
P.S. There is a bonus epilogue, which is free, but there are some annoying adds involved, the author says it should be available from her page, but I couldn't find it there: https://www.scribd.com/document/68067...
emotional
inspiring
i love hannahâs writing style and appreciate the real life situations she depicts in her stories. i also love that i was pleasantly surprised that the plot didnât involve chloe and warren having to fight too much for willow and luke and everyone could see they were wonderful guardians and a wonderful family!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
3.75âď¸
Under 300 pages!!! finished in a day, a nice quick read. I didnât love Warrenâs attitude in the first few chapters but after learning about him more and him opening up I loved him (even tho the guitar and singing was a little cringey LOL) I like their relationship, itâs silly, goofy but very lovey dovey (see what I did there!!) Them having very similar backgrounds made them falling in love so and opening up to each other so sweet. âtell me to stayâ swoon! âi said i didnât want to be your friendâ YUPPPP got me good!! Loved the bonus epilogue from his perspective and his relationship with Willow!
Under 300 pages!!! finished in a day, a nice quick read. I didnât love Warrenâs attitude in the first few chapters but after learning about him more and him opening up I loved him (even tho the guitar and singing was a little cringey LOL) I like their relationship, itâs silly, goofy but very lovey dovey (see what I did there!!) Them having very similar backgrounds made them falling in love so and opening up to each other so sweet. âtell me to stayâ swoon! âi said i didnât want to be your friendâ YUPPPP got me good!! Loved the bonus epilogue from his perspective and his relationship with Willow!
fast-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
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
The gymnastics the author had to do to get these two to meet was hard to read and too unreal to even suspend my disbelief. Also, they didn't need to go so hard on the enemies to lovers trope and make them hate each other that much at first sight.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Another great one from Hannah B-Y
Oh my gosh. This one might be my fave of hers đ¤
The cast diversity and character development is amazing. All characters are so lovely and people I can see myself gravitating towards. This is about found family and making the most from your life.
Oh my gosh. This one might be my fave of hers đ¤
The cast diversity and character development is amazing. All characters are so lovely and people I can see myself gravitating towards. This is about found family and making the most from your life.