Scan barcode
allingoodtime's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
After reading this author’s Taking the Heat, I wanted to read more. I tend to go back to the very beginning when I find an author I like, so here I am. I’m not sure if this was her debut, but from what I can tell it was toward the beginning of her career as a published author. I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed this story and had a hard time putting it down.
Molly is unapologetic for keeping her secrets and is open and forthright when talking about sex. I love her. Granted, there were times I did hope she’d share more with Ben. Times I felt she was digging in her heels and being stubborn, but there were reasons she didn’t trust easily. Even when it was someone she’s known most of her life, her brother’s best friend.
I was pleasantly surprised by Ben. He ended up having more depth than I thought he’d be given. While he is very by the book as the small-town chief of police, there are even more reasons he doesn’t like even the hint of scandal in his life. So much so that he never dates anyone from town, even when they are often cut off from surrounding areas in the winter due to their location. But when Molly comes back to town, they have a hard time keeping their distance.
Obviously, someone who dislikes scandal as much as Ben has a hard time with Molly keeping secrets. I love that, although Ben loves Molly’s brother and parents, he wasn’t blind to the preferential treatment the brother received. In fact, in hindsight, Molly realizes how caring Ben was even back when she was a kid. Those are the things that had me falling in love with Ben right along with Molly.
This story has chemistry, laughs, witty banter, suspense, and intrigue. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Stalking, and Sexual assault
caughtas's review
adventurous
funny
tense
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
Pretty funny. I don’t know if that’s the writing style or just romance novels in general. I found it sorta corny for the most part, but it really sucked me in and was entertaining, not too dissimilar from watching “trash TV” (though my opinion has been and always will be “if it’s not harmful, let ppl like what they like”) As a fanfiction writer myself, I found Molly to be very relatable in some aspects. While I don’t subscribe to her “tell no one anything” approach, I’ve definitely shared her worries of what people might think of her writing. I feel like Ben’s backstory could have been fleshed out a little more, as well as his friendship with Molly’s older brother. It’s mentioned multiple times, but the only time they really talk, it’s to talk about Molly. The graphic assault scene at the end was really jarring, and I wish it had ended the first time Ben had knocked on the door.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Stalking
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, Gun violence, and Torture
bookfortbuilder's review
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I liked aspects of this book. I think it should have been a light hearted rom com in tone, but the issue with the stalker made the humorous tone ineffective. The heroine is so much of a flake she doesn’t even believe in her own career choice. And she pretty much hides in lies, and doesn’t take her stalking situation seriously. I thought her reasons for not telling the hero about her career and her stalker were lame. This would be a five star read if it kept the focus on the rom com and dropped the stalker plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, and Kidnapping
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
More...