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spaghettireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Vomit, Mental illness, Abandonment, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Moderate: Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, and Medical content
katievallin's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Grief, Vomit, Mental illness, and Cursing
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Medical content and Alcohol
enzopudge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, and Panic attacks/disorders
marioosa517's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Child abuse, Cursing, and Abandonment
Moderate: Excrement, Alcohol, Death of parent, Sexual content, Grief, Alcoholism, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Racism, Dementia, and Fire/Fire injury
ashleyjean6's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
atamano's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Grief, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, Death of parent, Vomit, Medical content, and Mental illness
Minor: Car accident, Excrement, and Fire/Fire injury
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Cursing, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Child abuse, Medical content, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
smilagros's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I am a social worker. I specifically have worked with children and adolescents who have dealt with the extreme trauma. When I read books, I read them to learn, to laugh, to escape. I was in the mood to escape. And unfortunately, I couldn’t escape because of Amber and Emma. I was very very frustrated with Emma. And I was reading her character not as a social worker but as a regular reader. Then around the 70% I was starting to have my social work hat on and having a mental health mindset and that is what I did not want that. I wanted to unwind and get whisked away to a universe and I did not have that experience with this book.
Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Grief, Alcohol, and Medical trauma
corgilover1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
zanazy's review
- 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
3.0
The main relationship between Emma, a traveling nurse, and Justin, a software engineer is sparked by a DM sent by Emma after an AITA post that Justin makes. In his post, Justin explains his dating curse, similar to the movie Good Luck Chuck, where every girl he dates, goes on to find their soulmate after they break up. Coincidentally, Emma DMs him because she has the same curse. After a few flirty DMs and mentions of a funny, plumbing billboard, Emma makes an out-of-character decision to change her next traveling assignment from Hawaii to Minnesota so she and Justin can "date" and break each other's curse by canceling them out.
Aside from the relationship between Emma and Justin, the best friend/sister relationship between Emma and Maddie is a large driver of several key events and character developments for Emma. Emma is Maddie's foster sister and Maddie has seen Emma at her worst, more often than she should have. Most of the worst times usually involve Emma's biological mother - Amber. Emma has major unresolved childhood trauma from frequent abandonment by her mother that has never had a chance to heal. However, Emma is good and she chooses to see the best in her mom. This eventually
Justin has issues of his own. Shortly before meeting Emma, his mother is sentenced to jail, leaving Justin to take care of his younger siblings and become their guardian. He goes through a lot in this story and the character development he undergoes is almost as big as what Emma goes through.
Because of their underlying issues, Justin and Emma's story is relatable. It can get difficult to read at times as there are several moments where their mental health is not in a good spot, especially Emma's, but it's part of who they are, and I enjoyed the insight into the minds of their characters.
This is the first book by Abby that I have read, and I enjoyed it. When I finished the story, I learned that two supporting characters and one character who makes a brief appearance in this book were first mentioned in Part of Your World, so I intend to read that book too, but as of writing this, I don't think it took anything away from my experience.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Addiction, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content