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reiverse's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content
hereiskyra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Although the resolution to her mothers story wasn’t a happy one (and I did feel like I had a glimmer of hope the entire book), it was a relief that there was some peace given to Aurora (and to us readers) because who wants to live their life wondering?
Also, a single POV having the second narrator for the male character was fantastic!! I wish more authors would do this.
Spice Level: 🌶️
Tropes:
Slow Burn
Grumpy/Sunshine
Small Town
Single Dad
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
what_karla_reads'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? No
5.0
1.5/5 spice
Tropes:
Strangers to friends to lovers
Slow burn
Trauma/healing
Protective hero
Grumpy/sunshine
Single dad
Single POV
The slowest of the slow burns but honestly I'm not mad about it. I really enjoyed the personal journey Aurora went through. I think that was more important that her finding love. Overall, I loved the grumpy/sunshine trope with this one. This was my first book with this author but I'm definitely interested in reading more.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.
Trigger/Content warnings:
Mentions emotional abuse, extortion, divorce, and death of parent. Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
alfarmer'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
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
niamhstorme'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
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
takarakei'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? It's complicated
2.75
Which honestly sucks because the last 20% of this book is really good! Once you *actually* start to see the tiniest spark (aka they have conversations) between the main characters I enjoyed it. I really liked the development of the relationship between Aurora and Tobias' son Amos (tbh she has more interactions in the first half of the book with Amos than Tobias). There's a hard hitting part at the end regarding Aurora's grief over her mom that got me a bit misty.
Overall I'm not sure I really vibed with Aurora as a main character and she made some really dumb ass decisions in this book that irked me (hello hiking on your own when you are clearly not an experienced hiker and your mom disappeared while hiking??? please make it make sense). Also this is a self published book moving to traditional publication and the arc I read had some super repetitive parts and several typos that I hope are fixed before it's published...
I have some other books by this author on my list that I will read, but I'll be checking the page count before I do.
🌶️3/5
Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content and Mental illness
Minor: Pregnancy
Aurora's ex and his mother are vile and the horrible things they did to her are brought up several times. Tobias' mother struggled with mental illness and as a result he had a rough childhood. There is one explicit spicy scene. Pregnancy happens as part of the HEA (not a surprise).meganpbennett's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the free eARC!
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Death, and Death of parent
luchikreads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
flor3nce17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This is a slow burn which I like but the pacing was a bit too slow for my liking. I sometimes didn't feel like reading it.
Minor: Sexual content and Mental illness
fremzz's review against another edition
4.75
And it CERTAINLY didn’t happen with this one.
Aurora and Rhodes are so cute together it makes me SICK because I might never have what they have and now it’s Mariana Zapata’s fault for setting my standards so high. Every little moment in this book had me kicking my feet I read a bunch of it at the beach because I just couldn’t stop and my friend probably thought something was going on because I couldn’t stop smiling and covering my mouth with my hand from cuteness overload. This was my first single parent book and it’s definitely not going to be my last because the way I absolutely ADORED the kid in this book and the dynamics with him it was amazing.
Taking .25 off because off a few small things, for example this quote: “but only you are even more beautiful without makeup on than with it.” It was too 2011 Disney channel original movie for me and that’s ok because the book was still amazing.
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Death