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elisa_menz's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Loved it!
First: I read it in one go and I actually woke up at three am because I was 3 chapters away from the ending. I never skip sleep to read! I just couldn't rest without knowing what would happen to the Foresters and April.
Second: I do this thing while reading; trying to imagine how the characters are going to fix the mess they're in before I actually get to that part. I couldn't do it! This is such an emotional, heartbreaking story. A word that pops up a lot through this book is "chaos" and I felt it. I was in tears reading about Ash and their complicated siblings, and the awful situation they were in. It's hard to take sides when no one is the "bad guy" and everyone needs a big hug and tons of therapy. And kind, brave April; she deserved so much better in life and kept getting blow after blow.
Third: I actually slept like a baby after finishing this lovely book! Thank you, exactly what I needed.
First: I read it in one go and I actually woke up at three am because I was 3 chapters away from the ending. I never skip sleep to read! I just couldn't rest without knowing what would happen to the Foresters and April.
Second: I do this thing while reading; trying to imagine how the characters are going to fix the mess they're in before I actually get to that part. I couldn't do it! This is such an emotional, heartbreaking story. A word that pops up a lot through this book is "chaos" and I felt it. I was in tears reading about Ash and their complicated siblings, and the awful situation they were in. It's hard to take sides when no one is the "bad guy" and everyone needs a big hug and tons of therapy. And kind, brave April; she deserved so much better in life and kept getting blow after blow.
Third: I actually slept like a baby after finishing this lovely book! Thank you, exactly what I needed.
mollymccarthybooks's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED this book. The only thing I didn’t like was that it’s the first in an unfinished series so I have to wait to read the rest!
.
This book is such an emotional journey. At age 30, Ash is raising his 8 brothers and sisters and it’s chaotic, to say the least. He broke up with April 7 years ago when his life changed, but now she’s back in town and the sparks are still there. She’s been badly burned, though, and is hesitant to start things up again. There are secrets & mysteries that unravel throughout the book and keep you hooked until the end!
.
This book is such an emotional journey. At age 30, Ash is raising his 8 brothers and sisters and it’s chaotic, to say the least. He broke up with April 7 years ago when his life changed, but now she’s back in town and the sparks are still there. She’s been badly burned, though, and is hesitant to start things up again. There are secrets & mysteries that unravel throughout the book and keep you hooked until the end!
bookishxblondie's review against another edition
2.0
Good:
The MCS had great chemistry
April is relatable and sweet and likable
Ash is also relatable and sweet and he tries so hard to make the right decisions for his family
The angst/awkwardness between April/Ash. I love a good uncomfortable tension in these novels.
Bad:
April is barely a round/dynamic character. We needed way more background on her life.
The addition of Gabe. The reason for their divorce could have been talked about in the early chapters and in the exposition. Way too much time was focused on that, when they should've given April a better backstory.
Beth was ruined for me near the end of the book especially her insult to April that she knew was the reason she got divorced and even moved. That was really unforgivable in my opinion.
Most of the children were furniture and some even unnecessary.
The conflict was inconsistent and confusing about what the mom did.
The entire subplot of Willow/Aspen, especially Willow being her mom 2.0 was annoying
The MCS had great chemistry
April is relatable and sweet and likable
Ash is also relatable and sweet and he tries so hard to make the right decisions for his family
The angst/awkwardness between April/Ash. I love a good uncomfortable tension in these novels.
Bad:
April is barely a round/dynamic character. We needed way more background on her life.
The addition of Gabe. The reason for their divorce could have been talked about in the early chapters and in the exposition. Way too much time was focused on that, when they should've given April a better backstory.
Beth was ruined for me near the end of the book especially her insult to April that she knew was the reason she got divorced and even moved. That was really unforgivable in my opinion.
Most of the children were furniture and some even unnecessary.
The conflict was inconsistent and confusing about what the mom did.
The entire subplot of Willow/Aspen, especially Willow being her mom 2.0 was annoying
dani_j_norwell's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
4.0
To be honest, this book took a little while for me to get into and I was afraid I would agree with some other reviewers about there being too many characters and too many issues to keep straight but, in the end, I found that I was able to get to know all of them and become invested in the story.
I loved how the POV shifted between Ash and April, highlighting how easily and often misunderstandings and the best (but misguided) intentions can change everything. I really enjoyed the lightheartedness of this second chance romance, intertwined with far heavier topics like drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, and infertility, to name a few.
I spent the whole book waiting to learn more about the Forester family's past, [slight spoiler] specifically what happened to their mother, and I will say that these loose ends basically got tied up but I'm still left with questions/wanting more. I hope that Book 2 will go into this further and I will definitely be checking it out to find out!
Side-note: I enjoyed this book as an audiobook and, while I understand that the two voice actors likely recorded their chapters separately, it was a little jarring to hear "Ash" reading April's lines in his chapters and vice-versa. I also found the drawl-y voice the narrator for April's character put on when she was speaking for any other woman to be a bit annoying, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. In fact, I think it was ideal to take in this first book as an audiobook since it pushed me to just keep listening even when I couldn't remember which sibling was which, and I eventually caught on. On the other hand, I know I would have spent time trying to look back and figure it out if I had been reading traditionally and that would have been more frustrating.
I loved how the POV shifted between Ash and April, highlighting how easily and often misunderstandings and the best (but misguided) intentions can change everything. I really enjoyed the lightheartedness of this second chance romance, intertwined with far heavier topics like drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, and infertility, to name a few.
I spent the whole book waiting to learn more about the Forester family's past, [slight spoiler] specifically what happened to their mother, and I will say that these loose ends basically got tied up but I'm still left with questions/wanting more. I hope that Book 2 will go into this further and I will definitely be checking it out to find out!
Side-note: I enjoyed this book as an audiobook and, while I understand that the two voice actors likely recorded their chapters separately, it was a little jarring to hear "Ash" reading April's lines in his chapters and vice-versa. I also found the drawl-y voice the narrator for April's character put on when she was speaking for any other woman to be a bit annoying, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. In fact, I think it was ideal to take in this first book as an audiobook since it pushed me to just keep listening even when I couldn't remember which sibling was which, and I eventually caught on. On the other hand, I know I would have spent time trying to look back and figure it out if I had been reading traditionally and that would have been more frustrating.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Car accident, and Infertility
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
nfathauer's review against another edition
5.0
I thought it was great and easy to read. No big major blow ups but great character development and a lot of room for extra stories like the author is going to do. The next one is about the sister Willow. Im so excited to see how this series progresses.
readingromance's review against another edition
4.0
4.5, omg i love the foresters so much, i can’t wait for the next book !!
my full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMCShnHg7cm/?igshid=1tjfdctnm11o0
my full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMCShnHg7cm/?igshid=1tjfdctnm11o0
bodagirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Very cute and excellent for first time author. I can't wait for the series to continue. I wasn't a huge fan of the male narrator's voices for the female characters, but I got over it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Infertility
mvalenty97's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5