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maxfelixwp's review
Wanted desperately to love it - and made it about halfway through! - but couldn't make it work. I love the author, and I was drawn to the set-up: small Pacific Northwest seaside town, a young man dealing with an impossible situation with his younger brother, a powerful found family story, an unlikely romance...
At first, I really enjoyed it, and I was really struck by the writing from Bear's perspective. His journey, pain, love, and relationships felt completely believable to me.
But then we switch to Otter's perspective, and the whole tenor changed for me. It's one thing for Bear to have a teenage crush on an older boy - that's very normal. And they didn't have their first connection until Bear was well past 18, already graduated and responsible for Ty - again, very normal and okay. And they don't reconnect more seriously until Bear is 21 - fine. But in Otter's flashbacks, Otter makes it explicit that he was attracted to Bear when Bear was 16 and Otter was 24!!!! Of course he didn't act on it, and they don't reconnect until Otter is in his late 20s to Bear's 21 - but the core of their relationship being a 24-year-old's attraction to a 16-year-old really sours it for me. I saw the whole thing differently at that point and couldn't get back into it.
I do appreciate that a young guy and an older man is very common in MM romance (and in the lives of real-life gay men) - as a gay trans masc myself, I understand that. But a flat-out attraction to a 16-year-old, which the older man hides from other people in his life as well, just doesn't sit well with me.
At first, I really enjoyed it, and I was really struck by the writing from Bear's perspective. His journey, pain, love, and relationships felt completely believable to me.
But then we switch to Otter's perspective, and the whole tenor changed for me. It's one thing for Bear to have a teenage crush on an older boy - that's very normal. And they didn't have their first connection until Bear was well past 18, already graduated and responsible for Ty - again, very normal and okay. And they don't reconnect more seriously until Bear is 21 - fine. But in Otter's flashbacks, Otter makes it explicit that he was attracted to Bear when Bear was 16 and Otter was 24!!!! Of course he didn't act on it, and they don't reconnect until Otter is in his late 20s to Bear's 21 - but the core of their relationship being a 24-year-old's attraction to a 16-year-old really sours it for me. I saw the whole thing differently at that point and couldn't get back into it.
I do appreciate that a young guy and an older man is very common in MM romance (and in the lives of real-life gay men) - as a gay trans masc myself, I understand that. But a flat-out attraction to a 16-year-old, which the older man hides from other people in his life as well, just doesn't sit well with me.
the_gare_bear's review
4.0
I really do think that I have a bit of a addiction to Mr. Klune's books. I purchased all 4 books in this series so I wouldn't have to wait to keep reading as I finish one book.
Once again a great story that is firmly based in reality and the way people act/behave. Especially in a small town. Reading the story of Bear, Otter, and the Kid was such a journey. So far so good, the series really explores what it is like to have responsibilities thrust upon you at an early age due to circumstances beyond your control.
I look forward to continuing the series and seeing where this journey will go.
Once again a great story that is firmly based in reality and the way people act/behave. Especially in a small town. Reading the story of Bear, Otter, and the Kid was such a journey. So far so good, the series really explores what it is like to have responsibilities thrust upon you at an early age due to circumstances beyond your control.
I look forward to continuing the series and seeing where this journey will go.
laurenfloyd333's review
challenging
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.5
wintergirl94's review
5.0
As usual I love everything and anything TJ Kline produces. No one writes romance like him it’s so precious and beautiful. Otter and Bear were soulmates, no one makes me believe in them more than this writer.
booknerd2009's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
raynebair's review
5.0
I was emotionally drained after reading this book. TJ ran me through the ringer of emotions. My goodness. Of course now I gotta read the next book. Agh!
analu04's review
funny
lighthearted
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
3.75
faithd's review
5.0
4.5 stars
Beautiful story that breaks your heart and then puts it back together again. The characters are all wonderfully flawed people (except for the Kid, he's just perfect and I love him). There is a bit of fourth wall breaking, which I usually don't like, but I found that it really worked in this book. Having everything from Bear's point of view was perfect.
There were a couple of things that bothered me....and this is just for me personally....
Another note: This was rated as 5/5 for heat on romance.io. This is LAUGHABLE. It is open door....barely (3/5). I'm starting to wonder if TJ Klune fans just never read spicy books and they are so shocked to see any kind of sex scene that they immediately label it as erotica. (I made a similar note with The Lightning Struck Heart which is also a 3/5 but is rated as 4/5 on romance.io).
This is definitely not erotica, so if you are worried about that, have no fear. There is 1 or maybe 2 somewhat detailed sex scenes in this but the rest of the scenes are vague/glossed over/behind closed doors, etc. (and there aren't many of them). It is heavy on emotions and character development, with the plot, romance, and steam all sort of supporting those elements.
Beautiful story that breaks your heart and then puts it back together again. The characters are all wonderfully flawed people (except for the Kid, he's just perfect and I love him). There is a bit of fourth wall breaking, which I usually don't like, but I found that it really worked in this book. Having everything from Bear's point of view was perfect.
There were a couple of things that bothered me....and this is just for me personally....
Spoiler
first of all, the level of obsession of Otter towards Bear combined with the age gap...kind of gave me the creeps (at times). Also, when the mom comes back...it didn't make sense to me at all. The fact that she just wanted Otter and Bear to break up or else she was going to take the Kid?? Like, she doesn't ask for money or a place to live? Where is Tom? How is she surviving? And why does she care so much about Bear being gay anyway when she abandoned him? Maybe these questions will be answered in the next books in the series though...Another note: This was rated as 5/5 for heat on romance.io. This is LAUGHABLE. It is open door....barely (3/5). I'm starting to wonder if TJ Klune fans just never read spicy books and they are so shocked to see any kind of sex scene that they immediately label it as erotica. (I made a similar note with The Lightning Struck Heart which is also a 3/5 but is rated as 4/5 on romance.io).
This is definitely not erotica, so if you are worried about that, have no fear. There is 1 or maybe 2 somewhat detailed sex scenes in this but the rest of the scenes are vague/glossed over/behind closed doors, etc. (and there aren't many of them). It is heavy on emotions and character development, with the plot, romance, and steam all sort of supporting those elements.
jufliii's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
2.5
brittanymeeks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5