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cathyo_113's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Racism
novella42's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
4.25
A fun read. I really enjoyed the way the author portrayed relationship communication and conflict styles, and that the male lead wasn't shy or embarrassed about having been to a therapist.
An excellent book for readers who struggle with boundaries, people-pleasing, and anxious attachment styles. I feel confident the protagonist is an Enneagram 2, if that matters to you.
An excellent book for readers who struggle with boundaries, people-pleasing, and anxious attachment styles. I feel confident the protagonist is an Enneagram 2, if that matters to you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, and Vomit
Minor: Racism, Bullying, Cancer, Classism, and Excrement
whosfernn's review against another edition
emotional
slow-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
3.75
Pretty average as far as romances go. You have to slog through the first 200 pages, but it gets pretty enjoyable after that. It's very wattpad, but not necessarily in a negative way, because of the whole concept of an average girl falling in love with a famous man (in this case an astronaut) and being skyrocketed into the public eye. But it was cute. I'd probably recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
jackieyvette's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
4.75
Samantha Young where have you been all my life? I loved this. I loved the characters and the setting and the plot and all of its was just so fun and exciting while also being full of emotion.
I love Chris and Hallie and will for sure be picking up another Samantha Young book. I feel like it’s so hard to find a good romance with spicy scenes, but just like Lizzy Dent, Samantha is getting it right.
Crying score: yes, oh yes.
I love Chris and Hallie and will for sure be picking up another Samantha Young book. I feel like it’s so hard to find a good romance with spicy scenes, but just like Lizzy Dent, Samantha is getting it right.
Crying score: yes, oh yes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Grief, and Toxic relationship
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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
4.0
I wanted to read this book because I adored Fight or Flight and I wanted more of Samantha Young’s work. Somehow Samantha manages to make you feel all fuzzy and warm inside every time I read one of her books.
This book has two points of view. Thie first is an event planner named Hallie Goodman and she has received party-inspiration material from the bride of her latest wedding project, the last thing she expected to find it the files was digital diary entries from the bride’s ex-boyfriend. Hallie knows it's wrong to keep watching, but this guy is funny and relatable and is a freaking astronaut on the International Space Station. She decides to send him an email back apologising for watching these and that she would love to know more about him, but when the email bounces back, Hallie starts sending this email video diaries about how messy her life is, it’s not like anyone is watching them . . . right? The second point of view is astronaut Christopher Ortiz, and he is readjusting to his life back on earth and he is constantly in the shadow of his deceased older brother. When a friend from NASA’s IT department forwards him emails and video messages that Hallie has sent, he can’t help but notice how much her sense of humour and pink hair make his heart race. Both are separated by screens but they both seem to be falling in love with each other, without having met face-to-face. Chris is determined to meet Hallie and let her know he’s been watching her video diaries. Will she be able to forgive him? Will they be able to make this work?
This storyline was very unique within itself. With the fact of falling in love based on vlogs or social media and with a stranger. Instead of being creepy and stalker like (the guy literally hired Hallie, just so he can get to know her and then cancels the party when we want to sleep with her), it was adorable. I loved how flustered and embarrassed they both get when they realized who they both were. I liked how even for a romance, this book had some heartfelt and difficult topics that they discussed about – grief, toxic parents, toxic exes. But throughout all of it, they grow as people – Hallie learns to stand up for herself and Chris learns that he doesn’t have to have it all figured out to be happy and that he doesn’t need to please his dad all the time. I love the dual POV, I think it always makes a book better.
The only thing that stopped this from being five stars is the third-act breakup. Mainly because it was based on miscommunication again. I hate that within books, and I would have just loved for it to be something else.
I cannot wait to read more of Samantha’s work and I'm already adding more of her books to my TBR.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Vomit, and Cancer
juffnstuff's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Minor: Classism
katelynnreads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I loved this book! I loved the relationship progression between Hallie & Chris. There was some immaturity and insecurities present that were a flop in my mind, but also relatable. I love how he called her “my heaven,” so sweet!!! The epilogue was awesome; Chris and Hallie exploring his heritage and being in Mexico together. I would have liked to see them deep dive into that territory a bit more, but this was a more surface level book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
krisalexcole's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit, Excrement, Biphobia, Cancer, and Racism
wildflowerleahg's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Okay this was really cute.
I’m a huge fan of Samantha’s other book “Much Ado About You”. 3/4ths of the book had me swooning but the last bit had me rolling my eyes.
Let’s just get through some of the few things I didn’t like:
One of things that really annoyed me was the parents. My goodness they were TOXIC and childish. Also, got some whiplash when it came to the characters talking about deaths in the family. My goodness. Finally, miscommunication and a lack of establishing boundaries took me out of the story. As someone who has learned it herself, you can’t get mad at a partner when you haven’t discussed certain things like IDK HANGING OUT WITH YOUR EX. ughhhhhhh.
NOW TIME FOR THE GOOD STUFF
This book is fluffy, charming and just enough angst.
Some pros, our main characters. Both of them were literal rays of sunshine shine, no wonder they clicked. There first meeting was utterly delightful. Hallie in particular has a lot on her plate and I’m kinda thankful she was able to stick up for herself, thought the novel. This was one of my most anticipated reads and I’m glad I picked it up.
I’m a huge fan of Samantha’s other book “Much Ado About You”. 3/4ths of the book had me swooning but the last bit had me rolling my eyes.
Let’s just get through some of the few things I didn’t like:
One of things that really annoyed me was the parents. My goodness they were TOXIC and childish. Also, got some whiplash when it came to the characters talking about deaths in the family. My goodness. Finally, miscommunication and a lack of establishing boundaries took me out of the story. As someone who has learned it herself, you can’t get mad at a partner when you haven’t discussed certain things like IDK HANGING OUT WITH YOUR EX. ughhhhhhh.
NOW TIME FOR THE GOOD STUFF
This book is fluffy, charming and just enough angst.
Some pros, our main characters. Both of them were literal rays of sunshine shine, no wonder they clicked. There first meeting was utterly delightful. Hallie in particular has a lot on her plate and I’m kinda thankful she was able to stick up for herself, thought the novel. This was one of my most anticipated reads and I’m glad I picked it up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Vomit
Minor: Toxic relationship and Homophobia
lightlessxo's review
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Vomit