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novella42'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
4.25
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.
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
beckyyreadss'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: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Vomit, and Cancer
krisalexcole'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? Yes
2.0
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
katrinaward's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Child death
catsandbookstacks's review
3.75
I loved Hallie's spunky attitude, pink hair and her growth. She moves from people pleaser to awesome badass who can stand up for her needs (even if she still feels a little guilty - I know this feeling well). Hallie adores her career as an event planner with one of the biggest NY companies, even when those she loves demeans it by labeling her as simply "party planner." Feeling like a ping-pong ball caught between her divorced parents, Hallie finally feels supported enough to step back and not try to fix everything.
Christopher, a Mexican American, who suffered the losses of both his mother and brother also feels the loss of culture and connection. He and his father have never seen eye to eye and the expectations placed on Chris are exponential. Though a greatly ambitious person (making Captain after four years and just completing a space mission), Chris finds himself unsure about his direction. The time Young spent diving into the characters allowed their growth and decisions to feel natural.
There is some withheld information throughout the novel which worked for me in the first instance but later in the novel, I found myself shaking my head a bit. The final scene was a little cheesy for my tastes but it is a rom-com. The novel follows the characters up to and after they officially begin dating, so we see their ups and downs making the relationship feel authentic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Moderate: Body shaming, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship