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crazycatlady472's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Vomit
Minor: Toxic relationship and Racism
hereforthefunofit's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The impact of a 3rd act conflict is lost when it's so formulaic. It just becomes annoying to me.
The beginning of the book was parading a four for me, but from the three quarter onward...a big no. The only thing I appreciated after the conflict was the talk Lenore and her parents had but even that ends up fall flat for me, for a similar reason why the resolve falls flat for in the first book of this series, Happily Ever Afters.
One True Loves feels quite short with how the book is paced. The beginning drags some, then she is finally on vacation and things start to move. Alex and Lenore meet and to avoid giving away too much, I'll say I loved their snark with e/o. Then, they get together and although I'm happy they do; it just starts moving all too fast. Their snark turns into syruppy, sticky, overwhelming sweetness at the flip of a switch and I wanted to gag. (Lol, that's a me problem though). That drastic change wasn't making any sense to me until I realised they needed to be real close and 'in love' for the 3rd act conflict to hit more. But when you rush a couple just so that they can be in a stupid problem for exactly the 75% mark, you've fucked your own book. That's just my opinion though. And that's my main, and really only gripe with this book I was really enjoying and wanting to give five stars. That 3rd act perfectly serves someone and I'm happy for them and since I've liked Elise Bryant's work so far, I know something she puts out in the future will perfectly serve me too...i hope.
(This is me coming in some hours later, but I remembered another gripe. It's mentioned in the blurb so I'll just go out with it. It's repetivite with explanations. Lenore explains over and over that she is stressed because of her parent's expectation: often saying she isn't the black excellence that they want in a child. But I just feel like if that's said once or even twice, it doesn't need to be constantly reiterated. Everytime she has an argument with her parents about or is just feeling down, the whole soap-box speech doesn't need to be restated. We understand, and we understood from the first time.)
The beginning of the book was parading a four for me, but from the three quarter onward...a big no. The only thing I appreciated after the conflict was the talk Lenore and her parents had but even that ends up fall flat for me, for a similar reason why the resolve falls flat for in the first book of this series, Happily Ever Afters.
One True Loves feels quite short with how the book is paced. The beginning drags some, then she is finally on vacation and things start to move. Alex and Lenore meet and to avoid giving away too much, I'll say I loved their snark with e/o. Then, they get together and although I'm happy they do; it just starts moving all too fast. Their snark turns into syruppy, sticky, overwhelming sweetness at the flip of a switch and I wanted to gag. (Lol, that's a me problem though). That drastic change wasn't making any sense to me until I realised they needed to be real close and 'in love' for the 3rd act conflict to hit more. But when you rush a couple just so that they can be in a stupid problem for exactly the 75% mark, you've fucked your own book. That's just my opinion though. And that's my main, and really only gripe with this book I was really enjoying and wanting to give five stars. That 3rd act perfectly serves someone and I'm happy for them and since I've liked Elise Bryant's work so far, I know something she puts out in the future will perfectly serve me too...i hope.
(This is me coming in some hours later, but I remembered another gripe. It's mentioned in the blurb so I'll just go out with it. It's repetivite with explanations. Lenore explains over and over that she is stressed because of her parent's expectation: often saying she isn't the black excellence that they want in a child. But I just feel like if that's said once or even twice, it doesn't need to be constantly reiterated. Everytime she has an argument with her parents about or is just feeling down, the whole soap-box speech doesn't need to be restated. We understand, and we understood from the first time.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
tsundoku_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
This was really cute. I enjoyed the setting. Alex was a sweetheart once you got to know him. This author is now one of my favorites. I do wish the endings were less rushed though. Or at least that there was an epilogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
sgzable's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Infidelity
Moderate: Vomit, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual content
aromarrie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
i loved seeing lenore in all her complicated, messy glory as she still got to go on this stunning trip across the mediterranean, meeting a boy who grew to love her for her flaws and desires. the courage she slowly builds in trusting that the structured life her parents wish for her simply isn’t right, and that she can still pursue her love for the arts (fashion, photography, mixed media) at her own pace without fear of messing up was a slow journey but it was captivating all the more. because even though there is guaranteed to be some mistakes made along, it makes it even easier if you have someone who sees that to just cheer you on a little more.
i loved the relationship depicted between lenore and her family, a majority of the humor of this book coming from how dorky her parents are as they bond over the silliest things on this huge trip. the relationship specifically between lenore and her brother, wally, while mostly tense for a majority of this story was one of my most favorites as they were clearly both struggling with their own high expectations and didn’t know how to reach out in their own ways. to see them find their way back together as brother & sister was really sweet, all the way up to the last page.
just as sweet as alex, who as much as he has his life plans figured out, he has no idea what the hell to do when it comes to romance, and yet in all his imperfections, he makes lenore the happiest girl on this trip, something she never thought she deserved so for him to show otherwise gave him huge bonus points.
i’m happy for lenore, that’s all.
i loved the relationship depicted between lenore and her family, a majority of the humor of this book coming from how dorky her parents are as they bond over the silliest things on this huge trip. the relationship specifically between lenore and her brother, wally, while mostly tense for a majority of this story was one of my most favorites as they were clearly both struggling with their own high expectations and didn’t know how to reach out in their own ways. to see them find their way back together as brother & sister was really sweet, all the way up to the last page.
just as sweet as alex, who as much as he has his life plans figured out, he has no idea what the hell to do when it comes to romance, and yet in all his imperfections, he makes lenore the happiest girl on this trip, something she never thought she deserved so for him to show otherwise gave him huge bonus points.
i’m happy for lenore, that’s all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
toffishay's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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? No
4.0
Such a fun read and a great follow up to Happily Ever Afters. I love Lenore and her struggles with dating and finding her passion as a Black girl are very well-explored and very relatable. I saw a lot of myself in her. And the parents and her brother Wally are really interesting too. You understand what they are going through and where they are coming from that creates conflict with Lenore. The love story is very sweet too :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexual content
sometimes_samantha_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
I don't really tend to go for straigh up romance but I seem to be on the fluffy train lately, and One True Loves did not disappoint! The cover was so pretty and it was all shiny in the "new" section of the library. I picked it up, saw Black romance and immediately checked it out. It had a lot in there about Black identify, living life to the fullest, adventuring, and loving while Black. I loved that I could relate and finally see myself mirrored in the love interest perspective. I haven read Happily Ever Afters yet, but after this, I can pretty safely say I'm a new Elise Bryant fan!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Panic attacks/disorders