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mabellene's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Death
Minor: Alcohol
thereadinghammock's review
hopeful
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? No
3.75
I struggled to connect with Pam & Al. Not sure if it's because their place in life is so far from where I'm at currently, or if I was coming off a strong book hangover. It was still the same sweet and swoon-worthy love story you can expect from the Muscles & Monsters series! I loved the positive affirmations and mantras at the beginning of each chapter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death
shaykay's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.5
First, I love the older couple getting a second chance at love! So Pam and Alistair are both older characters in their 40s and 50s. They have adult children; Pam's actually the mom of Reese and Tegan! Chai, Alistair's daughter, actually shows up here and there. I really hope she gets a book, or we at least find out what is going on with her because she has some illness, and that's why Alistair was even in our adorable town and got to meet the fantastic Pam! I just couldn't get enough of Pam and Alistair. They were adorable, and I really need more books in this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Death, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
katetravelsinbooks's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death
rickireadss's review
4.0
ughhh ashley stole my heart again! i loved pam and alistair. i do think its more of an insta lust/love story BUT i think it worked out for them. i enjoyed the cute moments between them but the spicy scenes?!?!!? I ATE THEM UP. i need me a minotaur daddy ;)
⚠️: drug use, toxic relationship, death, medical content
⚠️: drug use, toxic relationship, death, medical content
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death and Medical content
greystory's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is easily my favorite of the series now.
This is. SO. Cute. 🥺 So frickin cute I had to keep taking little breaks to desugarize myself. Oh but don't let that fool you - there's spice, too, and it just. kept. getting. better. The spice came out swinging and each subsequent spice scene was hotter than the last one. How is that even possible?
Pam and Alistair move SO FAST. But it didn't bother me?? They literally matched, barely spoke to each other, and immediately planned a date in person. It kinda cracks me up because that generation were the ones to over-dramatize the dangers of the internet in 90s through early 2000s but these days they'll do stuff like this.
I think it might not have bothered me because, despite moving fast, and clearly catching feelings quickly, they're clearly still both new to the dating thing and so genuinely cute and shy and unsure of themselves at first. It was fast but it still FELT new and exciting and like there was more to come in the relationship, not at all like they'd fast-tracked to the ending. I think maybe that's often my issue when something happens too quickly - it feels like there isn't any real relationship development AFTER the initial hookup - and that is 100% not the case here.
Similarly, the two are both so perfect but it didn't bug me or feel too unrealistic. I mean, sure, yes, Alistair is a ridiculously perfect book boyfriend but he was also down to Earth in other ways and had his own regrets and workaholic life. Pam was too adorable for words and I wanted to alternatively be her, befriend her, adopt her as a mom, and a smidgen maybe possibly date her a little bit. But her life wasn't perfect either, as evidenced by her own regrets and shitty marriage. I think the feeling of them being so perfect wasn't just that they were perfect on their own but that they matched up so well with each other.
From here on out, I'm gonna be dropping spoilers so be aware.
MORE PAM BLUBBERING:
"I firmly believed that if you wanted something, you should ask for it." - Pam, after asking to suck minotaur dick on a first date
gods, I am so happy for you, Pam!! GET IT GIRL
What a whirlwind of emotion because I was so excited and happy FOR HER and felt like I was cheering her on. I was never relating to Pam in terms of seeing myself in her place, I was rapidly becoming a fan. A Pam supporter. Catch me outside with a banner reading "54 YEAR OLD PAM ROLLINS CAN FUCKING GET IT" and blowing a damn vuvuzela.
Pam was so good. I loved her. Between the reading and the knitting matching sweaters for her hairless cat and herself (my god, I wish my cats would let me do that) and her super supportive moming to Tegan and Reece, she was great. So great.
MORE ALISTAIR RUMBLING:
This man. THIS MAN. Part of this first date was GOING TO A BOOKSTORE AND BUYING HER WHATEVER BOOKS SHE WANTED. And it was a MASSIVE STACK, too!
Then. THEN. He agrees to try reading Ice Planet Barbarians! Because Pam said she liked it! And HE DOES. He follows through and reads it. Then reads the next one. Then he ends up joining a spicy romance book club, gets more book recommendations, TAKES FUCKING NOTES THAT HE USES DURING SEX WITH PAM, and picks out a spicy romance book to listen to WITH PAM. And that's only SOME Of the great shit he does. Like really?? To say nothing of him being a great dad or just all around decent guy.
Shoutout to my girl Nancy the librarian on this great summary that coincidentally supports both long distance relationships and online dating.
Nancy waved me off. “Distance is relative. You can be in the same room as your partner and feel like you’re worlds apart. It’s the connection that matters.”
Some miscellaneous questions:
How did these two not know of each other's existence prior to matching on the dating app?
If Pam is afraid of flying and she's retired, why not drive there?
If Pam is retired and Alistair is taking time off of work anyway, why couldn't he fly? Yeah, I know he does, but if he's flying out anyway, why isn't he the one to stay with Pam instead of the other way around?
Why is it about making Pam go to Colorado at all? Excuse for the mountain cabin stuff, probably, lol
This is. SO. Cute. 🥺 So frickin cute I had to keep taking little breaks to desugarize myself. Oh but don't let that fool you - there's spice, too, and it just. kept. getting. better. The spice came out swinging and each subsequent spice scene was hotter than the last one. How is that even possible?
Pam and Alistair move SO FAST. But it didn't bother me?? They literally matched, barely spoke to each other, and immediately planned a date in person. It kinda cracks me up because that generation were the ones to over-dramatize the dangers of the internet in 90s through early 2000s but these days they'll do stuff like this.
I think it might not have bothered me because, despite moving fast, and clearly catching feelings quickly, they're clearly still both new to the dating thing and so genuinely cute and shy and unsure of themselves at first. It was fast but it still FELT new and exciting and like there was more to come in the relationship, not at all like they'd fast-tracked to the ending. I think maybe that's often my issue when something happens too quickly - it feels like there isn't any real relationship development AFTER the initial hookup - and that is 100% not the case here.
Similarly, the two are both so perfect but it didn't bug me or feel too unrealistic. I mean, sure, yes, Alistair is a ridiculously perfect book boyfriend but he was also down to Earth in other ways and had his own regrets and workaholic life. Pam was too adorable for words and I wanted to alternatively be her, befriend her, adopt her as a mom, and a smidgen maybe possibly date her a little bit. But her life wasn't perfect either, as evidenced by her own regrets and shitty marriage. I think the feeling of them being so perfect wasn't just that they were perfect on their own but that they matched up so well with each other.
From here on out, I'm gonna be dropping spoilers so be aware.
MORE PAM BLUBBERING:
"I firmly believed that if you wanted something, you should ask for it." - Pam, after asking to suck minotaur dick on a first date
gods, I am so happy for you, Pam!! GET IT GIRL
What a whirlwind of emotion because I was so excited and happy FOR HER and felt like I was cheering her on. I was never relating to Pam in terms of seeing myself in her place, I was rapidly becoming a fan. A Pam supporter. Catch me outside with a banner reading "54 YEAR OLD PAM ROLLINS CAN FUCKING GET IT" and blowing a damn vuvuzela.
Pam was so good. I loved her. Between the reading and the knitting matching sweaters for her hairless cat and herself (my god, I wish my cats would let me do that) and her super supportive moming to Tegan and Reece, she was great. So great.
MORE ALISTAIR RUMBLING:
This man. THIS MAN. Part of this first date was GOING TO A BOOKSTORE AND BUYING HER WHATEVER BOOKS SHE WANTED. And it was a MASSIVE STACK, too!
Then. THEN. He agrees to try reading Ice Planet Barbarians! Because Pam said she liked it! And HE DOES. He follows through and reads it. Then reads the next one. Then he ends up joining a spicy romance book club, gets more book recommendations, TAKES FUCKING NOTES THAT HE USES DURING SEX WITH PAM, and picks out a spicy romance book to listen to WITH PAM. And that's only SOME Of the great shit he does. Like really?? To say nothing of him being a great dad or just all around decent guy.
Shoutout to my girl Nancy the librarian on this great summary that coincidentally supports both long distance relationships and online dating.
Nancy waved me off. “Distance is relative. You can be in the same room as your partner and feel like you’re worlds apart. It’s the connection that matters.”
Some miscellaneous questions:
How did these two not know of each other's existence prior to matching on the dating app?
If Pam is afraid of flying and she's retired, why not drive there?
If Pam is retired and Alistair is taking time off of work anyway, why couldn't he fly? Yeah, I know he does, but if he's flying out anyway, why isn't he the one to stay with Pam instead of the other way around?
Why is it about making Pam go to Colorado at all? Excuse for the mountain cabin stuff, probably, lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Death
thecajunbookworm's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Pam is widowed with two adult children. Retired and with just her cat for company, she spends her days knitting, reading and watching movies. But somethings missing. Her daughter encourages her to sign up for a dating app where she matches with a Minotaur named Alistair.
Alistair is a divorcee who never really met anyone due to being busy raising his daughter and working. But now that his daughter is grown it may be time to find someone to fill that lonely place in his heart.
Pam and Alistair are the CUTEST over 50 couple and watching them fall in love with not only each other but their lives was great!
Definitely a spicy read!
Alistair is a divorcee who never really met anyone due to being busy raising his daughter and working. But now that his daughter is grown it may be time to find someone to fill that lonely place in his heart.
Pam and Alistair are the CUTEST over 50 couple and watching them fall in love with not only each other but their lives was great!
Definitely a spicy read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death and Toxic relationship
katebrownreads's review
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death and Medical content
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