Reviews with content warning for Ableism - Out On a Limb

would give this book 6 stars if I could.

CW: suicidal ideation, suicide in the past (off the page), ableism, cancer in the past (off the page), this is a book about pregnancy, but there is no trauma related to the pregnancy or childbirth. The childbirth is not described in detail at all. It is an incredibly soft book wrt pregnancy & childbirth.

Win's disability is completely different from mine, but I found reading this book--about a disabled woman choosing to bring this child into a world--incredibly healing.

The part where Win has incredibly complicated feelings when she learns that her baby does not have the same disability as her--both relief that her child wont have that complication but also sadness her baby won't have the experience of being disabled and the empathy for others that comes along with it. This sentiment reminded me so much of the book CARE WORK and the knowledge and expertise that disabled people have from their experiences.

Anyway, highly recommend. I immediately added it to my favorites shelf. What a special book!!!

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yourbookishbff's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Well this was adorable. This is a one-night-stand-becomes-more romance that uses accidental pregnancy as the entire premise for the story (rather than as a third act conflict, where it typically finds itself). I loved this set-up, because it's clear as we get to know our two main characters, Win (Winifred) and Bo (Robert), that only an act of the universe this cataclysmic would have enabled them to choose each other at the start, when both of them are coming out of deeply traumatic life experiences and/or relationships. Their meet-cute is one of my all-time favorites, and their cozy lovers-to-roommates-to-lovers arc is so focused on the everyday moments of growing close to another person and learning how to partner with someone. This is really low-conflict (no third act breakup!) and normally that would be tough for me, but it felt really *right* for these two characters, who have so much off-page/backstory trauma that I just wanted them to be happily-ever-after from page 50.

I read the newly released trade paperback, and I am so grateful it included the author's detailed note and content warnings at the start, particularly for a few of the heavier backstories involving suicide and cancer. Both main characters are disabled (Win was born with a limb difference and Bo had an amputation as part of his cancer treatment), and their interactions with each other provide so much affirmation and accessibility and intimacy and care. This book handled darkness with tenderness for both character and reader, and it ultimately felt safe all the way through.

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_thebookishbarista_'s review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

"I love you so much it makes me feel like I've hated everything else in my life up until now."

This book was very good. This is the second book from Hannah Bonam-Young that I've read, and I've loved both. The representation in this book was so so good, as well as the (dreaded) surprise pregnancy trope. The story follows Win who has always been independent and hates being coddled for her limb difference. She's spent her life proving to others, and herself along the way, that she can do it all on her own. After a hook-up with the incredibly sweet and charming Bo, Win finds herself pregnant and trying to decide if she also wants to do this on her own. However, when she tells Bo, he is so excited and ready for the new challenge. The pair decides to get to know each other better for the sake of co-parenting (and nothing else obviously). But by now they both know that things rarely go to plan.

"You are my soul's purpose Win. To know you, to love you, to build a family with you, to spend every day taking care of you, to watch you shine and get all the good things you deserve out of this life."

I'll be honest, I rarely feel the sort of kinship towards main characters as I did to Win. Don't get me wrong, I definitely think we are different in a lot of aspects, but I loved her character so much. I tend to gush a lot about book boyfriends because the romance is so often what I'm focused on. And this book's romance was so great. But I think outside of that there was so much more substance to these characters which made them feel so real. The only reason this wasn't a five is because I don't always read the smut in books and I do think that a good chunk of their chemistry and foundation for a romance was located in the smut that I didn't read, especially since they start with a hook-up.

Closed door modifcations (chapters containing spicy scenes): 3, 4, 30, and 32

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mali99's review against another edition

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3.0

Take 10306557 of a characters borderline pathological independent streak being cured by a rich partner, after complaining about expensive gifts for 3 pages. I get *why* that's a thing, I just still find it annoying. And it makes me angst about late stage capitalism too much. Funnily enough, she is the richer one in the epilogue, having become rich through a summer camp, which is a nice idea, but Babe, you're not getting rich off that.
The beginning was shockingly well paced, and then the end got incredibly boring.

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