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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I really liked this book, I was worried for a minute there that there would be cheating but that didn't happen.
The only thing I can't shake it's
All in all, it was a good book with a nice ending.
The only thing I can't shake it's
Spoiler
the characterization of the character of Sully, it's not the worst but I think it could have been handled betterAll in all, it was a good book with a nice ending.
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
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
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
Loveable characters:
Yes
Angst. Slow burn. 2nd time reading. Read the first digitally in November and gave 3.5 stars. Bought the audiobook without any memory of the first time. Absolutely not a single moment felt familiar. However - the audiobook is outstanding. The narrators knock it out of the park. Esp christian fox. So almost 5 months later and its even better this time around.
Step-brother, time jump, second chance romance after fathers death. 🌶️🌶️🌶️.
Step-brother, time jump, second chance romance after fathers death. 🌶️🌶️🌶️.
4.5 stars. This book took me for a loop. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I wasn't quite right. Great book overall. I wasn't the biggest fan of the female lead, she was a bit wishy-washy. The stepbrother though... holy shit. Yes please!
So I actually started reading this by accident.... It was on my Kindle shelf next to another book and I clicked the wrong book, but I decided to give it a shot anyway.
This was one of those books that had a lot of hype surrounding it when it came out and since most of the super hyped books around that time fell flat for me I kept putting off reading this one.
Once I started reading I was intrigued and finished it in less than 24 hours. Now while I didn't love the story or the characters all the time, the writing was outstanding. I was hanging on every word even if I didn't agree with them or the story and that is a feat. This was my first Penelope Ward and won't be my last.
This was one of those books that had a lot of hype surrounding it when it came out and since most of the super hyped books around that time fell flat for me I kept putting off reading this one.
Once I started reading I was intrigued and finished it in less than 24 hours. Now while I didn't love the story or the characters all the time, the writing was outstanding. I was hanging on every word even if I didn't agree with them or the story and that is a feat. This was my first Penelope Ward and won't be my last.
#22 #Romance #Anagrams
I listened to the audio of this on Audible so there will be some thoughts about the audiobook as well.
Family Trees can be a tangled mess!!!! It's all about generational trauma, generational loss, and secure attachment in early childhood. But through the book, you can see that things in front of you can be switched and what you think your reality is can be altered in the blink of an eye.
The thing I love most about Penelope Ward's books is her ability to take you on a whirlwind and you don't realize it until it's over. Penelope's books always wrap back to the beginning and are tied up in a pretty bow. It's important to pay attention because what you are reading/listening at the moment will come up later on (easter eggs). I love authors that can do this while dropping things you would not expect.
This was a great book. I loved Elec and Greta so much. This book made me wish I had a stepbrother. Elec is so complex, not just him but his entire familial story. As a therapist, what I connected with was CPTSD in Elec and the price a family pays when issues aren't dealt with.
One thing I did not care for was Elec's project. I felt like it was very detailed and redundant. I think I would have preferred alternating POVs and maybe getting some exerts earlier than they came. I know that messes with the whole book but I found myself drifting off by hearing the same story through his eyes. But I am not an author and don't know how it could have been altered. Maybe it was just because I was listening to it and the story sounded the same coming from one narrator.
Audiobook: I liked the narrator Simone Lewis. Her voice was pleasant. I think her female voices were stronger than the male characters which was tough because perhaps Elec's power and struggle were not felt as forcefully as it could have if the narrator had been male. And I admit upfront that if one narrator is going to do the entire book, I do prefer a male voice. That's just my preference and does not take anything away from Simone's performance.
Penelope, like Vi Keeland, is a 1-click author, and I often pre-order them before they drop.
I have listened to so many of Penelope's books and realized in going through my book list that I had not left reviews, only stars for her books. So I am on a re-listen kick so I can give her awesome books and actual reviews.
Bottom Line: 5 stars for everything (I think I always give her books 5 stars because I love them so much. Yes, I would tell a friend. Yes, I am VERY likely to read whatever Penelope writes in the future.
I listened to the audio of this on Audible so there will be some thoughts about the audiobook as well.
Family Trees can be a tangled mess!!!! It's all about generational trauma, generational loss, and secure attachment in early childhood. But through the book, you can see that things in front of you can be switched and what you think your reality is can be altered in the blink of an eye.
The thing I love most about Penelope Ward's books is her ability to take you on a whirlwind and you don't realize it until it's over. Penelope's books always wrap back to the beginning and are tied up in a pretty bow. It's important to pay attention because what you are reading/listening at the moment will come up later on (easter eggs). I love authors that can do this while dropping things you would not expect.
This was a great book. I loved Elec and Greta so much. This book made me wish I had a stepbrother. Elec is so complex, not just him but his entire familial story. As a therapist, what I connected with was CPTSD in Elec and the price a family pays when issues aren't dealt with.
One thing I did not care for was Elec's project. I felt like it was very detailed and redundant. I think I would have preferred alternating POVs and maybe getting some exerts earlier than they came. I know that messes with the whole book but I found myself drifting off by hearing the same story through his eyes. But I am not an author and don't know how it could have been altered. Maybe it was just because I was listening to it and the story sounded the same coming from one narrator.
Audiobook: I liked the narrator Simone Lewis. Her voice was pleasant. I think her female voices were stronger than the male characters which was tough because perhaps Elec's power and struggle were not felt as forcefully as it could have if the narrator had been male. And I admit upfront that if one narrator is going to do the entire book, I do prefer a male voice. That's just my preference and does not take anything away from Simone's performance.
Penelope, like Vi Keeland, is a 1-click author, and I often pre-order them before they drop.
I have listened to so many of Penelope's books and realized in going through my book list that I had not left reviews, only stars for her books. So I am on a re-listen kick so I can give her awesome books and actual reviews.
Bottom Line: 5 stars for everything (I think I always give her books 5 stars because I love them so much. Yes, I would tell a friend. Yes, I am VERY likely to read whatever Penelope writes in the future.
Omg this book is terrible. High schoolers where the MMC has full sleeve tattoos and a pierced dick and the FMC only wears expensive luxury lingerie?? Lol yea ok. Who would pierce the dick of a 17-year-old!? He's so fucking dramatic and an asshole, I can't stand characters like this and hate when the girl likes it. Like he's being outrageously mean to her. The ending was just as bad. How can people like this.
Elec comes to live with his stepsister Gretta, they're the same age, both seniors in high school. She's a virgin and he's a manwhore. He constantly puts her down, insults her, etc. But she can't help that she's attracted to him. Then he finds out that his mom is out of rehab and he needs to leave immediately to go be with her. So their last night together they have sex, taking her virginity.
7 years later their they're both back for his dad, her stepdad, Randy's funeral. She's single, although she was engaged for a bit a few years ago, but he brought his long-term gf Chelsea. Gretta is upset and jealous, especially after Gretta leaves to go to her sister's wedding and leaves Elec alone with Gretta where he flirts with her. They go to a casino after the funeral where she wins $19k and a free hotel room. Afterwards he goes home to Chelsea but emails Gretta later asking her to read his book (bc he's a secret writer).
The book is the story of his life starting from how his dad went to Ecuador(?) and found a young wife who he brought back to the US where he had an estranged wife and son, Randy. Randy and his new young wife fall for each other but his dad catches them and sexually assaults the wife. Randy presumably murders his dad and gets away with it, but the young wife got pregnant as a result and didn't want to abort. Randy agrees to raise her baby, who turns out to be Elec, as his own. However, growing up he treats Elec like shit and it eventually makes Randy and his mom split I guess. His mom got into drugs and went into rehab, so when he had to go stay with Randy he vowed to make their lives miserable, starting his new stepsister. But as soon as he laid eyes on Gretta he was attracted to her. He treated her horribly to try to stop his own attraction /eyeroll. But on their last night together he gave in to how much he likes her. It turns out he came back after a couple years but Gretta was dating / engaged by then. Thinking she had moved on, he also moved on. Of course Gretta didn't ever really love anyone after Elec. And that pretty much takes them to present day. He shows up telling her that he broke up with Chelsea. She admits she's a literary agent and can get his book published.
They're married and she's pregnant in the epilogue and it fast forwards even more and she's given birth. So so bad.
7 years later their they're both back for his dad, her stepdad, Randy's funeral. She's single, although she was engaged for a bit a few years ago, but he brought his long-term gf Chelsea. Gretta is upset and jealous, especially after Gretta leaves to go to her sister's wedding and leaves Elec alone with Gretta where he flirts with her. They go to a casino after the funeral where she wins $19k and a free hotel room. Afterwards he goes home to Chelsea but emails Gretta later asking her to read his book (bc he's a secret writer).
The book is the story of his life starting from how his dad went to Ecuador(?) and found a young wife who he brought back to the US where he had an estranged wife and son, Randy. Randy and his new young wife fall for each other but his dad catches them and sexually assaults the wife. Randy presumably murders his dad and gets away with it, but the young wife got pregnant as a result and didn't want to abort. Randy agrees to raise her baby, who turns out to be Elec, as his own. However, growing up he treats Elec like shit and it eventually makes Randy and his mom split I guess. His mom got into drugs and went into rehab, so when he had to go stay with Randy he vowed to make their lives miserable, starting his new stepsister. But as soon as he laid eyes on Gretta he was attracted to her. He treated her horribly to try to stop his own attraction /eyeroll. But on their last night together he gave in to how much he likes her. It turns out he came back after a couple years but Gretta was dating / engaged by then. Thinking she had moved on, he also moved on. Of course Gretta didn't ever really love anyone after Elec. And that pretty much takes them to present day. He shows up telling her that he broke up with Chelsea. She admits she's a literary agent and can get his book published.
They're married and she's pregnant in the epilogue and it fast forwards even more and she's given birth. So so bad.
Give it a chance!!
I had love and hate feelings for this book. I liked how they got to know each other and fought like cats and dogs. I hated that it took 7years for them to get together. What redeemed this book in my eyes was the biography he wrote that connected the story. In the end it was a great tragedy turned love story. I do not regret reading it. Enjoy
I had love and hate feelings for this book. I liked how they got to know each other and fought like cats and dogs. I hated that it took 7years for them to get together. What redeemed this book in my eyes was the biography he wrote that connected the story. In the end it was a great tragedy turned love story. I do not regret reading it. Enjoy