Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Only When It's Us

Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese

220 reviews

amy_in_the_city's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.0

Well, I really thought I'd love this one, but I had so many issues with it.

First, this was trying to be enemies to lovers, but there was no good reason to be enemies in the first place or for them to hold on to their antagonistic relationship for so long. They jumped straight to enemies just because he didn't hear her say one thing and she didn't know he was deaf. Even after she found out that he wasn't deliberately ignoring her, she still considered him a "frenemy" (this word was used way too much). The main characters frequently acted like they were 10 years old, at one point even throwing elbows and pulling ponytails in class.

I especially didn't like Willa. She completely lost me after she

ghosted Ryder for 2 months after her mom died, not even acknowledging his presence when he showed up to try to comfort her. This had real negative effects on Ryder, and it bothered me that she didn't seem to care about his feelings at all. Then once she came back to him, she was so upset that other women were taking an interest in him that he decided to let her look through his phone so she would know he wasn't cheating on her. Who needs boundaries, right?

For the whole third act, she was so wishy washy about the relationship, and I felt like Ryder was doing all the work to keep the relationship alive. I spent most of the last section wishing they wouldn't end up together because their relationship seemed so unhealthy. With Willa being so flighty and with them demonstrating an unwillingness to face their problems together as partners, I don't trust that they will have a good relationship going forward. Even towards the very end of the book, she still got upset with him for asking her very basic questions about herself because she didn't want to open up to him at all.

I liked that there was disability rep, with a leading man who is deaf, but I kind of felt like the book treated the deafness as an obstacle to overcome before the romantic relationship really could get going. There was a lot of importance placed on him hearing her voice and on getting him to start speaking again. I do appreciate that the author took feedback from reviews after the book was originally published, made some changes, and released an edited edition to try to fix some of the representation issues, but I think some of the bones of the old issues remain. I am not part of the Deaf community, so I am not an expert on how the representation was handled, but others who are Deaf have posted their reviews, and I encourage people to read those for more insight.

This gets an extra star for Ryder. He's mostly a really great guy, and I really liked him.

I think this book also ruined the word "lumberjack" for me forever. I've reached my lifetime quota and might never want to see the word again.

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kyleethecatlady's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad 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

4.5

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kdscolley's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Oh man. Ryder and Willa are so damn cute. I kinda love that Aiden pushes them together. Their little pranks on each other are adorable.

Willa's mom being sick and Ryder's dad being the doctor, I sorta guessed that from the beginning, but I didn't see her going to live the rest of her days in their house. It was a beautiful piece to the story and I loved every bit of it, even when it broke my damn heart.

Ryder was patient and waited because he knew Willa needed space and time to get through some of her grief. Honestly, so well done.

Also, the representation in this story to the deaf/hard of hearing community is so well done.

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted sad 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

This was the book club’s pick of the month for February, I suggested this book because I loved Chloe Liese’s Wilmot Sisters’ series and was planning on carrying on with more of her work this year. I adored this book; it was so sweet.

This book has two points of view. The first is Willa Sutter. She is the feisty, tempting chaos. She is the top striker for her football team, and she is working her ass off to get signed when she leaves school. She is dealing with a professor who likes to bust her balls and not let her off just because she plays football. To make matters worse, she is sat next to a silent, surly, mountain man that ignores her when she asks for his lecture notes, and they must work together for their final project which takes up most of their grade. The second point of view is Ryder Bergman. He knows that Willa hates his guts from the moment she sat next to him. He doesn’t care that she hates him, she is too wild and bad-tempered for his quiet, tidy life. The thing is that Willa doesn’t know is that Ryder is hard of hearing. He lost his hearing a few years ago and has been struggling to get his life back. Willa is determined to understand why Ryder hates his and with them being forced to work together, they begin a game of pranks and practical jokes, each determined to come out as the champion. But once they catch unexpected feelings, victory begins to mean something else – winning each other’s hearts.

I adored this book and these characters. I related to Willa a bit too much from how strong and tempered she can get and then how she wants to keep people out even if that means she’s alone, but then at the same time she loves so deeply and stands up for her friends and family. I wanted to hug her so tight when she went through the difficult parts of this book. Ryder was hot, sexy, broken and I love him. Again, I love that he came off as like a rude boy but it’s because he is deaf. Like the deaf representation was needed and I think it was done so well. I liked how he went from being so frustrated that he couldn’t hear but didn’t want to do anything about it, to wanting to try and get help even if it was hurting him or frustrating it. I really enjoyed the introduction to the brothers and the family. I loved the parents; I love that they are used to being in a house with 7 boys that they are like right enough or I'll kick you out. I cannot wait to see more of them.

I think the thing that stopped this being five stars is Willa was a bit annoying at times especially when she was being a bit of a hypocrite, like she knew Ryder was hard of hearing, but was annoyed when she found out she could hear sometimes because of his hearing aid, but then didn’t tell Ryder her mum had cancer, but then was annoyed when she found out he knew and didn’t tell her. Like make your mind up woman. The book was a bit predictable at times – the dad being Willa’s mum doctor, the brother-in-law being the professor, it was a bit easy to guess but it didn’t make it any less enjoyable i just wasn’t gobsmacked or shocked by any of the twists in it.

Just from the little glimpses that we got of these brothers; I cannot wait to see more of them. I am so glad that this has been planned that every single brother is getting a happy ending.

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sarahthescrivnr's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad 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

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theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

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lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A Bergman Brothers book with the slowest of slow burns. Just when you think Willa and Ryder will never get their sh!t together and finally act on their feelings for each other….. they don’t. And so much happens before they do. But, trust me, the wait is worth it for this frenemies to lovers story.

I had to take a break around the middle so I could have a good cry. Willa’s relationship with her mother had me turn into a blubbering, sobbing mess. But Chloe Liese picked up the pieces of my broken heart and made it whole again with Ryders love and determination.

A spicy, 5 star, slow burn that will prove to you that everything happens for a reason.

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miafromorchardstreet's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective sad 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

3.5

Very cute story and characters! I struggled a bit with the pacing in the final third (some major events were kinda skipped over?) but overall enjoyed.

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