Reviews with content warning for Ableism - Final Offer

Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Final Offer by Lauren Asher

3 reviews

dlrosebyh's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

1.5

This book was definitely something, and not in the best way! Lauren Asher, this should have remained a manuscript. Normally, I don't want to post bad reviews, especially for books that are really appreciated, but who's going to stop me from doing this? No one! Personally, I believe that after Terms and Conditions' popularity, Lauren Asher became really pumped up, and she wanted to finish Cal's book as fast as possible to keep the anticipation alive.

I want to start by saying that this book was one of the ones I was most anticipated to read this year. And you know what it didn’t fail to do? Disappoint me— utterly AND completely. Two of my very favorite tropes are the second chance romance and childhood friends to lovers. It ought to have been just up my alley, but it wasn't. As it was VERY WEIRD. Oh, and it gave me a VERY different image of Cal. Because Cal deserved to be in jail, which isn’t a surprised on why Favorite Crime was included in their playlist.

Why don't we discuss about the things I enjoyed before the icks? lana. I wish my girl hadn't taken Cal back; she loved him too much. I don't care if Cal knelt down and pleaded! She doesn't deserve him at all, thus I wish she wouldn't take him back. She deserves Cami alone, in fact. She would be a good single mom. Did I actually like anything else in this book, except from that? not at all. I wished I knew more about the other characters since they all felt so hollow. It is odd given that this book has 600 pages. With such a big book, I ought to have gotten to know the characters extremely well.

First ick: I've previously mentioned this, but AGE GAP! Listen, while I don't particularly enjoy the age gap trope, I don't mind it either. For instance, Terms and Conditions, which I really liked, featured an age gap trope. Although Final Offer wished it could, it wasn't like Terms & Conditions. The age difference was SOOO odd. Their age difference might have been reduced by Lauren Asher to a more normal two years, and nothing would have changed. Unfortunately, she didn't.

Second, I thought it was extremely... unusual how the addictions were written. Who in their right mind would link an alcoholic with a child? And I don't know, Cal just stopped drinking after they had sex? It isn't coherent. I wish Lauren Asher had looked into alcoholism more.

Thirdly, I thought Cal's ADHD was quite stereotypical because I have ADHD. I was surprised by how stereotypical it was considering Lauren Asher has previously written other neurodivergent characters and did such an excellent job with them—with those characters, it was so obvious that she actually did research on those—but with this one, she might have just clicked on the first three websites she could find and called it a day.

Fourthly, I prayed to the gods that Cal's personality wouldn't change because of Lauren Asher. And I prayed. Everyone adored him since he was the sole golden retriever among the three brothers. But God, he sure was tedious. He didn't have any humor in this book. Cal from The Fine Print and Terms and Conditions felt different from the Cal in Final Offer, despite the fact that he may have had some humorous lines. And it's not because we got to see his addiction; it's just because he was poorly written.

Last but not least, why is Alana's skin tone so light? This isn't exactly a critique of the book but more of the official art. She ought to have at least a tan. I would have thought she was a white woman if I hadn't known what her race was. Given that the official artwork for the last two books NAILED it, this is actually rather upsetting. I'm very let down by this book. I want the memory of it to dissolve.

Content Warnings

literarylocd's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

1.5

i’ll write something better in the morning but jesus christ, if we can’t portray addiction properly and respectfully, why do it at all??

Right, let’s talk about what I liked. The kid was cute. And Cal was trying.

Everything else was garbage.

We know lauren asher don’t push pen like that so let’s not even go into that too tough. But the characters are bland, the setting is bland. There’s nothing connecting you to the story or the characters.

Nothing happens until about 70% into the book. No one has particularly strong feelings and they go around in circles. The town calling Cal a pathetic alcoholic for breaking Lana’s heart in the past. It just got excessive.

The scene of the cop (who is the FMC’s besties husband) abusing his power to antagonise and physically restrain the MMC, just to embarrass him
The way in which alcoholism and addiction was handled in general. I don’t know if there were sensitivity readers involved and whether those people were addicts or had intimidate experiences with addiction but it felt so so so off. As in it pained me physically.
Declan Kane. Ew.
Cal being like 20/21 kissing a 17yo (sorry almost seventeen year old) 👀 side eye
There was a line about Cal’s ADHD and why it meant corporate life couldn’t be for him and I just hate that sentiment. It’s so rooted in ableism. He could’ve just hated a 9-5. Has nothing to do with having ADHD.
This book spoke about money soooo much it just reminded me that billionaires some of the most disgusting people on earth and i don’t wanna see that again.

It just wasn’t good. There was no meat to it. The characters didn’t have meaningful conversations with each other so there was no emotional payoff when the characters reached their goal. I just did not give a flying monkeys.

Content Warnings

mksreads's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted sad tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

I really loved all the « family » moment with the rest of the Kane family but otherwise that couple didn’t give me something. Cal my bestie but Alana hmmm I don’t know. And the way they portrayed his addiction humm… also the way the whole village was talking about him yeah I don’t know

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