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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a REALLY good read and very layered, given the breadth of topics that it was addressing; infertility, difficult pregnancy, teenage adoption, plus size representation against an athletic backdrop (amongst others) wrapped in the a fairly light veneer of a hockey romance.
Evie and Jenner. He's a professional hockey player and she is his college sweetheart; they marry early and quickly realize that their path to having kids and the family of their dreams is basically an almost-vertical uphill climb on rocky cliffs. They hit crossroads when Evie wants to continue with their IVF journey and Jenner doesn't - so she leaves and files for divorce. Four years later, she finds herself back on his doorstep as the only path to having the children she so badly wants - is through adoption - for which she needs to still present as married aka she needs him. He agrees to help, they get remarried and this is their journey through adoption and navigating their own surprise pregnancy situation, while healing their marriage and relationship in the process.
What I loved - the portrayal of the fertility journey. Almost every one of Evie's experiences, either one of my friends or I have been through. How it starts as a simple "we're thinking of starting a family" into a full bloom obsession and chase to figure out why it's not happening, and the helplessness of knowing so much is out of your control. The pain of watching other people's families grow and never being able to escape it (because babies are everywhere!). There is so much pain, shame, guilt, embarrassment, anger, depression - it's a vortex of emotions but thankfully, I didn't find it as triggering because the other storylines step in to ease some of the emotional gravity in this book.
It's also a marriage in crisis (SO MANY OF MY FAVORITE TROPES!!) and a big part of this is repairing Evie and Jenner's marriage. The book kicks off when they're both at a point of exhaustion - and with the time apart - they've come back clearer on what they want for themselves and from each other. So it's their journey in navigating their way back to each other, while reconciling what having a family means.
Overall, reading this book was an experience. Even with such a heavy topic at the core, Siena has layered on different frames of hockey, romance writing, found family etc - so while there is a lot going on, the heart of it is about understanding that even if one door closes, there are others that open; you need to evolve your perceptions and expectations, to see them.
Evie and Jenner. He's a professional hockey player and she is his college sweetheart; they marry early and quickly realize that their path to having kids and the family of their dreams is basically an almost-vertical uphill climb on rocky cliffs. They hit crossroads when Evie wants to continue with their IVF journey and Jenner doesn't - so she leaves and files for divorce. Four years later, she finds herself back on his doorstep as the only path to having the children she so badly wants - is through adoption - for which she needs to still present as married aka she needs him. He agrees to help, they get remarried and this is their journey through adoption and navigating their own surprise pregnancy situation, while healing their marriage and relationship in the process.
What I loved - the portrayal of the fertility journey. Almost every one of Evie's experiences, either one of my friends or I have been through. How it starts as a simple "we're thinking of starting a family" into a full bloom obsession and chase to figure out why it's not happening, and the helplessness of knowing so much is out of your control. The pain of watching other people's families grow and never being able to escape it (because babies are everywhere!). There is so much pain, shame, guilt, embarrassment, anger, depression - it's a vortex of emotions but thankfully, I didn't find it as triggering because the other storylines step in to ease some of the emotional gravity in this book.
It's also a marriage in crisis (SO MANY OF MY FAVORITE TROPES!!) and a big part of this is repairing Evie and Jenner's marriage. The book kicks off when they're both at a point of exhaustion - and with the time apart - they've come back clearer on what they want for themselves and from each other. So it's their journey in navigating their way back to each other, while reconciling what having a family means.
Overall, reading this book was an experience. Even with such a heavy topic at the core, Siena has layered on different frames of hockey, romance writing, found family etc - so while there is a lot going on, the heart of it is about understanding that even if one door closes, there are others that open; you need to evolve your perceptions and expectations, to see them.
Oh my heart!!! This one pulled so many strings, an infertility struggle where relationship ends because both think not good enough for another no matter how much they love- just showing sometimes love is not enough. It gave light to this struggle, the hope and fear, and just love all of her books because while spicy it’s honest.
This book was packed full of so many emotions.
It shows the struggles of infertility, and how it can cause even the strongest couples to lose hope.
I loved this book because it also shows that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and that there are always other ways to be a family.
I loved the way Evie and Jenner love each other and that even in Evie's darkest moments Jenner would still do anything and everything he could for her.
It shows the struggles of infertility, and how it can cause even the strongest couples to lose hope.
I loved this book because it also shows that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and that there are always other ways to be a family.
I loved the way Evie and Jenner love each other and that even in Evie's darkest moments Jenner would still do anything and everything he could for her.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Frozen Heart Face-Off, second in the Indy Speed series, had me feeling every kind of emotion… often to the point I felt like I had whiplash. (And I’m not mad about it.)
Straight out of the prologue, I knew Jenner and Evie’s story was going to make my heart hurt. Jenner was lovable from the time he was introduced in A Bunny for the Bench Boss, so learning about his heartbreak crushed me.
Thankfully, the second-chance romance was not some long, drawn out process. I enjoyed the way in which these two were reconnected, especially the focus on being a support for a partner with mental health struggles. I did have some moments of choice words with the author, shaking my fist in frustration at certain characters at various points. Fortunately, the grievances were all in jest and said characters redeemed themselves. The highs and lows Evie and Jenner faced were sometimes expected and sometimes surprising, but all roads lead to a perfect story. Oh who am I kidding? They’re here to show you life isn’t perfect, but everything works out as it should when given time.
A few things that make Siena Trap books a “must read” for me include:
Straight out of the prologue, I knew Jenner and Evie’s story was going to make my heart hurt. Jenner was lovable from the time he was introduced in A Bunny for the Bench Boss, so learning about his heartbreak crushed me.
Thankfully, the second-chance romance was not some long, drawn out process. I enjoyed the way in which these two were reconnected, especially the focus on being a support for a partner with mental health struggles. I did have some moments of choice words with the author, shaking my fist in frustration at certain characters at various points. Fortunately, the grievances were all in jest and said characters redeemed themselves. The highs and lows Evie and Jenner faced were sometimes expected and sometimes surprising, but all roads lead to a perfect story. Oh who am I kidding? They’re here to show you life isn’t perfect, but everything works out as it should when given time.
A few things that make Siena Trap books a “must read” for me include:
When I first received this book on my kindle this morning, I knew that I was in for a 453 page heart wrenching roller coaster, and I was right. Jenner and Evie's love story is fraught with turbulence and turmoil, and so very much love that it is hard to really understand. For those women, like myself, who face the inner thoughts and troubles that Evie goes through, never feeling good enough or worthy since the one thing that they should be able to do is something that they just can't, I felt heard and seen.
The topics covered in this book are ones that some people in this world are very, very familiar with. I knew going into it, that it would be both hard and very much worth it to read this book. I know that this is the PERFECT addition to the incredible world that Siena has created. This book is the definition of family is not who you are born with, but who you create and bring in. The found family that is weaved together throughout this universe just gets stronger and stronger with each book.
If you are looking for a overarching love story of endurance, loyalty, and devotion, then this is for you. Jenner and Evie are one for the ages.
The topics covered in this book are ones that some people in this world are very, very familiar with. I knew going into it, that it would be both hard and very much worth it to read this book. I know that this is the PERFECT addition to the incredible world that Siena has created. This book is the definition of family is not who you are born with, but who you create and bring in. The found family that is weaved together throughout this universe just gets stronger and stronger with each book.
If you are looking for a overarching love story of endurance, loyalty, and devotion, then this is for you. Jenner and Evie are one for the ages.