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jennaniho's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
If the song My Boo by Usher feat. Alicia Keys could be a book, it would be this one. It reminded me a lot of how Latine people also experience love, heartbreak, societal expectations and, more specifically, grief. Which is what this book focuses on and excels at.
Yasmen and Josiah, confront emotional repression, grief, and resilience, as well as the positive effects of therapy and mindfulness. Kennedy Ryan humanizes these characters to the point of making you identify them in people in your life. In Yasmen I saw my mother, my friends, while in Josiah I saw my father, my husband, and my uncle.
Is a truly inspiring story and a must read!
Yasmen and Josiah, confront emotional repression, grief, and resilience, as well as the positive effects of therapy and mindfulness. Kennedy Ryan humanizes these characters to the point of making you identify them in people in your life. In Yasmen I saw my mother, my friends, while in Josiah I saw my father, my husband, and my uncle.
Is a truly inspiring story and a must read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Pregnancy, Addiction, Miscarriage, Chronic illness, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abandonment
abarnakwn_ourcolourfulpages's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
This book was honest and visceral, while also being steamy as heck. Reading the author's note at the end, it really is evident how much work Kennedy Ryan put into this book, and it's nothing short of the product of a labour of love. Ryan does a remarkable job exploring difficult topics such as grief, depression, stillbirth, death of close family members, and the impacts of all of these things on a marriage (and subsequent divorce). It's an account of rebuilding one's life after clawing out of depression's iron jaw and figuring out what that means for them and their family. It's also a story of learning how to cope and be yourself after being irrevocably changed by traumatic events. About all, it's a story of love (familial, romantic, platonic) and healing. I was so deeply impacted by this story despite my lack of experience in some of the matters, and I can't imagine the profound impact this story will make on those who have experienced loss in the ways that the characters have. I was so moved, and so totally enthralled by Yasmen and Josiah's story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Child death
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Car accident
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