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kkatelynelizabeth1's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Terminal illness
georgia_sara93's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Willa has never met someone so rude as Ryder. Their lecturer instructs her to get the class notes of him, but he won’t give her a chance to grab them. She’s busy training as a hopeful professional soccer player, balancing college and spending time with her unwell mum. As things progress miscommunications become clearer and completely valid and so do connections progress.
Ooft! This is cute, cute, cute!!!! The relationship? Beautiful! The miscommunication trope? Actually well done for a change! The diversity? Loved it! If you’re looking for your next diverse romance author - I think Liese seems to be where it’s at! Thank you so much my friend for getting me to read this one already for my 12 books recommended by 12 friends! I fear how much longer it would’ve sat on my TBR unread for longer when all I need is all the other 6 Bergman Brothers books! 🙊🙊
Also don’t feel it’s not AMAZING at a 4⭐️ rating. This appears to be Liese’s first novel. The themes approached are some heavy, all complex and are beautifully done! Were there a lot of obstacles? Maybe! But at least the story had a realistic timeline and story to it! In all other aspects a heavy 5⭐️ and DEFINITELY a new favourite book! 😍😍
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Death
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 sheghosted 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.
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
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Ableism, Death, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Vomit, Misogyny, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and War
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing
whatsophreadnext_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
whatbeccareadnext's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well I sobbed my way through at least half of this book. To the point that I'm surprised I could still read the words on the page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Ableism, Alcohol, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abandonment
soulwinds's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Cancer, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment, Medical content, and Vomit
thaliareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
4.0
While this started a little slow for me, as the plot started to unfold I really enjoyed it. I will say that miscommunication or a lack of communication is probably one of my least favorite tropes. While the initial miscommunication is a fun misunderstanding that sets the stage well, I wish that the characters had just been more honest with eachother later in the book.
However, I love how Ryder truly stuck by Willa no matter how many times she pushed him away. I also love how Willa never made Ryder feel like less than because he chose not to speak or not to pursue hearing aids or learning sign language. She took him at face value and loved him for who he was at his core, regardless of everything else.
However, I love how Ryder truly stuck by Willa no matter how many times she pushed him away. I also love how Willa never made Ryder feel like less than because he chose not to speak or not to pursue hearing aids or learning sign language. She took him at face value and loved him for who he was at his core, regardless of everything else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Ableism, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
thelostartofsecretkeeping's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content
whackettreading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Cancer
Moderate: Death and Ableism
Minor: War