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anovelglimpse's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Note: This review is for an ARC provided by Wordsmith Publicity and is my unbiased opinion.
When I read Jay McLean's short story Not Made to Last in Aloha: An Anthology for Maui, my first comment was I hope this novella gets turned into a full-length book. IT DID!!! The beginning of Not Made to Last starts with the novella and continues Olivia and Rhys's story. What did I think of the expanded version?
I'm so happy Jay McLean is back releasing books. Her writing is so expressive, and it always captures and keeps my attention. I already knew I loved the beginning of this book, but I was thankful for a refresher, so I could get to know Ollie and Rhys again. Their not-so-cute meet cute is a lot of fun, but the story that comes after ramps up with emotion. I highly recommend checking trigger warnings for this book on McLean's website if you are sensitive to certain topics.
Rhys was a wealthy star basketball player who recently graduated from a private school. He was a mess, but so was Ollie. She was struggling working three jobs to help support her brothers, one of which was Rhys's basketball rivals. These two shouldn't have connected but they did. Getting close to each other had to be secretive to keep the peace. I loved the emotional connection that developed and the love that grew from it, but both Rhys and Ollie were hiding something from each other (and me!) as the story went on. I couldn't wait to find out what those things were. There were a lot of clues and I still managed to be surprised. I had to let go of a little of reality a tiny bit, but I guess wealthy families can throw money around and get results.
There were a lot of side characters contributing to Rhys and Ollie's story as it went along. First, there was Max. He's Ollie's gifted youngest brother who takes a liking to Rhys. Dominic, the other younger brother with the basketball skills, was Ollie's support system. Rhys's family wasn't exactly in or out of the picture, but he had a best friend named Oscar and another friend named Curtis who showed up when he needed them. All of these people were the glue that held Ollie and Rhys together. I loved what they added to their story.
Not Made to Last was an emotional new adult romance that made me both happy and sad. It's exactly what I've come to expect from Jay McLean, and I'm so glad she decided to expand the novella to give Rhys and Ollie a complete story.
You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .
When I read Jay McLean's short story Not Made to Last in Aloha: An Anthology for Maui, my first comment was I hope this novella gets turned into a full-length book. IT DID!!! The beginning of Not Made to Last starts with the novella and continues Olivia and Rhys's story. What did I think of the expanded version?
I'm so happy Jay McLean is back releasing books. Her writing is so expressive, and it always captures and keeps my attention. I already knew I loved the beginning of this book, but I was thankful for a refresher, so I could get to know Ollie and Rhys again. Their not-so-cute meet cute is a lot of fun, but the story that comes after ramps up with emotion. I highly recommend checking trigger warnings for this book on McLean's website if you are sensitive to certain topics.
Rhys was a wealthy star basketball player who recently graduated from a private school. He was a mess, but so was Ollie. She was struggling working three jobs to help support her brothers, one of which was Rhys's basketball rivals. These two shouldn't have connected but they did. Getting close to each other had to be secretive to keep the peace. I loved the emotional connection that developed and the love that grew from it, but both Rhys and Ollie were hiding something from each other (and me!) as the story went on. I couldn't wait to find out what those things were. There were a lot of clues and I still managed to be surprised. I had to let go of a little of reality a tiny bit, but I guess wealthy families can throw money around and get results.
There were a lot of side characters contributing to Rhys and Ollie's story as it went along. First, there was Max. He's Ollie's gifted youngest brother who takes a liking to Rhys. Dominic, the other younger brother with the basketball skills, was Ollie's support system. Rhys's family wasn't exactly in or out of the picture, but he had a best friend named Oscar and another friend named Curtis who showed up when he needed them. All of these people were the glue that held Ollie and Rhys together. I loved what they added to their story.
Not Made to Last was an emotional new adult romance that made me both happy and sad. It's exactly what I've come to expect from Jay McLean, and I'm so glad she decided to expand the novella to give Rhys and Ollie a complete story.
You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
mention of SA of minor, off page
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