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ksamaine95's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Finally gave another CH series a chance. Not wowed but also not disappointed. Sweet, interesting, and unique?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Ableism
Minor: Sexual content, Transphobia, Terminal illness, and Vomit
midnightvenus's review
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I remember reading this book for the very first time, at the tender age of 13 or 14, and finishing it thinking: wow, what a masterpiece. Since then, I've noticed the steady amount of criticism (and hate) Colleen Hoover has been receiving on social media. I'm not a diehard fan, so I didn't really care; but I decided to reread this partly out of curiosity if she truly is that bad) and partly because I wanted to do so for old times' sake.
Disappointingly, though not surprisingly, Maybe Someday is not as good, contrary to what my teenage self thought it was. I must have read this with rose-tinted glasses, because I recall during those days finding Ridge adorable—the dream boyfriend. Now, that is not so much the case. Several times I found myself annoyed at him. Firstly, the strange sexism that seems to be an undercurrent in the novel: in one of Ridge's POV, wherein him and Sydney were exchanging texts and she vented about how much she missed Hunter; before laying out what he thought, Ridge prefaced it with "…I'm not a girl, so I'm not about to tell her that what she's feeling is normal." What exactly are you implying? I feel as though Hoover wants to portray Ridge as this kind and loyal man, and I almost believed it, but it all falls apart when he included this line in a confession letter he wrote to Sydney: My loyalty still lies with Maggie. I simply lost all respect for him (and there was barely any in the first place!). Honestly, it seems to me that he pities Maggie more than he 'loves' her. Not to put too fine a point to it, but even Maggie herself admits this (although indirectly): their relationship started on a mutual idealization.
Also, this book is chock full of hypocrites. Hunter warning Sydney the irony of her situation with Ridge; Warren being furious about cheaters when he is somewhat one himself. This wouldn't be that big of an issue, really, because I'm big on messy, convoluted feelings being resolved: wading through the ugly muck of it produces a satisfaction unlike any other. I was also interested in seeing how exactly Hoover will answer the question: what happens when two good people, with good intentions, end up having objectively bad feelings for each other because of that goodness?
Disappointingly, though not surprisingly, Maybe Someday is not as good, contrary to what my teenage self thought it was. I must have read this with rose-tinted glasses, because I recall during those days finding Ridge adorable—the dream boyfriend. Now, that is not so much the case. Several times I found myself annoyed at him. Firstly, the strange sexism that seems to be an undercurrent in the novel: in one of Ridge's POV, wherein him and Sydney were exchanging texts and she vented about how much she missed Hunter; before laying out what he thought, Ridge prefaced it with "…I'm not a girl, so I'm not about to tell her that what she's feeling is normal." What exactly are you implying? I feel as though Hoover wants to portray Ridge as this kind and loyal man, and I almost believed it, but it all falls apart when he included this line in a confession letter he wrote to Sydney: My loyalty still lies with Maggie. I simply lost all respect for him (and there was barely any in the first place!). Honestly, it seems to me that he pities Maggie more than he 'loves' her. Not to put too fine a point to it, but even Maggie herself admits this (although indirectly): their relationship started on a mutual idealization.
Also, this book is chock full of hypocrites. Hunter warning Sydney the irony of her situation with Ridge; Warren being furious about cheaters when he is somewhat one himself. This wouldn't be that big of an issue, really, because I'm big on messy, convoluted feelings being resolved: wading through the ugly muck of it produces a satisfaction unlike any other. I was also interested in seeing how exactly Hoover will answer the question: what happens when two good people, with good intentions, end up having objectively bad feelings for each other because of that goodness?
Unfortunately, the answer to this was not delivered in a way I find acceptable.
Contrary to what Sydney thinks, her and Ridge are not Tori and Hunter. They're simply Sydney and Ridge. What they had was not sexual in nature; even Maggie herself notes this: they organically developed feelings for each other. I don't doubt the love they have for each other—I simply dislike their love story. Especially Ridge.
As for the technical parts: Hoover's writing is generic. There is nothing special about it. It's easy to read through, though some parts I find hard to follow such as when a character is being described performing an action. The characterization is also insipid and weak.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
If you have low tolerance for the OW/OM (other woman/other man) trope in romance, then steer clear of this book, there is a lot of that in here (and cheating).elysetierney's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
tbrnichols's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
These people... Suck? Honestly entirely unclear why I would want them to be happy or together. Why are they friends with Warren when he seems to have no redeeming qualities (it's constantly mentioned that he has a job but refuses to pay rent, he exclusively treats women as sex objects, he has no sense of boundaries)? Why are they all regularly casually transphobic? Why can't anyone handle their feelings without resorting to physical violence or property destruction? Why is she so into him speaking out loud? I think I would have felt a lot more comfortable with the non-Deaf person being the one going outside their comfort zone to communicate, rather than her being extremely into him having to confront his childhood trauma to communicate with her. Like not saying he can't grow and overcome it, but it didn't feel like he had much of a choice since she hadn't learned ASL at all. The only personal growth either of them seem to do at all is Ridge realizing that basing a relationship off of a year of pining and fantasy is not great. But never does he seem to address his ability to fall in love with a girl when he's already partnered. Shouldn't he address that with Sydney before they sleep together if he's not going to be able to be monogamous? And I didn't really feel like Sydney did any personal growth whatsoever. Even with Maggie's understanding attitude, they still ended a relationship that seemed plausible to be a forever situation and that felt really unfair to her. (But she also sucks like why does she parade Sydney around in her underwear when she's blackout drunk at a party??)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Medical trauma
Minor: Dementia
theatrealpaca's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Chronic illness, Ableism, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Sexism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, and Terminal illness
hollymileham's review against another edition
emotional
fast-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
3.0
really not sure how to feel?? first of all i hated how cheating was like the main focus of this book and how it got romanticised and justified. like what? had no idea this was the trope going in. i liked the characters besides that and there were a lot of emotional moments. tbf id have been fine with ridge ending up with either of the girls.
what i cant look past is the homophobic undertone of sydney saying one of her major flaws was how she kissed a girl when she was youngee, the use of a transphobic word not once but twice and the use of ableist language throughout a book which clearly tried to represent the deaf community which is majorly hypocritical. im really disappointed by this and ultimately this book really didnt age very well.
what i cant look past is the homophobic undertone of sydney saying one of her major flaws was how she kissed a girl when she was youngee, the use of a transphobic word not once but twice and the use of ableist language throughout a book which clearly tried to represent the deaf community which is majorly hypocritical. im really disappointed by this and ultimately this book really didnt age very well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, and Terminal illness
Minor: Homophobia, Ableism, and Transphobia
niyalog's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Transphobia
arthur_ant18's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Infidelity
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Transphobia
Minor: Body shaming and Vomit
bridgetebooks's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Transphobia
sydneystyles9's review against another edition
1.0
nahhhhhh, really wanted to love this one because her name is Sydney but that was so bad in so many ways. Don’t even get me started on how there were TWO disrespectful transgender “jokes“
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
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