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frannook's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
More thoughts to come soon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
bookcasey's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Outing, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Excrement, Lesbophobia, and Classism
letmetakea_shelfie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
rdebner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
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
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This was a really tender romance about estranged childhood besties, Rosemary Hale & Logan Melantis, who have always been different (opposites attract), had a huge misunderstanding and bout of miscommunication in high school, and are reunited for a cross-country road trip in the loudest, most vibrant van (text on the side of the van says "Queer Cuddler") in service of their high school English teacher, Joe Delgado. They experience unplanned excursions, road bumps, and more, as they grapple with Joe's terminal illness (cancer) and their grief in saying goodbye to him.
Logan is a self-appointed "fuckboy," who recognizes that all women see in her are her long legs and huge tits (her words, not mine). She has ADHD, so when she feels, she feels incredibly deeply. So what's the healthy adult thing to do? Not feel anything or care about anything at all, of course! (read: sarcasm). Logan is so fervently committed to her lifestyle, and wears her tough exterior to self-sabotage and protect herself, as she believes people will always leave (reminiscent of: angtsy, angry Peyton from season 1 of One Tree Hill), so she leaves first!
Rosemary also has ADHD, but presents very differently from Logan, and is therefore committed to her schedules, itineraries, and struggles with deviations from agreed-upon plans. Rosemary (or "Hale" as Logan calls her) was not out to Logan yet, so Logan is wildly dismissive and erases Rosemary's sexuality in the beginning of the book. However, Rosemary eventually clarifies she is queer, and so begins the queer longing!
The overarching messages of what Joe tried to teach the women was admirable, and could probably feel universally relatable. I really do want to read more stories about folks at the end of life, because I'm fascinated by our mortality, and it's interesting to me that so many dying folks share similar sentiments of: "Don't let fear get in the way of your joy," "Follow your heart," "Be yourself," etc etc etc. Joe confronted his own past shames in leaving Remy behind, how the AIDs pandemic traumatized him, and how he wanted to spend his final days. Joe was brave in finally doing things he wanted as he made his way home to Bar Harbor, Maine. I'd love a book or movie about Joe's life. Books like these generally help me examine if I'm living a fulfilling life, and I do think we all need reminders of our mortality so we can act accordingly and bravely.
I really do wish Joe was not a Latine man whose terminal illness and death was the plot device that furthered two white women's personal development. It's hard to me to not notice that.
This was a really tender romance about estranged childhood besties, Rosemary Hale & Logan Melantis, who have always been different (opposites attract), had a huge misunderstanding and bout of miscommunication in high school, and are reunited for a cross-country road trip in the loudest, most vibrant van (text on the side of the van says "Queer Cuddler") in service of their high school English teacher, Joe Delgado. They experience unplanned excursions, road bumps, and more, as they grapple with Joe's terminal illness (cancer) and their grief in saying goodbye to him.
Logan is a self-appointed "fuckboy," who recognizes that all women see in her are her long legs and huge tits (her words, not mine). She has ADHD, so when she feels, she feels incredibly deeply. So what's the healthy adult thing to do? Not feel anything or care about anything at all, of course! (read: sarcasm). Logan is so fervently committed to her lifestyle, and wears her tough exterior to self-sabotage and protect herself, as she believes people will always leave (reminiscent of: angtsy, angry Peyton from season 1 of One Tree Hill), so she leaves first!
Rosemary also has ADHD, but presents very differently from Logan, and is therefore committed to her schedules, itineraries, and struggles with deviations from agreed-upon plans. Rosemary (or "Hale" as Logan calls her) was not out to Logan yet, so Logan is wildly dismissive and erases Rosemary's sexuality in the beginning of the book. However, Rosemary eventually clarifies she is queer, and so begins the queer longing!
The overarching messages of what Joe tried to teach the women was admirable, and could probably feel universally relatable. I really do want to read more stories about folks at the end of life, because I'm fascinated by our mortality, and it's interesting to me that so many dying folks share similar sentiments of: "Don't let fear get in the way of your joy," "Follow your heart," "Be yourself," etc etc etc. Joe confronted his own past shames in leaving Remy behind, how the AIDs pandemic traumatized him, and how he wanted to spend his final days. Joe was brave in finally doing things he wanted as he made his way home to Bar Harbor, Maine. I'd love a book or movie about Joe's life. Books like these generally help me examine if I'm living a fulfilling life, and I do think we all need reminders of our mortality so we can act accordingly and bravely.
I really do wish Joe was not a Latine man whose terminal illness and death was the plot device that furthered two white women's personal development. It's hard to me to not notice that.
steam rating: 2.5 out of 5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
kaykaysbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
What to expect: sapphic, road trip, English teachers, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, death of a mentor, you'll cry
nothing like not reading the summary and crying at work reading a book that just hits you in all the feels, am I right?
but really, this one is so well done and I love it!
Spice: 2.5
nothing like not reading the summary and crying at work reading a book that just hits you in all the feels, am I right?
but really, this one is so well done and I love it!
Spice: 2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
cassielaj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
This is simply the sweetest, most beautiful, rip your heart to shreds and stitch it back up three sizes bigger book that I’ve ever read. I laughed constantly. I held back tears a few times and then cried so hard I couldn’t see the words anymore. The way this book approaches and opens up grief, death, mental health, love, joy, life, and so much more spoke to me in such a special way. I wanted to wrap every character in the biggest hug and never let go. I don’t even know how best to say how perfect it was, but I can tell you already this is a top book of 2024. And probably of ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Homophobia and Excrement
kitaface's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Abandonment
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.75
Thanks to Atria Books for the free copy of this book.
- OMG, this book 😭😭❤️ I very NEARLY cried reading this book, which is high praise because books never make me cry.
- You wouldn’t think this book, which you know is going to end in a death, would be so hilarious, but it is. I loved the road trip shenanigans and the bickering and the joy and beauty found in the bleakest of times.
- Then, of course, this book is also filled with thorny questions of how to live your life and what are the most important things in that life. Just a treat, all around.
- I also loved how Logan’s ADHD and Rosemary’s anxiety are not problems to be fixed, but integral parts of who they are. (Not that I expected anything less from Cochrun!)
- OMG, this book 😭😭❤️ I very NEARLY cried reading this book, which is high praise because books never make me cry.
- You wouldn’t think this book, which you know is going to end in a death, would be so hilarious, but it is. I loved the road trip shenanigans and the bickering and the joy and beauty found in the bleakest of times.
- Then, of course, this book is also filled with thorny questions of how to live your life and what are the most important things in that life. Just a treat, all around.
- I also loved how Logan’s ADHD and Rosemary’s anxiety are not problems to be fixed, but integral parts of who they are. (Not that I expected anything less from Cochrun!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Alcohol
theoceanrose's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Cancer