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jackiereadssometimes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Abandonment
killianshea's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I expected to cry (maybe not sob so loudly I scared my cat, but here we are). I expected to be emotionally punched in the face. I *did not* expect to be called out by yet another rom com, but apparently that's what we're doing these days, so cool.
The way this book has consumed my mind for the 24 hours since I finished it, however, was the most unexpected thing about it. I read half the book sitting at a park during the solar eclipse, and then read more before bed, and then finished it when I woke up and I cannot stop thinking about it. Lately the rom coms I've been picking up (and absolutely devouring) haven't been simple love stories, but deep and complex in ways I didn't expect. I don't consider myself to be judgmental (deragatory) about genres (I'm very much one to encourage people NOT to be), but clearly I've been making assumptions if I'm being constantly surprised like this.
Maybe how I read this kind of book has changed, or maybe norms in the genre are changing, but assuming rom coms are going to be light and fluffy probably won't be my default anymore. I'm okay with having to be more conscious of that moving forward if it means getting more like this though. I don't know if I'll ever fully recover from this one - and honestly? I'm okay with that.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts (even if I did end up buying the book without having read the ARC)
Okay, I expected to cry (maybe not sob so loudly I scared my cat, but here we are). I expected to be emotionally punched in the face. I *did not* expect to be called out by yet another rom com, but apparently that's what we're doing these days, so cool.
The way this book has consumed my mind for the 24 hours since I finished it, however, was the most unexpected thing about it. I read half the book sitting at a park during the solar eclipse, and then read more before bed, and then finished it when I woke up and I cannot stop thinking about it. Lately the rom coms I've been picking up (and absolutely devouring) haven't been simple love stories, but deep and complex in ways I didn't expect. I don't consider myself to be judgmental (deragatory) about genres (I'm very much one to encourage people NOT to be), but clearly I've been making assumptions if I'm being constantly surprised like this.
Maybe how I read this kind of book has changed, or maybe norms in the genre are changing, but assuming rom coms are going to be light and fluffy probably won't be my default anymore. I'm okay with having to be more conscious of that moving forward if it means getting more like this though. I don't know if I'll ever fully recover from this one - and honestly? I'm okay with that.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts (even if I did end up buying the book without having read the ARC)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Medical content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
lindseyanderson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Addiction
vmjanek's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Abandonment
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