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imds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism
displacedcactus's review against another edition
emotional
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
Age gap romances aren't normally my thing, but this was just the right amount of messy drama to be a fun change of pace.
I did have a couple of frustrations with the book. Erin, the MILF, felt a bit sketched-in at times. Throughout the book, she's working on trying to get a free clinic launched, but while this idea is mentioned several times, and we see her working on it, the details are so incredibly vague as to why she wants it and what her goal is for it.
And as someone who has never experienced campus life, I had some concerns about Cassie's drinking.We find out pretty early on that Cassie's mother is an alcoholic and drug addict, so it feels weird that only one side character ever addresses Cassie getting sloppy drunk. I know that heavy drinking at parties is a normal college-age thing, but it was so emphasized in the early chapters that I thought this was going to be part of her character arc, when instead her problem drinking mostly resolves itself as her other problems resolve themselves.
On the other hand, one thing I did really like (spoilers for MC's relationship with her own mother):We learn right off the bat that Cassie is not really in touch with her mom, due to her addictions and generally being a bad mom. No one ever judges Cassie for this choice, and there's no forced reconciliation, nor does the mom show up to serve as a villain.
If age-gap romances (between consenting adults), forbidden romances, temporary long-distance, MILFs, college romance, or messy awkwardness are your jam, this book is a pretty decent read, but I don't think it's good enough to recommend if you're neutral or negative towards the tropes.
I did have a couple of frustrations with the book. Erin, the MILF, felt a bit sketched-in at times. Throughout the book, she's working on trying to get a free clinic launched, but while this idea is mentioned several times, and we see her working on it, the details are so incredibly vague as to why she wants it and what her goal is for it.
And as someone who has never experienced campus life, I had some concerns about Cassie's drinking.
On the other hand, one thing I did really like (spoilers for MC's relationship with her own mother):
If age-gap romances (between consenting adults), forbidden romances, temporary long-distance, MILFs, college romance, or messy awkwardness are your jam, this book is a pretty decent read, but I don't think it's good enough to recommend if you're neutral or negative towards the tropes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Biphobia and Drug use
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Misogyny
sophie42's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism and Infidelity
dododenise's review
2.0
I really didn’t enjoy this. The entire concept just weirded be out and I was uncomfortable most of the time. It’s not the book’s fault, it’s not like it makes a secret about what it’s about. This is entirely my fault for thinking I could warm up to this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism and Abandonment
charlie1995's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Biphobia, and Addiction
megelizabeth's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
I did not expect to completely adore Erin and Cassie the way I did. Yes, the friend's mom / daughter's friend dynamic did make me uncomfortable at times, but they had brilliant chemistry right from the start and by the end of the book I was just so in love with both of their characters and with their relationship, and really did think they worked well together. I also absolutely loved the found family element of the story and the variety of relationships that are explored in addition to the central romance.
I did feel that, as we got to see Erin going to therapy and really working on her issues and undergoing some great character development, it would've been even better if we had gotten to get a bit more into Cassie's character and past and development too (she does undergo some important growth, but her character isn't explored to the extent that Erin's is in my opinion). It also bugged me a bit that there's a lot of drinking featured, and that this isn't really explored in any meaningful or critical way. However, this book was exactly what I needed to read at the time that I read it and it just made my heart so fucking happy, and it's been a while since a romance book has stayed on my mind as much as this one has; Erin and Cassie deserve the entire world.
I did feel that, as we got to see Erin going to therapy and really working on her issues and undergoing some great character development, it would've been even better if we had gotten to get a bit more into Cassie's character and past and development too (she does undergo some important growth, but her character isn't explored to the extent that Erin's is in my opinion). It also bugged me a bit that there's a lot of drinking featured, and that this isn't really explored in any meaningful or critical way. However, this book was exactly what I needed to read at the time that I read it and it just made my heart so fucking happy, and it's been a while since a romance book has stayed on my mind as much as this one has; Erin and Cassie deserve the entire world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Alcoholism
muddybeetle's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism and Infidelity
ashcrash's review
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
super fun!! some really strong characters, a lovely romance, and just enough tension/conflict to keep u stressing. also?? HOT???? we DO NOT get enough well written explicit WLW sex and this book delivers and delivers FREQUENTLY, JFC. also love love love that said sex avoids rlly any pitfall of age gap or WLW stuff: they both get chances to be assertive, they laugh and joke, they are both fully aware of what they’re getting into and Enthusiastically consent, they truly do care for each other’s pleasure and well being even before they rlly Care for Each Other, again it is EXPLICIT rather than weird vague metaphors, and they get to own their horniness!!! no passive actors here!!! rlly rlly good, liked a whole lot. if i had to ding for anything it’d be that parker still not knowing by the 70% mark had me about throw up from anxiety lmfao but obv i made it. also the ending was a lil excessively goopy but it’s a romance so duh. also sapphic couples double proposing ftw
also kept bracing for cassie’s mom to show up but never happened and honestly? LOVE. the conflict would have been completely unnecessary and i was dreading it the Entire book just for it not to happen bc why would it, the author ACTUALLY MEANT IT when she said cassie’s mom isn’t in her life and the narrative is completely cool with that. OBSESSED, PLS TAKE NOTE @ ANYONE ELSE WRITING FAMILY TRAUMA
also
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Alcoholism and Child abuse
piphux's review
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Biphobia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship