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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Car accident
Moderate: Medical content
Ache: ★ ★
Marley Valentine
"I will let you love me for a million lifetimes as long as I can love you for a million more."
Jordan's been pining for his straight, engaged best friend their entire life. But a bachelor trip to Vegas changes everything for them before it all gets snatched away.
This review may contain spoilers, so please read at your own risk.
Tropes:
– Childhood friends to lovers
– Secret pining
– Amnesia
– Cheating (not between the MCs)
I love everything Marley Valentine, but this one didn't really do it for me, I fear. There were a couple things that just held me back from loving it fully. The entire basis of their relationship (or lack thereof) was miscommunication and it all could have been avoided if they were just honest with one another. They were confessing lifelong love for one another at ~20% so it was just like... why wait so long and wait to get engaged to another woman?
Speaking of Elena, I feel like the book was trying to make us hate her but I simply couldn't. All she wanted was for her fiancé not to cheat on her and I understand that? I don't blame her? She really didn't do anything wrong so I was not going to hate on her.
Through it all, the main thing is both of them have loved each other for years but instead of acting on it, they kind of ruin other lives on their path to be together. There wasn't a real justifiable reason for them not being together–at least not to me–and while the angst was definitely angsty, it just wasn't it.
Marley Valentine
"I will let you love me for a million lifetimes as long as I can love you for a million more."
Jordan's been pining for his straight, engaged best friend their entire life. But a bachelor trip to Vegas changes everything for them before it all gets snatched away.
This review may contain spoilers, so please read at your own risk.
Tropes:
– Childhood friends to lovers
– Secret pining
– Amnesia
– Cheating (not between the MCs)
I love everything Marley Valentine, but this one didn't really do it for me, I fear. There were a couple things that just held me back from loving it fully. The entire basis of their relationship (or lack thereof) was miscommunication and it all could have been avoided if they were just honest with one another. They were confessing lifelong love for one another at ~20% so it was just like... why wait so long and wait to get engaged to another woman?
Speaking of Elena, I feel like the book was trying to make us hate her but I simply couldn't. All she wanted was for her fiancé not to cheat on her and I understand that? I don't blame her? She really didn't do anything wrong so I was not going to hate on her.
Through it all, the main thing is both of them have loved each other for years but instead of acting on it, they kind of ruin other lives on their path to be together. There wasn't a real justifiable reason for them not being together–at least not to me–and while the angst was definitely angsty, it just wasn't it.
emotional
lighthearted
[2.4] Ah yes, the age-old story of "gay guy pines for his 'straight' childhood best friend," but this time said best friend is engaged and set to get married in a few months. Watching the object of your affection find happiness elsewhere....oof, talk about daggers through the heart
An angsty gripping read from the author that I read right after Unwanted because I wanted to just continue the self inflicted emotional damage I give myself.
I was not disappointed and further cinches that Marley Valentine is on my go-to list of authors for angsty hit me in the gut reads!
I was not disappointed and further cinches that Marley Valentine is on my go-to list of authors for angsty hit me in the gut reads!
I was a little torn on rating this one. Bottom line, I felt the whole ending was a little rushed, but maybe I'm just greedy. But that's probably the biggest reason it only got 4 stars. I guess I needed a little more of the early days in their relationship, including the physical aspects of it given that Gael had never been with a man before.
I wasn't sure how I felt about willingly going into a book about cheating. Then again, I delayed reading Without You by Marley for the same (but different) uncomfortable feelings after reading the blurb. I have a pretty hard line when it comes to cheating. But this book dealt with it in a way that I was able to get past it. And she's such a gifted author and giving us flawed and real MCs that you can't help but fall in love with. And while it was uncomfortable that Elena got a few chapters herself, I think we needed her POV to get a more well-rounded picture of the full story.
I do plan on picking up the audio version once it comes out. The fact that the narrators are Gomez Pugh and Teddy Hamilton makes it more of a done deal about me buying it! I wouldn't be surprised if my rating goes up once I listen to the audiobook version!
I wasn't sure how I felt about willingly going into a book about cheating. Then again, I delayed reading Without You by Marley for the same (but different) uncomfortable feelings after reading the blurb. I have a pretty hard line when it comes to cheating. But this book dealt with it in a way that I was able to get past it. And she's such a gifted author and giving us flawed and real MCs that you can't help but fall in love with. And while it was uncomfortable that Elena got a few chapters herself, I think we needed her POV to get a more well-rounded picture of the full story.
I do plan on picking up the audio version once it comes out. The fact that the narrators are Gomez Pugh and Teddy Hamilton makes it more of a done deal about me buying it! I wouldn't be surprised if my rating goes up once I listen to the audiobook version!
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This was a very angsty and emotional journey of finally realizing true love and acceptance. Jordan and Gael are best friends who need to realize just how deep their feelings go so they need to get past hurt feelings and miscommunications. This story was a very original and realistic approach on how a friends to lovers experience might really be and it all starts with a bachelor party! I received an ARC of this book and recommend for those of you love all the feels and heartache involved with what seems like unrequited love that will come to a passionate sweet ending!
I loved this super sweet book. It was a quick and enjoyable read for me. I definitely recommend it!
There is sadly cheating in the book but I chose my moral ambiguity of the circumstances. Not that it is okay but it made sense...
There is sadly cheating in the book but I chose my moral ambiguity of the circumstances. Not that it is okay but it made sense...
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
eh I just found this too rushed and a bit boring