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rachreads925's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Grief
itsbrianascall's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I've been debating writing this, but I need to get my thoughts out. Be prepared for a relatively negative review ahead.
It took me a while to get through this one. I'll be the first to admit that romance isn't my preferred genre to read, but I can appreciate one every once in a while assuming I like the characters. Unfortunately, I disliked Frankie to a high degree and the way she and Ezra communicated with each other -- or I guess lack thereof.
Frankie has a habit of not divulging any information about herself and then blowing up on Ezra, blaming him for not knowing how to better handle it. We see this with her reaction to the proposal, with how she reacted to his praise and questions about her musical talents, and on and on. Could he have asked more questions about her life before they met in college during their relationship? Absolutely. But the few times we're shown him doing so, Frankie shuts conversation down almost immediately and doesn't want to talk about it. It's not really a surprise he doesn't continue to ask for more personal details after that, and I don't really think he's in the wrong for respecting that boundary she clearly set.
I didn't find myself rooting for their relationship because they spent nearly the entire time fighting, telling each other how much they hate the other, and bringing up all the old stuff from a decade ago to throw in each other's faces about how bad a person they were for doing x, y, and z. Not to mention Ezra having been in a long-term relationship until that day with someone he had every intention of marrying until maybe an hour before midnight. I'm supposed to believe that by the end -- which all takes place in a single day -- they suddenly have put all of that behind them and want to get back together?
I'll say that at least their friends throughout the story helped to keep me reading until the end, but the ending didn't feel even remotely earned.
Frankie has a habit of not divulging any information about herself and then blowing up on Ezra, blaming him for not knowing how to better handle it. We see this with her reaction to the proposal, with how she reacted to his praise and questions about her musical talents, and on and on. Could he have asked more questions about her life before they met in college during their relationship? Absolutely. But the few times we're shown him doing so, Frankie shuts conversation down almost immediately and doesn't want to talk about it. It's not really a surprise he doesn't continue to ask for more personal details after that, and I don't really think he's in the wrong for respecting that boundary she clearly set.
I didn't find myself rooting for their relationship because they spent nearly the entire time fighting, telling each other how much they hate the other, and bringing up all the old stuff from a decade ago to throw in each other's faces about how bad a person they were for doing x, y, and z. Not to mention Ezra having been in a long-term relationship until that day with someone he had every intention of marrying until maybe an hour before midnight. I'm supposed to believe that by the end -- which all takes place in a single day -- they suddenly have put all of that behind them and want to get back together?
I'll say that at least their friends throughout the story helped to keep me reading until the end, but the ending didn't feel even remotely earned.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
coreyarch9's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
"Frankie remembered that she hadn't hated it. That it felt familiar, comforting almost. That something about Ezra Jones sent a charge through her, through her veins, through her blood, through her guts, and when she kissed him, that electrical pulse raced inside her just as it always had."
The Rewind was cute. It didn't pack as much Y2K nostalgia as I expected, but it was a perfect palette cleanser of a happily-ever-after romcom. I am a sucker for a good second-chance romance, and Frankie and Ezra provided just that as they retraced their (mis)steps following some possible debauchery on the eve of their friends' wedding.
Frankie, Ezra and their friends were the same age as me and, as such, some of their ruminations about life and careers and what they thought the future would look like after college hit particularly close to home. "It was easy, necessary, to think that grownups got their lives together after college. To learn that life remained as messy at thirty-two as it was at twenty-two was to shatter the illusion that came with post-graduation dreams." Ouch. 😂
The Rewind was cute. It didn't pack as much Y2K nostalgia as I expected, but it was a perfect palette cleanser of a happily-ever-after romcom. I am a sucker for a good second-chance romance, and Frankie and Ezra provided just that as they retraced their (mis)steps following some possible debauchery on the eve of their friends' wedding.
Frankie, Ezra and their friends were the same age as me and, as such, some of their ruminations about life and careers and what they thought the future would look like after college hit particularly close to home. "It was easy, necessary, to think that grownups got their lives together after college. To learn that life remained as messy at thirty-two as it was at twenty-two was to shatter the illusion that came with post-graduation dreams." Ouch. 😂
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Miscarriage, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Rape, Abortion, and Death of parent
melissalynn117's review
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Alcohol
Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, Classism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
dianaschmidty's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Grief, and Toxic relationship
teesh_a13's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Blood, and Abandonment
sarahs_readingparty's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Rewind was the cutest!! Frankie and Ezra are ten years removed from college graduation when the wedding of mutual friends brings them back to their college campus on New Years Eve 1999. The turn of the century! Though Frankie and Ezra broke up in spectacular fashion in college, they are offered a second chance through some bizarre circumstances. This book was witty and filled with 80s and 90s nostalgia that I SO appreciated even though I am a bit younger than the characters in terms of when I went to college. I loved the self-reflection that both Ezra and Frankie experienced as they evaluated present and past choices through mature eyes. I was cheering for them all the way through, even when a true rewind seemed unlikely. So many heart eyes for this book!
I can't wait to check out more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the chance to read an advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.
I can't wait to check out more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the chance to read an advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Grief and Pregnancy
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