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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hazel Hayes’ Better by Far is an emotional and heartfelt novel that showcases her talent for capturing the complexities of human relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning, the characters, and the impactful revelation at the end. The ending in particular moved me to tears, and I found myself staying up until 1 a.m. to see how it all concluded.
That said, I found the middle portion of the book—roughly 30-70%—less gripping and even a bit tedious at times. The pacing felt slow, and while some lines were undeniably thought-provoking, I struggled to find a connection with any of the characters. Most of the character development seemed to be crammed into the final 20%, which made the earlier chapters feel less impactful.
The novel felt very real, and it’s clear Hazel poured her heart into the story. Fans of her first novel may find comfort in the familiar tone and character dynamics, but for me, the similarity to her debut made this one less engaging. The characters felt too similar to those in her previous work, and with no narrative tie between the stories, the familiarity ended up detracting from the freshness of this book.
I suspect readers who have experienced a difficult breakup may connect with the story and its characters more deeply. Lacking that personal connection, I found it harder to fully immerse myself in their struggles. Nevertheless, the ending packed an emotional punch, making the book worth the read.
That said, I found the middle portion of the book—roughly 30-70%—less gripping and even a bit tedious at times. The pacing felt slow, and while some lines were undeniably thought-provoking, I struggled to find a connection with any of the characters. Most of the character development seemed to be crammed into the final 20%, which made the earlier chapters feel less impactful.
The novel felt very real, and it’s clear Hazel poured her heart into the story. Fans of her first novel may find comfort in the familiar tone and character dynamics, but for me, the similarity to her debut made this one less engaging. The characters felt too similar to those in her previous work, and with no narrative tie between the stories, the familiarity ended up detracting from the freshness of this book.
I suspect readers who have experienced a difficult breakup may connect with the story and its characters more deeply. Lacking that personal connection, I found it harder to fully immerse myself in their struggles. Nevertheless, the ending packed an emotional punch, making the book worth the read.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Some passages I resonated with but most didn’t speak to me in the way the story unfolded
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
There’s some really beautiful writing within these pages and like Out of Love, I had so many highlights. This could have been a 5 star read from me, but I just could not get into the sections where the author writes in second person. This is the 3rd of 4th book I’ve read in the last quarter with this and it just takes me totally out of the story. 3.5 stars
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This was an interesting concept for a book. This book opens up on Kate and Finn during an intense fight which ends in them breaking up after Finn finally admits “I do not like you anymore” to Kate. They decide to go no contact but the problem is they have 12 weeks left on their lease they decide to split the remaining time Kate gets the house one week Finn the next. I loved this book Kate is in her thirties and it’s something you don’t see often in books. You see Kate go through the motions of living in space she once shared with someone she imagined her future with. There was a few slow parts in the middle but I’m glad I stuck it through
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes