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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
3 1\2 stats for me
3 1\2 stars for me. I knew this was gonna be messy and and sadly the messy wasn't even address properly. Honestly the 3 1\2 stars are almost all for Josh, I couldn't even felt sorry for Drew.
3 1\2 stars for me. I knew this was gonna be messy and and sadly the messy wasn't even address properly. Honestly the 3 1\2 stars are almost all for Josh, I couldn't even felt sorry for Drew.
lighthearted
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
The start of this book was pretty rough and I was wondering if I was going to DNF it. But after 10-12 chapters, it really picked up and I actually ended up really loving this book.
absolutely loved this. Josh and Drew are total opposites, and after being stuck on a family vacation together, they become close. Drew is currently dating Josh's brother Six, but they are on rocky grounds. Josh is on vacation with his ex, but his mother invited her and nobody wanted to say no to her.
Six is not into the vacation and is either ditching the activities, or drinking. Josh wants to support his mom so he sucks it up and tags along. Drew doesnt want to rock the boat further, so she sticks with it too.
Josh doesnt like her - or so Drew assumes. She is a famous singer, known by all, and he is a doctor in under previlliged countries trying to provide just the basic amount of health care in war zones.
Drew doesnt want Six the way he assumes she does, and she cant stop looking at his brother Josh.
It was so sweet to see how Josh allowed her to be herself. He allowed her to be brave, and stand up for what she wanted. she is unhappy with her career but doesnt feel like she can speak up about it. He gives her the space and the opportunity to be brave.
the two have an undeniable amount of chemistry, and end up becoming closer, and then sneaking around to avoid suspicion with the family. The ending was sweet, and there was a lot of angst and banter with these two. love this series
Six is not into the vacation and is either ditching the activities, or drinking. Josh wants to support his mom so he sucks it up and tags along. Drew doesnt want to rock the boat further, so she sticks with it too.
Josh doesnt like her - or so Drew assumes. She is a famous singer, known by all, and he is a doctor in under previlliged countries trying to provide just the basic amount of health care in war zones.
Drew doesnt want Six the way he assumes she does, and she cant stop looking at his brother Josh.
It was so sweet to see how Josh allowed her to be herself. He allowed her to be brave, and stand up for what she wanted. she is unhappy with her career but doesnt feel like she can speak up about it. He gives her the space and the opportunity to be brave.
the two have an undeniable amount of chemistry, and end up becoming closer, and then sneaking around to avoid suspicion with the family. The ending was sweet, and there was a lot of angst and banter with these two. love this series
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
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
4.5 stars
These characters were messy and complicated and they reached into my chest and squeezed my heart so hard. I devoured this book over a Saturday morning and kept apologizing to my family because I just couldn't walk away. Definitely a lovely case of right book, right time!
Drew (h) is a famous pop star whose life has taken its toll on her. She's a bit chaotic, sometimes filterless and inappropriately funny, and surprisingly endearing. I wanted to wrap her in a hug and I was kind of shocked that I immediately liked her as much as I did. Josh (H) is a doctor who's rejected everything remotely like his father so he works in a refugee camp in Somalia. He's Drew's ex's brother and their past meetings have been tense and frictiony. It was easier to like Josh despite his sometimes assholish ways because he was also paying attention to the small details about Drew and was protective and considerate when he wasn't needling her. Both characters are stuck together on this bizarre and dramatic family trip (Drew had agreed to give her ex another chance but he ends up jailed in another country) and their personal lives are each a tangle of intense feelings.
While Josh and Drew start the book exchanging barbs and banter and not thinking well of the other, their forced proximity lends itself to secret truths being revealed and a better understanding of each other's character. The vacation chapters are filled with interesting scenes in Hawaii and reluctant bonding (at first). There are heavy moments throughout the book though (I listed some of the triggers below) so please be mindful of those. Written in first person, dual POV. Tiny bits of ow and om drama as H's mother has invited H's ex-fling along the trip too and she doesn't like h and then, h's ex wants her back. Nothing happens between the h and H til it's made clear that things are over with the ex and the most she exchanges on page with the ex is a kiss. Neither are virgins and it was said it had been a while for the H (he hadn't been with the ex-fling for a year I think).
I really loved how the book was laid out and the pacing of their trip and the development of their romantic connection. I had a lot of strong emotions throughout the book with the pain of Drew's secrets and past and then how often she was hurt in big and little ways. Josh was horrified over how Drew was treated and I loved how he wanted to care for her. The steamy times between them had a great intimate feel to them, though this is a slow burn so you have to lean into the sexual tension slowly being ratcheted up before you get the payoff. Unfortunately once Drew and Josh do begin pursuing their chemistry, they're caught in their other obligations of work and secrecy of their relationship, as well as what a relationship between them could become.
The conflict between them is painful to read and while I completely understood where Josh was coming from and his fears about the situation, my heart ached for Drew. I did want to shake her a bit though because of her position. I was also frustrated with her when it came to her professional life and how little she stood up for herself, even if it fit her character and what she had experienced. Once that finally changed though, I cheered. What brings Drew and Josh back together is pretty dramatic and how she took control there was awesome and he didn't let me down, Josh grabbed that opportunity to claim her with both hands.
The ending is HFN and even though it's plain that they're in love and happy together, with some updates on the changes their lives have undergone, I was left wanting more. So I downloaded the bonus epilogue and unfortunately it also had more messiness and high emotions when I was hoping for more warmth and fuzzy sweetness. But Drew and Josh overcome and prove that their love is absolutely theirs. I definitely don't think this book is for all of my friends but the author's writing is very strong and she's not afraid to write imperfect characters finding that swoon worthy love.
Trigger warnings: recollections of violence against a child, toxic family dynamics, mental health rep, mentions of substance abuse, mentions of a loved one's suicide, mentions of danger of violence in a war torn area, mention of a parent with cancer
These characters were messy and complicated and they reached into my chest and squeezed my heart so hard. I devoured this book over a Saturday morning and kept apologizing to my family because I just couldn't walk away. Definitely a lovely case of right book, right time!
Drew (h) is a famous pop star whose life has taken its toll on her. She's a bit chaotic, sometimes filterless and inappropriately funny, and surprisingly endearing. I wanted to wrap her in a hug and I was kind of shocked that I immediately liked her as much as I did. Josh (H) is a doctor who's rejected everything remotely like his father so he works in a refugee camp in Somalia. He's Drew's ex's brother and their past meetings have been tense and frictiony. It was easier to like Josh despite his sometimes assholish ways because he was also paying attention to the small details about Drew and was protective and considerate when he wasn't needling her. Both characters are stuck together on this bizarre and dramatic family trip (Drew had agreed to give her ex another chance but he ends up jailed in another country) and their personal lives are each a tangle of intense feelings.
While Josh and Drew start the book exchanging barbs and banter and not thinking well of the other, their forced proximity lends itself to secret truths being revealed and a better understanding of each other's character. The vacation chapters are filled with interesting scenes in Hawaii and reluctant bonding (at first). There are heavy moments throughout the book though (I listed some of the triggers below) so please be mindful of those. Written in first person, dual POV. Tiny bits of ow and om drama as H's mother has invited H's ex-fling along the trip too and she doesn't like h and then, h's ex wants her back. Nothing happens between the h and H til it's made clear that things are over with the ex and the most she exchanges on page with the ex is a kiss. Neither are virgins and it was said it had been a while for the H (he hadn't been with the ex-fling for a year I think).
I really loved how the book was laid out and the pacing of their trip and the development of their romantic connection. I had a lot of strong emotions throughout the book with the pain of Drew's secrets and past and then how often she was hurt in big and little ways. Josh was horrified over how Drew was treated and I loved how he wanted to care for her. The steamy times between them had a great intimate feel to them, though this is a slow burn so you have to lean into the sexual tension slowly being ratcheted up before you get the payoff. Unfortunately once Drew and Josh do begin pursuing their chemistry, they're caught in their other obligations of work and secrecy of their relationship, as well as what a relationship between them could become.
The conflict between them is painful to read and while I completely understood where Josh was coming from and his fears about the situation, my heart ached for Drew. I did want to shake her a bit though because of her position. I was also frustrated with her when it came to her professional life and how little she stood up for herself, even if it fit her character and what she had experienced. Once that finally changed though, I cheered. What brings Drew and Josh back together is pretty dramatic and how she took control there was awesome and he didn't let me down, Josh grabbed that opportunity to claim her with both hands.
The ending is HFN and even though it's plain that they're in love and happy together, with some updates on the changes their lives have undergone, I was left wanting more. So I downloaded the bonus epilogue and unfortunately it also had more messiness and high emotions when I was hoping for more warmth and fuzzy sweetness. But Drew and Josh overcome and prove that their love is absolutely theirs. I definitely don't think this book is for all of my friends but the author's writing is very strong and she's not afraid to write imperfect characters finding that swoon worthy love.
Trigger warnings: recollections of violence against a child, toxic family dynamics, mental health rep, mentions of substance abuse, mentions of a loved one's suicide, mentions of danger of violence in a war torn area, mention of a parent with cancer
