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A review by seawarrior
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
I really loved this story. I don't typically read romances so I wasn't sure I would get invested in it, but Chloe and Red's dynamic was so sweet and electric that it was easy to feel interested in their relationship.
My primary reason for picking this book was because Chloe lives with fibromyalgia, similarly to myself. This is the first story I've read where the protagonist has fibromyalgia, though it hopefully won't be the last. I felt my own pain and exhaustion and fear easily reflected in Chloe's. The most impactful passage in this book for me was when Chloe described how she'd gone years undiagnosed, and had to develop her own unhealthy coping mechanisms, which mainly revolved around learning to avoid anything that risked worsening her symptoms or emotional pain. I've been living my life with the same philosophy since my mysterious aches and everpresent tiredness began as a preteen. Reading Chloe's frustrations and worries reflect my own was as validating as I'd expected, but I wasn't prepared for how rewarding it was to read about her being properly accommodated and comforted by Red. I really hope people as loving as him are real, I feel like I decided they must not be at a very young age.
My ties to the subject matter aside, I thought this book was generally written well. The descriptions made the characters' world easy to envision, and the dialogue between them felt natural and real. Most of all I loved how the characters were described so lovingly and with almost a magical quality. It made me want to start looking for the lovely ordinary traits in the people I know.
All around this was a rewarding story to read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who'd like to understand more about what it's like to live with fibromyalgia, or for anyone who just likes to read about love between imperfect people striving to improve their lives.
My primary reason for picking this book was because Chloe lives with fibromyalgia, similarly to myself. This is the first story I've read where the protagonist has fibromyalgia, though it hopefully won't be the last. I felt my own pain and exhaustion and fear easily reflected in Chloe's. The most impactful passage in this book for me was
My ties to the subject matter aside, I thought this book was generally written well. The descriptions made the characters' world easy to envision, and the dialogue between them felt natural and real. Most of all I loved how the characters were described so lovingly and with almost a magical quality. It made me want to start looking for the lovely ordinary traits in the people I know.
All around this was a rewarding story to read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who'd like to understand more about what it's like to live with fibromyalgia, or for anyone who just likes to read about love between imperfect people striving to improve their lives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship