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ratetheromance 's review for:
Love at First
by Kate Clayborn
3 1/2 STARS
I loved the other Kate Clayborn book I have read (Love Lettering) so I expected to really like this book too. In the end it didn't quite do it for me.
THE GOOD:
This is an Enemies To Lovers story with plenty of sweetness and a lot of fate. The apartment building that the leas characters both own a unit in is filled with well-written and hopelessly endearing side characters that we come to love.
And the ending of the HEA is so swoon-worthy and so insanely heartfelt that you will close the final cover and sigh a contented sigh.
Clayborn tackles so really good topics like grief and loss as well as healing and forgiveness. Those topics were done well and with sensitivity and truthfulness.
THE NOT-AS-GOOD:
This book was pretty sad throughout and it read as fairly heavy. I guess the way the book was marketed led me to expect a lighter read. But if you're up for a bit of am emotionally fraught romance you will likely love this one!
As I mentioned, this is an Enemies To Lovers romance, but it has no bite at all. It's very light on the usual trope staples: snarky banter, clap backs, tricks, pranks, teasing, etc. It hardly feels like it belongs in this trope. More like "Reluctant Lovers".
Overall this was a pretty GOOD read, but not a great read for me.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: attempted parent abandonment, emotionally distant parents, death of parent, death of grandparent, elderly injury, estranged family
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the other Kate Clayborn book I have read (Love Lettering) so I expected to really like this book too. In the end it didn't quite do it for me.
THE GOOD:
This is an Enemies To Lovers story with plenty of sweetness and a lot of fate. The apartment building that the leas characters both own a unit in is filled with well-written and hopelessly endearing side characters that we come to love.
And the ending of the HEA is so swoon-worthy and so insanely heartfelt that you will close the final cover and sigh a contented sigh.
Clayborn tackles so really good topics like grief and loss as well as healing and forgiveness. Those topics were done well and with sensitivity and truthfulness.
THE NOT-AS-GOOD:
This book was pretty sad throughout and it read as fairly heavy. I guess the way the book was marketed led me to expect a lighter read. But if you're up for a bit of am emotionally fraught romance you will likely love this one!
As I mentioned, this is an Enemies To Lovers romance, but it has no bite at all. It's very light on the usual trope staples: snarky banter, clap backs, tricks, pranks, teasing, etc. It hardly feels like it belongs in this trope. More like "Reluctant Lovers".
Overall this was a pretty GOOD read, but not a great read for me.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: attempted parent abandonment, emotionally distant parents, death of parent, death of grandparent, elderly injury, estranged family
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.