A review by xabbeylongx
Bright Winter Lights by Liz Maverick

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

3.5

Spoilers Ahead: 
Liz Maverick delivered, once again, with a very enjoyable book to read. 
We follow Sarah - one of the friends from the first book in this series, ‘Eight Winter Nights’ - and Adam. They were once friends in the beginning, but they grew apart. When Adam comes to her, after 10 years of silence, asking her to be her fake date after accidentally telling his mum he was dating her (to get the pressure off of him, of course, which is a totally rational thing to do) and she reluctantly agrees, despite things being weird. 
Things are also weird between her and Elliot, her childhood best friend. He said that he liked her, but she didn’t feel the same way. And as she starts developing feelings for Adam, feelings outside of their agreement, things start to get a little complicated. 
Their friendship group is less than accommodating, especially Elliot. Tamara helps them with the PR side of things, which helps them. Sarah has moved into his flat due to hers being uninhabitable and freezing. it’s all for this yearly ball they go to together, and after that they plan to break up and go their separate ways. 
But both of them don’t want that, although there is a miscommunication. Towards the end of the ball, Adam is jokey, because he wants to cheer Sarah up, but she thinks he’s not taking it seriously, and so she doesn’t tell him that she’s actually in love with him. Luckily, though, he catches up with her, and he tells her how he feels. They start dating, and eventually the whole group starts to hang out again… even Elliot, who’s actually quite friendly with Adam now, despite his misgivings at first (very weird testosterone moments in the book tbh, but mostly from Elliot). 
Honestly, I can’t lie, this book took me so long to get into for how short it is, but I felt so bad for Sarah and Adam. Sarah’s friends, I’m sorry, are absolutely shite, and I think she deserves much better. We all know how I felt about Tamara in the last one, so I expected to dislike her again - which shows the consistency of the characters, I guess - but Rachel? I expected better from you. I felt they spent a lot of time just moaning at her, not supporting her, just not really being the people she needed them to be. Which I think is so sad, as she definitely would do that for them. Forever a Sarah defender until the day I die (disregarding the fact she did the same to Elliot as Adam did to her, we’re going to gloss over that fact). Let’s, also, not divert from the fact that Elliot is a massive knobhead? How can he get annoyed at her? She told him that she didn’t like him, and he wasn’t getting the hint? What is she supposed to do, not date until he’s over her? Complete cretin. I can’t stand people like that, how he made himself a victim when someone doesn’t like him… grow up! And, I know you can’t help who you like, but I’d be absolutely fuming at him in turn, for ruining the friendship that way? I almost broke when I heard Sarah say that it wouldn’t be the same again, because that shit hurts. The way he acted as well… unacceptable. Sarah and Adam forever! 
Not a massive fan of the miscommunication trope, and this one felt very rushed and a little sloppy if I’m being honest, but I’m overlooking it for my queen Sarah. 
A very lovely read, and I can’t wait to read the next one!