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xandrarama 's review for:
I Could Be Yours
by Helena Hunting
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is probably best described as a hockey-adjacent romance, as neither protagonist plays hockey but both have family and/or social ties to the local professional team. The book almost functions as a sequel to If You Hate Me, as the story is framed by Rex and Tristan’s wedding and characters from previous instalments in the Terror series feature heavily. I am not sure how this would read as a complete standalone, but I enjoyed catching up with everyone (apart from Kodiak, who comes across as a caveman with no personality beyond a near-pathological obsession with his wife).
I have had a soft spot for the Stiles brothers since IYHM, so I was delighted to read Nate’s story. I thought the book did a good job of not just rehashing Tristan’s journey but making it Nate’s own, despite their shared trauma and the similar issues it engendered.
Essie wasn’t as interesting to me - I would have liked to see more about her work and what’s involved, and how the complexity and creativity of that work can be undervalued by others, rather than the focus being almost exclusively on how she is consistently underestimated due to her looks. That, along with her love of pink princess stuff and fairy tales, just felt a bit one-dimensional to me in terms of her characterisation and not quite meaty enough to be compelling.
The book did a great job of giving readers a few more insights into Connor’s back story and setting him up for his own story. I also enjoyed Flip’s appearances and the signs of his own growth since the beginning of the series (but was reassured that he still loves Kraft Dinner, which I find very relatable). His commitment to weekly bingo was endearing and his nickname for Nate cracked me up.
Many thanks to the author for the ARC.