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A review by musingsofru
Variation by Rebecca Yarros
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Rebecca’s signature world building is found through elite ballerinas with catty fake relationships in NY and high stakes coast guard rescue swimmers off the east coast in this book. There are camping scenes that made me laugh and a found family aspect that made my heart so full. With flashbacks to the past we can see bits and pieces of how this duo was together. There is a mystery at the center of Allie and Husdon's love story. With only one of them knowing the whole story.
Hudson would do almost anything to make his niece smile. Even fake date his only love if it would give her some insight into the family she believes to be hers. His niece has ascertained that she is related to Allie and with a closed adoption can’t learn anything more till she turns 18. That means Allie and Hudson try to carefully tread a line so she can meet her family without her adoptive mom finding out. Everyone is trying to do what is best for her while not really doing the right thing. Best of intentions and all.
From the outside looking in Allie looks like she has everything she’s ever wanted including a loving supportive family that is the royal family of US ballet. However that couldn’t be farthest from the truth. We experience life through Allie’s eyes, never being good enough, family rejections and betrayal. It was an incredible experience to see her heal and explore being vulnerable for the only man that she’s ever loved.
The paragraph headers were snippets of social media accounts gossiping about the characters. It felt like an odd addition, but it reinforced how icky strangers can be. Feels very appropriate to those who feel some sort of ownership over what their favorite people do or say. It certainly raised my hackles and made me feel even more protective of Allie as the book went on.
Hudson is incredible. He’s the best uncle and a selfless man who goes out of his way to take care of his family. He does it all while risking his life every time he goes to work as a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. I couldn’t get enough of him.
Read this book if you like fake dating, second chance relationships, found family, mystery and people who work to prove themselves.
With gratitude to Montlake and Rebecca’s team for the advanced reader copy. These are my honest thoughts on Variation.
CW: death of a sibling, cancer death (off page) & dementia
Hudson would do almost anything to make his niece smile. Even fake date his only love if it would give her some insight into the family she believes to be hers. His niece has ascertained that she is related to Allie and with a closed adoption can’t learn anything more till she turns 18. That means Allie and Hudson try to carefully tread a line so she can meet her family without her adoptive mom finding out. Everyone is trying to do what is best for her while not really doing the right thing. Best of intentions and all.
From the outside looking in Allie looks like she has everything she’s ever wanted including a loving supportive family that is the royal family of US ballet. However that couldn’t be farthest from the truth. We experience life through Allie’s eyes, never being good enough, family rejections and betrayal. It was an incredible experience to see her heal and explore being vulnerable for the only man that she’s ever loved.
The paragraph headers were snippets of social media accounts gossiping about the characters. It felt like an odd addition, but it reinforced how icky strangers can be. Feels very appropriate to those who feel some sort of ownership over what their favorite people do or say. It certainly raised my hackles and made me feel even more protective of Allie as the book went on.
Hudson is incredible. He’s the best uncle and a selfless man who goes out of his way to take care of his family. He does it all while risking his life every time he goes to work as a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. I couldn’t get enough of him.
Read this book if you like fake dating, second chance relationships, found family, mystery and people who work to prove themselves.
With gratitude to Montlake and Rebecca’s team for the advanced reader copy. These are my honest thoughts on Variation.
CW: death of a sibling, cancer death (off page) & dementia
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Dementia, and Death of parent