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A review by stpe6480
Beverly by Laura J. Robert
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I was so excited to read a new angsty, raw, coming of age romance. And for the most part, this book delivered. I mean, it was good enough for me to read the whole thing in 24 hours. I also adored the cover art.
Beverly is an only child when her father brought Blake, a boy in foster care, home. Never really siblings but too young to be lovers, there was a lot of time exploring feelings as Beverly and Blake grew up. There are some content warnings for this book.
"I gave one last dramatic sigh for good measure, but deep down, I knew the truth– I'd follow her anywhere."
I liked the writing and the pacing for this story. I often feel that 350 page standalone books don't have the time or space to fully flesh out a believable story. This story took its time, and the writing was well done. The characters are teenagers from start to finish so even though I found myself frustrated with how they responded to different circumstances, how they communicated, etc... it was fairly reasonable for the age group represented. If you're looking for any emotional maturity, depth, or long-term character development, you won't find it here.
Something I feel neutral on (but you might not) is that while it is a romance book, it is not a spicy book. There are a few kisses and one mention of sex. This book is not a smut book. It is dark and explores adult themes no child should have to go through, but is not at all heavy on sexual content.
"No taking back the way my body had memorized hers, the way she had whispered my name like it was something holy."
There were definitely a few things I did not like.
1. I said I prefer longer books and that I liked how this wasn't a short romance fluff book, BUT 50-100 should have been cut. There was a lot of repetition of plot devices, circumstances, and going around in circles. It started to draaaag about 2/3rds of the way in.
2. The writing was beautiful AND there was a lot of repetition. The number of jaws clenching and fingers curling was criminal. Similar speech patterns were used frequently ("I'm fine," I lied.) ("I hate you!" I lied). It was a super preventable critique that goes along with cutting pages.
3. Some parts felt forced or unbelievable, even for a fictional work. They had always presented as foster siblings. What do you mean their friends were cheering them on from the start? What do you mean we see adults okay with it, no questions asked? Why is there a death that has to trigger the climax? It felt almost lazy and something I'd see in a lower-stakes, fluffy kind of book. Not a raw, unfiltered, inherently dark/controversial book.
Overall, it was fine. I'm not mad that I read it. If you like dark coming of age, you should check out the Ribbon Duet by Pepper Winters.
Beverly is an only child when her father brought Blake, a boy in foster care, home. Never really siblings but too young to be lovers, there was a lot of time exploring feelings as Beverly and Blake grew up. There are some content warnings for this book.
"I gave one last dramatic sigh for good measure, but deep down, I knew the truth– I'd follow her anywhere."
I liked the writing and the pacing for this story. I often feel that 350 page standalone books don't have the time or space to fully flesh out a believable story. This story took its time, and the writing was well done. The characters are teenagers from start to finish so even though I found myself frustrated with how they responded to different circumstances, how they communicated, etc... it was fairly reasonable for the age group represented. If you're looking for any emotional maturity, depth, or long-term character development, you won't find it here.
Something I feel neutral on (but you might not) is that while it is a romance book, it is not a spicy book. There are a few kisses and one mention of sex. This book is not a smut book. It is dark and explores adult themes no child should have to go through, but is not at all heavy on sexual content.
"No taking back the way my body had memorized hers, the way she had whispered my name like it was something holy."
There were definitely a few things I did not like.
1. I said I prefer longer books and that I liked how this wasn't a short romance fluff book, BUT 50-100 should have been cut. There was a lot of repetition of plot devices, circumstances, and going around in circles. It started to draaaag about 2/3rds of the way in.
2. The writing was beautiful AND there was a lot of repetition. The number of jaws clenching and fingers curling was criminal. Similar speech patterns were used frequently ("I'm fine," I lied.) ("I hate you!" I lied). It was a super preventable critique that goes along with cutting pages.
3. Some parts felt forced or unbelievable, even for a fictional work. They had always presented as foster siblings. What do you mean their friends were cheering them on from the start? What do you mean we see adults okay with it, no questions asked? Why is there a death that has to trigger the climax? It felt almost lazy and something I'd see in a lower-stakes, fluffy kind of book. Not a raw, unfiltered, inherently dark/controversial book.
Overall, it was fine. I'm not mad that I read it. If you like dark coming of age, you should check out the Ribbon Duet by Pepper Winters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual assault, Terminal illness
Minor: Violence