Review by lrose02 - For Whom The Belle Tolls

lrose02 's review for:

For Whom The Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

5.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book had so many elements to it that I can’t not rate it a five star. It’s a rom com for sure, with smut and romance and all that delicious stuff. But it’s also a beautiful story about two non perfect individuals finding each other, and others, and working through their trauma. This author just gets people. The characters are so well thought out and complex that I was fed. The book is long, and I admit the start was slow but I feel like that’s a big book intimidation problem and not specific to this book. There’s plot, that comes out in the last third, with many hints up to it in the start. But it’s also a very character heavy plot, and you follow their growth and the life together. The hellp desk is actually a minor plot point but also the heart of the book, as Lily couldn’t be where she is without that. Her writing on religious is so relatable and beautiful, and is really touching especially for people who have had issues with their faith or have left it behind. There are trigger warnings, as the author explores many bad things about humanity as well as the good. Chapter 42 is especially heavy, as it follows Lily’s human life. There’s SA, self harm, suicide attempts and then her actual cancer battle and death. I won’t spoiler warning these as it’s important to know. The grief at the end is so beautiful and I love how the culture of the afterlife is explored in the way the funeral is. The ending is a happy one, and one I feel is fleshed out enough. It makes sense in the end. And I loved the epilogue. I feel like it’s a reference to the skits on TikTok which I know vaguely of but I like it, as it’s a perfect reflection of Lily’s start. I feel lucky to have read this on KU and she’s an author I hopes keeps writing because I haven’t read prose this beautiful in a while.

Content Warnings