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amanda_reads13's reviews
367 reviews
The Love You Fight For by Brit Benson
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
Sam is a politicians daughter who has never wanted for anything except for her freedom.
Sam is her father's tool, at least that's how he sees her. He has spent her whole life manipulating, abusing, and attempting to mold her into a submissive woman who does his bidding. But Sam is a vicious, vengeful queen. Her heartbreaking and painful past has not made her pliant, it has made her angry. While she may look like she is her father's puppet, she is actually plotting and planning to get her revenge on the men who have abused her her entire life. She is an absolute badass who is incredibly strong, fearless, capable, and demands respect.All along she has been working with the police to gather evidence and take down her father and his buddies. The final takedown at the gala is pure brilliance.
Chris Casper is the definition of a cinnamon roll. He knows that there is more to Sam that her ice queen exterior. She pushes him away at every turn, but he is patient, persistent and so supportive. He is her peace. Hello green flags. They are waving all over the place. He is her north.
Sam has suffered years of abuse from the powerful men in her life. *This is not shown on page.* We do not need to relive Sam's trauma to experience her pain and the torment she endured. Benson is able to evoke so much emotion and depth throughout the book without recounting all those details.
I love that we get to revisit Macon and Lennon thought the story, but their addition doesn't distract us from Chris and Sam. I like how their friendships add so much depth to the story.
Tropes: Opposites attract, he falls first, found family, revenge
Sam is her father's tool, at least that's how he sees her. He has spent her whole life manipulating, abusing, and attempting to mold her into a submissive woman who does his bidding. But Sam is a vicious, vengeful queen. Her heartbreaking and painful past has not made her pliant, it has made her angry. While she may look like she is her father's puppet, she is actually plotting and planning to get her revenge on the men who have abused her her entire life. She is an absolute badass who is incredibly strong, fearless, capable, and demands respect.
Chris Casper is the definition of a cinnamon roll. He knows that there is more to Sam that her ice queen exterior. She pushes him away at every turn, but he is patient, persistent and so supportive. He is her peace. Hello green flags. They are waving all over the place. He is her north.
Sam has suffered years of abuse from the powerful men in her life. *This is not shown on page.* We do not need to relive Sam's trauma to experience her pain and the torment she endured. Benson is able to evoke so much emotion and depth throughout the book without recounting all those details.
I love that we get to revisit Macon and Lennon thought the story, but their addition doesn't distract us from Chris and Sam. I like how their friendships add so much depth to the story.
Tropes: Opposites attract, he falls first, found family, revenge
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Pucking Revenge by Brittanée Nicole
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When Sara finds out her boyfriend is actually married, her best friend Brooks steps as her fake boyfriend.
I do love a good friends to lovers story and this one was pretty decent. I really enjoyed Sara and Brooks' chemistry and liked that it was built up through a strong friendship first. I was a little annoyed by their lack of communication, talk to each other! They could have been together way before had they just got out of their own heads and had an honest conversation.
I loved Brooks, he really was the quintessential good guy. His relationship with his brothers and their text chain is absolutely hilarious. It was truly the best part of the book.
I didn't really like Sara that much... I found her kind of annoying.
Why are they plotting petty revenge on the coach instead of going to Gavin and explaining how the coach used his position of power to manipulate another employee? Sure fire way to get the guy fired. Boom, revenge done.
Why. Are. They. Not. Exposing. Cheaters? I hate that they didn't tell the aunt and let her be bindsided. You don't want to hurt her, but you keep such a hurtful secret from her? Awful.
I really like all the side characters, even though it was hard to keep track of them at times (there are so many). But their relationships with the MCs and their personalities added a lot to the story. I love how close they all are and how they always have each other's backs.
A few things gave me a the ick though... The fact that the coach was his uncle and the scene in the office. Major ick. I wish the coach had just been a coach and not his uncle. Also I didn't like their nicknames...
Honestly, I could have done without the podcast segments. I didn't feel like they added anything to the story.
Tropes: hockey, best friends to lovers, fake dating, found family
I do love a good friends to lovers story and this one was pretty decent. I really enjoyed Sara and Brooks' chemistry and liked that it was built up through a strong friendship first. I was a little annoyed by their lack of communication, talk to each other! They could have been together way before had they just got out of their own heads and had an honest conversation.
I loved Brooks, he really was the quintessential good guy. His relationship with his brothers and their text chain is absolutely hilarious. It was truly the best part of the book.
I didn't really like Sara that much... I found her kind of annoying.
Why are they plotting petty revenge on the coach instead of going to Gavin and explaining how the coach used his position of power to manipulate another employee? Sure fire way to get the guy fired. Boom, revenge done.
Why. Are. They. Not. Exposing. Cheaters? I hate that they didn't tell the aunt and let her be bindsided. You don't want to hurt her, but you keep such a hurtful secret from her? Awful.
I really like all the side characters, even though it was hard to keep track of them at times (there are so many). But their relationships with the MCs and their personalities added a lot to the story. I love how close they all are and how they always have each other's backs.
A few things gave me a the ick though... The fact that the coach was his uncle and the scene in the office. Major ick. I wish the coach had just been a coach and not his uncle. Also I didn't like their nicknames...
Honestly, I could have done without the podcast segments. I didn't feel like they added anything to the story.
Tropes: hockey, best friends to lovers, fake dating, found family
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Coda by Jennifer Hartmann
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Years later, Noah is happily married and Chelsie has found peace in life. When tragedy strikes they are thrown back together.
I really liked the first book and the ending. I liked the idea that they were an integral part of each other's lives, but not necessarily end game. That said, I did enjoy the continuation of their story. This book, like the first, was filled with heartbreak, angst, and tragedy.
Chelsie went through years of healing on her journey to self-love. I just really wished we saw some of that journey. She is still filled with so much self-doubt, but she has such a big heart and cares so much. Sadly, her past manages to catch up to her and threatens to undo all the hard work she has done. She is such a strong and determined woman. She makes some very dumb choices, but her heart is in the right place.
Noah has endured so much loss in this book, he is broken and on a self-destructive path. You can see how torn he is.Yes, he definitely loved his wife and their life together, but Cheslie has always been his soulmate. He struggles with the idea that being with Chelsie is betraying Beth. Considering the complex situation, this is understandable.
I love these two together. They have so much chemistry and I love how seamlessly Cheslie fits into their family. They just need to work on their communication a bit more.
I adored the supporting characters in this book. Especially the kids and Elsa. They added so much to the story and the development of the main characters. I love how her side characters have big personalities and don't just fade into the background.
As soon as wefind out that Beth has been killed, I knew right away it was Ian's brother. So, that, and Riley's involvement, didn't come as a shock at all.
The ending felt very rushed to me. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of their life together in Florida. What is their "normal" now?
Tropes: rockstar, second chance
I really liked the first book and the ending. I liked the idea that they were an integral part of each other's lives, but not necessarily end game. That said, I did enjoy the continuation of their story. This book, like the first, was filled with heartbreak, angst, and tragedy.
Chelsie went through years of healing on her journey to self-love. I just really wished we saw some of that journey. She is still filled with so much self-doubt, but she has such a big heart and cares so much. Sadly, her past manages to catch up to her and threatens to undo all the hard work she has done. She is such a strong and determined woman. She makes some very dumb choices, but her heart is in the right place.
Noah has endured so much loss in this book, he is broken and on a self-destructive path. You can see how torn he is.
I love these two together. They have so much chemistry and I love how seamlessly Cheslie fits into their family. They just need to work on their communication a bit more.
I adored the supporting characters in this book. Especially the kids and Elsa. They added so much to the story and the development of the main characters. I love how her side characters have big personalities and don't just fade into the background.
As soon as we
The ending felt very rushed to me. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of their life together in Florida. What is their "normal" now?
Tropes: rockstar, second chance
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Aria by Jennifer Hartmann
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
Chelsie is a struggling waitress when she catches the eye of Devon, the frontman of a famous band. Noah, the guitarist, will do anything to get her out of the picture so she will not become a distraction. But evrything changes the night she spills all of her secrets to Noah.
THIS BOOK! Ugh, Jennifer Hartmann just rips my heart out over and over again. Love is messy and complicated, we don't always get the fairytale ending we hope for. This book is about enduring and surviving trauma, healing, love, and friendship. It is filled with so much angst and tension. Hartmann does such a good job delving into the mind of a survivor in the midst of her healing journey. I thought it was a beautiful story of the messy journey of healing trauma, it's not easy and it's not pretty, sacrifices and hard choices are made.
Chelsie is such a strong woman. She has been through unthinkable abuse and trauma, yet she manages to survive and flourish. She makes many questionable choices, but she has never really healed from her trauma so her choices are completely understandable. She is a survivor just trying to get through each day.
Although I really want to see these two together, I really respect the choice she made to leave. She needed to heal on her own terms and to grow as her own person before being able to have a healthy relationship. Her leaving was a tough pill to swallow, and even though she still loves Noah, she made the right choice for both of them.
Noah. Oh, Noah. I love him so much. He is there for Chelsie every single time she needs him. We see him slowly fall for her knowing that she will never be anything more than his friend, he is Devon's girlfriend afterall. I love seeing his character grow, seeing his rough exterior soften around Sam and Chelsie.
I actually really loved the ending of this book.Yes, it was shocking that they aren't together. But I love that both are at a point where they are happy and healed. Yes, they still love one another, which I am sure will be explored more in book one. Maybe we will get a second chance romance?!
A few things:
-The massive jump in time threw me off. I really wish there had been more time spent delving into Chelsie's healing journey and not just a play by play it it. That is such an important aspect of the story and I feel like it was just glossed over.
-I really wish this was written written in 1st POV.
-Some of the pacing felt a little off.
Tropes: rockstar, forbidden, enemies to lovers, love triangle, slow burn
THIS BOOK! Ugh, Jennifer Hartmann just rips my heart out over and over again. Love is messy and complicated, we don't always get the fairytale ending we hope for. This book is about enduring and surviving trauma, healing, love, and friendship. It is filled with so much angst and tension. Hartmann does such a good job delving into the mind of a survivor in the midst of her healing journey. I thought it was a beautiful story of the messy journey of healing trauma, it's not easy and it's not pretty, sacrifices and hard choices are made.
Chelsie is such a strong woman. She has been through unthinkable abuse and trauma, yet she manages to survive and flourish. She makes many questionable choices, but she has never really healed from her trauma so her choices are completely understandable. She is a survivor just trying to get through each day.
Noah. Oh, Noah. I love him so much. He is there for Chelsie every single time she needs him. We see him slowly fall for her knowing that she will never be anything more than his friend, he is Devon's girlfriend afterall. I love seeing his character grow, seeing his rough exterior soften around Sam and Chelsie.
I actually really loved the ending of this book.
A few things:
-The massive jump in time threw me off. I really wish there had been more time spent delving into Chelsie's healing journey and not just a play by play it it. That is such an important aspect of the story and I feel like it was just glossed over.
-I really wish this was written written in 1st POV.
-Some of the pacing felt a little off.
Tropes: rockstar, forbidden, enemies to lovers, love triangle, slow burn
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
lighthearted
fast-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
2.0
Sally is a comedy writer who has sworn off love until she reconnects with Noah, a pop star.
So this IMHO is not a romantic comedy. It is called such because Sally writes for a SNL like show. I didn't really find it funny per se, but the "behind the scene" look at the SNL lifestyle was interesting.
This book felt like it was one giant political statement about how it's unfair that less attractive men can reel in gorgeous women without anyone saying a word, but it's a scandal if the opposite happens. It was rammed down our throats. We get it.
Sally believes that she is unworthy of love because she isn't pretty enough to get the guy. We are hit over the head with this over and over. She is so awkward and I cringed at so many things she said. No matter how much validation Noah gives her, her insecurities get the best of her. She is a successful, Emmy award winning writer who has such little self-confidence. There is zero character development. This woman needs therapy to work through her issues.
The second half of the book takes part during the pandemic. Noah reaches out to Sally via email and they become pen pals. Their email correspondence is all over the place. ALSO it's never really explained why he reaches out after 2 years of no contact...
She is such a a hypocrite, she accused Noah of dating models younger than him while setting her friend up with a doctor 20 years her senior. ALSO calling herself a feminist while constantly belittling other women.
COVID is used as a plot device to push the characters together (not in a good way). We see them get together in this COVID "bubble", not real life. Their "real life" is squashed into a short epilogue. I would have preferred to have seen the progress of their relationship without COVID thrown in. It was unnecessary.
There is a whole section in their emails that felt so preformative. "Did you for to a BLM march?" Was basically the whole conversation. Why have two white characters mention this if that is going to be the whole conversation.
Tropes: workplace, celebrity romance
So this IMHO is not a romantic comedy. It is called such because Sally writes for a SNL like show. I didn't really find it funny per se, but the "behind the scene" look at the SNL lifestyle was interesting.
This book felt like it was one giant political statement about how it's unfair that less attractive men can reel in gorgeous women without anyone saying a word, but it's a scandal if the opposite happens. It was rammed down our throats. We get it.
Sally believes that she is unworthy of love because she isn't pretty enough to get the guy. We are hit over the head with this over and over. She is so awkward and I cringed at so many things she said. No matter how much validation Noah gives her, her insecurities get the best of her. She is a successful, Emmy award winning writer who has such little self-confidence. There is zero character development. This woman needs therapy to work through her issues.
The second half of the book takes part during the pandemic. Noah reaches out to Sally via email and they become pen pals. Their email correspondence is all over the place. ALSO it's never really explained why he reaches out after 2 years of no contact...
She is such a a hypocrite, she accused Noah of dating models younger than him while setting her friend up with a doctor 20 years her senior. ALSO calling herself a feminist while constantly belittling other women.
COVID is used as a plot device to push the characters together (not in a good way). We see them get together in this COVID "bubble", not real life. Their "real life" is squashed into a short epilogue. I would have preferred to have seen the progress of their relationship without COVID thrown in. It was unnecessary.
There is a whole section in their emails that felt so preformative. "Did you for to a BLM march?" Was basically the whole conversation. Why have two white characters mention this if that is going to be the whole conversation.
Tropes: workplace, celebrity romance
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Frida's one very bad day results in her being sent to a one-year program to become a "better mother".
The premise is a commentary on the very real control our patriarchal government has over our lives. The book was incredibly disturbing; I felt very uncomfortable and angry throughout the story. I had to take many breaks while listening. The author successfully illustrates the pressures put on mothers to be perfect and the unrealistic expectations society expects them to meet. It also sheds light on the racial prejudices towards mothers of colour as they endure even harsher punishments.
Frida is a single mom struggling to find balance. She is overworked, stressed, and probably dealing with post-partum depression. On her worst day she makes the choice to leave her daughter home alone for two hours, which is reported by the neighbours. That day her daughter is taken from her and Frida ends up being sent to a Big Brother type institution. Here, the mothers endure harsh and strict rules and while being pushed to achieve unrealisticly high standards of perfection.
My main issue with the book is our main character. She is not a sympathetic or likable character. She made a terrible choice that put her daughter in danger. If we really look at her, her concern is not for her child's welfare, it's for her own and her "need" to be with her baby. I was really waiting for that "ah-ha" moment when she realizes that her behaviour truly put her daughter at risk, but there wasn't. There was so much focus on her whining and lamenting her situation, which I get. Her daughter was taken from her, her husband left her for another woman, and the school is awful, BUT there is little to no growth in her character. Her pride stands in her way at every step.
Also, the plot is very, very slow. Since this was a dystop an society, I wanted more world building. Does society truly not know about these schools? How is this abuse allowed to occur?
The premise is a commentary on the very real control our patriarchal government has over our lives. The book was incredibly disturbing; I felt very uncomfortable and angry throughout the story. I had to take many breaks while listening. The author successfully illustrates the pressures put on mothers to be perfect and the unrealistic expectations society expects them to meet. It also sheds light on the racial prejudices towards mothers of colour as they endure even harsher punishments.
Frida is a single mom struggling to find balance. She is overworked, stressed, and probably dealing with post-partum depression. On her worst day she makes the choice to leave her daughter home alone for two hours, which is reported by the neighbours. That day her daughter is taken from her and Frida ends up being sent to a Big Brother type institution. Here, the mothers endure harsh and strict rules and while being pushed to achieve unrealisticly high standards of perfection.
My main issue with the book is our main character. She is not a sympathetic or likable character. She made a terrible choice that put her daughter in danger. If we really look at her, her concern is not for her child's welfare, it's for her own and her "need" to be with her baby. I was really waiting for that "ah-ha" moment when she realizes that her behaviour truly put her daughter at risk, but there wasn't. There was so much focus on her whining and lamenting her situation, which I get. Her daughter was taken from her, her husband left her for another woman, and the school is awful, BUT there is little to no growth in her character. Her pride stands in her way at every step.
Also, the plot is very, very slow. Since this was a dystop an society, I wanted more world building. Does society truly not know about these schools? How is this abuse allowed to occur?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, Grief, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Suicide, and Confinement
Look Closer by David Ellis
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After the body of rich socialite, Lauren, is discovered, Simon and Vicky's seemingly perfect life starts to unravel.
This was a pretty gripping suspense filled with so many different twists. The narrators are very unreliable and that threw me off a bit. I figured out thatVicky and Simon were probably working together, because it all just fell too perfectly into place. That said, I did NOT see a few of the twists coming, though looking back there were a tone of clues.
So the true plot: Simon and Vicky team up to commit a double homicide. Simon wants to kill the woman who robbed his family blind, which resulted in his mother's suicide. Vicky wants to kill to the con artisit who robbed her sister and got her addicted to drugs. Her sister then died. They fake a marriage, fake affairs, and set Lauren and Christen up in a complex and intricate revenge plot.
The plan between Simon and Vicky is truly masterful. Simonis diabolical and an expert at the long revenge game. He is sneaky and his mind works in the most brilliant yet psychotic way. He manages to get revenge on everyone without leaving any trail leading back to himself.
Where it fell apart for me was the last 1/4 or so of the book.Once the cop visits Simon, we are able to put together the puzzle pieces pretty quickly. I wish it wasn't handed to us so easily.
This was a pretty gripping suspense filled with so many different twists. The narrators are very unreliable and that threw me off a bit. I figured out that
The plan between Simon and Vicky is truly masterful. Simon
Where it fell apart for me was the last 1/4 or so of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Gun violence
Revenge Era by Brittanée Nicole
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Lake is world renowned popstar who just caught her boyfriend cheating on her with her tour manager. Who can she turn to for comfort? Her ex boyfriend's dad Ford, that's who.
This was definitely written for the Swifties. It was basically "what if Taylor Swift got revenge on her ex by hooking up with his dad?" plot. There were a bunch of parts that were a little cringy (milking, eww), but overall it was a pretty sweet and spicy novella. There were a bunch of characters from her other books peppered throughout, I recognized a few but had to look up others.
For a world renowned popstar, Lake has pretty low confidence in herself and lets her be used by her asshole of an ex. The red flags were flying en masse. Ford is nicknamed Daddy Ford for a reason. He is commanding and protective. Their chemistry was very obviously from the beginning and they seemed to bring out the best in each other in every way.
Their relationship timeline was very fast. Like 2 weeks? Unrealistic, but it's a novella.
Tropes: popstar, age gap, ex's dad, forbidden, revenge, workplace
This was definitely written for the Swifties. It was basically "what if Taylor Swift got revenge on her ex by hooking up with his dad?" plot. There were a bunch of parts that were a little cringy (milking, eww), but overall it was a pretty sweet and spicy novella. There were a bunch of characters from her other books peppered throughout, I recognized a few but had to look up others.
For a world renowned popstar, Lake has pretty low confidence in herself and lets her be used by her asshole of an ex. The red flags were flying en masse. Ford is nicknamed Daddy Ford for a reason. He is commanding and protective. Their chemistry was very obviously from the beginning and they seemed to bring out the best in each other in every way.
Their relationship timeline was very fast. Like 2 weeks? Unrealistic, but it's a novella.
Tropes: popstar, age gap, ex's dad, forbidden, revenge, workplace
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Sexual content
Mother Faker by Brittanée Nicole
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Beckett is given an ultimatum from his father, clean up his image and get married or lose his baseball team. He finds out that Olivia, the woman he has secretly been harbouring feelings for, is newly divorced. So on a work trip to Vegas he convinces her to get "fake" married.
This is a super cute, funny, and lighthearted rom com. The characters had great banter and chemistry. I really liked the found family premise behind it: 4 friends who are single moms move into together (a mom commune) and become each other's support system. All four moms are so different, but they are there for each other and their children no matter what. Their friendship is what carried the book, and I loved that that was such a focus. I really enjoyed all of the side characters, except for Delia. She was pretty rude much of the time.
Olivia is incredibly insecure and lacks self-confidence. BUT it makes sense. Her ex-husband cheated on her with the nanny and is so verbally abusive to her! Of course that makes her retreat inward. I love how Beckett works to help her build up her confidence in herself and works so hard to fit himself into her life.
Beckett was so darn charming. He has convinced himself that he doesn't want children because he doesn't want to be an absent father like his own. Fair enough. But he is obsessed with Olivia and she comes in a packaged deal with 3 children. The way this man and her children took to each other instantly was so adorable. He will do anything for these kids.
There are a lot of characters in this book and it gets a little hard to keep track of who is who when we are getting their names and Beckett's nicknames. There were a few times when I lost track of who was who.
Tropes: billionaire, single mom, grumpy/sunshine, fake marriage, found family, one bed, forces proximity, workplace
This is a super cute, funny, and lighthearted rom com. The characters had great banter and chemistry. I really liked the found family premise behind it: 4 friends who are single moms move into together (a mom commune) and become each other's support system. All four moms are so different, but they are there for each other and their children no matter what. Their friendship is what carried the book, and I loved that that was such a focus. I really enjoyed all of the side characters, except for Delia. She was pretty rude much of the time.
Olivia is incredibly insecure and lacks self-confidence. BUT it makes sense. Her ex-husband cheated on her with the nanny and is so verbally abusive to her! Of course that makes her retreat inward. I love how Beckett works to help her build up her confidence in herself and works so hard to fit himself into her life.
Beckett was so darn charming. He has convinced himself that he doesn't want children because he doesn't want to be an absent father like his own. Fair enough. But he is obsessed with Olivia and she comes in a packaged deal with 3 children. The way this man and her children took to each other instantly was so adorable. He will do anything for these kids.
There are a lot of characters in this book and it gets a little hard to keep track of who is who when we are getting their names and Beckett's nicknames. There were a few times when I lost track of who was who.
Tropes: billionaire, single mom, grumpy/sunshine, fake marriage, found family, one bed, forces proximity, workplace
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse
Heat of the Everflame by Penn Cole
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Diem has been crowned Queen, but without a successful coronation, she is unable to take power.
This series had so much potential, but falls into the same trap that so many other series do. They are so unoriginal, that they become incredibly predictable and become indistinguishable from one another.
The attempts to misguide us fell flat, and honestly all the "shocking" reveals weren't shocking at all.Obviously she was going to collect crowns and take on their powers, we all saw her blood being healing coming from a mile away, of course the sketchy kings and queens would betray her, we know they are going to be mates... There was so much repetition and unnecessary content that did nothing to advance the plot.
Diem is such a frustrating character. She makes no sense to me. She is supposed to be this incredibly kind and smart character, but is so self- centered and makes the dumbest choices. She has shown such little growth in these 3 books. Guess she takes after her mom, who is, IMHO, an asshole.
Luther had so much potential. He is a complete simp for Diem, which is sweet, but he has no personality and is a very flat character. Loving Diem is his entire personality.
The lack of communication between these two made me want to DNF.You have a life threatening injury, but instead of saying anything you push away the one person who could help you because you don't want to see her sad. WTF? That makes ZERO sense. Every time we think they are going to communicate, they are interrupted. EVERY TIME. This is not a plot device, this is lazy writing.
I'm not going to lie, the smutty bits felt very out of place, like the author realized the slow burn was too slow and just threw it in.We were just flighting a war, but now we get 2 days to relax in a library. Ya, that makes sense.
Tropes: slowest of slow burns, enemies to lovers (kinda), war/rebellion, fantasy
This series had so much potential, but falls into the same trap that so many other series do. They are so unoriginal, that they become incredibly predictable and become indistinguishable from one another.
The attempts to misguide us fell flat, and honestly all the "shocking" reveals weren't shocking at all.
Diem is such a frustrating character. She makes no sense to me. She is supposed to be this incredibly kind and smart character, but is so self- centered and makes the dumbest choices. She has shown such little growth in these 3 books. Guess she takes after her mom, who is, IMHO, an asshole.
Luther had so much potential. He is a complete simp for Diem, which is sweet, but he has no personality and is a very flat character. Loving Diem is his entire personality.
The lack of communication between these two made me want to DNF.
I'm not going to lie, the smutty bits felt very out of place, like the author realized the slow burn was too slow and just threw it in.
Tropes: slowest of slow burns, enemies to lovers (kinda), war/rebellion, fantasy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and War