Take a photo of a barcode or cover
imme_van_gorp's Reviews (706)
This book has such an interesting premise and sets out a very unique, thought-provoking and also sad concept.
Mostly because of the idea behind this book, I do still like it, even if I found it to be boringly written and slowly paced most of the time.
I couldn’t really connect with the characters, not even Charlie, who is devastatingly pathetic and piteous, and really should invoke a lot more sympathy than I was able to muster up.
However, I do like the way this novel was set out with the progress reports, mainly in how Charlie’s mental state and capabilities were reflected in the way he writes.
Anyway, long story short: I could have loved this book due to what it was about, but didn’t because of its (in my opinion) lacking execution, especially in terms of the emotional factor.
Mostly because of the idea behind this book, I do still like it, even if I found it to be boringly written and slowly paced most of the time.
I couldn’t really connect with the characters, not even Charlie, who is devastatingly pathetic and piteous, and really should invoke a lot more sympathy than I was able to muster up.
However, I do like the way this novel was set out with the progress reports, mainly in how Charlie’s mental state and capabilities were reflected in the way he writes.
Anyway, long story short: I could have loved this book due to what it was about, but didn’t because of its (in my opinion) lacking execution, especially in terms of the emotional factor.
Oh god no. This was so freaking cringe-worthy. I do not even know where to begin, since everything was just regrettably terrible.
I mean, not only is it uncomfortable how badly and stiffly written this is, the characters are also absolutely dreadful.
First and foremost, the main character, Mark, was honestly so annoying; he literally just hated on everything and everyone for no reason whatsoever. Like, what even is his deal?? He also needs to mind his own business, because he is far too involved in his sister's life-choices. Just be happy for your sister, dude, and calm down. This judgemental alpha macho man needs to take several seats. Please, and thank you.
The 'love interest' in the form of Asher seems fine enough, but only if you ignore the fact that he did not even seem like a real person. Even though we read from his perspective a few times, it did not humanize him, as he sounded more like a robot than anything else.
I guess the only redeeming factor was that I really am a sucker for pining, and at least Mark seemed quite enamoured with Asher, so that was somewhat fun. Sort of? I guess not really, though.. Because honestly, not even that was done right, as it was constantly mixed with Mark being annoying as hell. I don't know, I'm really just grasping at straws here to find something I kind of liked. I’m coming up empty.
Anyway, it is all just so incredibly superficial and weird and stupid and eye-roll-worthy. Just bleh. Not for me, nope. Nope. NOPE.
I mean, not only is it uncomfortable how badly and stiffly written this is, the characters are also absolutely dreadful.
First and foremost, the main character, Mark, was honestly so annoying; he literally just hated on everything and everyone for no reason whatsoever. Like, what even is his deal?? He also needs to mind his own business, because he is far too involved in his sister's life-choices. Just be happy for your sister, dude, and calm down. This judgemental alpha macho man needs to take several seats. Please, and thank you.
The 'love interest' in the form of Asher seems fine enough, but only if you ignore the fact that he did not even seem like a real person. Even though we read from his perspective a few times, it did not humanize him, as he sounded more like a robot than anything else.
I guess the only redeeming factor was that I really am a sucker for pining, and at least Mark seemed quite enamoured with Asher, so that was somewhat fun. Sort of? I guess not really, though.. Because honestly, not even that was done right, as it was constantly mixed with Mark being annoying as hell. I don't know, I'm really just grasping at straws here to find something I kind of liked. I’m coming up empty.
Anyway, it is all just so incredibly superficial and weird and stupid and eye-roll-worthy. Just bleh. Not for me, nope. Nope. NOPE.
Ugh, why did this have to be so short?? I am such a sucker for childhood friends to lovers, especially if one of them has been pining and longing for his friend this entire time, while the other was completely oblivious until now. Like, yes please, I love that!
And Jacks and Marchie definitely had the potential to really make that trope work, as they were both likable and could have had quite a lot of chemistry, while also being in a rather dramatic and serious situation with Jackson's health crisis.
Unfortunately, this novella was so short, I could not really get attached to the relationship or the characters as individuals (although it helped that I already liked Jacks in the previous book). Thus, this novella did not live up to its potential.
However, it was enjoyable and kind of sweet, and consequently worth the quick read.
And Jacks and Marchie definitely had the potential to really make that trope work, as they were both likable and could have had quite a lot of chemistry, while also being in a rather dramatic and serious situation with Jackson's health crisis.
Unfortunately, this novella was so short, I could not really get attached to the relationship or the characters as individuals (although it helped that I already liked Jacks in the previous book). Thus, this novella did not live up to its potential.
However, it was enjoyable and kind of sweet, and consequently worth the quick read.
This book is a mix of a lot of things I love, and also a few things I don't. Fortunately, the positive aspects win out by far, and I really enjoyed this novel.
My favourite thing was Ellison's undying love and desire for Grey. I was quite literally obsessed with Ellison's obsession for this man: it was unwavering and steadfast. The tension between them was also absolutely palpable.
However, I do not think these two are particularly special characters on their own, although they weren't exactly bad either. They were kind of just average; not that that really bothered me or anything. After all, they were plenty engaging enough when they were together and were bouncing off of each other, which was basically always.
I can imagine some people might not like all the drama vibes in this book, as it really does take Grey a long ass time to get over the past and start trusting Ellison again. However, I kind of appreciated this part, as it would have seemed a bit odd to me if he suddenly jumped head over heels into a relationship with a guy who caused him some serious trauma.
I also really liked that Ellison acknowledged this and never begrudged Grey for still being mad at him and having difficulties with getting over it. It made me have more respect for Ellison, and also made me feel more connected to them and their drama.
The setting and story of this novel were quite alright, nothing that will blow you away or anything, but it worked well enough for these characters and their relationship. I mean, I am not the biggest fan of big corporate workplace related stories about rich people, but it wasn't too cumbersome in this case.
To be fair, I was actually much more intrigued by the prologue than the rest of this novel. I honestly would have loved it if this story would have taken place when Grey and Ellison were still in college, because it just sounded so cute from what we did hear about it. And then, instead of them reconnecting 15 years later, like what actually happened in this novel, they could have kept in contact in college and work their shit out then. I don't know, but I truly think that would have been even more amazing than what we got now.
My favourite thing was Ellison's undying love and desire for Grey. I was quite literally obsessed with Ellison's obsession for this man: it was unwavering and steadfast. The tension between them was also absolutely palpable.
However, I do not think these two are particularly special characters on their own, although they weren't exactly bad either. They were kind of just average; not that that really bothered me or anything. After all, they were plenty engaging enough when they were together and were bouncing off of each other, which was basically always.
I can imagine some people might not like all the drama vibes in this book, as it really does take Grey a long ass time to get over the past and start trusting Ellison again. However, I kind of appreciated this part, as it would have seemed a bit odd to me if he suddenly jumped head over heels into a relationship with a guy who caused him some serious trauma.
I also really liked that Ellison acknowledged this and never begrudged Grey for still being mad at him and having difficulties with getting over it. It made me have more respect for Ellison, and also made me feel more connected to them and their drama.
The setting and story of this novel were quite alright, nothing that will blow you away or anything, but it worked well enough for these characters and their relationship. I mean, I am not the biggest fan of big corporate workplace related stories about rich people, but it wasn't too cumbersome in this case.
To be fair, I was actually much more intrigued by the prologue than the rest of this novel. I honestly would have loved it if this story would have taken place when Grey and Ellison were still in college, because it just sounded so cute from what we did hear about it. And then, instead of them reconnecting 15 years later, like what actually happened in this novel, they could have kept in contact in college and work their shit out then. I don't know, but I truly think that would have been even more amazing than what we got now.
This might not be the most original or most thrilling story ever written, but it manages to incorporate many aspects I like in a fantasy novel.
Starting with the main characters, Kazi and Jase, I must say I think both of them had well-developed and strong personalities. I actually liked both of them, although I wouldn't go as far as to say that I loved them or anything.
Kazi is a determined girl, who has had to endure some severe trauma ever since she was six years old and has worked herself up to now be part of a super elite club sworn to serve the queen. She is kind of a bad-ass, and I definitely admired her emotional strength. I do think it would have been cool if her personal skills (such as the ability to move around as a shadow or steal anything unnoticed) had been used more. Her fighting skills were also used only once or twice.
Jase on the other hand is pretty straight forward in his power and strength: he is a tall and broad guy, who can usually hold his own in a fight, but doesn't have any special skills or anything. His strength lies more in his prowess as a leader and authority figure. It was actually interesting to see the dynamic of him being a proud ruler yet still being open to learning things along the way, which, in turn, made him a fair ruler as well.
Jase and Kazi start off as enemies until they are (literally) bound together for survival, resulting in them growing to have mutual respect and admiration for the other. I liked their relationship well enough, although I do think they turned into 'lovers' a bit too quickly (even though I suppose it lasted longer than a lot of other 'enemies-to-lovers' books do, so that's something). I would have liked to see their animosity be explored a little bit more before they started developing romantic feelings. However, I do like that they never truly started trusting each other out of nowhere: when they did trust each other it had a reason, and beyond that, they remained wary of the other's intentions (mostly Kazi of Jase’s though).
What makes their relationship truly good is that they were actually well-suited together, and honestly seemed to understand each other. They also appeared to be able to read the other's emotions quite well and Jase often did sweet things to make Kazi feel more at ease. This was especially the case during the first half of the book when they were on the run (for example, when Jase helped Kazi to sleep in the open fields while she was scared). I also liked how they continually tried to keep each other safe.
I also liked all of the other characters in the book; specifically Wren, Synové and the entire Ballenger family. Their dynamics were all rather sweet and cute, and it gave a heart-warming vibe to the book. I always like close-knit friend groups or big families, and this book had both. I actually wish it had focused a bit more on that.
The story changes settings quite a few times, and I appreciated the frequent change of pace and 'vibe'. My favourite setting was the one where it was just Jase and Kazi in the wilderness, trying to survive. Nothing really topped that for me, even though I enjoyed all of the other settings as well.
The world-building surprisingly didn't bother me at all here, and I found everything quite easy to understand and I was actually rather interested in some of its aspects (which unfortunately weren't that much further explored).
Apparently some people have had some difficulties with it though, as this book is actually a spin-off series from the 'The Remnant Chronicles'. I have, of course, no idea of the subtle things I might have missed that referenced to the first series, but I never felt like I was out of the loop or confused about what was happening in this story. So, honestly, I personally don't think you need to read anything else in order to enjoy this book, and you can totally treat it as a standalone series.
Starting with the main characters, Kazi and Jase, I must say I think both of them had well-developed and strong personalities. I actually liked both of them, although I wouldn't go as far as to say that I loved them or anything.
Kazi is a determined girl, who has had to endure some severe trauma ever since she was six years old and has worked herself up to now be part of a super elite club sworn to serve the queen. She is kind of a bad-ass, and I definitely admired her emotional strength. I do think it would have been cool if her personal skills (such as the ability to move around as a shadow or steal anything unnoticed) had been used more. Her fighting skills were also used only once or twice.
Jase on the other hand is pretty straight forward in his power and strength: he is a tall and broad guy, who can usually hold his own in a fight, but doesn't have any special skills or anything. His strength lies more in his prowess as a leader and authority figure. It was actually interesting to see the dynamic of him being a proud ruler yet still being open to learning things along the way, which, in turn, made him a fair ruler as well.
Jase and Kazi start off as enemies until they are (literally) bound together for survival, resulting in them growing to have mutual respect and admiration for the other. I liked their relationship well enough, although I do think they turned into 'lovers' a bit too quickly (even though I suppose it lasted longer than a lot of other 'enemies-to-lovers' books do, so that's something). I would have liked to see their animosity be explored a little bit more before they started developing romantic feelings. However, I do like that they never truly started trusting each other out of nowhere: when they did trust each other it had a reason, and beyond that, they remained wary of the other's intentions (mostly Kazi of Jase’s though).
What makes their relationship truly good is that they were actually well-suited together, and honestly seemed to understand each other. They also appeared to be able to read the other's emotions quite well and Jase often did sweet things to make Kazi feel more at ease. This was especially the case during the first half of the book when they were on the run (for example, when Jase helped Kazi to sleep in the open fields while she was scared). I also liked how they continually tried to keep each other safe.
I also liked all of the other characters in the book; specifically Wren, Synové and the entire Ballenger family. Their dynamics were all rather sweet and cute, and it gave a heart-warming vibe to the book. I always like close-knit friend groups or big families, and this book had both. I actually wish it had focused a bit more on that.
The story changes settings quite a few times, and I appreciated the frequent change of pace and 'vibe'. My favourite setting was the one where it was just Jase and Kazi in the wilderness, trying to survive. Nothing really topped that for me, even though I enjoyed all of the other settings as well.
The world-building surprisingly didn't bother me at all here, and I found everything quite easy to understand and I was actually rather interested in some of its aspects (which unfortunately weren't that much further explored).
Apparently some people have had some difficulties with it though, as this book is actually a spin-off series from the 'The Remnant Chronicles'. I have, of course, no idea of the subtle things I might have missed that referenced to the first series, but I never felt like I was out of the loop or confused about what was happening in this story. So, honestly, I personally don't think you need to read anything else in order to enjoy this book, and you can totally treat it as a standalone series.
Oh my god, this was so cute and fluffy and loving and touching and heart-warming and any other adjective describing something sweet and incredible.
The relationship between Henry and Alex is damn near perfection. Their love is so pure and their emotional bond runs so deep. I completely live for their banter and their chemistry is honestly through the roof.
I just love how both of them were so snarky towards each other at the beginning (mostly Alex), but that they both end up being so incredibly infatuated and in love with the other: they absolutely adore one another.
I can honestly say that I think Alex and Henry are a true match made in heaven. They not only provide plenty of humour, but also an unlimited amount of heart. It is absolutely lovely.
Both of these characters are just so lovable, and you cannot help but care about them. Their unique quirks make them incredibly adorable and endearing. They are also both well-developed characters, who honestly feel real in some way. I legit felt their feelings. I did.
I also really love the secondary characters, such as Nora, June, Bea, Luna and basically all the members of the security staff. Everyone is just so wholesome and funny.
I don’t know how this author did it, but she managed to give every single one of them a distinct voice, while also getting me to love all of them.
The plot is actually quite complex for your average contemporary and focuses on a bunch of things, such as politics, royalty, mental health, identity crises, acceptance, social justice, friendship, family, and, of course, love.
There is also just the right amount of drama and angst without it feeling oppressive or like it is ruining the mood.
Everything was all pretty goddamn great. I was swooning and smiling like a lunatic throughout most of my read.
That’s not to say that I think this book is 'perfect' though, as I actually had some genuine difficulties getting into this book at the beginning and I also found a few bits to be sliiiiightly boring further along into the story.
I would have definitely preferred to have a little less focus on some of the political elements in the book and instead, have even more scenes filled with the feelings and love between Henry and Alex, even though that was, of course, already a huge part of the story anyway.
Anyhow, I don’t want to dwell on the negative, since I genuinely think all the million things I did love in this lovely book completely overpower these small facts, and in the end, I quite frankly just do not care. I love this book. End of story.
The relationship between Henry and Alex is damn near perfection. Their love is so pure and their emotional bond runs so deep. I completely live for their banter and their chemistry is honestly through the roof.
I just love how both of them were so snarky towards each other at the beginning (mostly Alex), but that they both end up being so incredibly infatuated and in love with the other: they absolutely adore one another.
I can honestly say that I think Alex and Henry are a true match made in heaven. They not only provide plenty of humour, but also an unlimited amount of heart. It is absolutely lovely.
Both of these characters are just so lovable, and you cannot help but care about them. Their unique quirks make them incredibly adorable and endearing. They are also both well-developed characters, who honestly feel real in some way. I legit felt their feelings. I did.
I also really love the secondary characters, such as Nora, June, Bea, Luna and basically all the members of the security staff. Everyone is just so wholesome and funny.
I don’t know how this author did it, but she managed to give every single one of them a distinct voice, while also getting me to love all of them.
The plot is actually quite complex for your average contemporary and focuses on a bunch of things, such as politics, royalty, mental health, identity crises, acceptance, social justice, friendship, family, and, of course, love.
There is also just the right amount of drama and angst without it feeling oppressive or like it is ruining the mood.
Everything was all pretty goddamn great. I was swooning and smiling like a lunatic throughout most of my read.
That’s not to say that I think this book is 'perfect' though, as I actually had some genuine difficulties getting into this book at the beginning and I also found a few bits to be sliiiiightly boring further along into the story.
I would have definitely preferred to have a little less focus on some of the political elements in the book and instead, have even more scenes filled with the feelings and love between Henry and Alex, even though that was, of course, already a huge part of the story anyway.
Anyhow, I don’t want to dwell on the negative, since I genuinely think all the million things I did love in this lovely book completely overpower these small facts, and in the end, I quite frankly just do not care. I love this book. End of story.
This story is genuinely sad. The helplessness of this story is just so depressing and actually kind of scary.
The plot surrounds a woman with depression, yet nobody seems to want to believe her and thus she is constantly treated in a way that is anything but beneficial for her mental health.
She deteriorates further and further until she reaches a breaking point and lands in a full-blown state of psychosis.
I really like the metaphor/symbolism of the wallpaper. It is done extremely well and fits perfectly.
I also think that the way this story is written just worked really well for the emotions it is supposed to convey. It is kind of infuriating though, because all of this is something that actually used to happen all the time, and can even still happen today.
Women were said to just be 'hysterical', 'sensitive' or 'nervous', when in reality, they were suffering from mental health issues, and were completely powerless to get better. It's just depressing. It really is.
The plot surrounds a woman with depression, yet nobody seems to want to believe her and thus she is constantly treated in a way that is anything but beneficial for her mental health.
She deteriorates further and further until she reaches a breaking point and lands in a full-blown state of psychosis.
I really like the metaphor/symbolism of the wallpaper. It is done extremely well and fits perfectly.
I also think that the way this story is written just worked really well for the emotions it is supposed to convey. It is kind of infuriating though, because all of this is something that actually used to happen all the time, and can even still happen today.
Women were said to just be 'hysterical', 'sensitive' or 'nervous', when in reality, they were suffering from mental health issues, and were completely powerless to get better. It's just depressing. It really is.
I really liked the beginning of this book: the love-interests had good banter, chemistry and even some tension. It was also very slow-burn, which I appreciated.
However, once Ryder and Lyric got together and started to give into their emotions, the story started to drag a little bit, get repetitive, and sadly, also seemed to have lost most of its spark.
I liked all of the characters in this book, but I didn't love any of them. They were okay, just not all that special or even super interesting.
I did kind of love the little kid though; Kaylee was very cute, I can't deny that. I actually would have loved it if she was in more scenes, especially with her dad, Ryder.
The romantic relationship also wasn't all that great, and like I said, was more entertaining at the start than near the end. I believe Ryder and Lyric genuinely liked each other, and I do think they'd be good together, I just don't think we got to see much of them actually being a good couple. When they were together, they mostly just had sex, and most of the rest of their interactions happened off-page. That was a bit disappointing, and probably also the reason why I didn't like their vibe as much after they got together.
Weirdly enough, I thought the overall vibe of this book was very different from the first book, which is maybe kind of weird, since they both focus on people who used to be in the same boyband. Nonetheless, it's very different: Whereas the first book was more action-packed and had more of an actual plotline, this second book focuses more on the family-dynamic of a single-dad, his young daughter and their nanny/boyfriend. Both of these books focus on music though, so they do have that in common.
However, the fact that these books are so different isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does make me wonder what the next book in the series will be like. I now feel like it could be anything. I'm curious, and I hope it'll be the best one yet, because although this series has been entertaining so far, nothing has really stood out for me.
However, once Ryder and Lyric got together and started to give into their emotions, the story started to drag a little bit, get repetitive, and sadly, also seemed to have lost most of its spark.
I liked all of the characters in this book, but I didn't love any of them. They were okay, just not all that special or even super interesting.
I did kind of love the little kid though; Kaylee was very cute, I can't deny that. I actually would have loved it if she was in more scenes, especially with her dad, Ryder.
The romantic relationship also wasn't all that great, and like I said, was more entertaining at the start than near the end. I believe Ryder and Lyric genuinely liked each other, and I do think they'd be good together, I just don't think we got to see much of them actually being a good couple. When they were together, they mostly just had sex, and most of the rest of their interactions happened off-page. That was a bit disappointing, and probably also the reason why I didn't like their vibe as much after they got together.
Weirdly enough, I thought the overall vibe of this book was very different from the first book, which is maybe kind of weird, since they both focus on people who used to be in the same boyband. Nonetheless, it's very different: Whereas the first book was more action-packed and had more of an actual plotline, this second book focuses more on the family-dynamic of a single-dad, his young daughter and their nanny/boyfriend. Both of these books focus on music though, so they do have that in common.
However, the fact that these books are so different isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does make me wonder what the next book in the series will be like. I now feel like it could be anything. I'm curious, and I hope it'll be the best one yet, because although this series has been entertaining so far, nothing has really stood out for me.
Hmm, there were times I thought I really liked this book, and there were times I just wasn't feeling it at all. I think the reason for this is that the concept and premise is right up my alley, especially with the long-term friends having a fall-out after one of them has been in love with the other for like forever, buuuuuuut it sadly just wasn't executed all that well. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It's very.. average.
I also feel like these characters weren't super interesting or were developed all that properly. After all, there was plenty of angst and drama, and a lot of difficult situations they had to deal with, but.. I just didn't really care.. Oops.
There were also a lot of sex scenes and that got incredibly boring incredibly fast.
I did like how in love Denver was with Mason, and I am always a sucker for pining, so that was probably my favourite part of their story, but I don't think that's enough to create a truly good romance.
This series has really been giving me a different vibe and storyline every single book, which is interesting I guess, but I unfortunately think this one was my least favourite. The worst part about that is that this one definitely had the potential to be my favourite, but just did not live up to it, so yea... Sad.
Here's to hoping the final book will be a true banger, because so far, all the other three books have been entertaining, but nothing special.
I also feel like these characters weren't super interesting or were developed all that properly. After all, there was plenty of angst and drama, and a lot of difficult situations they had to deal with, but.. I just didn't really care.. Oops.
There were also a lot of sex scenes and that got incredibly boring incredibly fast.
I did like how in love Denver was with Mason, and I am always a sucker for pining, so that was probably my favourite part of their story, but I don't think that's enough to create a truly good romance.
This series has really been giving me a different vibe and storyline every single book, which is interesting I guess, but I unfortunately think this one was my least favourite. The worst part about that is that this one definitely had the potential to be my favourite, but just did not live up to it, so yea... Sad.
Here's to hoping the final book will be a true banger, because so far, all the other three books have been entertaining, but nothing special.
Nahhh, I'm sorry, but this book just wasn't it. I'm a bit disappointed, actually. I was really expecting it to be better than this.
Right off the bat, I just did not like how Jordan was constantly comparing Blake to his past hook-ups, and how he was constantly thinking that Blake was basically no different from them. This whole thing would have maybe been fine if we eventually at least got to understand why Blake was in fact different on a deeper level, but it really ended up feeling like the only reason Blake was "different" was because he didn't leave Jordan and wanted to stick it out. It literally might have well been any other guy, as long as that guy didn't leave. I mean.... No, thank you. That's not very romantic.
There just wasn't a deeper connection between Blake and Jordan. At first that wasn't too bothersome, because, after all, nobody has that connection instantly, but it also never came later in the book, so that sucked.
Blake is a sweet guy, don't get me wrong, but his characters definitely fell a bit flat. There wasn't much about him that made him stick out, and I find it hard to describe him as anything other than a pretty nice guy.
Jordan (who we already briefly met in the 'Fake Boyfriend' series with It's Complicated) was kind of sweet as well, but also super insecure, and sometimes it was a bit annoying, because honestly.. If you're that insecure about being with guys who labelled themselves as "straight" before you came along, then... WHY is that what you continue to go for??? Literally just get with someone who is already bisexual or gay, what is so hard about that? I genuinely couldn't feel sorry for Jordan's insecurities because of this, as I honest to God felt like he did it to himself. If it happens once: okay, sure, you don't pick who you fall in love with. Twice? Yea, of course, can happen. Three times? Hmm.. Maybe picking up on an unhealthy pattern.. But every single guy you have ever been with???? No, sorry, but that is on you.
There was also quite a bit of focus on the rest of the guys from Eleven in this story, and although I did like that, I do have to admit that I never quite found their friendship to be all that great. I'm not really picking up on a lot of love between them, and their banter also isn't that fun. This was honestly something that I found lacking throughout the entire series, not just with this final book.
It's really too bad, because I think it could have been cool to play more with their band-dynamic in a fun and interesting way. Unfortunately, it just didn't really work out all that well.
Right off the bat, I just did not like how Jordan was constantly comparing Blake to his past hook-ups, and how he was constantly thinking that Blake was basically no different from them. This whole thing would have maybe been fine if we eventually at least got to understand why Blake was in fact different on a deeper level, but it really ended up feeling like the only reason Blake was "different" was because he didn't leave Jordan and wanted to stick it out. It literally might have well been any other guy, as long as that guy didn't leave. I mean.... No, thank you. That's not very romantic.
There just wasn't a deeper connection between Blake and Jordan. At first that wasn't too bothersome, because, after all, nobody has that connection instantly, but it also never came later in the book, so that sucked.
Blake is a sweet guy, don't get me wrong, but his characters definitely fell a bit flat. There wasn't much about him that made him stick out, and I find it hard to describe him as anything other than a pretty nice guy.
Jordan (who we already briefly met in the 'Fake Boyfriend' series with It's Complicated) was kind of sweet as well, but also super insecure, and sometimes it was a bit annoying, because honestly.. If you're that insecure about being with guys who labelled themselves as "straight" before you came along, then... WHY is that what you continue to go for??? Literally just get with someone who is already bisexual or gay, what is so hard about that? I genuinely couldn't feel sorry for Jordan's insecurities because of this, as I honest to God felt like he did it to himself. If it happens once: okay, sure, you don't pick who you fall in love with. Twice? Yea, of course, can happen. Three times? Hmm.. Maybe picking up on an unhealthy pattern.. But every single guy you have ever been with???? No, sorry, but that is on you.
There was also quite a bit of focus on the rest of the guys from Eleven in this story, and although I did like that, I do have to admit that I never quite found their friendship to be all that great. I'm not really picking up on a lot of love between them, and their banter also isn't that fun. This was honestly something that I found lacking throughout the entire series, not just with this final book.
It's really too bad, because I think it could have been cool to play more with their band-dynamic in a fun and interesting way. Unfortunately, it just didn't really work out all that well.