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mar_reads7's reviews
81 reviews
The Dare by Elle Kennedy
funny
medium-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
4.0
I'm genuinely shocked this has the lowest rating of all the briar u books, conor and taylor are very funny and likeable and I enjoyed watching their relationship evolve.
The miscommunications everyone keep talking about felt more like someone being overwhelmed and shutting down, which feels like a realistic human reaction to me so I don't mind that too much.
I don't love that Elle Kennedy seems to have accidentally given Taylor an eating disorder though. When in Taylor's pov she describes some behaviours about her relationship with food that scream earing disorder to me but those things are never addressed, eating disorders are never even brought up so I don't think it was done on purpose. I don't like that this book went through however many hands it had to go through before being published and no one thought to be say that Taylor's relationship with food wasn't healthy and that it's not okay that she restricts her eating just because she's "chubby". I know this is because Elle Kennedy isn't fat so she has no frame of reference for writing a fat character but someone should have caught that at some point between the book being written and it being published.
That being said, that's my one real gripe with this book, I really enjoyed it.
The miscommunications everyone keep talking about felt more like someone being overwhelmed and shutting down, which feels like a realistic human reaction to me so I don't mind that too much.
I don't love that Elle Kennedy seems to have accidentally given Taylor an eating disorder though. When in Taylor's pov she describes some behaviours about her relationship with food that scream earing disorder to me but those things are never addressed, eating disorders are never even brought up so I don't think it was done on purpose. I don't like that this book went through however many hands it had to go through before being published and no one thought to be say that Taylor's relationship with food wasn't healthy and that it's not okay that she restricts her eating just because she's "chubby". I know this is because Elle Kennedy isn't fat so she has no frame of reference for writing a fat character but someone should have caught that at some point between the book being written and it being published.
That being said, that's my one real gripe with this book, I really enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder
The Play by Elle Kennedy
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
absolutely hated the first half of the book because the mcs were insufferable, the second half was better they got more likeable
Puck Me Secretly by Odette Stone
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.0
I don't have words to describe what a mess this book was, I went looking for an editor name when I was done reading and couldn't find one, which makes sense because reading this was wild and not in any fun or interesting ways. I have never wanted to continue a series less. I understand that the players for the rest of the series aren't in the team yet in this book but I can't say that I care for the team we do have when I know nothing about them. I also don't get why this wasn't a dual pov book, Rory wasn't insteresting enough to carry the whole story on her own. Every single character was the most obnoxious person in the world and I feel like the author was just trying to channel a telenovela, but failed to realise telenovelas have to be good to be bad they're good, that's where the charm of an outlandish plot comes from something good being there, this was just plain bad.
In a Jam by Kate Canterbary
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The yearning in the first half of the book nearly killed me 10/10 as far as I'm concerned.
The second half I had a few issues with. I think Noah overused the word wife a bit, and I think the build-up to the sex scenes overpromised the actual content of them. But mostly what I'm left with after finishing this book is a lot of fondness for it, it's not about a love that comes from big things and being loud. It's about quiet devotion and how the little things pile up until you're surrounded by love. It's very much worth a read if you're looking for a book about the little things.
The second half I had a few issues with. I think Noah overused the word wife a bit, and I think the build-up to the sex scenes overpromised the actual content of them. But mostly what I'm left with after finishing this book is a lot of fondness for it, it's not about a love that comes from big things and being loud. It's about quiet devotion and how the little things pile up until you're surrounded by love. It's very much worth a read if you're looking for a book about the little things.
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Highest Bidder by Sara Cate
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the timeline on this was too much for me, I don't think I saw anywhere that this was insta love which is strange in this market by lisiting tropes age but I love yous and proposals after like a week and a half????? I couldn't take it seriously
The Penalty Shot by Maren Moore
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I enjoyed bits and pieces of this book but 90% of it was terrible. This book is a prime example of telling instead of showing, and that's not the type of writing I lean towards. I almost feel like this was a checklist of tropes more than a book.
My main complaints though, are that there was no hockey in this hockey romance, Asher could have literally had any other job and only one scene in the book have been affected and sorry to say but I didn't feel like Auden was as good a parent as the book made her out to be. Yes what she went through with her parents was awful and the way she managed to pull herself together at such a young age with a newborn is commendable, however her son was literally spending alone time on a rooftop with an adult man she had never met for months and she felt no need to find out anything about this man, that set off so many alarm bells in my head, it's irresponsible and I don't trust her judgement at all. Also while on the topic of Alex, he keeps being removed from the story so Asher and Auden can fuck and honestly half the time it's like she's not even a mother. He's only brought up so she can cry about her parents, and then he conveniently disappears to a neighbour's house, to camp, to this and that and he's barely a part of the story. I thought I was reading a single mom x hockey player romance but it's clear that the author had no intention of actually exploring either of those things in this book. There's definitely better books you can give your time to, this one felt like cardboard cutouts saying preselected dialogue at each other.
(also this is petty but why did all their names start with A? Asher, Auden and Alex and then Auden's mom's name is mentioned and it also starts with an A. There are other letters. It’s important to me that the author knows that.)
My main complaints though, are that there was no hockey in this hockey romance, Asher could have literally had any other job and only one scene in the book have been affected and sorry to say but I didn't feel like Auden was as good a parent as the book made her out to be. Yes what she went through with her parents was awful and the way she managed to pull herself together at such a young age with a newborn is commendable, however her son was literally spending alone time on a rooftop with an adult man she had never met for months and she felt no need to find out anything about this man, that set off so many alarm bells in my head, it's irresponsible and I don't trust her judgement at all. Also while on the topic of Alex, he keeps being removed from the story so Asher and Auden can fuck and honestly half the time it's like she's not even a mother. He's only brought up so she can cry about her parents, and then he conveniently disappears to a neighbour's house, to camp, to this and that and he's barely a part of the story. I thought I was reading a single mom x hockey player romance but it's clear that the author had no intention of actually exploring either of those things in this book. There's definitely better books you can give your time to, this one felt like cardboard cutouts saying preselected dialogue at each other.
(also this is petty but why did all their names start with A? Asher, Auden and Alex and then Auden's mom's name is mentioned and it also starts with an A. There are other letters. It’s important to me that the author knows that.)
Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Full disclosure, I didn't actually finish reading this book but I read 76% of it and I think that entitles me to leaving a review, and seeing as marking it a dnf won't let you leave stared reviews which felt needed so this is the only way.
I really hated this. I've never understood why there's a general dislike for 3rd person pov books until I read this, I've never been more confused in my life, I felt like the pov was changing between the main characters every other sentence and it made everything a mess. The pacing is weird and the time jump completely cuts out the development of the relationship. They meet, we skip forward in time 6 years, and they're in love. That's not fun for me, reading about the relationship developing is my favourite part of romance books and that just not here at all.
I pushed through, I kept reading even though I was having the worst time because credit where credit is due this great fat representation. I wanted to love this book so badly because of the fat representation but I truly don't think I've ever read something that felt so pointless, boring and confusing. After we completely skip the developing of the relationship the characters just get together immediately after the time jump. It was rushed, and again, removed any development from the story by just giving you the end product which robs you of any joy you could have reading this book.
I gather the impending 3rd act break up would have something to do with long distance relationships (which I have now confirmed thanks to other reviews) which feels stupid because Maria positions herself as a mature almost high and mighty master communicator and for that to be the conflict feels incredibly childish and I'm glad I didn't make myself read it.
The two stars I gave this are entirely about the fat representation. I wish all books claiming fat representation actually portrayed fat people like this, unfortunately reading this book was physically painful to me, it gave me multiple headaches.
I'm really disappointed I didn't love this.
I really hated this. I've never understood why there's a general dislike for 3rd person pov books until I read this, I've never been more confused in my life, I felt like the pov was changing between the main characters every other sentence and it made everything a mess. The pacing is weird and the time jump completely cuts out the development of the relationship. They meet, we skip forward in time 6 years, and they're in love. That's not fun for me, reading about the relationship developing is my favourite part of romance books and that just not here at all.
I pushed through, I kept reading even though I was having the worst time because credit where credit is due this great fat representation. I wanted to love this book so badly because of the fat representation but I truly don't think I've ever read something that felt so pointless, boring and confusing. After we completely skip the developing of the relationship the characters just get together immediately after the time jump. It was rushed, and again, removed any development from the story by just giving you the end product which robs you of any joy you could have reading this book.
I gather the impending 3rd act break up would have something to do with long distance relationships (which I have now confirmed thanks to other reviews) which feels stupid because Maria positions herself as a mature almost high and mighty master communicator and for that to be the conflict feels incredibly childish and I'm glad I didn't make myself read it.
The two stars I gave this are entirely about the fat representation. I wish all books claiming fat representation actually portrayed fat people like this, unfortunately reading this book was physically painful to me, it gave me multiple headaches.
I'm really disappointed I didn't love this.
I Like You Like That by Kayla Grosse
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
This reads like it was written by a sixteen year old in the most derogatory way possible. I forced myself to read the first 11 chapters because I like the premise, but the execution was lacking. Obviously I didn't read the whole thing so maybe it gets better, but I doubt that.
Cupids Peak by Lee Jacquot
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
It feels weird to complain that there was no plot, but there was no plot. Personall I don't really enjoy sex scenes when the author hasn't made me care about the characters, and seeing as this was mainly sex scenes it bored me. I also thing this guy was possessive in a weird way not a hot way which put me off but I didn't want to dnf because it's so short. Definitely not for me, I wish I has liked it, I heard a lot of good things.