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ankysbookbubble's review
4.0
Anything Between Us is about a guy who's dealing with past trauma and a girl afraid of the future. It's sweet, heart breaking and so very good.
I loved Nate's character. He was strong, resilient and he didn't let the past destroy him. He was sweet and kind and I thoroughly enjoyed reading from his POV. I actually preferred it over Sasha's.
Sasha was also an interesting character, artistic and successful. But she wasn't a favourite of mine.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Anything Between Us and I'm so thankful I got a chance to read it.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC.*
I loved Nate's character. He was strong, resilient and he didn't let the past destroy him. He was sweet and kind and I thoroughly enjoyed reading from his POV. I actually preferred it over Sasha's.
Sasha was also an interesting character, artistic and successful. But she wasn't a favourite of mine.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Anything Between Us and I'm so thankful I got a chance to read it.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC.*
romancereadingreactions's review
2.0
CONTENT WARNINGS: Suicide, Alzheimer's, PTSD
I was really surprised not to see a suicide content warning anywhere, but not just that, there are a lot of heavy topics covered. This is not a happy read. Not only that, there is no HEA, only an HFN. I know the difference between an HEA and HFN might not be a big distinction for some readers, but for me, it made a huge impact on how I felt about this book in general and especially the ending!
I did enjoy this more than I thought I would, and the book starts off really strong. But things got a bit repetitive and dark, and I wished a lot of parts of the book as a whole were different. There is a lot of therapy that needs to occur, and both characters need to work through their trauma. Too much made this not the romance novel for me. I know this all sounds vague, but it's hard not to get into a whole thesis about trauma, recovery, and romance!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book and I'm sorry for the delay in my reading/reviewing; it's been a bit of a year!
I was really surprised not to see a suicide content warning anywhere, but not just that, there are a lot of heavy topics covered. This is not a happy read. Not only that, there is no HEA, only an HFN. I know the difference between an HEA and HFN might not be a big distinction for some readers, but for me, it made a huge impact on how I felt about this book in general and especially the ending!
I did enjoy this more than I thought I would, and the book starts off really strong. But things got a bit repetitive and dark, and I wished a lot of parts of the book as a whole were different. There is a lot of therapy that needs to occur, and both characters need to work through their trauma. Too much made this not the romance novel for me. I know this all sounds vague, but it's hard not to get into a whole thesis about trauma, recovery, and romance!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book and I'm sorry for the delay in my reading/reviewing; it's been a bit of a year!
hannah109's review
emotional
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide
ania_star's review
4.0
it's the story of two people who are broken in their own way, finding each other and healing together.
Sarah makes and teaches pottery by day and takes care of her father with the early onset of Alzheimer's rest of the time. There is not much to her life except for work and caring for her father. She allows herself once a year to go out and go wild. Mindless sex with no string attached. On that night she runs into Nate. What is supposed to be one night only, is slowly turning into something more.
Nate quit the military after a traumatic event in which he lost friends and still dealing with emotional trauma. He refuses help, pretending he is fire to family, but after a close call he has to promise Sarah to go to therapy. Reluctant at first, it helps him get on his feet.
They are both in a very difficult situation. Through the story, we see the struggle, the pain, the cost of disease on loved ones, but also growth and healing. While the ending was not perfect, it was perfect for Sarah and Noah. :)
received from Xpresso Book Tours
Sarah makes and teaches pottery by day and takes care of her father with the early onset of Alzheimer's rest of the time. There is not much to her life except for work and caring for her father. She allows herself once a year to go out and go wild. Mindless sex with no string attached. On that night she runs into Nate. What is supposed to be one night only, is slowly turning into something more.
Nate quit the military after a traumatic event in which he lost friends and still dealing with emotional trauma. He refuses help, pretending he is fire to family, but after a close call he has to promise Sarah to go to therapy. Reluctant at first, it helps him get on his feet.
They are both in a very difficult situation. Through the story, we see the struggle, the pain, the cost of disease on loved ones, but also growth and healing. While the ending was not perfect, it was perfect for Sarah and Noah. :)
received from Xpresso Book Tours
lauralore's review
4.0
Anything between us
★★★★☆ - solid four stars
Nate returns to hometown reluctantly after leaving the military. Sasha is an artist who, takes care of her father , who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and usually doesn't do anything except work and take care of her father. The first Sunday of September, however, she goes out and finds a guy to have a little fun with - for one night only - and this year Nate is that guy.
This book actually really surprised me, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I actually couldn't put it down once I started reading.
Where I was expecting just a fluffy piece of chick-lit, this book feels raw, dealing with some heavy and complicated mental issues, including depression, grief, PTSD, and anxiety, while also dealing with diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer, and the stress they can cause to those around them, without romanticising any of these issues too much.
I like that this is a slow-burn romance, not insta-love, despite Sasha and Nate being immediately physically attracted to each other. Although I did feel the urge to hit both of them over the head at some points of the book because they were being so stubborn.
The characters are very compellingly written, who seem so real that you end up feeling invested in them.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
★★★★☆ - solid four stars
Nate returns to hometown reluctantly after leaving the military. Sasha is an artist who, takes care of her father , who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and usually doesn't do anything except work and take care of her father. The first Sunday of September, however, she goes out and finds a guy to have a little fun with - for one night only - and this year Nate is that guy.
This book actually really surprised me, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I actually couldn't put it down once I started reading.
Where I was expecting just a fluffy piece of chick-lit, this book feels raw, dealing with some heavy and complicated mental issues, including depression, grief, PTSD, and anxiety, while also dealing with diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer, and the stress they can cause to those around them, without romanticising any of these issues too much.
I like that this is a slow-burn romance, not insta-love, despite Sasha and Nate being immediately physically attracted to each other. Although I did feel the urge to hit both of them over the head at some points of the book because they were being so stubborn.
The characters are very compellingly written, who seem so real that you end up feeling invested in them.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
beckymmoe's review
5.0
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 8/2/19.
This book is. So. Good.
I actually read it before the other two in the series (Starving Artists), so I can say without reservations that you definitely can read it as a standalone. (As a bonus, Sasha's story doesn't have the same squick factor that her fellow "starving artists" Daniel and Caleb do...but I digress. This doesn't mean you shouldn't go back and read the first two--you should; just be prepared.)
I loved Sasha and Nate's story. They both had such barriers to not only having a real relationship together but just to allowing themselves to have happy, fulfilling lives individually--honestly, the problems that they have to overcome on their own overwhelmed me at times, and I was just the reader! Ms. Fine does a fantastic job of putting us into their heads, so that even when we are devastated by something they're contemplating (Nate! and Sasha...) or completely aggravated with them for what they're not saying and/or sharing (Sasha!) you understand why they think they have to act that way. You're not condoning it, mind you, but you can see why they believe they're doing the right thing. You are in their head(s), and it's a scary place sometimes.
Fortunately, (for Nate, Sasha, and us!) Ms. Fine also brings us all through to the other side. Things aren't perfect at the end of the book--just like in life, sadly--but she gets us to something that feels a heck of a lot like an HEA, and we all have hope.
I loved Nate and Sasha together, and I loved how hard each of them worked both on their own and together to get themselves to their HEA. Ms. Fine gave a realistic look into what healing can look like (I'd say she apparently does very well in that day job of hers, if how she has Nate and Sasha learn to cope is any indication) and made me end the book with more smiles than tears---barely. (There were happy tears too, at least!) :)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This book is. So. Good.
I actually read it before the other two in the series (Starving Artists), so I can say without reservations that you definitely can read it as a standalone. (As a bonus, Sasha's story doesn't have the same squick factor that her fellow "starving artists" Daniel and Caleb do...but I digress. This doesn't mean you shouldn't go back and read the first two--you should; just be prepared.)
I loved Sasha and Nate's story. They both had such barriers to not only having a real relationship together but just to allowing themselves to have happy, fulfilling lives individually--honestly, the problems that they have to overcome on their own overwhelmed me at times, and I was just the reader! Ms. Fine does a fantastic job of putting us into their heads, so that even when we are devastated by something they're contemplating (Nate! and Sasha...) or completely aggravated with them for what they're not saying and/or sharing (Sasha!) you understand why they think they have to act that way. You're not condoning it, mind you, but you can see why they believe they're doing the right thing. You are in their head(s), and it's a scary place sometimes.
Fortunately, (for Nate, Sasha, and us!) Ms. Fine also brings us all through to the other side. Things aren't perfect at the end of the book--just like in life, sadly--but she gets us to something that feels a heck of a lot like an HEA, and we all have hope.
I loved Nate and Sasha together, and I loved how hard each of them worked both on their own and together to get themselves to their HEA. Ms. Fine gave a realistic look into what healing can look like (I'd say she apparently does very well in that day job of hers, if how she has Nate and Sasha learn to cope is any indication) and made me end the book with more smiles than tears---barely. (There were happy tears too, at least!) :)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
wessa's review
1.0
I’m sad to report I did not enjoy this story at all.
It had a good start, don’t get me wrong, but ultimately, I lost any interest quickly. And I was so down with the couple and her being older than him, but it was so boring.
Even when stuff was happening, everything was quite uneventful. I wish I’d liked it but, alas, this one was bland af.
It had a good start, don’t get me wrong, but ultimately, I lost any interest quickly. And I was so down with the couple and her being older than him, but it was so boring.
Even when stuff was happening, everything was quite uneventful. I wish I’d liked it but, alas, this one was bland af.
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