Reviews

Restore Me by J.L. Seegars

theblackafrican's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

eEEeeeeemotional rollercoaster. I swear. 
But so refreshing, so spicy, so juicy! We all need a Dominic in our lives. 🥵

erikad2015's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I enjoyed this book but it was a little slow to start but once I got a third of the way through it was hard to put down. 

dariagryffindor's review

4.0

This was a really good plot, but I really can’t understand nics actions, Whyyy, why didn’t he said something, if it was the love of his life, why didn’t he stayed. I have so many questions and tbh I really couldn’t understands why he started drinking at tue end??? The man didn’t drink his whole life and suddenly he started because of his drinking father? I don’t get it.

ri_ri's review

3.0

— 3.5 Stars ★

“Dom was the one holding the needle that stitched my heart back together.”

This book was so painful and heartbreaking. Dominic and Sloane are two broken and tortured souls who found each other again and healed a part of each other that they thought was impossible to heal.

“Because wanting you is the only thing that's gotten me through living without you. It's gotten me to this moment right here, where I can look you in the eyes and tell you that I love you and I can't live without you.”

JL talked about depression, grief and moving on after losing someone very important in your life and I really liked it how realistic it was and how it wasn't overlooked and how Sloane's healing and grief was dealt with in the book. This was my first time reading widowed wife x Dead husband's best friend and honestly, I thought I would despise it but it wasn't that weird. Yes, Dominic had feelings for Sloane first and for more than a decade and then he ended up pretending hating each other which only made Sloane hating him but the way their story progressed in the book was quite interesting. It was insta love and lust and which is again not my thing but I liked it because Dominic wanted to slow down things with Sloane so she can get more comfortable with him.

“And it's always been you, Sloane. For twelve fucking years, you've walked around with my soul clutched between the same fingers you wear Eric's rings on. You're the ghost I've been chasing.”

I dived in this book and this series with maybe way too many expectations and maybe that's another reason why I did not enjoyed the way I thought I would. This book was marketed as enemies to lovers with a forbidden romance trope but honestly Dominic never hated Sloane. He was just pretending to hate her because he couldn't have her and pretending to hate someone is NOT enemies to lovers. I'm so tired of authors just using this trope just because it's one of the most famous ones. If you are using ENEMIES TO LOVERS, I want the MCs to actually hate each other and enough that they want to kill each other. I don't want it where one MC is in love with the other MC who thinks they hate her.

JL Seegars can definitely write some really good and spicy smut scenes but too many smut scenes just to increase the number of pages in books is not really that interesting. I would've liked it more had there were more cute and wholsome moments between Sloane and Dominic.

“She feels like home. She feels like the only person who has ever looked at me and known me in a single second. She feels like every dream I've ever had, every wish I've ever made, every oath I've ever sworn to keep all rolled up into one perfect being.”

The romance was actually good even though it was all insta-lust between Dominic and Sloane. One minute they were hating each other and the next they couldn't stop thinking about what their skin would feel like against them. It should've give me an ick but I kinda enjoyed it. Seeing how they both struggled to let someone come in their life and love them unconditionally after losing someone very important. I also liked how Dominic was so patience with her and gave her the time and space she needed and how he was determined to be with her for forever even when Sloane thought she wasn't ready. They had chemistry as well as emotional connection because they both understood each other's grief and loss after losing the person they loved the most. Sloane and Dominic are just like the mirror image of each other and that's why nobody else could love them the way they loved and healed each other. It was really beautiful to see how their relationship developed.

“I'm still so far gone for this woman, captivated by her smile, devastated by the sway of her hips, shattered by the thought of living without her and willing to do anything to stop it from happening.”

➸ Sloane: I liked Sloane the most in this book. She's fierce, independent, and kind-hearted. Her dilemma about wanting to be with Dominic and also not leaving behind Eric was real. I get that some would say she need to leave Eric behind and just move on with but I don't think moving on from death and trauma works the same way with everyone. Sloane wanted someone who could understand her love for her dead husband Eric and how she still love him and will love him forever but she's also ready to start a new life with someone new. This woman deserves all the love and happiness in this world.

“Dom is the mirror image of my soul. The place where all my shadows and every burst of flame are known, understood, and loved.”

➸ Dominic: He is just like what his name suggests. Tall, dark with brody and caveman personality but his actions and the things he said to Sloane everytime to make feel loved and cared for were so adorable. He can be an asshole and still say the most endearing things to Sloane and I really liked how he never pressured Sloane or asked her why she still sleeps in Eric's t-shirt or why she still wears their wedding ring. He even went as far to propose her with ring that would be match her previous wedding ring because they both did not wanted to erase Eric from their life. He even went to therapy so he could become worthy of her!

“I call her my angel because that's what she is to me. The promise of God's love in human form, a treasure from heaven walking here on Earth making the lives of every person she meets better. And that's what she's always been, even when her presence chafed against my skin and burned a hole in my heart.”

The ending didn't need that extra drama and third-act breakup. It would be better if Sloane just talked to Dominic about her feelings. Overall, I liked this series and I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the books especially Chris and Mallory's books!

“Because that's exactly what this is. Love. Can't eat, can't sleep, can't breathe without you, love. Your smile lights up my world, and your arms feel like home, love. I could stand here all day and watch you do the most mundane task without ever getting bored, love. I am so fucking stupid and have set myself up for the heartbreak of a lifetime, love.”

susuuuu's review against another edition

3.0

"Because wanting you is the only thing that’s gotten me through living without you. It’s gotten me to this moment right here, where I can look you in the eyes and tell you that I love you and I can’t live without you."

he was so in love with her for literally no sane reason. he saw her wear white + she was bold by sitting on his lap and boom = the most boring insta love

mere's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

austinm617's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kaitays's review

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Some of her writing is a bit unnatural and moves too fast, or is exaggerated to where it’s corny. Like calling Dominic “Satan” just because he isn’t fond of her. She also has too many sex scenes, but they are written very well. On the other hand, the way she talks about love, you can only hope to find something like that. She says it in a way that has your own heart aching. I like how the side characters in the book were very rational, like the sister when they told her about the relationship.

She could have easily gone off and dropped both of them, because let's think about it, she is dating her deceased husband’s best friend. However, she didn't, which I think is very mature. With Dominic, he loved her so hard for half his life, but letting her go because it was the thing to do. He was very noble and commendable for that sacrifice. However, I love that he got his happy ending as well. Yes, it took a lot of time but he deserved that win. He got the girl tattooed for God’s sake. Knowing that it wouldn’t be reciprocated at that time.

It all works well, especially with the title.

She was broken after her husband died and not that he was the person she’d expect to pick up the pieces, he did it to perfection. I mean come on! This man had no problem with her continuing to wear the right of her deceased husband, but even created it to merge with it.

That is love if I’ve ever seen it.

I like how it ended as well with the reference to Grey’s anatomy and how his love for her was grand like Derek Shepherd.

It was a great book after sitting on it for a while.  

Initial Response: 3.5/5; Recommend?: 4/5; Re-Readability: 4/5 Characters: 5/5; Plot: 4/5

Overall: 4.1/5 

Would Purchase?: Yes

cydneyhumphrey's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Restore Me was a fun read. 

I enjoyed Nic and Sloane's dynamic, despite the circumstances that took place and the journey their relationship went on. J.L. Seegars is clearly a skilled, poetic writer, and while that made some parts of the story drag quite a bit, it also meant that the more emotional scenes felt dynamic and made me care a lot more about what was going on. Their relationship is quite a bit of a slow burn, which I really enjoy, but I don't know if I've seen a lot of people call it that, so I feel like it's worth mentioning. 

I was not a fan of the audiobook. I know that these narrators are some of people's favorites, but there were various background noises and electronic chimes throughout that made the audiobook feel unpolished and a bit off at various points. 

3.75 ⭐️s
2 🌶️

sydboyne's review

medium-paced

2.75