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thenextbookdilemma's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
I previously read this as a stand-alone and now, upon completing the series that this spins off from, I decided to do a re-read!
Work For It takes place after Hibbert’s Just For Him series (JFH), following the story of side character Olumide. I have included mini snap-shots of the JFH series and a full review of Work for It because I quite simply adore it.
I will start by saying that I finished this book this morning and immediately burst into tears—the ending of this book is hard fought and to see two beautiful and struggling men reach for happiness with both hands just sent me into the teary abyss.
Ahem.
This is a story of two men who have been told all their lives, in different ways, that they don’t matter, or that they are not good enough. And this is the story of how they both work to reclaim themselves and their self worth.
Olu. Olu is the dazzling side character seen in the JFH series. He is charming and irreverent but he has lost himself. Olu must work through decades of family-inflicted self-loathing and self-esteem issues while also trying to process a horrible act of betrayal that has left him entirely untrusting of others. I was with Olu in his desperation to return to his former self, to be unchanged by the emotional violence inflicted upon him. And I laughed and cried and cheered him on as he realized it doesn’t always work that way, but maybe his new self can still be happy and deserving of love.
Griff. GRIFF. The town pariah, a big soft bear of a human who is ignored and ostracized until he is useful to others. I want to burn it all down for this man. Yet despite years of being mistreated, he still manages to be one of the sweetest and most considerate MCs and his internal work of rejecting negative self-talk/thought is beautiful and precious. Griff is blazingly vulnerable with Olu and y’all, it broke my heart wide open (and maybe Olu’s too). Griff also learns the hard lesson of letting go of the things that no longer serve you.
The growth these two characters experience, together and individually, is so incredibly important and lovely. I cannot recommend it enough.
Work For It takes place after Hibbert’s Just For Him series (JFH), following the story of side character Olumide. I have included mini snap-shots of the JFH series and a full review of Work for It because I quite simply adore it.
I will start by saying that I finished this book this morning and immediately burst into tears—the ending of this book is hard fought and to see two beautiful and struggling men reach for happiness with both hands just sent me into the teary abyss.
Ahem.
This is a story of two men who have been told all their lives, in different ways, that they don’t matter, or that they are not good enough. And this is the story of how they both work to reclaim themselves and their self worth.
Olu. Olu is the dazzling side character seen in the JFH series. He is charming and irreverent but he has lost himself. Olu must work through decades of family-inflicted self-loathing and self-esteem issues while also trying to process a horrible act of betrayal that has left him entirely untrusting of others. I was with Olu in his desperation to return to his former self, to be unchanged by the emotional violence inflicted upon him. And I laughed and cried and cheered him on as he realized it doesn’t always work that way, but maybe his new self can still be happy and deserving of love.
Griff. GRIFF. The town pariah, a big soft bear of a human who is ignored and ostracized until he is useful to others. I want to burn it all down for this man. Yet despite years of being mistreated, he still manages to be one of the sweetest and most considerate MCs and his internal work of rejecting negative self-talk/thought is beautiful and precious. Griff is blazingly vulnerable with Olu and y’all, it broke my heart wide open (and maybe Olu’s too). Griff also learns the hard lesson of letting go of the things that no longer serve you.
The growth these two characters experience, together and individually, is so incredibly important and lovely. I cannot recommend it enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Homophobia
Minor: Suicide
30something_reads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.25
If Talia writes it, I'm going to read it.
I seem to be going through the backlist before getting to her recent work but I absolutely loved this one! (Have not read the other books in this series though.)
MM Contemporary Romance
Age gap (10 years)
Small town (village) vibes
Opposites attract
Delightful banter
Depression rep and (as always) characters with healthy mindsets surrounding therapy and seeking help.
Griffin and Olu were so sweet and achingly romantic and I love them both fiercely.
I seem to be going through the backlist before getting to her recent work but I absolutely loved this one! (Have not read the other books in this series though.)
MM Contemporary Romance
Age gap (10 years)
Small town (village) vibes
Opposites attract
Delightful banter
Depression rep and (as always) characters with healthy mindsets surrounding therapy and seeking help.
Griffin and Olu were so sweet and achingly romantic and I love them both fiercely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia and Outing
galleytrot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
READ: Feb 2023
FORMAT: Audio
FORMAT: Audio
BRIEF SUMMARY:
In this contemporary romance, Olu is at a low in his mental health, so he does what he always does: he travels, in the hopes to find purpose in work and recalibrate his sense of self. It’s harvest season for elderflowers, and the orchard that Griffin manages is in need of volunteers to help move the process along. When they first meet, prickly Olu manages to hit Griffin where it hurts the most, but Griff can see that there might be more to Olu than his attitude and ego let on.
ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 4 / 5⭐
It is both shocking and upsetting how deeply I was able to relate to both of these men and the impact their histories have had on their current states of mind. The number of times I felt seen and known and just... utterly devastated by what I was reading; I had to walk away from the book a few times, and just feel for a while.
Griffin is battling the isolation of being considered ‘other’ in a small village where everyone knows everyone’s business. He is physically imposing; his quiet demeanor gives the air of unintelligence; he is fatherless and born out of wedlock; his mother was an eccentric personality; and, his sexual orientation is no secret. All of this together leads to him being dismissed or looked down on and cast aside from most of the community.
Olu has lost a part of himself after a gross betrayal of trust, and it is impacting his desire for intimacy in the very worst way. His behaviour is growing more aggressive, unpredictable, and self-sabotaging as he lashes out over the loss of something so integral to his being. The libido is there, but a disconnect between brain and body turns every opportunity into a non-starter, leaving him functionally asexual.
Olu has lost a part of himself after a gross betrayal of trust, and it is impacting his desire for intimacy in the very worst way. His behaviour is growing more aggressive, unpredictable, and self-sabotaging as he lashes out over the loss of something so integral to his being. The libido is there, but a disconnect between brain and body turns every opportunity into a non-starter, leaving him functionally asexual.
Griff offers Olu his patience and understanding, seeing past the prickly thorns to a man who is kind, caring, just, and wants nothing more than to help where help is needed. Olu sees the way others either cast Griff aside or take advantage of his talents, and recognizes the loneliness that would come from a lifetime of such transactions.
TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 3.75 / 5⭐
This is my second read from Hibbert, and while the first one didn’t impress me terribly, this one has given me a whole slew of reasons to start paying attention. While there were some moments where I felt that Olu was behaving like a child having a temper tantrum, I largely felt like the MCs’ reactions and behaviours were profoundly realistic and believable. Too often would a character’s misguided mindset mirror my own experience.
Shane East and Chance Thoreau are both narrators who are new to me. One of the two did an exceptional job, but I couldn’t get behind the performance of the other. The one who narrates Olu’s POV gives Griffin a voice like a cheese grater, and it took me out of the book without fail every single time.
FINAL THOUGHTS - OVERALL: 4 / 5⭐
This book is an angsty one, but while it deals with some heavy subject matter, I wouldn’t say it takes it into any uncomfortable territory. I do feel like I need a bit of a breather after reading it, but I think that’s largely due to how close to home it hit for me.
This book has representation for gay and bi (or pan?) sexualities. The main pairing is interracial.
The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Alcohol, Bullying, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicide, Drug use, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Outing
Minor: Car accident, Lesbophobia, and Biphobia
sadpendragon's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Homophobia
anintrovertrambles's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Death of parent, and Homophobia
onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Homophobia
fatkidatheartreads's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
"You don't give up on someone when they are drowning."
Two grumpy men in a little English village fall in love.
Content warnings : mental illness, ableism, homophobia.
Griff and Olu deserve hugs.
3 stars 🌟
I really wish I loved this way more than I did. Talia is one of my favorite authors but I guess you win some, you lose some.
Two grumpy men in a little English village fall in love.
Content warnings : mental illness, ableism, homophobia.
Griff and Olu deserve hugs.
3 stars 🌟
I really wish I loved this way more than I did. Talia is one of my favorite authors but I guess you win some, you lose some.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Ableism
kimalah's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
I do not read a lot of angst in general, but man oh man, Talia Hibbert does a great job with it in Work for It. This is a book about forgiveness for one’s self, about isolation and connection, about belonging, and of course about accepting and embracing love. It is a slow character story so some may not enjoy the pace. Just so good and made me feel all the feels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, and Outing
bekahbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Mental illness
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Homophobia
seequinn's review
emotional
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Outing, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Suicide