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angieinbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was a lovely surprise. A friends-to-lovers romance where it's hard not to root for either one of the characters because they're both recovering from abusive relationships.
The story is told from Beth's point of view. Her confidence is shattered after a really ugly breakup. But she has her dog, and the rest is a bit of a wild card. After thinking she'd lost her dog during a momentary lapse in concentration, Beth finds herself waist-deep in a river, screaming and crying in panic over losing her dog. But he's not lost. He's with a woman who found him trying to get his ball from the same river. Both women are soaking wet--from the river, of course--and decide to warm up in a cafe. Hilarity ensues, a connection is made, but no numbers or contact details are exchanged. Without any other means of contact, Beth returns over and over to the site they met. And so does Amy. Until eventually their paths intersect and a friendship is born. And friendship is all Beth can currently offer. Plus, she doubts Amy is even gay. Spoiler alert: She is.
I really liked Amy Fletcher. She is incredibly charming and I get why Beth is so smitten. Amy's family family and the way they respond to Beth's place in Amy's life was definitely a highlight of this book for me. Beth was a bit harder to get to know, which is weird since we're in her head the whole time. But because we see all her thoughts, it's hard to see what Amy sees in her. I don't mean that in a bad way, but Amy has to be the world's most patient person to continue hoping Beth will be ready and be able to face her feelings full-on.
And this leads to my big problem in this book. Most of the tension/angst comes from Beth's inability to open up and actually divulge what she's feeling. I realize Amy doesn't either (she knows Beth isn't ready for a relationship yet and isn't pushing), but Beth's thoughts go quickly to the irrational over and over, and I get that there's been trauma in her recent past and that trust is hard and her confidence has disappeared, but I just wanted to reach into the pages and beg her apply logic and reason to the situations she found herself in rather than believing whatever worst-case-scenario version of events her brain conjured up.
But it's a really cute romance. And I'm not mad I read it at all.
The story is told from Beth's point of view. Her confidence is shattered after a really ugly breakup. But she has her dog, and the rest is a bit of a wild card. After thinking she'd lost her dog during a momentary lapse in concentration, Beth finds herself waist-deep in a river, screaming and crying in panic over losing her dog. But he's not lost. He's with a woman who found him trying to get his ball from the same river. Both women are soaking wet--from the river, of course--and decide to warm up in a cafe. Hilarity ensues, a connection is made, but no numbers or contact details are exchanged. Without any other means of contact, Beth returns over and over to the site they met. And so does Amy. Until eventually their paths intersect and a friendship is born. And friendship is all Beth can currently offer. Plus, she doubts Amy is even gay. Spoiler alert: She is.
I really liked Amy Fletcher. She is incredibly charming and I get why Beth is so smitten. Amy's family family and the way they respond to Beth's place in Amy's life was definitely a highlight of this book for me. Beth was a bit harder to get to know, which is weird since we're in her head the whole time. But because we see all her thoughts, it's hard to see what Amy sees in her. I don't mean that in a bad way, but Amy has to be the world's most patient person to continue hoping Beth will be ready and be able to face her feelings full-on.
And this leads to my big problem in this book. Most of the tension/angst comes from Beth's inability to open up and actually divulge what she's feeling. I realize Amy doesn't either (she knows Beth isn't ready for a relationship yet and isn't pushing), but Beth's thoughts go quickly to the irrational over and over, and I get that there's been trauma in her recent past and that trust is hard and her confidence has disappeared, but I just wanted to reach into the pages and beg her apply logic and reason to the situations she found herself in rather than believing whatever worst-case-scenario version of events her brain conjured up.
But it's a really cute romance. And I'm not mad I read it at all.
rickosborne's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.75
I do so love an irreverent narrator.
There's a quote that I always half-forget and end up butchering, but it goes something like "everyone around you is fighting their own secret war, and they are desperate to keep you from seeing how close they are to losing". This book does a really good job of showing how we can forget that, and what happens when we stop iconifying and villainizing people and start treating even the people who have wronged us with empathy.
IMO, this book can occasionally get a bit preachy, but good points at high volume and in your face are still good points.
My only other gripe about this book is that the 80% conflictwas largely irrelevant to the relationship, and yet was very graphic and dramatic, and didn't quite fit the tone of the rest of the story. Maybe it can be filed under the "life happens and is messy" category, but it still felt a bit much for me.
Beyond those nitpicks, this was a solid story of people processing trauma to connect and see each other.
Sex:three R-rated sex scenes
Tags: #FearfulFearfulPair #FirstPersonPOV #NuisanceEx #ReboundFears #RomCom #SelfLoveIsHealthy #SinglePOV #SlowBurn #TheDogGetsSkritches #Trauma
There's a quote that I always half-forget and end up butchering, but it goes something like "everyone around you is fighting their own secret war, and they are desperate to keep you from seeing how close they are to losing". This book does a really good job of showing how we can forget that, and what happens when we stop iconifying and villainizing people and start treating even the people who have wronged us with empathy.
IMO, this book can occasionally get a bit preachy, but good points at high volume and in your face are still good points.
My only other gripe about this book is that the 80% conflict
Beyond those nitpicks, this was a solid story of people processing trauma to connect and see each other.
Sex:
Tags: #FearfulFearfulPair #FirstPersonPOV #NuisanceEx #ReboundFears #RomCom #SelfLoveIsHealthy #SinglePOV #SlowBurn #TheDogGetsSkritches #Trauma
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Blood
There's a car accident scene involving the FMCs which is significantly more detailed and dark in tone than the rest of the book.
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