Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Sunshine Court

When I picked this book up, I absolutely didn't expect it to become my favorite entry into the All For The Game series. I loved Neil's story so much, and Jean was a side character at best, and primarily an antagonist. I was extremely ambivalent about following him instead of a more familiar character, but my stance on that changed FAST.

This story really highlights how far Nora's writing has come over the years, which allows Jean to be both a person who has had wrong done to him while also perpetuating wrongness to other characters. It never feels like we're trying to excuse Jean's exactions, but rather that we're looking into all the things that went into making him, HIM.

Jeremy Knox is also a stand-out as one of my favorite AFTG characters, if not my absolute favorite at this point. He's such a ray of sunshine, who we know battles his own demons, but he's such a rock in the storm that Jean is weathering, and we see how seriously he takes his position as captain, and how that extends to the care and consideration he gives all the other Trojans.

Jean is special to him, I think, but Jeremy's actions towards Jean AREN'T special; I firmly believe he would go this far for anyone who needed him to, and I think that makes him such a remarkable character. Neil and Andrew were both wounded animals, biting at each other and taking comfort in the only ways they know how, but Jean and Jeremy have such a KIND dynamic at the end of the day. I think more than anything, Jean wants to be kind, because no matter what he's suffered, he still pays such incredible attention to the people around him and tries to do right by them.

I'm going to be on absolute pins and needles while I wait for the next book, and I am positively frothing at the mouth to learn more about Jeremy's backstory.

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dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.5

Oh Jean...

I will try to summarise my love for this book in as few words as possible.

Jean was always a complicated character to me, someone who was difficult to love due to his complicity in Riko's violence until you really started thinking about his life and reasons.
I've read books 1 to 3 more times than I can count and the first two or three times I definitely did not like him.

This book perfectly lead us through what I started figuring out on my later rereads, fleshed out his person with his thoughts and struggles.

I adore Nora's writing and it was easy to love this book as well.

I loved all the Trojans we've met closer so far, Jeremy, Laila and Cat are a great addition to Jean as company and he will definitely not be able to escape their friendship and passion.
I can't wait to see how he grows after this.
I also am very curious to hear more about Jeremy's family life as we got a bunch of hints toward it already.

A little minus point to me, that isn't really one, was that Nora said she sees this as a stand alone, which it definitely is not.
I don't think anyone who starts with this book would understand what went on with the Ravens, the sport and the general idea behind everything early enough to keep reading.

Would not recommend this as a good start into the series, although I'm sure that wasn't what she intended for it to be anyways.

Seeing Neil come in at the end again brought me so much joy, btw.
I adore that man with every fibre of my being. He really is THE character of all time for me.
Love him.

Warning for everyone who is uncomfortable with cult recovery, sexual abuse and general abuse, torture and violence. There is a lot of hinted and some more graphic descriptions.

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