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rickireadss's review against another edition
3.5
this wasn’t my favorite of the series, but also wasn’t bad either. i just wasn’t as invested. BUT THE EPILOGUE????? i LOVED it. it tied up the series so well and had my heart very happy to see jasper&hollyn and andi&hill months and years later.
⚠️: sexual assault, addiction, religious bigotry, toxic relationship, death of parent, car accident, grief, gaslighting, suicidal thoughts, alcoholism, child abuse
⚠️: sexual assault, addiction, religious bigotry, toxic relationship, death of parent, car accident, grief, gaslighting, suicidal thoughts, alcoholism, child abuse
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Alcoholism
airin_reads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Absolutely loved the this series, each book is exceptionally strong and has its own unique POV. Roni Loren has a talent for writing fully realized, relatable characters that feel like they exist in the real world. The 'Say Everything' title of the series is a great indicator of what you will get with this series- each book's MC's use radical honesty and are upfront and straightforward about their feelings (something sorely lacking in the romance genre!) which was a treat. They would all be 5 star reads, if not for this final book's epilogue.
We are meant to go along with Eliza's journey of evaluating if her desire for a marriage and family are really her own, or if they are solely from societal expectations. Loren takes the reader with her in realizing that it's more important to find a person. that makes you happy and safe irregardless of labels, this epiphany is well-earned and as the reader I agreed with her choice. Then we see all of that become undone in the Happily Ever After Epilogue. I was surprised and a little disappointed that in the end, Eliza and Beck, who decided they both didn't need/want marriage labels and kids ended up with exactly that. The first couple in the series got their traditional HEA, the second couple got their own informal HEA, and by the third we find out in glimpses of the future that Eliza and Beck have completely assimilated to traditional societal standards. I can see these characters coming around to the idea, and with the exit counselling Beck goes through might help him determine if he was fighting against expectations because he really didn't want it or if it was a response to his upbringing, but I felt cheated that the reader had to infer the motivations rather than get to go on that journey with them. I would have loved to see Jess introduced earlier and get to see more of her journey, along with getting to see Beck undergo his own journey with exit counselling, with Eliza alongside offering her support. We got all of that information in the epilogue, but I wish this was a case of show don't tell, rather than bullet points 'here's where everyone ended up' at the end.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry
harmeeperhan's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
ellas_novels's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
Laugh out loud funny, clutch your pearls steamy and undeniably lovely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Child abuse, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
theoceanrose's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts
katebrownreads's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
brokenbodybitch's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
I was very let down by this book. The parts I liked about it, I really liked but the parts that I don’t enjoy almost, if not completely ruin the story and I nearly dnf’d multiple times.
Eliza is a therapist and she runs into her office neighbor and he’s hot and mysterious and tattooed (which she loves) and they are talking and being all cranky and snippy with eachother and without thinking she blurts out why she’s at the office on Christmas and not with family and instantly the tone changes and a friendship starts. He’s super like protective and sweet but then you find out his back story and I almost DNF’ed right then and there (will explain below)….it doesn’t fit the story and felt like it wasn’t handled the best especially for how delicate something like that is…I was a little horrified to be honest that the author chose to include that entire plot line.
Not only did Beck’s backstory feel incredibly unnecessary and iffy but Eliza is supposed to be a therapist…if she was my therapist I would fire her so fucking quick. She doesn’t act like how I think a therapist would conduct themselves, she’s constantly…ok not constantly but like a lot, in her own head not aware of Becks or other characters trauma. She also doesn’t seem to understand what the term privacy means which for a therapist is kinda a big deal. I understand sometimes fictional therapist are exactly great for the sake of a story but this was incredibly uncomfortable to read.
The first half was great and then it fell apart from there and don’t even get me on how rushed the last like hour is and how that whole plot twist was handled….also it’s just added in there with barely any discussion that oh yeah he’s an alcoholic like uh what the fuck…if you are going to add these heavy things you have to give them the attention and care they require
The explaination of what I found incredibly uncomfortable;
(TW for sexual assault, coercion, victim blaming, self unalive and anything you can think of related to that just be cautious of)
His backstory;
So basically…he was born into a cult and his first girlfriend was ‘brainwashed by the cult’ and she only slept with him because she felt like she had to and she not only lost her virginity but had it filmed (not by him but still) and had that posted online AND that video went viral all before she was ready to have sex, all because he wanted to rebel and she thought if she said no he would hate her and leave her (which they kinda touch on but it’s just like oh well that’s not your fault because it wasn’t your intent which what the fuck) and whatever. That -saying yes bc you feel like you have to/ie non enthusiastic consent- is a painfully common occurrence because of societal pressures not just cults and it’s not talked about properly yet again and right after he comes out and says all this she’s basically like oh it’s not your fault it’s hers and the cults for not being able to tell you she wasn’t ready and it felt really victim blame-y and honestly was quite triggering and then it’s brushed off for a smut scene… so like not only did it seem insensitive and unnecessary but it was not handled well at all and completely brushed off FOR SEXUAL SHIT😳🥴
The ‘plot twist’;
So they haven’t talked and then all of a sudden he calls her and is like I need you and it’s because his first girlfriend/ex wife shows up because she thought he was sending her money out of love and not the guilt for what he did and that she’s going to unalive herself If he doesn’t get back with her and that’s why he needs her help and that’s kinda how Eliza and beck get back together. But it’s also not just that the ex wants to unalive like the plan is described in detail and then they talk about admitting her and again not all that well handled.
I have spent enough time feeling icky because of this so I’m not going into anymore details. None of this is given the weight it needs for such a sensitive topic and it felt like this iffy at best consent was handled like a miscommunication trope or something like it was just so uncomfortable and the last half of the book I had to DRAG myself through
*Anyway thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for this audio arc*
Eliza is a therapist and she runs into her office neighbor and he’s hot and mysterious and tattooed (which she loves) and they are talking and being all cranky and snippy with eachother and without thinking she blurts out why she’s at the office on Christmas and not with family and instantly the tone changes and a friendship starts. He’s super like protective and sweet but then you find out his back story and I almost DNF’ed right then and there (will explain below)….it doesn’t fit the story and felt like it wasn’t handled the best especially for how delicate something like that is…I was a little horrified to be honest that the author chose to include that entire plot line.
Not only did Beck’s backstory feel incredibly unnecessary and iffy but Eliza is supposed to be a therapist…if she was my therapist I would fire her so fucking quick. She doesn’t act like how I think a therapist would conduct themselves, she’s constantly…ok not constantly but like a lot, in her own head not aware of Becks or other characters trauma. She also doesn’t seem to understand what the term privacy means which for a therapist is kinda a big deal. I understand sometimes fictional therapist are exactly great for the sake of a story but this was incredibly uncomfortable to read.
The first half was great and then it fell apart from there and don’t even get me on how rushed the last like hour is and how that whole plot twist was handled….also it’s just added in there with barely any discussion that oh yeah he’s an alcoholic like uh what the fuck…if you are going to add these heavy things you have to give them the attention and care they require
The explaination of what I found incredibly uncomfortable;
(TW for sexual assault, coercion, victim blaming, self unalive and anything you can think of related to that just be cautious of)
His backstory;
So basically…he was born into a cult and his first girlfriend was ‘brainwashed by the cult’ and she only slept with him because she felt like she had to and she not only lost her virginity but had it filmed (not by him but still) and had that posted online AND that video went viral all before she was ready to have sex, all because he wanted to rebel and she thought if she said no he would hate her and leave her (which they kinda touch on but it’s just like oh well that’s not your fault because it wasn’t your intent which what the fuck) and whatever. That -saying yes bc you feel like you have to/ie non enthusiastic consent- is a painfully common occurrence because of societal pressures not just cults and it’s not talked about properly yet again and right after he comes out and says all this she’s basically like oh it’s not your fault it’s hers and the cults for not being able to tell you she wasn’t ready and it felt really victim blame-y and honestly was quite triggering and then it’s brushed off for a smut scene… so like not only did it seem insensitive and unnecessary but it was not handled well at all and completely brushed off FOR SEXUAL SHIT😳🥴
The ‘plot twist’;
So they haven’t talked and then all of a sudden he calls her and is like I need you and it’s because his first girlfriend/ex wife shows up because she thought he was sending her money out of love and not the guilt for what he did and that she’s going to unalive herself If he doesn’t get back with her and that’s why he needs her help and that’s kinda how Eliza and beck get back together. But it’s also not just that the ex wants to unalive like the plan is described in detail and then they talk about admitting her and again not all that well handled.
I have spent enough time feeling icky because of this so I’m not going into anymore details. None of this is given the weight it needs for such a sensitive topic and it felt like this iffy at best consent was handled like a miscommunication trope or something like it was just so uncomfortable and the last half of the book I had to DRAG myself through
*Anyway thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for this audio arc*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Cults, victim blaming
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