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iread2dream's review
4.0
This book wasn't nearly as hot as the first book. All the relationship-y stuff was kind of annoying, especially when Arden was pushy about it. I loved Ellery and hope there's way more of her in the next book.
I was really disappointed that the book had a bunch typos throughout.
I was really disappointed that the book had a bunch typos throughout.
thelasthousewife's review
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
welkinvault's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Well written version of "50 Shades" this is the inbetween book, building up to the last in the trilogy, so a bit disappointing in that the ending is not an ending
mdee's review
5.0
Oh my God this was soooo good and the preview at the end for the next book I- sksksk I’M SHOOK! Give me the third book NOW! 😩😭
nick_name_'s review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.25
lezreadalot's review
4.0
I liked this a lot more than I liked the first book, and miraculously, a lot of that has to do with the reason I didn't 100% love the first book: Caspian.
Apparently running off to Scotland to get your sort of boyfriend back from his parents' house does wonders for your attitude?? Haha but honestly, the shifts weren't exactly subtle, but they were believable and natural enough to make him outright endearing to me. It makes sense: after coming that close to losing Arden, he's a little easier to fluster, to embarrass, to tip slightly off kilter. All the blushing and stammering was FRIGHTENINGLY sweet. Like, wow! He's a person! That I kind of like now! Seeing Arden get closer to him and coax trust out of him and get him to be vulnerable was just lovely.
I sincerely hope that's what the third book is going to be about.
Other miscellaneous things I liked: keeping the kink to the bedroom, Arden being involved and having people and things in his life other than Caspian, but ALSO the fact that this book showed them getting closer in sweet normie ways (dork Caspian is my bread and butter), Ellery in general, GEORGE (I can't be the only lesbian who got all perky-eared and perky-elsewhered when she was mentioned), Arden's thoughts and musing on personal achievements and accomplishments, and the ways we self-sabotage before we even take the first step. HE'S SO FRIGHTENINGLY ME. ALSO, how could I forget. The office scene? With the writing on stomach?
Apparently running off to Scotland to get your sort of boyfriend back from his parents' house does wonders for your attitude?? Haha but honestly, the shifts weren't exactly subtle, but they were believable and natural enough to make him outright endearing to me. It makes sense: after coming that close to losing Arden, he's a little easier to fluster, to embarrass, to tip slightly off kilter. All the blushing and stammering was FRIGHTENINGLY sweet. Like, wow! He's a person! That I kind of like now! Seeing Arden get closer to him and coax trust out of him and get him to be vulnerable was just lovely.
Spoiler
And hey, now I have a new mission in life: to fucking kill Lancaster. Also hug Caspian. Fuck, those last couple of chapters hurt, especially with Caspian being so adamant that he's a monster that deserves to be hated. Honey no. :( And since I listened to this on audiobook and can't fact-check super easily: did Ellery invite Lancaster to the party? Why??? If she knows all about it??? Does the mother know??? What in the WORLD. Yeah, I know, rich predators have even more room and freedom to be predators, but it made me so SAD. When Ellery said that Caspian was probably back with Lancaster I almost screamed. SOMEONE SAVE HIM. ARDEN GET YOUR FUCKING STEED AND RIDE INTO THE CASTLE AND GET YOUR MAN.I sincerely hope that's what the third book is going to be about.
Other miscellaneous things I liked: keeping the kink to the bedroom, Arden being involved and having people and things in his life other than Caspian, but ALSO the fact that this book showed them getting closer in sweet normie ways (dork Caspian is my bread and butter), Ellery in general, GEORGE (I can't be the only lesbian who got all perky-eared and perky-elsewhered when she was mentioned), Arden's thoughts and musing on personal achievements and accomplishments, and the ways we self-sabotage before we even take the first step. HE'S SO FRIGHTENINGLY ME. ALSO, how could I forget. The office scene? With the writing on stomach?
tesssiob's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
arimcewan's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
samanthamarie's review
4.0
For all of the first book and most of the second, Caspian and Arden don’t even exist outside of their bubble. When Caspian meets Arden’s family and Arden meets Ellory, they’re still very much in their bubble. The outside world barely exists. They hadn’t been on dates or even shared a meal together really. I wonder if they would have connected at all if Arden had been part of Caspian’s rich world (but the same ol’ Arden) and they’d interacted publicly more.
Arden has an odd (to me) relationship with Nik but aside from that, doesn’t have any friends really. He spends all of his time missing Caspian, although he doesn’t know anything about him or what he does with his time when they’re not together. For the most part, Caspian is a mystery but not a terribly interesting one to me. He doesn’t really have interests or hobbies so most of their conversations don’t amount to much more than “I’ve missed you” or “please don’t like me I’m no good for you”. One book of that is a lot but two?
We learn so little about Caspian throughout the first book it was like pulling teeth. The second book isn’t much improved in that way, we still only learn tiny things about Caspian’s past when - at this point - we should have more connection to him. It is interesting that he felt just as, if not more, distant to me in the 2nd book than he did in the first. It was sweet to see glimpses of him softening for Arden, indulging him in little things to do together. Always in their bubble, of course.
I do still like Arden a lot (although his outfits sound truly terrible). I especially like when he advocates for himself, what he wants, what he doesn’t want, what he believes he can handle. In many of these cases, Caspian treats him as if he’s just silly and idealistic but really if anyone is silly it’s Caspian. He doesn’t want to have open communication or dialogue about anything. Maybe he does and doesn’t know how.
Overall, I actually liked much of this one better than the first and found the sex scenes better written - more descriptive for sure - in this. However, I am still not a big fan of Caspian as a person (maybe that’s obvious). I just want Arden to be happy and treated well. I think it’s actually quite tragic how often Arden has to beg for scraps from Caspian, a man he doesn’t he know if he’s his boyfriend or not.
Arden has an odd (to me) relationship with Nik but aside from that, doesn’t have any friends really. He spends all of his time missing Caspian, although he doesn’t know anything about him or what he does with his time when they’re not together. For the most part, Caspian is a mystery but not a terribly interesting one to me. He doesn’t really have interests or hobbies so most of their conversations don’t amount to much more than “I’ve missed you” or “please don’t like me I’m no good for you”. One book of that is a lot but two?
We learn so little about Caspian throughout the first book it was like pulling teeth. The second book isn’t much improved in that way, we still only learn tiny things about Caspian’s past when - at this point - we should have more connection to him. It is interesting that he felt just as, if not more, distant to me in the 2nd book than he did in the first. It was sweet to see glimpses of him softening for Arden, indulging him in little things to do together. Always in their bubble, of course.
I do still like Arden a lot (although his outfits sound truly terrible). I especially like when he advocates for himself, what he wants, what he doesn’t want, what he believes he can handle. In many of these cases, Caspian treats him as if he’s just silly and idealistic but really if anyone is silly it’s Caspian. He doesn’t want to have open communication or dialogue about anything. Maybe he does and doesn’t know how.
Overall, I actually liked much of this one better than the first and found the sex scenes better written - more descriptive for sure - in this. However, I am still not a big fan of Caspian as a person (maybe that’s obvious). I just want Arden to be happy and treated well. I think it’s actually quite tragic how often Arden has to beg for scraps from Caspian, a man he doesn’t he know if he’s his boyfriend or not.