_miasnovelnotes_'s Reviews (432)

Thank you to Berkley for the e-arc of this book! Having previously read Hiro Arikawa’s other books, I was so excited to dive into this one (and was not disappointed!). The novel follows snippets of several individuals riding on the Hankyu Line, The vignettes show people in transformative moments, whether they realize it or not, and are woven together so seamlessly. I genuinely cared and rooted for each person we followed, despite the limited time we spend with all of them. The book focuses on the small joys, anxieties, and pitfalls of life — and I adored it. It brought me such comfort, and it played out like a movie in my head. 5 🌟

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the e-arc of So Happy Together! This was not what I expected at all from the synopsis on the back. All the characters kept me guessing with their morals and what was going on. In the novel, Jane becomes a little obsessed with her ex and finds something one night that could change everything she thought of him. The story goes on from there. I liked the female friendship involved in the novel (which felt unlikely). However, it kinda felt like main character didn’t have much of a backbone. She rationalized a lot of what this guy did and gave him a lot of power over her. There were several times where I wanted to say, “Girl, stand UP!” There was also a lot of manipulation and discussion of past trauma in this book, so please check any trigger warnings. I would maybe recommend this book — it didn’t hit like I wanted it to.
3.5 🌟

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the e-arc of this book! I totally forgot how much i love a black cat fmc x golden retriever mmc and I am so grateful to Georgia Stone for reminding me. Finn was magnetic, pulling me in from the e-ink display and making me giggle and blush. Ava was such a strong heroine, determined to protect herself from being hurt — which is something so deeply relatable. I also felt for Ava because I have a twin brother too and it ripped my heart out to hear about what happened in the past. Her love for her brother resonated with me to my core. The side characters, especially Josie (my QUEEN), were so funny and added to the story and the characters’ journeys. Their support for the two leads made me smile, as did all their teasing. SUCH. a solid romance book. 4.25 🌟

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the advanced listening copy of this book! Following a romance writer and her old crush star hockey player, this book takes you through a journey of emotional intimacy, second chances, and learning how to become better together. Both Mason and Gemma had this fear of vulnerability deeply ingrained in them, which caused miscommunication (but it made sense! and furthered the plot). I like that Mason had to work a little harder for Gemma to like him and actually show it. I also like how their conversations were so real, and their camaraderie grew slowly.  A solid romance and a great audiobook (duet narration is my FAVE).

4.25 🌟

addie and henry deserve all the best. henry’s unconditional love for addie made me tear up — and realize that your self-image is not always the most accurate reflection of who you really are. i saw myself in addie and loved her journey

4.5 🌟

i enjoyed the chronic pain representation (as someone with chronic pain) and how both characters had their own journeys. and, adjoa andoh is a great audiobook narrator! 3.75 🌟