kirbur's Reviews (304)

emotional funny 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
dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

Friends With Benefits

Laura Carter

DID NOT FINISH: 8%

 I only read the first 2 chapters (8% according to my kindle) and this book is definitely not for me, the writing feels like a first draft and I really don't like our main character Jake's perspective. He came off as a sleazy hook up artist finance bro and I do not want to follow him. It also seems sort of weird for a book that starts with a friends with benefits situation is closed door/fade to black. I don't know who this book is for. 
emotional funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny lighthearted fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was fine, very fun but not romantic.

It never actually felt to me that Cassie fell in love? I don’t even think they ever told each other they loved one another (I just searched the eBook and this appears to be correct). So, I don't know that I can say it worked as a romance. 

Overall, I did enjoy reading this and loved the inclusion of Frederick's texts, letters, diary entries at the beginning of every chapter. In fact those bits were probably my favorite part of the book.
emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

Wow.

This was my first book by Cara Bastone and now I need to read everything she has ever published. This was amazing. The characters are amazing. The writing is amazing. The relationships and friendships are amazing. I cry very easily while reading, but books don't often make me laugh out loud. This one had me doing both multiple times.

The book is present tense and in one point of view and typically when a romance is only one point of view I will be wishing that we also got to see the love interests thoughts, in this case it never felt like anything was missing. I won’t be able to accurately describe the authorial voice, but it felt both like the main character was speaking directly to me but also like an internal monologue to herself? It was maybe the most I’ve ever felt like I was in another persons head. 

I loved Eve as a main character, it was a joy seeing how all of her relationships developed. I also really liked that this never felt like a love triangle to me even with the complex dynamics. 

I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this book to reread physically it was amazing.