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mollyreadsandcrafts's Reviews (978)
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved it. Darian is my absolute favorite person, he is so sweet and genuine. Ash was okay, I'm still a little mad at him. Ash's POV was interesting as he's a more complicated character. The only thing I didn't love was the writing. It was just not my favorite style.
TW/CW: suicide (past attempts and ideation), depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety
•minor spoilers•
Before anyone reads this they should go Google was an Essex accent sounds like to get the full effect of Darian. I loved him so so much. He was so sweet, charming, adorable. He should've made Ash work harder in the end, but he's just too good of a person. Ash struggled a lot being bipolar depressive with clinical anxiety. And he was also kind of an asshole, but I didn't not like him. I thought his dry humor was hilarious, I just wanted him to treat Darian better. And Darian might've forgiven him but I'm still struggling after what he said about him. We all know Darian is a better person anyways.
The plot was character driven, focusing on Ash overcoming some of his internal conflict with his disease and its effect on the relationships in his life.
I struggled a bit with the writing style. I'm not sure if it was a character choice, like since Ash is a writer his inner monologue is a bit flowery. I didn't mind how it was a little disjointed but I wasn't feeling some of the word choice or metaphors.
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• bipolar/anxiety rep
• Essex accents
TW/CW: suicide (past attempts and ideation), depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety
•minor spoilers•
Before anyone reads this they should go Google was an Essex accent sounds like to get the full effect of Darian. I loved him so so much. He was so sweet, charming, adorable. He should've made Ash work harder in the end, but he's just too good of a person. Ash struggled a lot being bipolar depressive with clinical anxiety. And he was also kind of an asshole, but I didn't not like him. I thought his dry humor was hilarious, I just wanted him to treat Darian better. And Darian might've forgiven him but I'm still struggling after what he said about him. We all know Darian is a better person anyways.
The plot was character driven, focusing on Ash overcoming some of his internal conflict with his disease and its effect on the relationships in his life.
I struggled a bit with the writing style. I'm not sure if it was a character choice, like since Ash is a writer his inner monologue is a bit flowery. I didn't mind how it was a little disjointed but I wasn't feeling some of the word choice or metaphors.
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• bipolar/anxiety rep
• Essex accents
Mike Sato is a small and scrappy enforcer trying to prove his worth and keep his spot on his team. He starts a rivalry with an older and bigger enforcer on their rival team, Danny Garcia. Mike loves to antagonize Danny, and after a chance meeting in the off season starts to find new ways to get under his skin. Their fighting turns into something a bit more, straddling the line of love and hate.
I actually liked Danny and Mike's relationship once Mike started maturing a bit. At the beginning he was a little over the top with his aggression, but once he started to accept his feelings for Danny he was actually kind of a sweetheart. Danny was so patient with him and even though Danny was dealing with a lot, he cared deeply about Mike. They did have their cute moments where they really tried, even though Danny's downward spiral and Mike's asshole attitude made it a little frustrating sometimes.
When I started this book I was a little wary because I realized I didn't love the writing style. It's very colloquial, with lots of likes and sentence breaks and it just was hard for me to read at some points. I kept going for the story, and I was kind of into it and looking forward to how it all ended but then it just fell flat. I really wish there was more with the ending. There's a lot of lead up with Danny and what he's going through, and then there really isn't any closure, it all kind of culminates in the last 10%. I would say it's a "happy for now" rather than a happily ever after because I still have tons of questions.
They also miss a whole series of the playoffs at the end - like it starts as the third series against one team, and then it changes to the finals against a different team between two games. I had to knock it down a little for that because it was such a huge jump between one series and the next being the finals, and it wasn't intentional. I didn't even realize it was the legit Finals at the end because I thought they had a whole other series to go so I felt disconnected from the story.
I'm keeping it in the 3 range because in the middle there I was invested in these characters and wanted to see their outcome, I just wasn't a fan of the execution. I'm curious about the next book and how this style works with a completely different character dynamic. And I already bought the book so I'll give it a shot.
Read if you like:
• rivals to lovers
• age gap
• hockey
•••••••••••••••••••••
I actually liked Danny and Mike's relationship once Mike started maturing a bit. At the beginning he was a little over the top with his aggression, but once he started to accept his feelings for Danny he was actually kind of a sweetheart. Danny was so patient with him and even though Danny was dealing with a lot, he cared deeply about Mike. They did have their cute moments where they really tried, even though Danny's downward spiral and Mike's asshole attitude made it a little frustrating sometimes.
When I started this book I was a little wary because I realized I didn't love the writing style. It's very colloquial, with lots of likes and sentence breaks and it just was hard for me to read at some points. I kept going for the story, and I was kind of into it and looking forward to how it all ended but then it just fell flat. I really wish there was more with the ending. There's a lot of lead up with Danny and what he's going through, and then there really isn't any closure, it all kind of culminates in the last 10%. I would say it's a "happy for now" rather than a happily ever after because I still have tons of questions.
They also miss a whole series of the playoffs at the end - like it starts as the third series against one team, and then it changes to the finals against a different team between two games. I had to knock it down a little for that because it was such a huge jump between one series and the next being the finals, and it wasn't intentional. I didn't even realize it was the legit Finals at the end because I thought they had a whole other series to go so I felt disconnected from the story.
I'm keeping it in the 3 range because in the middle there I was invested in these characters and wanted to see their outcome, I just wasn't a fan of the execution. I'm curious about the next book and how this style works with a completely different character dynamic. And I already bought the book so I'll give it a shot.
Read if you like:
• rivals to lovers
• age gap
• hockey
•••••••••••••••••••••
Part 2 is completely from Roe's POV, and is Roe and Jake's journey to finally being together, but it isn't easy. Jake is working on overcoming his childhood trauma and starting to accept his sexuality and, much to Roe's despair, starting to explore it. They are still best friends, working on even bigger projects together, and are integral pieces of each other's ever expanding families (if you don't like kids, this isn't the book for you because there's a ton). Roe is unsuccessfully trying to keep his marriage together while struggling with Jake moving on.
After one incident too far (c'mon Jake, family is off limits), Roe is pushed over the edge and finally decides that he wants to be with Jake regardless of the consequences. As expected, they're perfect together. The difficulty is coming out as a couple when they've been, to the public, platonic for years. They are public figures, Roe is still married for part of the time, and they have their plethora of kids. Jake is also still coming to terms with his sexuality, taking small steps to being an out gay man. Being so actively involved in each other's lives helps a lot in their situation though. These two put you through it, but you can't deny the love they have for one another or their families.
I think I was frustrated so much with Roe because of how avoidable everything was. I can chalk it up to his young age when Sandra first gets pregnant, but I always thought he was better than marrying out of obligation. We know he has feelings for Jake, and while Jake needs time to sort it out I don't think the best move was this marriage. He had a perfect example of co-parenting right there with Nikki and Jake and still made the wrong choice, which led to so much hurt.
My major issue with this book was how the author used postpartum depression to vilify Sandra. It's a bad situation for everyone, but it's also a mental illness that doesn't automatically make you a bad mother and horrible person. Sandra was already not a great character without it, and I felt it was cheap to pin it on her depression.
Jake and Roe finally get the happily ever after they've spent almost a decade tiptoeing around. There's so much that happens to get them to this point, but their love has never faltered. There's no Roe without Jake, or Jake without Roe. They're perfect partners in every way. I was really curious about their future moving forward after reading about so much of their lives, and went ahead and bought the epilogue novella to get some more closure on their outcome.
Read if you like:
• friends to lovers
• slow burn
• single dad
• found family
•••••••••••••••••••••
After one incident too far (c'mon Jake, family is off limits), Roe is pushed over the edge and finally decides that he wants to be with Jake regardless of the consequences. As expected, they're perfect together. The difficulty is coming out as a couple when they've been, to the public, platonic for years. They are public figures, Roe is still married for part of the time, and they have their plethora of kids. Jake is also still coming to terms with his sexuality, taking small steps to being an out gay man. Being so actively involved in each other's lives helps a lot in their situation though. These two put you through it, but you can't deny the love they have for one another or their families.
I think I was frustrated so much with Roe because of how avoidable everything was. I can chalk it up to his young age when Sandra first gets pregnant, but I always thought he was better than marrying out of obligation. We know he has feelings for Jake, and while Jake needs time to sort it out I don't think the best move was this marriage. He had a perfect example of co-parenting right there with Nikki and Jake and still made the wrong choice, which led to so much hurt.
My major issue with this book was how the author used postpartum depression to vilify Sandra. It's a bad situation for everyone, but it's also a mental illness that doesn't automatically make you a bad mother and horrible person. Sandra was already not a great character without it, and I felt it was cheap to pin it on her depression.
Jake and Roe finally get the happily ever after they've spent almost a decade tiptoeing around. There's so much that happens to get them to this point, but their love has never faltered. There's no Roe without Jake, or Jake without Roe. They're perfect partners in every way. I was really curious about their future moving forward after reading about so much of their lives, and went ahead and bought the epilogue novella to get some more closure on their outcome.
Read if you like:
• friends to lovers
• slow burn
• single dad
• found family
•••••••••••••••••••••
I had planned to do one review for both books, but there's no way I could fit everything into one post. Part 1 doesn't end on a happily ever after, it's basically the turning point of their relationship. I would recommend carving out time to read both of these back to back.
Jake and Roe meet while taking a film-making course. Roe has an idea for a final project, and wants Jake's technical expertise to help it take off. Over the next few years they become best friends and business partners, creating a YouTube series, podcast, and doing other investigative journalism/documentaries, while also being very involved in each other's personal lives and families.
Part 1 is told entirely from Jake's POV and lays the foundation of Jake and Roe's friendship. Jake is ex-military with conservative parents, but living in LA opens his eyes to more than one issue with his upbringing. Jake and Roe immediately connect and have an amazing chemistry that brings their work to the next level. It's not even one thing you can point out that makes them so great together, they just click. They have the same drive and determination, but also empathy and values. They are platonic best friends for years, even if there are stirrings of other feelings on both sides. It's the slowest of burns. Jake takes a while to figure out and accept his feelings beyond a platonic love, and of course life is never easy and gets in the way
One thing I loved was watching Jake and Nikki go from exes to co-parents to close friends, I feel like they did it so right and that it's such a good contrast for later events. Even with these unexpected bumps in the road, Roe and Jake never falter on their friendship.
Part 1 ends on a mostly bitter and not so sweet note. Jake is finally coming to terms with his feelings but it might be just too late for him and Roe. It was sad, I cried, and immediately started Part 2
Read if you like:
• slow burn
• single dad
• friends to lovers
• found family
Jake and Roe meet while taking a film-making course. Roe has an idea for a final project, and wants Jake's technical expertise to help it take off. Over the next few years they become best friends and business partners, creating a YouTube series, podcast, and doing other investigative journalism/documentaries, while also being very involved in each other's personal lives and families.
Part 1 is told entirely from Jake's POV and lays the foundation of Jake and Roe's friendship. Jake is ex-military with conservative parents, but living in LA opens his eyes to more than one issue with his upbringing. Jake and Roe immediately connect and have an amazing chemistry that brings their work to the next level. It's not even one thing you can point out that makes them so great together, they just click. They have the same drive and determination, but also empathy and values. They are platonic best friends for years, even if there are stirrings of other feelings on both sides. It's the slowest of burns. Jake takes a while to figure out and accept his feelings beyond a platonic love, and of course life is never easy and gets in the way
One thing I loved was watching Jake and Nikki go from exes to co-parents to close friends, I feel like they did it so right and that it's such a good contrast for later events. Even with these unexpected bumps in the road, Roe and Jake never falter on their friendship.
Part 1 ends on a mostly bitter and not so sweet note. Jake is finally coming to terms with his feelings but it might be just too late for him and Roe. It was sad, I cried, and immediately started Part 2
Read if you like:
• slow burn
• single dad
• friends to lovers
• found family
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Just as cute as the first, but with a little more angst. I feel like it could've probably been combined easily with the first book. Though I'm not the author so maybe it wasn't feasible to them. I didn't really mind too much and still enjoyed this installment!
•potential spoilers for book 1, Like Real People Do•
The second book picks up immediately where book 1 left off. Alex and Eli are dating, keeping it on the down low, until circumstances force them to come out. A lot of this story deals with being an out queer athlete, the effect on the team, teams the play against, their relationship, and other queer athletes. It also discusses mental health struggles that come with being a top athlete and barely adult while dealing with all the scrutiny. There are ups and downs, but most importantly love and support from the best teammates, friends, and family.
While dealing with slightly heavier material, it's still a very cute romance story. Eli and Alex have to work through all the new relationship kinks and of course it isn't perfect, but they try their best (the relationship rules and meetings, communication at its best). For how young they are, they really find their flow and what works for them as a couple. There's so much love between the two, and they aren't afraid to do the work so they can have a successful relationship.
A heartwarming LGBTQ sports romance with sweet, swoony moments, endearing teammates, thoughtful mental health discussions, and all around a good read. I'm still wishing for a James and Cody story, but I'm excited about what's next in this world.
Read if you like:
• hockey player/figure skater
• friends to lovers
• hurt/comfort
•potential spoilers for book 1, Like Real People Do•
The second book picks up immediately where book 1 left off. Alex and Eli are dating, keeping it on the down low, until circumstances force them to come out. A lot of this story deals with being an out queer athlete, the effect on the team, teams the play against, their relationship, and other queer athletes. It also discusses mental health struggles that come with being a top athlete and barely adult while dealing with all the scrutiny. There are ups and downs, but most importantly love and support from the best teammates, friends, and family.
While dealing with slightly heavier material, it's still a very cute romance story. Eli and Alex have to work through all the new relationship kinks and of course it isn't perfect, but they try their best (the relationship rules and meetings, communication at its best). For how young they are, they really find their flow and what works for them as a couple. There's so much love between the two, and they aren't afraid to do the work so they can have a successful relationship.
A heartwarming LGBTQ sports romance with sweet, swoony moments, endearing teammates, thoughtful mental health discussions, and all around a good read. I'm still wishing for a James and Cody story, but I'm excited about what's next in this world.
Read if you like:
• hockey player/figure skater
• friends to lovers
• hurt/comfort