thelibraryoft's Reviews (477)

3.5 stars. Not exactly a miscommunication trope, but more like a no communication trope. Both characters take a turn just not talking to their partner, which was a bit annoying. 

This book is for me and my fellow big titty ladies. 😂 This was not my favorite Elle Kennedy book, but I flew through it and had a good time. I loved the twist on the f*ckboy trope. I loved that Conor talked about consent & respect going both ways in a relationship. Conor felt he needed a break from it all I loved that he was changing for himself, not just because the fmc wanted him to.

The start of this relationship was my favorite. I loved the dare premise and that Conor went along with it so easily and had Taylor's back even when she wasn't around. I think the story spent a little too much time on the body insecurity. I understand Taylor's thought process because... same, but I wish she would have come into confidence on her own, not just for  Conor. 

The 3rd act conflict I saw coming, but I feel conflicted on how it was handled. I think they glazed right over the hazing and said "oh that shouldn't have been shared" no. Lets stop normalizing hazing.

 Something about this book just hit me in the exact right way. I loved the premise of this book. Magical witches are each connected to a season in which their power is most strong and when they feel most themselves, but Clara is unique. She is an ever witch and her powers change to match every season. This makes her incredibly special, but it comes with some downfalls. She tries to keep everyone at arms length in order to keep them safe, but Sang wiggles himself in. Their romance felt real. You could feel their chemistry grow through time and friendship. We also get to see Clara open herself up to platonic friendship as the story goes on and it was heartwarming to see her accept herself and how that helps her find community.

Climate change is such a huge part of this book and it is done really well. I love that the witches are using their magic to try to fix the natural disasters brought on by climate change, but magic can't single handedly solve it. Witches & humans must work together to slowly fix the damage made.

This is my first book by Rachel Griffin, but I own a few others and can't wait to pick them up. 

Funny story follows Daphne & who's fiancé Peter dumps her for his childhood best friend, Petra. Leaving Petra's boyfriend Miles single and in need of a roommate. One thing comes to another and after a few too many drinks, they RSVP to Peter & Petra's wedding as a couple. One thing I loved about this book is that all of that happens by chapter 2. We didn't have to spend 100 pages following the ew relationships before getting to the good stuff. 

Daphne & Miles were perfect opposites. Miles messy and free spirited, Daphne practical and dependable. I loved watching them grow and become friend and then more. 

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes when done well, and I think this nailed it. They had enough time just being themselves with the occasional moment of faking it. It made it really easy to see their actual chemistry grow. 

This book also touched on some deeper topics like abandonment, toxic relationships & toxic parents, but I really enjoyed the theme of friendship. Daphne realizes after the breakup that most of her friends were actually Peter's friends and she feels alone. Making friends as an adult is not easy, and i loved watching her friendship with Ashleigh grow, watching them make mistakes and support each other. 

The first chapter of this book made my brain explode! The most unlikely couple ever! 
I absolutely understand Helen's hesitancy to think that they could work as a long term couple because DUH. I agree. But for the sake of the book and this review, I just ignored that opinion. 

Things I liked: the writers room setting. I thought this was really unique and gave space for a fun found family aspect. I loved seeing Helen grow, gain confidence, make true friends, and stand up for herself.  The physical chemistry between Helen & Grant was soooo good. When he writes his address?! (IYKYK) I almost screamed. The spice caught me off guard in a great way. Their romantic chemistry, I didn't feel as much. They feel like a fling, not end game. 

The 3rd act break-up was expected, but the length & how they came back together was not my favorite. I needed more. I needed Grant to grow pair. The ending kind of made me sad. I wish I real conversation could have happened between Grant & Helen's parents.  

Overall, I real this book pretty fast, and the wild premise is enough for me to recommend it to others. 

4.5 stars! The hype on this book is so high, but I think it <i>almost</i> lives up to it. My very small negatives for this book is the beginning felt a bit slow, and saw the sweet little twists coming so I think I lost a little bit of the magic.
 
Now for my positives. I LOVED the way time travel was done in this book. I often don't love time travel romances, but this was perfect. It happened just enough times and the system was easy to understand and easy to believe. I loved getting to see Clementine & Iwan's relationship grow in the past and present. They had a good balance of fun, flirty, funny chemistry & emotional, soulful chemistry. I also really enjoyed the theme of never being too old to try something new, or return to and old hobby or start fresh. I think a lot of romance books tend to lean very young or even older, but this felt perfect for anyone in their late twenties & early 30's.

This book expands past just a typical romance. There are beautiful friendships & family dynamics. It also explores grief, loss, and remembering loved one beautifully, and leaves you feeling hopeful.