I... had a tough time with this book. I thought the premise sounded so good and that it would be something that 2 Stars for Whitney and Ladybug only.
I... had a tough time with this book. I thought the premise sounded so good and that it would be something that would check some major boxes for me but unfortunately so many things didn't work for me with this book.
The meeting between the FMC Halley and the MMC Reed was odd to say the least. She's a girl from a broken home and gets frequently abused by her father, so I guess it would make sense why she was randomly sitting in a lake fully clothed at a house party?
Reed shows up by chance looking for his daughter at this party and the two of them engage in the strangest conversation. Idk. It's like Halley is supposed to be this edgy, deep, philosophical girl? Lmao. Yeah, I get that that's what was trying to come across but it didn't hit that way.
From this one meeting and this odd conversation about 90's music bands and 'blips' in time and all the sudden the two of them feel this deep connection to the point they can't stop thinking of each other? Uh. No. It felt so superficial and didn't come across as organic or authentic to me. It just felt forced.
The fact that Halley was just 17 when they first met and Reed was 34 was pretty uncomfortable. Especially considering his daughter is the same age. It really gave off predator vibes. And then just to really twist the knife - the author constantly has the MMC brining up the fact that she is the same age as his daughter over and over and over again. Like we get it.
╰┈➤ Comet is not a cute nickname
Honestly, this was trying so hard to be forbidden/taboo and it landed as gross and ick.
╰┈➤ The fact that he gifts her a fucking beanie baby. Nauuurrr. I can't. Tell me she's a child without telling me she's a child.
No one was very likable in the story except the mom- Whitney and the dog Ladybug. I loathed the FMC. She was so selfish and inconsiderate. Whitney and her bff Tara took her into their home when she had no where else to go because of her abusive father and her drunk mother. And all Halley cared about was her own feelings when it came to Reed.
So. First and foremost. I LOVE Joey and Aoife- they are so relatable and you just want to squeeze them make everything better for them.
Wi4.25 Stars
So. First and foremost. I LOVE Joey and Aoife- they are so relatable and you just want to squeeze them make everything better for them.
With Binding and Keeping I definitely felt the pain and anguish but with these two omg. Hearing things from Joey's POV was so utterly heartbreaking. Like, just rip my heart out and put it in the blender. I was so torn up for him and for Aoife.
Just when you think you have seen the ugliest side of the Lynch parents. Redeeming was like - hold my beer. I was at a loss for words with what happens in this book from Joey and Aoife's POV.
No doubt the story is fantastic and heart wrenching but damn, Chlo- please, get an editor.
First of all! Aoife is life, wifey, mother, the baddest chick, that ride or die chick, the I'm rolling up with my whole crew but my whole crew is AoifFirst of all! Aoife is life, wifey, mother, the baddest chick, that ride or die chick, the I'm rolling up with my whole crew but my whole crew is Aoife chick. What. I LOVE her! She made this whole book shine!
Everything that I missed about having a strong FMC in Binding/Keeping was brought in Saving.
That ending. [image]
Full RTC.
“You shouldn't settle for anything less than being in love to the point of madness. The only person that you should be settling for is the person who unsettles you the most. The person who drives you to the brink of suicide because he or she makes you feel so fucking much that you can't catch your breath or remotely function without them.
And what's more is you won't want to. You won't want to breathe, or feel, or fucking function without them. That's how you'll know that it's a real relationship Molloy. Only when you're feeling the most discomfort you've ever felt in your entire life, should you even consider settling.
Because that's when you'll know you're in love, which, sounds to me, like a hell of a lot nicer way to live than settling for someone you have nothing in common with because it's comfortable.”...more
You know those books that pop into your feed that the cover is gorgeous and the little snips of the plot sound amazing and you want to just stop ever You know those books that pop into your feed that the cover is gorgeous and the little snips of the plot sound amazing and you want to just stop everything you're doing and read it right now??
This. This is that book for me! Making high priority.
✨ Murder Mystery ✨ Twists on Twists ✨ Epic Romance
“I once read somewhere that we mature with damage, not with age.” -`♡´-
“¨I think I need you for keeps.¨ ¨I think I need you for keeps, too.¨” -`♡´-
““I once read somewhere that we mature with damage, not with age.” -`♡´-
“¨I think I need you for keeps.¨ ¨I think I need you for keeps, too.¨” -`♡´-
“Now, tell me who made you cry and I'll fix it.” -`♡´-
3 Stars- I'm undecided on this rating a little bit so I may change it again but I'm going with 3 for now.
So let me start with- I was under the impression that this was a YA sports romance initially. I understood that there was family drama and physical abuse the the FMC was experiencing at home but I've read YA that includes heavy topics and this ...where on earth did I get YA from???
Fair warning - this is definitely not a YA story and even though I've read plenty of books with violence in them, some of the abuse scenes in this even had me an adult drawing back in horror.
I adore Johnny, he is the epitome of a lovable and protective love interest. The way he treated Shannon right from the beginning was so heartwarming and really had the emotions in me stirring.
Add the horrible things that Shannon is going through at home with her alcoholic and abusive father along with her dipshit of a mother who is such a weak woman that she basically turns her head to the physical and emotional abuse being inflicted on all of her children - it makes for a compelling plot.
╰┈➤ Where my issues with the book come in- is in the writing and storytelling itself. I really had to look past quite a lot of things. I know I've said it many times in my updates, but trust me - it's no where near the amount of times it's mentioned in the book.
╰┈➤ Shannon is tiny. She's SMOL. She's petite. She's pint sized. She's tiny...tiny...tiny. Oh, we get it Chloe. We got it. I just want to understand how can a 5 ft girl not get up on a stool? I'm only 4 inches taller and?? I've never felt like the size of a toddler - lmao. But for real.
Not only that but the amount of clumsiness and things that happen really just made her seem even younger than she was made me feel a little uncomfortable. In a way that she seemed childlike?
╰┈➤ The whole 'pitching a tent' scene. I really had second hand embarrassment and some of the ick with the way things went down with them in that scene.
Overall, I did enjoy the story itself and it did evoke emotions out of me. I've already got book 2 checked out from the library....more
Sigh... I'm obviously behind with this one but I've been hesitant to pick it up. Well, the time has come now that the second book is here... So many Sigh... I'm obviously behind with this one but I've been hesitant to pick it up. Well, the time has come now that the second book is here... So many heartbreaking books lately ...more