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amanda_reads13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
fast-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
4.0
It was love a frist sight for Kenan, but Lotus's past has her shying away from any long term commitments.
As usual, this book is so beautifully written. This story is so heartbreaking and emotional, yet has so many heartwarming moments. The characters are so vibrant and well developed.
Their chemistry was palpable. The tension and banter was perfection. I loved the slow burn in this book. They took their time to slowly transition from friends to lovers. The slow pace of their relationship makes so much sense considering Lotus's past trauma and Kenan's challenges with his ex-wife. Their relationship isn't perfect, but they choose each other and have open communication.
Kenan has been through a horrible and public divorce after his wife cheated on him with a teammate. His ex-wife was so emotionally abusive and was a master at manipulation. He is such a empathetic, compassion, protective, and complicated man. He didn't let many people in, but he felt an instant connection to Lotus. He was so patient with her and his letters were so endearing.
Lotus was a strong and mighty woman. She is struggling with PTSD and has massive trust issues. She was a survivor.As a child, she was raped by her mother's boyfriend and then her mother rejected her for him. Her circle is small, but close, it takes a lot for her to trust. She was bold and loud, yet vulnerable and struggling. It takes a lot for her to let Kenan in, but once he is in, he is her world.
The addition of Voodoo was interesting. Lotus was raised by her grandmother and was taught about her "power".Lotus predicts death around Kenan. They end up discovering that his daughter has ODed and then she almost dies. Lotus assumes this was the feeling she gets, but later in the book Kenan is in a car accident and is declared dead. Lotus and Iris somehow save him with their "energy". To me it seemed like a bit of a gimmick in the book. I would have liked to have seen it explored more.
Tropes: friends to lovers, found family, slow burn, single dad
As usual, this book is so beautifully written. This story is so heartbreaking and emotional, yet has so many heartwarming moments. The characters are so vibrant and well developed.
Their chemistry was palpable. The tension and banter was perfection. I loved the slow burn in this book. They took their time to slowly transition from friends to lovers. The slow pace of their relationship makes so much sense considering Lotus's past trauma and Kenan's challenges with his ex-wife. Their relationship isn't perfect, but they choose each other and have open communication.
Kenan has been through a horrible and public divorce after his wife cheated on him with a teammate. His ex-wife was so emotionally abusive and was a master at manipulation. He is such a empathetic, compassion, protective, and complicated man. He didn't let many people in, but he felt an instant connection to Lotus. He was so patient with her and his letters were so endearing.
Lotus was a strong and mighty woman. She is struggling with PTSD and has massive trust issues. She was a survivor.
The addition of Voodoo was interesting. Lotus was raised by her grandmother and was taught about her "power".
Tropes: friends to lovers, found family, slow burn, single dad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
shaipanda's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’m so glad I got back into Kennedy Ryan’s work because I loved Reel but also reading it was so painful at times that I never delved into the rest of her backlist. But I’m seriously so glad I did because this is literally by far one of my favorite couples I’ve read about this year - they go through so much in this book but they combat it all so well and I suprisingly didn’t feel like what they gave throughout the book was too much too quickly. I mean obviously it’s a lot in one book and probably one of the huge crises/hospital trips in this book could have been cut because it was a lot, but also everything served a purpose and was amazing written and discussed
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
bookwormbullet's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Abandonment