this was sweet. i think the instalove was a little strong for my taste, especially considering we never really gogive me your eyes, i need sunshine ❤️
this was sweet. i think the instalove was a little strong for my taste, especially considering we never really got relationship development/shared interests beyond fucking. but rachel reid writes the hell out of a sex scene and i was still endeared to these characters and the way this book ends.
what i found really interesting as a heated rivalry stan was how many story moments are shared between this book and HR. like... a lot. the word "agony" comes to mind. the seeing each other in public and knowing we're going to fuck in private later. the "show me how you jerk it" moment. the hickeys. the use of the term "sweetheart." i could go on. it wasn't bothersome to me, more just an observation. it's cool to see how those were reused and in a way that resonated with me more, in heated rivalry.
anyway, super glad i read this. excited to read the whole series back to back. also pray 4 my sanity because the long game is gonna kill me again lol....more
27th: heated rivalry reread 28th: watch the show 50 million times 29th: read the long game
30th? idk pray for me, i have DAYSmy brain is fucking rotted.
27th: heated rivalry reread 28th: watch the show 50 million times 29th: read the long game
30th? idk pray for me, i have DAYS before episode 3 comes out and punches my emotional ass in the throat.
actual review:
very complicated feelings about this one. i LOVE that it is basically ilya's book. but i didn't love shane in this book and i don't think it's shane fault.... i just think he was largely ignored. also some of the things that happen felt a lil corny/convenient. like it's still a 5 star. don't get me wrong. but like... mixed feelings....more
Ever read a romance where you want the characters to go to therapy instead of entering into a relationship?
The Next Chapter follows Jude and Kat, a boEver read a romance where you want the characters to go to therapy instead of entering into a relationship?
The Next Chapter follows Jude and Kat, a bookseller and former child star respectively. Kat walks into Jude's bookstore looking for queer romances as she is exploring her queer identity. Which serves as a meet cute for the two of them, who subsequently date while facing tough stuff in their personal and professional lives.
Me? I loved the meet cute. I loved and sympathized so hard with Jude. But Kat? Tough tough sell for me. Withholding vital information from someone you're dating, especially when that person has stated they have trust issues is a big red flag for me. The fact that Kat was conscious of the fact that she was lying throughout their courtship was especially troubling. I also felt like Kat, while she did eventually stand up to a couple of people in her life, didn't grow enough throughout the story for me to want Jude to take a chance on her.
This is a very well written story, with raw and real characters. I think fans of Ashley Herring Blake would eat this up. I enjoyed it and would be willing to read more from this author in the future, it just wasn't a new all time fave....more
was soooo ready to fall head over heels for this... i mean, LESBIAN SPIES? sign me tf up.
but i keep having this problem where i pick up books with coowas soooo ready to fall head over heels for this... i mean, LESBIAN SPIES? sign me tf up.
but i keep having this problem where i pick up books with cool plot lines that then get in the way of the romance. and this one was doubly challenging because it was a bit of a second chance situation. recent exes teaming up to stop bad guys. but despite the solid attempts, i just didn't see what they saw in each other or why i should root for them to get back together.
also didn't help that the level of detail of the crimes these 2 were investigating was sometimes confusing. like you don't need to spoon feed me info but i don't think we need to be doing thaaaat much for a spy situation in a romance idk....more
none of this book is spent with us getting to know these characters and watching them fall in love. we get to see one guy in a coma for a long time annone of this book is spent with us getting to know these characters and watching them fall in love. we get to see one guy in a coma for a long time and get flashbacks to their relationship before the coma.
then he wakes up and they're apart for the majority of the book. oh and this deals heavily with the homophobia one of the guy's faces from his parents.
