Thriving Through the Thirties

I was honestly expecting some sweet, charming moments, but let me tell you, that’s not quite what I got. By the time I decided to check the synopsis, it was already “too late”. I was fully invested, and, well, it’s Colleen Hoover – even if it wasn’t what I expected, you bet I was in for the long haul. After scanning a couple of reviews, I noticed she gave a heads up that this one was a little darker than her usual. Now, having read books like “Verity” and “It Ends with Us,” I thought I had a solid grip on what to expect from Colleen Hoover – messed-up characters and all. But somehow, this one pushed the boundaries a tad too far for my liking.

Character Development and Plot Struggles

All in all, the book turned out to be a bit of a letdown. I felt like there wasn’t enough depth to it. The characters were underdeveloped, and the plot felt like it had been stretched to its limits. Surprisingly, for a book of its length, the love story felt rushed, and the chemistry between the main characters was barely there. I couldn’t form a connection with any of them. While I guess the goal should have been to inspire empathy for at least those who are clearly made to appear as the victims, it just didn’t hit the mark. Additionally, some aspects were left unexplored, like the various illnesses mentioned in the story. And don’t get me started on the drama [insert a series of eyerolls]. I get it, she wanted to inject some edge, but they cranked it up a notch, maybe even a tad too much.

Realism in Character Portrayal and Controversial Themes

Now, let’s talk about those police characters. They fell short in the realism department for me. Seriously? You want me to believe that the undercover cop didn’t face any consequences after the chaos he caused? We get it, Asa was deranged. He was sick, but what about the others? What’s their excuse? Luke? Stupid. Unprofessional. And again, Stupid. Hmm-hmm, this wasn’t CoHo’s finest hour, that’s for sure.

And one last thing, after that recent story about Tayc’s song, “Quand tu dors,” I’m not quite sure how I feel about that woman having her boyfriend repeatedly raping her while she sleeps and referring to the whole thing as simply “inconvenient”?! Seriously? I’d expect the author to call it out for what it truly is and somehow make her stance on the matter heard and felt.

Someone on Goodreads summed it up perfectly: “This is the book that never ends, it just keeps going on and on, my friends…” When you think it’s over, oh no, there’s more. And not necessarily in the best way.

I wouldn’t exactly wave a flag of recommendation for this one. But hey, who knows? It might hit a different note for you. Either way, I need someone to chat about it with.