Genre: Contemporary Romance
Disclaimer: Reading is all about exploring, but this Book Review does not shy away from spoiling specific scenes as this is more of a look inside the good and bad of a book.
The Analysis:
I haven’t found a good romance to read until this one. The first novel to hold my attention from the prologue. So, let’s book review it.
Here’s the Blurb:
Dig a little and you’ll find photos of me in the bathtub with Ezra Stern.
Get your mind out of the gutter. We were six months old.
Pry and one of us might confess we saved our first kiss for each other. The most clumsy, wet, sloppy . . . spectacular thirty seconds of my adolescence.
Get into our business and you’ll see two families, closer than blood, torn apart in an instant.
Twenty years later, my “awkward duckling” best friend from childhood, the boy no one noticed, is a man no one can ignore.
Finer. Fiercer. Smarter.
Taken.
Tell me it’s wrong.
Tell me the boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have.
When we find each other again, everything stands in our way–secrets, lies, promises.
But we didn’t come this far to give up now.
And I know just the move to make if I want to make him mine.
Now The Story:
Book Info:
Pages: 341
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Available: On Google Play Books
This book didn’t have to be this long though.
(I’ll be referring back to this quote often)
Proof #1: I kept wondering why the story started at birth lol. Although it progressed pretty quickly. I just personally, don’t know if all the backstory was necessary. At least not to get the second chance romance, friends to lovers part.
Proof #2: The heroine, Kimba, kept having the same conversation about her illness over and over. It was with different people, and for the record, realistic. But it wasn’t fiction plot readable (if that makes sense).
It was a faster read once we got into the present timeline. Kimba and Ezra are best friends/lovers and the main characters. Conflict is somewhat driven by Aiko who is still married/connected to Ezra, while they’re in the throes of dissolving their partnership.
Let’s get into the most controversial aspect of the story: (Some personal commentary here: I think being married myself kind of allowed me to uniquely see things from Aiko’s pov. Where I don’t think someone single would immediately feel the same way that I do. But here go my thoughts) I felt bad for Aiko. It was clear, she just wanted their relationship to work. Meanwhile, she was stuck loving a man who loved someone else. The fact that she wanted someone else was just small penance to where their relationship had ended up.
At one point Aiko asked him if he ever loved her. To which he said yes, they would have had a stronger chance had they gotten married. (She didn’t believe in marriage, but partnership.) Whatever the answer, it wasn’t sitting right with me. I don’t think Aiko ever had a genuine place in his heart that wasn’t manufactured. It’s not hard to come to that conclusion when you read into his thoughts about Kimba and his love for her since childhood.
However, a Goodreads reviewer made a great point that it felt like both Ezra and Kimba had firmly moved on. I certainly see why they would say that. Its two years in between their run in at the funeral and when Ezra starts to think about her again. But I tried not to let this color my judgment too much. Mostly because, once their back together its definitely like, why did you leave my life, I needed you all along.
Made harder at one point, by Ezra, who kept saying, I don’t even know her anymore. I said to myself, well don’t keep reminding me. Then I’m going to start questioning why you still love her. Like really dude, what is going on.
Storytelling wise: The angst between Kimba and Ezra can be unreasonably drawn out. If you used to be best friends. Why can’t you simply exchange numbers without turning into nervous puddles on the floor? Ezra can’t even look at her, is he 5. This ain’t the lets date convo or are you single convo. This is the let’s have lunch, it’s ridiculous. I found it very dramatic.
I also find Ezra a bit disingenuous when it comes to revealing his personal life to Kimba after they reconnect. He’s waiting for her to ask him about his non-wife. I’m like, sir, feel free to volunteer that information since it’s pretty damn important.
I wasn’t even mad when well meaning best friend, Mona, kind of came between them and pumped the breaks. This plot point only worked because we’re led to believe Ezra was stupid, excuse me too shy, to speak the truth to Kimba about Aiko. The several times he had the opportunity to.
I’m not amused at all by Ezra’s shyness. And this is coming from an introvert (whose never been shy about love 🤭 ). Yet, even if I imagine myself as some sort of anomaly on the introverted spectrum. Why can’t he look at her? A grown, sexy as hell, man. Not some nerd in suspenders, who never seen a girl naked. It seemed unrealistic. Mona is about to hook Kimba up on a date. Ezra gets jealous and says no. Sorry dude, I’mma need you to do more than look at the ground when you’re around her. If your serious about where this relationship should go.
Now, I ain’t gone say he won me over. But at one point he was poetically laying it down on why he wanted to get to know her all over again. I was like alright now, we getting somewhere. Small butterflies.
Mostly he just came off as childish too me. His only argument to Mona’s request to move on with Kimba, a little more smartly. Aiko moved on so why can’t I. Kimba mine, like some caveman.
Aiko’s reintroduction to the story was more heavily felt in act 3. It threw up some animosity for me towards Kimba. Aiko knows her marriage is over and that doesn’t mean it’s not hard. Or that she doesn’t want to try even if trying is the wrong answer. Kimba’s, Ezra mine. She lucky I don’t lose my cool, bs was just that bs. The situation was just too messy and there wasn’t enough time like Mona said for everyone to adjust without hurt feelings. I found myself wanting to DNF.
I also didn’t appreciate that Ezra wasn’t excited about his child just because it would hurt his chances with Kimba. It’s realistic but for once, id just like men to make the right choice the first time around without selfish inclinations. Which for the most part Ezra does, but this moment still irked me.
It was also a little sleazy that he’s having another kid with his baby momma. While simultaneously trying to claim the one egg that Kimba has left through IVF. Like dude, really, chill with that. He like that could be our baby. Or nope.
The story is well written. At points it felt like I was reading about someones real life. And I can say all that and still say I hated it.
It was also simultaneously boring. Ezra was not the dream boyfriend you want to read about and I wasn’t exactly stoked about their happily ever after.
Just because a story is well written doesn’t mean the plot is good.
Now from the 4.5 rating maybe I’m wrong. So feel free to ignore me.
Story At A Glance:
Recommendation: 3 out of 5*
The Ratings:
Book Cover Appeal:
🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
Story & Narration:
🍓🍓🍓
Romance:
🍓🍓
Character/(s) Personality:
🍓🍓🍓
*P.S. This is a two-star read for me, but I made it three because it reads true to life and is very well written. Just nothing I’d want to live or read.
