You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

35 reviews

jazhandz's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I picked this up because I loved You Should Be So Lucky, and thought this would be just as good. It is not. I liked the characters, but there’s not much of a plot to speak of (despite clear hints/seeds of plots) and the pacing drags on a lot. The central relationship is great. With any luck, that’s what I’ll remember about this book.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kaydee_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love stories where the romantic plot is preceded by a genuine like for each other, and this one truly grounds Andy and Nick’s friendship in a believable and genuinely heartwarming way before they even start admitting they might have feelings that go beyond that. It’s a slow, beautifully written meditation on what it meant to be queer in New York in the late 50s, and is thoroughly grounded in that specific place and time - NYC almost feels like a third character. The research the author did is evident and makes the world even more believable, and both Nick and Andy are loveable, fully fleshed out characters in their own right. A very soft, sweet and low-angst love story. 

I did wish at times that there was a tiny bit more plot - there are several interesting plot lines that are started and then abruptly tied up neatly with not much detail -
the police evidence cover-up, the police stalking them, Nick’s family’s reactions to Andy, Emily’s heart doctor, etc
. This was occasionally frustrating, as was the one angstier section of the book where they both deliberately misunderstood each other’s intentions and I was screaming JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER internally. Still a very worth-while read and beautiful story though! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jdanby's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jp_rex's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

5.0

I adored this book so much. The relationship between Nick and Andy is slow burn perfection, almost meditative in its deliberation. 

Nick is gruff and seemingly older than his years. But as you learn about his history as a queer man growing up in the 50s, his affect makes perfect sense and adds layers to his characterization. In contrast, Andy seems sheltered, scattered, and younger than he is, but learning about his lifetime of rejection puts everything in perspective.

What I appreciated the most was the clear tension between the life that Nick and Andy deserve to live, openly and without fear, and the narrow box in which society expects them to exist. It forces the reader to examine whether we've moved as far beyond that restriction as we like to think, and I know I was disappointed with my conclusion.

This is an achingly beautiful love story about two souls finding their missing parts in one another. I can't wait to sit with it again and again.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

eclecticallyreading's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

I don't know how Cat Sebastian does it but truly every book is incredible and this one was no exception. I absolutely adore a black cat/golden retriever pairing and Nick and Andy have my whole heart. The way that Andy blows into Nick's carefully constructed life of safe fear and blows it all up completely accidentally (in the most Andy way possible). I loved getting to watch Andy's queer awakening dawn on him as something that has always been there, but just as something he could ignore. And the pair's fierce devotion to each other and making sure the other is taken care of and loved (even before they realize that is what is going on). This book is about community and family and how queer folks construct worlds in which they can be fulfilled and safe in a world that deeply wants them to be neither of those things and the unexpected allies along the way. 

Perfect for people who love historical romance, queer romance, best friends to lovers, black cat/golden retriever
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jess_always_reading's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This book is amazing, I've already added it to my physical book wishlist!  

Sebastian's story is a beautiful narrative of love in a time of persecution, and queer joy and resilience. Nick and Andy are the friends-to-lovers we all want and I absolutely loved their story and characterizations. I also love the way bisexuality was handled in the book. 

Sebastian paints a great picture of late 1950s New York, the changes going on from shifting societal attitudes to gentrification and development. There's enough historical accuracy for it to be realistic with enough wish fulfillment to make it a great HEA to escape into. Like Nick, I'm always on the search for beautiful queer stories with those sweet happy endings. 

Featuring great ADHD and anxiety representation, awesome side characters, and an orange cat that lives up to the stereotype. 

10/10 would recommend. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

stormeno's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sharpwords_softheart's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful informative lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I never imagined a book about queers in the 1950s to be so comforting, but it is. I love the way this is written and I feel like the book is paced well and wraps up well.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

serafina's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

beautiful_articulate's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This is my first time reading a full-length novel by Sebastian, as I've only read novellas of her up until now, so I knew what I was getting into.

Like her novellas, this book was very character-driven. There's some plot elements that force the characters into some situations and discussions, but it is mainly pushed forward by the characters. I think one of Sebastian's main strengths is creating very lovable characters. Much like Nick, I thought I would dislike Andy as well. He's the son of a wealthy newspaper owner, destined to inherit The Chronicle, and he has a hard time working in the office at first. Also like Nick, I ended up falling in love with Andy. 

I'm by no means an expert on NYC in the 1950's, but it's very clear that Sebastian has done her research before writing this book. She tiptoes a bit around some of the big societal issues that plagued 1950's America, like race or sexism, but I also don't think every piece of media set in this time period needs to check every social justice issue off a list, so this didn't bother me too much. Homophobia is of course addressed in this book, and is a big driving force behind the main characters' actions (this is definitely something to keep in mind for readers who might be sensitive to this sort of content).

There were times where I felt like the novel dragged on a bit, like there was some dead air at times, but this wasn't so egregious that I felt like I needed to skip over passages. 

My other critique is something that I've noticed in Cat Sebastian's novellas as well, which is how much the word 'queer' is used. While I can believe that the term was used in this time period, it feels more like it's used as the positive or neutral umbrella term that it is today, when it was more typically used as a pejorative up until the 80's. I wish we could have seen some more historically-accurate terminology from the characters even if they are slightly outdated. 

I'm glad I read up until the end though, as I always love reading queer romances that end in a positive note. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings