Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a wonderful Monday and your week is off to a great start. In light of today’s special publication day, I will review two recently loved books – The End & Then and What’s Left of Me from the Loveless series by Hannah Bird.
The End & Then Review
Rating: 4/5
Tropes/Info:
- strangers to lovers
- trauma + healing
- cinnamon roll MMC
- small town
- mysterious past
I enjoyed this book a lot! It made me emotional, angry, and, ultimately, hopeful. It was a reminder that sometimes bad things happen to good people, but in the end, we will heal.
Eden was precious, and I wanted to step into the pages and hug her. It was interesting reading about her therapy journey! I rarely see therapy portrayed so positively in a book, and it was refreshing. She was a relatable character, and I loved reading about her journey of rediscovering herself and learning to let someone in.
Chase was a lovely MMC. He was persistent in a non-creepy way and didn’t let Eden’s past trauma keep them from being happy. I loved how he tried his best to be understanding and wasn’t quick to anger.
The End & Then was more Insta-lovey than I typically go for. That said, Eden’s deeply emotional and touching healing journey captivated me and kept me turning the pages. Hannah Bird did a great job.
Overall, I recommend this book. It was a great debut.
What’s Left of Me Review
Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes/Info:
- small town
- healing journey
- plant lady FMC
- golden retriever MMC
- beautiful friendships
- book two in series
Happy publication day to this beautiful book. What’s Left of Me was a stunning follow-up to The End & Then that focuses on Eden’s best friend, Zoey. It was emotional, raw, touching, and a beautiful read.
I’ve read several books that touch on what an abusive relationship can look like, but I don’t remember any intensely focusing on the aftermath of an abusive relationship. What’s Left of Me follows Zoey’s healing journey after an abusive relationship with her ex. It is easy to get frustrated with Zoey initially because the MMC, Aaron, is seemingly perfect, and you want them to be happy.
However, once you get more insight into Zoey’s journey and see everything she’s been through, you can easily see where she came from. At least, that was my experience while reading What’s Left of Me. I commend the author, Hannah Bird, for writing a deeply complex book showing what a healing journey can look like.
I particularly loved that Aaron never shamed Zoey for taking her time. He, understandably, just wanted to love her, but he was patient and never left her side. This book highlighted that trust and communication can be difficult, but we all deserve beautiful love stories.
Like with Eden, I wanted to jump into the book and hug Zoey multiple times. It was terrific reading her story.
Thanks to the author, Hannah Bird, for allowing me to read this book early. It was a lovely read.
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