i actually liked this a lot! 

every character was well written and didn’t feel like they were created just to move the plot the way the protagonists needed. 

and i know there are a lot of characters from previous books so someone could chalk up the characterization being good to the reader already knowing the characters, but i didn’t! i only read daria’s book besides this one, and i still felt connected to everyone. and also to the side characters that were new.

this story was heart-wrenching, heartbreaking, and heart warming — just full of heart!

the things that pull bailey and lev apart aren’t big, cinematic secrets and moments. they’re insecurities, bad feelings, daily circumstances. it’s incredibly realistic because life happens and they’re not equipped to deal with the situations, which drives them away from each other. then when they find healthier (even if momentarily painful) ways of coping and living, they find their way back to each other.

the soft “magical” parts with the doves and the signs they felt like they were getting from a loved one were so sweet 🥺🥺

this is a good book. a romance, a love story, that doesn’t trivialize the other parts of life.