I liked the first two books in this series, but this one is on another level. It’s very personal and you can tell, even before you get to the end and the author’s note where she straight out says that the book is half memoir. With this book, she was Working Through Some Shit.
However, just because you write what you know as an author doesn’t mean that you will write something good or compelling, but Hoang has definitely managed to do that, and I think, leveled up in the process. This book was deeply affecting and I found myself very quickly falling in love with the characters, especially Anna. I feel so protective of her, and I’m so glad she found Quan (and that he found her as well).
My one quibble is that I thought one aspect of the book was slightly forced SPOILERS Quan’s extreme reaction and subsequent break-up with Anna I thought needed more building up–their relationship seemed to strong for that reaction END SPOILERS and Quan’s POV and story arc did suffer a bit in comparison to Anna’s, who is the star of the show.
I would say check this out even if you haven’t read the first two books. The books in this series stand alone, and this one in particular has very strong subject matter outside of the romance plot (which nevertheless meshes so well with it). And though the book touches on some serious subjects (as many great romances do), it’s also funny and heartwarming and sweet and cathartic. I can’t wait to see what this author will do next. She just seems to be getting better as she goes (although I do hope she doesn’t suffer any more autistic burnout for her art, as much as I enjoyed the results).
[4.5 stars, rounded up of course]
