Book: The Sweetheart by Noelle Reve
Reviewed by Anonymous
Rating: 5/5
icing on the cake
I had NO idea what to expect going into this. I saw the cover and thought, that's a beautiful cover, read the blurb, and thought, huh. What do I know? Maybe I'll like this.
I was skeptical. I was waiting for it to get cringey or weird.
And there was some adjacent kink stuff in the beginning that I have absolutely no interest in, but it was adjacent enough that it was interesting without taking over the story. And the way everything was handled with such gravity, seriousness, and maturity just made it so fucking interesting.
I went into this not knowing what to expect from the Daddy/boy dynamic, and I came out completely sold on the way this author developed it. It's about power dynamics, but the trust between Kai and Nolan came in good time and for good reason. It built and built, and I loved watching them fall in love. I loved watching them grow, fall apart, and find their way back to each other.
And somehow everything was just balanced perfectly. Just angsty enough. Just hard enough. Just deep enough.
There are some heavy themes here, but the beats were all long enough that I never felt overwhelmed by them. I didn't leave this book scarred. I just cared about Kai and his family that much more. And I love ALL of these people.
Which brings me to my only real complaint: I NEED MORE.
I am furious that there is only one book in this series right now. I would read a hundred books by Noelle Reve. I would read a hundred books with this dynamic if they're developed this well. I need all of them. Right now. Please hurry up, Noelle.
I would be the crazy person in a bookstore shaking this book at people saying, this is a work of anthropological study AND romance AND connection AND trust.
I cried during this stupid book. I didn't sleep because it was so good. And the ending delivered exactly what I needed it to, it healed a part of me.