Pansies (Spires #4) in #DiverseRomanceBingo Reading Challenge

Sep 11, 2016 dammit, liz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, the-hype-is-legit, scavenger-hunt-16, funny-mm

This book encapsulates all my favorite things about AJH's writing. If you're not a fan of the Spires books, you might not love this, but I adore the flowery, descriptive writing. The characters were flawed but lovable, and at times a little subversive. This is a somewhat quiet romance, which I like. The conflict that arises isn't due to an over the top plot, it's just about people being human, making mistakes, and growing. Witty, charming, and romantic. Definitely recommend. ...more

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Oct 13, 2016 Pixie rated it liked it

Shelves: man-on-man-luvin, scribd

Some parts were really wonderful but others I *deep sighed*. Overall I would recommend it but not my favorite AJH book.

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Oct 13, 2016 Apolishedreader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, tattooed, mm

As usual, AJH's words are filled with feeling. His books take me FOREVER to read because I savor each sentence. That and this is a 400-page book. I know, I know...a romance does not need 400 pages. I almost always agree with you. But read an Alexis Hall book and you may change your mind.
Ok, I will admit, this book also took me a long time because I had to google things for definitions and for visuals. Things like Murray mints, Sagaris, where South Shields was (and Barnet) and how long of a driv As usual, AJH's words are filled with feeling. His books take me FOREVER to read because I savor each sentence. That and this is a 400-page book. I know, I know...a romance does not need 400 pages. I almost always agree with you. But read an Alexis Hall book and you may change your mind.
Ok, I will admit, this book also took me a long time because I had to google things for definitions and for visuals. Things like Murray mints, Sagaris, where South Shields was (and Barnet) and how long of a drive it was from London, a housing estate and d-registration to name a few.
I also learned some new insults - arse-dick will be added to my daily repertoire I am sure (wait, daily?...yeah, probably).

On to the actual story. What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing, so excuse me if this is redundant. Read it. Don't let the language in the first few chapters throw you off. It is not much really, but it gives you a great idea of the dialect for the area. Say it out loud, it isn't weird. I promise. *wink*

This story is told from Alfie's POV. We get a snippet of Fen's internal struggle through a few letters to his mom, but Alfie is the MC here. That said, this story is about the growth of two individuals and how they grow as themselves and toward each other. And though it is told from Alfie's POV, we get a good sense of where Fen is on his journey through Alfie's eyes.

I think this also a story of forgiveness, but not necessarily for a long past infraction(s). Instead, I think it was more continual forgiveness and moving on. Incidents during their journey where they test the trust in the other person. Where they are forgiven, forgive themselves, make a promise and move forward.

This book is also about grief. Grieving parents who are gone, both literally and figuratively. The grief of disappointment. How grief affects your immediate life, how it changes you, how it shapes your decisions.

It is also about reconciliation. Reconciling who you think you should be to who you are, what you were raised to be to who you want to be, how you envision one type of person to how they really are, what you should feel to how you do feel, how long you should be in one place to the desire to move on, what you have always wanted to do with wha you want to do now. The differences in your past to your present to how you see your future.

But largely, I think it is about growth and the willingness to grow. Both Alfie and Fen are at a point in their lives where they can stay where they are and wallow in discontent, or they can make conscious decisions to move forward and seek fulfillment.

Okay, so that is a lot for one book. But it is 400 pages of ALL THE FEELS.

And so this book made me feel, just as books are supposed to do, I guess. It made this non-crier cry. And it wasn't even sad, not exactly, it was just emotional. It also made me happy. And content. And fluttery.

So, read it. When you are done, sigh a happy, contented sigh. Then suffer a Pansies hangover. Like me...as I sit here unable to start a new book because I am still in South Shields slavering over veggie lasagne (don't miss the recipe at the end). ...more

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Oct 11, 2016 Sadie Forsythe rated it really liked it

This is a truly beautiful book. Now, I'll admit I'm biased, as Hall is one of my favorite authors and I'm kind of predisposed to like anything he writes, but I did very much enjoy this. The writing is lush. The romance so...well, so sweetly romantic you could almost scoop it up with a spoon. Both characters are distinct and likable. Hall even managed to make Fen's forgiveness believable, which in the beginning I didn't think was possible. Apparently, I'm a horrible person because I didn't think ...more

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Dec 30, 2016 N.G. Peltier rated it it was ok

Shelves: books-devoured-in-2016

welp i'm really sad i didn't like this as much as i wanted to. i just didn't. i loved For Real and Glitterland so very much so i'm just :( that i didn't feel the same about Pansies.

i just did not like Alfie at alllll. i really tried.

thought ok yeah maybe i just don't like him now...i mean he bullied Fen all those years ago how the hell was i gonna like this dude after this??...and yeah teens can do some really shitty things...but people can change and grow right? but my dislike did not change ...more

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Oct 13, 2016 Toni FGMAMTC rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, m-m, adult-fiction, enemy-to-lover-or-lover-to-enemy, contemporary, grown-up-problems

FGMAMTC Blog Review + Giveaway

4.5 stars

I love the complexity of Alfie and Fen and how they don’t quite fit into the molds for any characters I’ve read before. The bully turned lover has been done before, but this story doesn’t start with the bullying so we aren’t in that frame of mind from the beginning. We have a chance to really get to know who they are as adults.
Fen is having a difficult time moving past a major loss and figuring out which direction he wants to take his life. Besides t ...more

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Nov 29, 2016 Jackie rated it really liked it

Shelves: rnff

See full review at:

http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blog... ...more

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Jan 22, 2017 Veroluc rated it really liked it

Shelves: english

http://queerasabook.blogspot.it/2017/... ...more

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Nov 08, 2017 Sheryl Beesley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another wonderful book by Alexis Hall... He has such a beautiful way with words.. I felt like I was sitting in the North of England watching the story unfold...

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