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He Looks So Fine: Part Two
After spending the Christmas holidays together, Mathias and Alberto return to school disenchanted and convinced of the other’s indifference… until they both end up in detention and decide to skip school together, consequences be damned. But as they are inexorably pulled toward each other, their personal demons are working their hardest to keep them apart.
Is love even enough?
The conclusion to Mathias and Alberto's story is scheduled for release during the summer of 2023. He Looks So Fine is not a young adult book and isn't recommended for readers under the age of eighteen.
He Looks So Fine: Part One was published in January 2023. You can find more information about the book at: www.goodreads.com/book/show/60897148-...
Is love even enough?
The conclusion to Mathias and Alberto's story is scheduled for release during the summer of 2023. He Looks So Fine is not a young adult book and isn't recommended for readers under the age of eighteen.
He Looks So Fine: Part One was published in January 2023. You can find more information about the book at: www.goodreads.com/book/show/60897148-...
474 pages, Paperback
Published September 18, 2024
17 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Zelda French
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September 22, 2024
TW (stated in the book's content warnings):
THIS BOOK. THIS FUCKING BOOK. I'M A SOBBING MESS BC OF ALBERTO AND MATHIAS.
they really went through it all in this book with the misunderstandings and jealousy and fights but it feels so them and, bc of how they are and the way their thoughts consume how they act, everything in this book made sense even with my frustrations and sadness. 😭 i loved the epilogue and how the ending was wrapped up. also, Mathias and Eric's friendship had me crying. i genuinely adore them. <3
THIS BOOK. THIS FUCKING BOOK. I'M A SOBBING MESS BC OF ALBERTO AND MATHIAS.
they really went through it all in this book with the misunderstandings and jealousy and fights but it feels so them and, bc of how they are and the way their thoughts consume how they act, everything in this book made sense even with my frustrations and sadness. 😭 i loved the epilogue and how the ending was wrapped up. also, Mathias and Eric's friendship had me crying. i genuinely adore them. <3
September 23, 2024
✰ 4.5 stars ✰
“I can’t stop,” Mathias said, his eyes still burning.
“I don’t want you to stop.” Alberto swung his arms around his neck... “Don’t stop,” he murmured against his helpless prey’s lips. “Please, don’t stop.”
The emotional wringer & whiplash these two eighteen-year-olds and their passive-aggressive personalities took me on was a torrent of frustration and feels - the not knowing of what their end game would be. 😭😭 It is that double entendre into the title that really plays out for Alberto - how He Looks So Fine in his outward appearance - the epitome of an attractive model, but inside he is the definition of Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional, that plays such a crucial part in his character development that throughout this all-nighter that I pulled to read what fate awaited him and Mathias - that till I did not reach the end, I was not at peace. 😢
“Isn’t there beauty in darkness, too?”
It is this tussle of want and need, trying to understand and refusing to see, wishing for something more and still denying the possibility of something more - they're completely at odds with one another - and yet, they are perfect for each other. The way the narrative shifted between the two of them kept the pacing so painstakingly painful, because I never knew what to expect - it was tense and intense - this delicious angst - how would they fall together - how would they come apart. 'Mathias’s gentleness had always felt more brutal than his fiercest thrusts.' 🥺 The author really pushed themselves to convey just how deeply destroyed Alberto was and how desperately he was seeking someone to reach for him - to hold him and just be there for him. Mathias, with his own personal struggles, was at odds with himself and he was inadvertently hurting Alberto for it - even though Alberto felt that he deserved it. It was crippling and it was gripping. It read like a romance with suspense, because Mathias and Alberto were discovering together just what they expected from each other to make it work.
And when they did.
“You thought you were traumatized, but you’re just different. I thought I was different; turns out, I’m just traumatized.”
It was beautiful - tinged with an aching sadness, but such bittersweet tenderness - it was the closure they were both desperately seeking and they had to hurt, before they met together on the same wavelength - confessing their darkest demons and their desire to change - to be better - how they forgive each other for this misgivings and shortsighted actions. They're not perfect - they're not entirely at peace - but they're willing to take the steps of healing - the level of comfort they sought in each other. 🥹 For Mathias, the fool who held Alberto’s heart at ransom and Alberto, 'a crumpled boy robbed of the light of his life, this final breakdown was the tipping point that paved the way for there really to be a future for them together.🥲🫶🏻🫶🏻
For it is as much as Alberto's struggle as it is Mathias. You don't see it in how so much is centered on Alberto's own trauma and grief, but Mathias is growing, too. He's overcoming his own emotional pain and personal anguish to finally come out of his own anger over the loss he had no control over, and the part of himself he was unable to accept. Mathias always came off as cold and reserved and unapproachable, but the way he sees just how very much the opposite he is was so heart wrenching, if not sweet to see what a kind heart he has, wallowing in his own wall of guilt and shame, how caring and protective he is to those he holds dear, even though he refused to admit it. 😥 'I trusted him in ways I’ve never been able to trust anyone, and he’s never hurt me.' It was very difficult to be angry with either of them, or say that they misjudged an action or behaved inappropriately - they had to cross that crossroad together.
“I would have done anything for you. You only had to say the word, and I would have done it... I would have taken care of you. I would have stopped being so empty inside.
I would have lived; I would have lived again.”
And my precious Alberto - Alberto, 'an expendable villain, nothing more than an obstacle to Zak and Eric’s love', who grew to be so much more than what he portrayed himself - who walked the dark path alone for so long - who shouldered so much pain and sadness and loneliness - who questioned himself and his looks - never felt worthy - unworthy of sweet and gentle love, feeling that he only deserves the angry and desperate kind. 💔💔 He faced his fears alone - who swallowed his losses alone - who wanted Mathias, but never knew quite the right words to convey - '...if I asked you to be mine and only mine, in body at least, what would you say to me?' - why he did - just how much he cared - to explain away all the doubts and questions he may have had about himself. Eighteen years old, and the world can either be at his beck and call, or break at the snap of his finger.
He's that kind of character who loves, he just doesn't know how to express it or convey it. His chain of thought was so easy to get lost in - caustic or harsh, lonely or considerate - hurtful or hurting - he really makes you feel it. And you cannot even fault him for his behavior - reserved and cold, because that's all he's ever been treated as. And my heart broke at how much he's carried in his heart all this time - buying his time to finally be able to escape, to be free. How he wants to be good, but no one has taught him. Who cares deeply for his Mamma and doesn't know the extent of that love. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 'Hold you, but gently, and doing things, but slowly.' Who fell for Mathias on sight, he just did not realize that he fell for him then, too. The way Mathias shows him that love does not always have to be cruel or angry - that there is beauty in kindness and gentleness and softness in burying yourself in affection that is so sincere and patient and trusting - it moved me to tears at how lost he had been before - how Mathias never knew the gift that he had been given by Alberto's trust and want for him. 😔
“I pictured myself rising above the wreckage with one hand raised to shield my eyes, and the other holding on to you.”
The champion is also Zelda French's singular writing - very distinctive and unique. How the author steadily built upon their reveals of them coming to terms with their past and secrets was done in a seamless flow. They unraveled all the puzzle pieces, how they built on the character dynamics and the respective relationships was with such a firm control that it never felt overwhelming. 👍🏻👍🏻 They gave a voice to each of the supporting cast - the good and the bad. I liked how the school still played a prominent part in their relationship; the angst and the quirks - the culmination of senior year woes and the theatrics of heated passions.
At times, I may have felt overwhelmed by the sheer back and forth of some interactions. 😅 But the quiet mess of Alberto's questionable thoughts and actions brought it down to a more grounded notch. The author toed the fine line of mental health and physical trauma and emotional grief in a way that you felt each attack - each visceral blow - and how she brought back the phrases in full circle, touching upon their significance. There is so much thought and care put into the descriptive sensory details it was very easy to visualize everything. The anger, the hopelessness, the sadness, the heartbreak - even when they were just kissing - that opening scene!!! Phew! 😳😳
“You don’t know what love is until it starts hurting. Really hurting.”
Mathias froze, dumbstruck. “Hurting to be around them?”
“No.” Eric looked like he was about to laugh, but he shook his head instead. “Hurting not to be around them.”
I was not quite a fan of Eric in his own story, but gosh, the hero he was in this final act. The friend, the confidante, the support for both of them - in their own ways - was incredible. He owned up to each of his strengths and his faults and cemented with firm conviction that he was willing to be there for either of them - a friendship that was willing to withstand every obstacle the couple would face. 🥰🥰
The Extra was definitely extra! 😄 I did not care for it much, but it was nice to see some unanswered questions resolved and a very sweet, and much-needed revelation, along with a much-needed moment of closure for two certain characters. 🙏🏻
“I chose you, and you chose me. We chose each other.”
But, the epilogue...oh, the Epilogue was just *chef's kiss*. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 Y'know when after a dark, rainy day, the stormy clouds part and the sliver of that glimmer of sunshine peeks out, basking you in this incredible warmth? 🥹
That was the Epilogue - how the author pulled that off - how they brought it full-circle, how it just enveloped you in this peace and calm and afterglow of happiness - as the ending drew near, I was already tearing up, but here? It was impossible to hold back my smile - so beautifully and tenderly done. My heart was at ease for these two hopeless and helpless young men, who found happiness and safety and contentment in each other's arms - hand-in-hand walking towards their future. 💞
Random Thoughts for the Author
❀ I loved that illustrations were included. It added an extra oomph to the writing, and it helped me visualize Mathias and Alberto's dynamic even better. 👏🏻👏🏻 I won't share my favorite one, but here's my second favorite - this moment right here was such a heartbreaking one... 😟
❀ I liked how each of the pairings were set off for Colette International, with the French students pairing off with foreigners - Internationally. ✈️♥️
- Louis & Michael (English)
- Zac & Eric (American)
- Mathias & Alberto (Italian)
❀ I know CI is on hold - for now - but, if you ever revisit the world, I do have some future questions! What's Z.B's backstory? Will Xavier ever have his HEA? Will Stasia pay for her crimes? Most heinous character ever! 🙅🏻♀️And Louis and Michael... albeit briefly they appeared, they have a very special place in my heart. 🥹 I hope you'll one day consider writing more for them about their lives together in the future and how their respective careers are playing out for their relationship - my heart would sing with happiness. 😊❇️
A truly well-deserved and hard-earned ending to two broken boys - very much a worthwhile reading experience, for sure. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
“I can’t stop,” Mathias said, his eyes still burning.
“I don’t want you to stop.” Alberto swung his arms around his neck... “Don’t stop,” he murmured against his helpless prey’s lips. “Please, don’t stop.”
The emotional wringer & whiplash these two eighteen-year-olds and their passive-aggressive personalities took me on was a torrent of frustration and feels - the not knowing of what their end game would be. 😭😭 It is that double entendre into the title that really plays out for Alberto - how He Looks So Fine in his outward appearance - the epitome of an attractive model, but inside he is the definition of Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional, that plays such a crucial part in his character development that throughout this all-nighter that I pulled to read what fate awaited him and Mathias - that till I did not reach the end, I was not at peace. 😢
“Isn’t there beauty in darkness, too?”
It is this tussle of want and need, trying to understand and refusing to see, wishing for something more and still denying the possibility of something more - they're completely at odds with one another - and yet, they are perfect for each other. The way the narrative shifted between the two of them kept the pacing so painstakingly painful, because I never knew what to expect - it was tense and intense - this delicious angst - how would they fall together - how would they come apart. 'Mathias’s gentleness had always felt more brutal than his fiercest thrusts.' 🥺 The author really pushed themselves to convey just how deeply destroyed Alberto was and how desperately he was seeking someone to reach for him - to hold him and just be there for him. Mathias, with his own personal struggles, was at odds with himself and he was inadvertently hurting Alberto for it - even though Alberto felt that he deserved it. It was crippling and it was gripping. It read like a romance with suspense, because Mathias and Alberto were discovering together just what they expected from each other to make it work.
And when they did.
“You thought you were traumatized, but you’re just different. I thought I was different; turns out, I’m just traumatized.”
It was beautiful - tinged with an aching sadness, but such bittersweet tenderness - it was the closure they were both desperately seeking and they had to hurt, before they met together on the same wavelength - confessing their darkest demons and their desire to change - to be better - how they forgive each other for this misgivings and shortsighted actions. They're not perfect - they're not entirely at peace - but they're willing to take the steps of healing - the level of comfort they sought in each other. 🥹 For Mathias, the fool who held Alberto’s heart at ransom and Alberto, 'a crumpled boy robbed of the light of his life, this final breakdown was the tipping point that paved the way for there really to be a future for them together.🥲🫶🏻🫶🏻
For it is as much as Alberto's struggle as it is Mathias. You don't see it in how so much is centered on Alberto's own trauma and grief, but Mathias is growing, too. He's overcoming his own emotional pain and personal anguish to finally come out of his own anger over the loss he had no control over, and the part of himself he was unable to accept. Mathias always came off as cold and reserved and unapproachable, but the way he sees just how very much the opposite he is was so heart wrenching, if not sweet to see what a kind heart he has, wallowing in his own wall of guilt and shame, how caring and protective he is to those he holds dear, even though he refused to admit it. 😥 'I trusted him in ways I’ve never been able to trust anyone, and he’s never hurt me.' It was very difficult to be angry with either of them, or say that they misjudged an action or behaved inappropriately - they had to cross that crossroad together.
“I would have done anything for you. You only had to say the word, and I would have done it... I would have taken care of you. I would have stopped being so empty inside.
I would have lived; I would have lived again.”
And my precious Alberto - Alberto, 'an expendable villain, nothing more than an obstacle to Zak and Eric’s love', who grew to be so much more than what he portrayed himself - who walked the dark path alone for so long - who shouldered so much pain and sadness and loneliness - who questioned himself and his looks - never felt worthy - unworthy of sweet and gentle love, feeling that he only deserves the angry and desperate kind. 💔💔 He faced his fears alone - who swallowed his losses alone - who wanted Mathias, but never knew quite the right words to convey - '...if I asked you to be mine and only mine, in body at least, what would you say to me?' - why he did - just how much he cared - to explain away all the doubts and questions he may have had about himself. Eighteen years old, and the world can either be at his beck and call, or break at the snap of his finger.
He's that kind of character who loves, he just doesn't know how to express it or convey it. His chain of thought was so easy to get lost in - caustic or harsh, lonely or considerate - hurtful or hurting - he really makes you feel it. And you cannot even fault him for his behavior - reserved and cold, because that's all he's ever been treated as. And my heart broke at how much he's carried in his heart all this time - buying his time to finally be able to escape, to be free. How he wants to be good, but no one has taught him. Who cares deeply for his Mamma and doesn't know the extent of that love. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 'Hold you, but gently, and doing things, but slowly.' Who fell for Mathias on sight, he just did not realize that he fell for him then, too. The way Mathias shows him that love does not always have to be cruel or angry - that there is beauty in kindness and gentleness and softness in burying yourself in affection that is so sincere and patient and trusting - it moved me to tears at how lost he had been before - how Mathias never knew the gift that he had been given by Alberto's trust and want for him. 😔
“I pictured myself rising above the wreckage with one hand raised to shield my eyes, and the other holding on to you.”
The champion is also Zelda French's singular writing - very distinctive and unique. How the author steadily built upon their reveals of them coming to terms with their past and secrets was done in a seamless flow. They unraveled all the puzzle pieces, how they built on the character dynamics and the respective relationships was with such a firm control that it never felt overwhelming. 👍🏻👍🏻 They gave a voice to each of the supporting cast - the good and the bad. I liked how the school still played a prominent part in their relationship; the angst and the quirks - the culmination of senior year woes and the theatrics of heated passions.
At times, I may have felt overwhelmed by the sheer back and forth of some interactions. 😅 But the quiet mess of Alberto's questionable thoughts and actions brought it down to a more grounded notch. The author toed the fine line of mental health and physical trauma and emotional grief in a way that you felt each attack - each visceral blow - and how she brought back the phrases in full circle, touching upon their significance. There is so much thought and care put into the descriptive sensory details it was very easy to visualize everything. The anger, the hopelessness, the sadness, the heartbreak - even when they were just kissing - that opening scene!!! Phew! 😳😳
“You don’t know what love is until it starts hurting. Really hurting.”
Mathias froze, dumbstruck. “Hurting to be around them?”
“No.” Eric looked like he was about to laugh, but he shook his head instead. “Hurting not to be around them.”
I was not quite a fan of Eric in his own story, but gosh, the hero he was in this final act. The friend, the confidante, the support for both of them - in their own ways - was incredible. He owned up to each of his strengths and his faults and cemented with firm conviction that he was willing to be there for either of them - a friendship that was willing to withstand every obstacle the couple would face. 🥰🥰
The Extra was definitely extra! 😄 I did not care for it much, but it was nice to see some unanswered questions resolved and a very sweet, and much-needed revelation, along with a much-needed moment of closure for two certain characters. 🙏🏻
“I chose you, and you chose me. We chose each other.”
But, the epilogue...oh, the Epilogue was just *chef's kiss*. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 Y'know when after a dark, rainy day, the stormy clouds part and the sliver of that glimmer of sunshine peeks out, basking you in this incredible warmth? 🥹
That was the Epilogue - how the author pulled that off - how they brought it full-circle, how it just enveloped you in this peace and calm and afterglow of happiness - as the ending drew near, I was already tearing up, but here? It was impossible to hold back my smile - so beautifully and tenderly done. My heart was at ease for these two hopeless and helpless young men, who found happiness and safety and contentment in each other's arms - hand-in-hand walking towards their future. 💞
Random Thoughts for the Author
❀ I loved that illustrations were included. It added an extra oomph to the writing, and it helped me visualize Mathias and Alberto's dynamic even better. 👏🏻👏🏻 I won't share my favorite one, but here's my second favorite - this moment right here was such a heartbreaking one... 😟
❀ I liked how each of the pairings were set off for Colette International, with the French students pairing off with foreigners - Internationally. ✈️♥️
- Louis & Michael (English)
- Zac & Eric (American)
- Mathias & Alberto (Italian)
❀ I know CI is on hold - for now - but, if you ever revisit the world, I do have some future questions! What's Z.B's backstory? Will Xavier ever have his HEA? Will Stasia pay for her crimes? Most heinous character ever! 🙅🏻♀️And Louis and Michael... albeit briefly they appeared, they have a very special place in my heart. 🥹 I hope you'll one day consider writing more for them about their lives together in the future and how their respective careers are playing out for their relationship - my heart would sing with happiness. 😊❇️
A truly well-deserved and hard-earned ending to two broken boys - very much a worthwhile reading experience, for sure. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
September 25, 2024
When I first read You’re the One for Me years ago, I loved both Eric and Zak of course, but despite being a thorn in their sides, I end up with a bit of obsession for Alberto. Something about that sleepy giraffe just endeared him to me, and I wanted to know all about him, why he was like that, what made him tick. He Looks So Fine part one was a good entryway into his mind, but here in part two, we finally get some solid answers and it all solidified him as one of my favorite characters. Watching him recognize his own problems and want to improve himself, not just for Mathias or anyone else but for himself, was so nice
It did take a while to get there, however, and what a tumultuous journey it was. This book maintains the darker and heavier tone as part one and pushes it even further at times, and there were points where it sometime got tough to read because of how raw it could get. But it was all handled so well and with care that made it possible to get through
And of course Mathias’s journey was wonderful to watch as well. I loved to see more of his past and his softer side, even though there were also times I wanted to strangle him. He and Alberto both were messy and SO bad at communicating, it could almost be painful at times 😭 but that made it so much better when they do start to actually talk to each other
All in all, this book is simultaneously messy, raw, beautiful, sad, hopeful, sometimes all at once. It’s a teen drama but doesn’t pull its punches. It’s darker than previous books in the series, but still manages a positive ending. Eric continues to prove he is an actual golden retriever made human. It is bittersweet to say goodbye to Colette for now, but this send off with Alberto and Mathias’s dramatic love affair helps ease the pain of saying goodbye. This series has been so fantastic, no matter what Zelda may write next, I will be there for sure!
I have received an ARC and am writing this review of my own volition, but I fear I may have procrastinated writing this review long enough what I’m not sure if I still need to clarify that 😭 I’m sorry! I truly loved this book but sometimes extrapolating my feelings takes time
It did take a while to get there, however, and what a tumultuous journey it was. This book maintains the darker and heavier tone as part one and pushes it even further at times, and there were points where it sometime got tough to read because of how raw it could get. But it was all handled so well and with care that made it possible to get through
And of course Mathias’s journey was wonderful to watch as well. I loved to see more of his past and his softer side, even though there were also times I wanted to strangle him. He and Alberto both were messy and SO bad at communicating, it could almost be painful at times 😭 but that made it so much better when they do start to actually talk to each other
All in all, this book is simultaneously messy, raw, beautiful, sad, hopeful, sometimes all at once. It’s a teen drama but doesn’t pull its punches. It’s darker than previous books in the series, but still manages a positive ending. Eric continues to prove he is an actual golden retriever made human. It is bittersweet to say goodbye to Colette for now, but this send off with Alberto and Mathias’s dramatic love affair helps ease the pain of saying goodbye. This series has been so fantastic, no matter what Zelda may write next, I will be there for sure!
I have received an ARC and am writing this review of my own volition, but I fear I may have procrastinated writing this review long enough what I’m not sure if I still need to clarify that 😭 I’m sorry! I truly loved this book but sometimes extrapolating my feelings takes time
September 15, 2024
Reading this book felt just like coming home.
In the past years I’ve grown so fond of the Colette gang that getting back to this world and to Zelda’s writing style was a warm hug.
Mathias and Alberto probably wouldn’t share my opinion because they go through it in the sequel of their story. (But there’s a happy ending so I don’t feel too bad about describing the book as a warm hug.)
I was this 👌 close to taking a couple of days off work just to finish reading because I was so hooked I COULDN’T. PUT. IT. DOWN.
Was it because of the incredible chemistry between Mathias and Alberto? Or was it be because I was dying to find out more about them after book 1? Or was it because I’m a sucker for well-written angst and character-driven stories?
Well, all of that.
But I put it down mostly to the masterful way Zelda managed to unravel all the mysteries and the secrets from the previous books. It was one plot twist after another and eeing all the puzzle pieces finally coming together was incredible.
Mathias and Alberto are hands down one of my favourite book couples. They made me laugh and cry and kick my feet and get angry. I was smiling like a loon and then tearing up two seconds later.
HLSF2 was the sort of book that reminded me why I love reading: it touched my cold cold heart and I just can’t wait to reread it again and again and again.
(I have received an ARC and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.)
In the past years I’ve grown so fond of the Colette gang that getting back to this world and to Zelda’s writing style was a warm hug.
Mathias and Alberto probably wouldn’t share my opinion because they go through it in the sequel of their story. (But there’s a happy ending so I don’t feel too bad about describing the book as a warm hug.)
I was this 👌 close to taking a couple of days off work just to finish reading because I was so hooked I COULDN’T. PUT. IT. DOWN.
Was it because of the incredible chemistry between Mathias and Alberto? Or was it be because I was dying to find out more about them after book 1? Or was it because I’m a sucker for well-written angst and character-driven stories?
Well, all of that.
But I put it down mostly to the masterful way Zelda managed to unravel all the mysteries and the secrets from the previous books. It was one plot twist after another and eeing all the puzzle pieces finally coming together was incredible.
Mathias and Alberto are hands down one of my favourite book couples. They made me laugh and cry and kick my feet and get angry. I was smiling like a loon and then tearing up two seconds later.
HLSF2 was the sort of book that reminded me why I love reading: it touched my cold cold heart and I just can’t wait to reread it again and again and again.
(I have received an ARC and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.)
January 9, 2025
Slow burn
This was a slow burn with a satisfying conclusion. A very well handled love story for two very complicated and hurt people. Their story and development truly needed the 2 books to let it grow and breathe. I highly recommend.
This was a slow burn with a satisfying conclusion. A very well handled love story for two very complicated and hurt people. Their story and development truly needed the 2 books to let it grow and breathe. I highly recommend.
September 24, 2024
DNF 89%
Does this book even have a plot or is it just a bunch of shitty characters and Alberto? And Mathias is useless at best and abusive at worst.
Does this book even have a plot or is it just a bunch of shitty characters and Alberto? And Mathias is useless at best and abusive at worst.
September 19, 2024
I sped through this book and sacrificed a good chunk of sleep to get to the end. It was totally worth it!
I really loved this book, perhaps even more so than the first part. Having a definitive ending might have helped with that, since I hate cliffhangers!
This was an amazing and beautiful read, with a depth to the struggles of mental health, grief and surviving trauma which is handled sensitively and with compassion. I also liked that whilst you got a clear understanding of what happened, there (in my opinion) weren't any graphic details which can be a real problem for me in books, especially when handling some very sensitive topics.
The characters were also as amazing as always, and I'm happy that I got to spend more time with them. Eric was great in his usual 110% self, and he must be protected!
It also had a very satisfying conclusion to what might be my most hated fictional character in all of history, so that's a plus!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who even slightly enjoyed the first, it was great.
I received an arc and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really loved this book, perhaps even more so than the first part. Having a definitive ending might have helped with that, since I hate cliffhangers!
This was an amazing and beautiful read, with a depth to the struggles of mental health, grief and surviving trauma which is handled sensitively and with compassion. I also liked that whilst you got a clear understanding of what happened, there (in my opinion) weren't any graphic details which can be a real problem for me in books, especially when handling some very sensitive topics.
The characters were also as amazing as always, and I'm happy that I got to spend more time with them. Eric was great in his usual 110% self, and he must be protected!
It also had a very satisfying conclusion to what might be my most hated fictional character in all of history, so that's a plus!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who even slightly enjoyed the first, it was great.
I received an arc and am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 16, 2024
4.5. As a whole (the single “book” of 2 parts) = 4.4.
This was beautiful (and raw and messy) how the story progressed so slowly with these two amazing, but damaged boys (each utterly broken in their own minds), found a way together. Dark, but always with that potential for more and better, for them each to get better just perpetually out of reach (for hundreds and hundreds of pages). Until it wasn’t and they found the sun.
Depression and grief and trauma and each being different to begin with - all lovingly explored.
This was beautiful (and raw and messy) how the story progressed so slowly with these two amazing, but damaged boys (each utterly broken in their own minds), found a way together. Dark, but always with that potential for more and better, for them each to get better just perpetually out of reach (for hundreds and hundreds of pages). Until it wasn’t and they found the sun.
Depression and grief and trauma and each being different to begin with - all lovingly explored.
October 8, 2024
I still love Alberto and Mathias! 🥰
The continuation of their story, much like part one, is dark and uncomfortable at times. It highlights the trauma both Alberto and Mathias have been through and how it still affects them now. But that makes it even more beautiful that they found each other, and found in each other what they both needed - someone who loves them for them.
I loved the whole Collete series and it was great to be able to keep up with and learn more about all of the characters we’ve been introduced to before. But it was especially nice to watch Alberto and Mathias come to their own conclusion together.
I really enjoyed this book and the whole series ❤️
📸🔒⚽️
The continuation of their story, much like part one, is dark and uncomfortable at times. It highlights the trauma both Alberto and Mathias have been through and how it still affects them now. But that makes it even more beautiful that they found each other, and found in each other what they both needed - someone who loves them for them.
I loved the whole Collete series and it was great to be able to keep up with and learn more about all of the characters we’ve been introduced to before. But it was especially nice to watch Alberto and Mathias come to their own conclusion together.
I really enjoyed this book and the whole series ❤️
📸🔒⚽️
September 23, 2024
Loved it!!!!
I can’t put it down
This book makes me cry
Sooo good
Spoiler alarm
Deduct 1 star because Alberto turned out to be a virgin when they first hookup.
While Matt slept around a lot before they met (when he’s 15-16 yr, come on, is it realistic?)
Whyyyy? It just doesn’t make sense that such a slutty person is a virgin……
He also mentioned something like don’t give yourself away to the first one who asked.
I don’t like the word ‘give’. It’s like virginity is something precious for the bottoms.. same concept as Zak’s. While the tops are both very experienced.
I can’t put it down
This book makes me cry
Sooo good
Spoiler alarm
Deduct 1 star because Alberto turned out to be a virgin when they first hookup.
While Matt slept around a lot before they met (when he’s 15-16 yr, come on, is it realistic?)
Whyyyy? It just doesn’t make sense that such a slutty person is a virgin……
He also mentioned something like don’t give yourself away to the first one who asked.
I don’t like the word ‘give’. It’s like virginity is something precious for the bottoms.. same concept as Zak’s. While the tops are both very experienced.
October 7, 2024
A very good read!
I have read all of Ms French's books; this is her best. The way she works the denouement of Alberton and Mattias' relationship kept me turning the pages. I read it all in one day. It was well worth it. I won't spoil it - I was at one point sure that it would be an unhappy ending.
The book's release wss delayed, but was with the wait. I recommend it! I would love to see a Part Three.
I have read all of Ms French's books; this is her best. The way she works the denouement of Alberton and Mattias' relationship kept me turning the pages. I read it all in one day. It was well worth it. I won't spoil it - I was at one point sure that it would be an unhappy ending.
The book's release wss delayed, but was with the wait. I recommend it! I would love to see a Part Three.
October 5, 2024
OH THE ANGST. The beautiful, traumatic angst. My heart almost couldn’t handle it. ❤️🔥
It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for Mati & Alberto to finally have some peace. But the wait was SO worth it.
I absolutely love this series, and I’m sad to see it go.
** also I think we all should have an Eric in our lives.
It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for Mati & Alberto to finally have some peace. But the wait was SO worth it.
I absolutely love this series, and I’m sad to see it go.
** also I think we all should have an Eric in our lives.
September 22, 2024
4.5⭐️ A good conclusion to their story.
I reread the 1st book in preparation for this one, and it has been edited slightly with some scenes moved to this book.
I reread the 1st book in preparation for this one, and it has been edited slightly with some scenes moved to this book.
September 20, 2024
Ok so first of all, this is SUPER late I know... I'm sorry! I wanted to write a coherent review so was waiting until I felt better but that time never came so again, SORRY!
Now then, I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion. I loved it! End of enough said! No but seriously this might have just become my fav book in the entire series.
First off, let me just say, that I know there was some mentions of not being happy with the way the boys conducted themselves at certain times (THOSE kinds of times) and that what they were doing was unsafe etc and I get that, I do, but I think if you had any issues with that or the way they treated each other in the previous book, well let me tell you, this one will fix that I swear!
Reading this book was funny, painful, down right heartwrenching at points, beautiful, absolutely unfuriating and actually very sweet. I adored it. Watching them grow and learn themselves, each other, what they meant to each other was... it was just everything. The things they both went through, the things they discovered and overcame serperately and together, the things they endured, it almost broke me at times (in the best kind of ways) but it was MORE than worth it in the end. The emotions I went through while reading this book were varied and very strong. It evoked so many feelings within me and I could think about this one forever because honestly, it's what these boys deserve.
This book was everything I'd wanted for these beloved boys and then so much more. I genuinely can't decide which is my fav pairing but it kinda sorta might be these two now. Mathias might not seem the obvious choice for Alberto at first, but he is everything he needed and didn't even know he wanted. And as for Alberto, he's not the cold fish he might at first seem and you will learn to adore him should you read this book I'm sure. Just as Mati does.
This was a wonderful, brilliant ending to their story and to the Colette series in general. (for now at least, who knows what might happen in the future right?!) I devoured this book and couldn't put it down. You will discover so much more about both characters than we previously knew, things will get scary for a while but in the end, you will love this book and these boys utterly. To me, this was, hands down the BEST book in the series and yes I am taking questions about my opinion. ;)
Now then, I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion. I loved it! End of enough said! No but seriously this might have just become my fav book in the entire series.
First off, let me just say, that I know there was some mentions of not being happy with the way the boys conducted themselves at certain times (THOSE kinds of times) and that what they were doing was unsafe etc and I get that, I do, but I think if you had any issues with that or the way they treated each other in the previous book, well let me tell you, this one will fix that I swear!
Reading this book was funny, painful, down right heartwrenching at points, beautiful, absolutely unfuriating and actually very sweet. I adored it. Watching them grow and learn themselves, each other, what they meant to each other was... it was just everything. The things they both went through, the things they discovered and overcame serperately and together, the things they endured, it almost broke me at times (in the best kind of ways) but it was MORE than worth it in the end. The emotions I went through while reading this book were varied and very strong. It evoked so many feelings within me and I could think about this one forever because honestly, it's what these boys deserve.
This book was everything I'd wanted for these beloved boys and then so much more. I genuinely can't decide which is my fav pairing but it kinda sorta might be these two now. Mathias might not seem the obvious choice for Alberto at first, but he is everything he needed and didn't even know he wanted. And as for Alberto, he's not the cold fish he might at first seem and you will learn to adore him should you read this book I'm sure. Just as Mati does.
This was a wonderful, brilliant ending to their story and to the Colette series in general. (for now at least, who knows what might happen in the future right?!) I devoured this book and couldn't put it down. You will discover so much more about both characters than we previously knew, things will get scary for a while but in the end, you will love this book and these boys utterly. To me, this was, hands down the BEST book in the series and yes I am taking questions about my opinion. ;)
September 27, 2024
This is a lot harder to get through without the benefit of having read the other ones recently. I just can't take this much of Alberto being sooo pretty but sooo damaged. The abusive people around him are comedically bad. At the start of this book Mathias is still telling himself he hates Alberto and thinks the worst of him? Treats him like dirt and then wonders why Alberto isn't falling all over himself for him--except that he is, and Mathias is just in denial?
I can't be the only person who thinks it's weird it took two books to slowly tell this trauma porn story. It felt like even the story itself had a sick fascination with his beauty and pain. The way that things resolved could have happened much earlier. The fact that a password revealed Alberto's love was cheesy in a way that was hugely out of place with the depressing rest of the story. And then it gave them everything they needed to do a dramatic reveal. The amount of hard to suspend disbelief tropes in such a dark story is too jarring.
Also, been a long time since I got to use this complaint, but they do not talk act their age. Different from the other couples in this series, too, like they're supposed to be the special, serious, non-childish one. I do actually believe that YA should explore difficult topics, but not like this.
I will say Alberto's mom's level of subtle abuse felt real, almost uncomfortably so, but then it was revealed it wasn't meant to be seen that way. This book felt like it had a lot of apologist messages.
I WAS surprised to see the callout of sex as therapy from the previous book, but I think it's dangerous to separate that from the book that focuses heavily on it into an entirely separate part 2 book. A lot of people might have read the first and not bothered with the second and stayed in the place of assuming that was the point.
I'm glad I read this book, to have seen that there was SOME condemnation, but I think separating it and spending sooooo much time on the bad sends weird messages.
I can't be the only person who thinks it's weird it took two books to slowly tell this trauma porn story. It felt like even the story itself had a sick fascination with his beauty and pain. The way that things resolved could have happened much earlier. The fact that a password revealed Alberto's love was cheesy in a way that was hugely out of place with the depressing rest of the story. And then it gave them everything they needed to do a dramatic reveal. The amount of hard to suspend disbelief tropes in such a dark story is too jarring.
Also, been a long time since I got to use this complaint, but they do not talk act their age. Different from the other couples in this series, too, like they're supposed to be the special, serious, non-childish one. I do actually believe that YA should explore difficult topics, but not like this.
I will say Alberto's mom's level of subtle abuse felt real, almost uncomfortably so, but then it was revealed it wasn't meant to be seen that way. This book felt like it had a lot of apologist messages.
I WAS surprised to see the callout of sex as therapy from the previous book, but I think it's dangerous to separate that from the book that focuses heavily on it into an entirely separate part 2 book. A lot of people might have read the first and not bothered with the second and stayed in the place of assuming that was the point.
I'm glad I read this book, to have seen that there was SOME condemnation, but I think separating it and spending sooooo much time on the bad sends weird messages.
September 17, 2024
Thank you Zelda French for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I’ve love all the Colette International books but I love the darker aspects of Mathias and Alberto’s story! He Looks So Fine pt 2 picks up shortly after Alberto left Mathias at the museum. They’re both still drawn to each other and can’t stop thinking about one another but they both also have misconceptions about what the other is thinking. Each of them has events in their life that has left them with trauma and difficulty navigating those traumas. As the two continue to hurt each other their need for one another also grows. And every time they make some progress something happens and dark negative thoughts determine actions. Can the two fight through to hold on to one another? Alberto and Mathias have an explosive chemistry that just had you want to hold them and at the same time throttle them! They are so bad at communicating and it’s heartbreaking to see them struggling with their negative perceptions of themselves. It’s also heartwarming to see how much they care for one another. This book deals with deeper elements but there is always Eric to bring in some lightheartedness! The ever happy, shares too much, loyal friend that Mathias needs! He’s even there for Alberto, though reluctantly. Sweet, charming, and dealing with some heavy things in their lives these two will leave you with all the feels! Highly recommend if you’re looking for a good laugh, a good cry, and to have your heart broken and put together again!
September 16, 2024
I have received an ARC an I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
So the final book of the Colette International series is finally here. And for me, all the wait was worth it. After Part One, I had so many questions, and they all got answered in Part Two. (We even get to know why Mathias dad and Albertos mother have been seen together!) I laughed, I was shocked, confused and my heart broke – several times. Through the whole story, I was constantly on edge, if the two would make it in the end or not. There was the constant frustration during their conversations, that neither of them could ever say what they really think, feel and want. Their sweet and fragile love, always on the verge of breaking, if the wrong thing is said. And that was exactly what kept me hooked. We although get to see another side of Alberto. Suddenly he is feeling and talking so much. As much as I loved that, something felt off, and it all made sense as the story continues.
I can highly recommend this book. Please note the content warnings, they are there for a reason.
And I hope Stasia will burn in hell.
So the final book of the Colette International series is finally here. And for me, all the wait was worth it. After Part One, I had so many questions, and they all got answered in Part Two. (We even get to know why Mathias dad and Albertos mother have been seen together!) I laughed, I was shocked, confused and my heart broke – several times. Through the whole story, I was constantly on edge, if the two would make it in the end or not. There was the constant frustration during their conversations, that neither of them could ever say what they really think, feel and want. Their sweet and fragile love, always on the verge of breaking, if the wrong thing is said. And that was exactly what kept me hooked. We although get to see another side of Alberto. Suddenly he is feeling and talking so much. As much as I loved that, something felt off, and it all made sense as the story continues.
I can highly recommend this book. Please note the content warnings, they are there for a reason.
And I hope Stasia will burn in hell.
September 16, 2024
Michael and Louis (Book 1) were one of my favorite high school couples, but the relationship between Mathias and Alberto feels even more profound. The internal struggle of knowing the right things to say but never expressing them is both beautifully tragic and incredibly relatable. Every hardship they endure, despite the gritty details, is meaningful because it leads to the unlocking of hidden doors and secrets that have been hinted at since the beginning. This creates a heart-wrenching yet healing love story of endurance, growth, and becoming better with a partner by your side. The novel is a page-turner not just because of the main romance, but also due to the well-crafted supporting characters, who add depth and make you feel like you're truly living through the experience with them
September 13, 2024
Zelda French has done it again! I describe their way with words as somewhere between prose and poetry. Their imagery is spectacular, and once again I find myself dreaming of France.
True friends, as it is are hard to find. True love is out there, though not everyone finds it. We all deal with our own demons, though some of us lose, then again, some of us win. So many obstacles can thwart the trajectory of our entire being, though the sweet rewards are definitely worth the trouble should the students of Colette International succeed with pushing through.
True friends, as it is are hard to find. True love is out there, though not everyone finds it. We all deal with our own demons, though some of us lose, then again, some of us win. So many obstacles can thwart the trajectory of our entire being, though the sweet rewards are definitely worth the trouble should the students of Colette International succeed with pushing through.
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