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Reaction Time
A contemporary coming-of-age lesbian novel about discovering who you want to be and finding how to live with your past—without repeating it.
City girl Luce May’s first year out of high school has been the worst. When she escapes her turbulent life in Sydney to start over at a university in the middle of nowhere, the last thing she wants is anyone in her new life to know of her past. Especially that to escape her chaotic, alcoholic mother, Luce also had to abandon her teenage sister.
As Luce slowly starts to find another version of herself in this place, she also finds a new family in her eclectic group of friends. She even begins to find solace and possibility in her budding relationship with Eva, the girl who loves trees so much she travelled across the world to live among them.
But when Luce’s sister back home starts to follow Luce’s own wild footsteps, and Luce’s guilt starts to grow, she finds it harder to keep her old and new worlds apart. Can Luce find a way to embrace this new life and take care of her family without returning to her old destructive ways?
City girl Luce May’s first year out of high school has been the worst. When she escapes her turbulent life in Sydney to start over at a university in the middle of nowhere, the last thing she wants is anyone in her new life to know of her past. Especially that to escape her chaotic, alcoholic mother, Luce also had to abandon her teenage sister.
As Luce slowly starts to find another version of herself in this place, she also finds a new family in her eclectic group of friends. She even begins to find solace and possibility in her budding relationship with Eva, the girl who loves trees so much she travelled across the world to live among them.
But when Luce’s sister back home starts to follow Luce’s own wild footsteps, and Luce’s guilt starts to grow, she finds it harder to keep her old and new worlds apart. Can Luce find a way to embrace this new life and take care of her family without returning to her old destructive ways?
278 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2022
7 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 12, 2022
Luce May has a big secret. Her secret is so big that it keeps her from getting close to anyone at her university. Eva is a French Canadian farm girl who travelled to Australia to study their trees. As Luce and Eva begin a friendship, Luce begins to relax into university life. Study hard and play harder all the while holding onto her secret and maintaining her walls.
O’Beirne has a sixth sense about the psychology of young adults and in particular outsiders in this age group. This story takes us deep into childhood guilt and the effects of growing up with an alcoholic single parent.
I have read all of O’Beirne’s novels and I am always engaged, entertained and enlightened by her writing, characters and storytelling prowess. She does not shy away from the reality of dark situations.
Reaction Time is O’Beirne at her all time best. She has allowed her protagonist to unravel further than any character who has come before her. And her path towards happiness is the most satisfying because of this.
I received an advance review copy from Ylva Publishing and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 7, 2022
Well, I wrote it, so I have to love it, right? 😍 Can't wait for this to come out. October seems so far away. It's got all my favourite things, tree-loving brunettes, found family, and coming-of-age themes. H
October 12, 2022
Family troubles.
I like this one but it wasn't an easy read. It is a coming-of-age novel that involves a troubled youth so you can imagine the kinds of poor decisions that are made along the way. Luce comes from a broken family and faces certain stress from it, but rather than finding a healthy way to cope, like seeking professional help or confiding in a friend, she turns to alcohol and hookups in a bid to run away from her problems. At the same time, Luce develops feelings for somebody and dates her, but the relationship starts off rocky because Luce simply wasn't able to open up.
Luce wasn't easy to like but I was sympathetic and found her to be an intriguing character and loved it when she finally faced her problems and picked herself up. I really adored her girlfriend too. She was patient, understanding and kind.
While this is not an easy read, I do think that it's a pretty good one and I look forward to more reads from this author.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I like this one but it wasn't an easy read. It is a coming-of-age novel that involves a troubled youth so you can imagine the kinds of poor decisions that are made along the way. Luce comes from a broken family and faces certain stress from it, but rather than finding a healthy way to cope, like seeking professional help or confiding in a friend, she turns to alcohol and hookups in a bid to run away from her problems. At the same time, Luce develops feelings for somebody and dates her, but the relationship starts off rocky because Luce simply wasn't able to open up.
Luce wasn't easy to like but I was sympathetic and found her to be an intriguing character and loved it when she finally faced her problems and picked herself up. I really adored her girlfriend too. She was patient, understanding and kind.
While this is not an easy read, I do think that it's a pretty good one and I look forward to more reads from this author.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2023
This is a NA/ YA book, it’s something I don’t read all that often because it just doesn’t click for me. However, this book is rather different.
Obviously our mains are young adults with young adult problems, but it’s more.
Luce is such a troubled character. She comes from a broken home, her dad also passed away and her mom is an alcoholic. Luce was taking care of her younger sister until she decided to study somewhere else. Luce makes a lot of bad decisions involving alcohol and hookups (content warning!). Instead of finding help, trusting the people around her to share her troubles with she just closes down and does stupid things and acts very grumpy towards the people who care. While she isn’t being the smartest or most responsible, she also falls for this amazingly patient and lovely character Eva.
It’s a coming of age story, but maybe it’s more about finding yourself, your people and being able to share (your feelings, your heart, your troubles). I really liked this book but Luce is hard to like so that makes it even more difficult to read in the beginning. Until you start understanding her more and she opens up more.
Obviously our mains are young adults with young adult problems, but it’s more.
Luce is such a troubled character. She comes from a broken home, her dad also passed away and her mom is an alcoholic. Luce was taking care of her younger sister until she decided to study somewhere else. Luce makes a lot of bad decisions involving alcohol and hookups (content warning!). Instead of finding help, trusting the people around her to share her troubles with she just closes down and does stupid things and acts very grumpy towards the people who care. While she isn’t being the smartest or most responsible, she also falls for this amazingly patient and lovely character Eva.
It’s a coming of age story, but maybe it’s more about finding yourself, your people and being able to share (your feelings, your heart, your troubles). I really liked this book but Luce is hard to like so that makes it even more difficult to read in the beginning. Until you start understanding her more and she opens up more.
September 28, 2022
Note* I was given this ARC in exchange for fair and honest review.
I really enjoyed this latest story from Emily O’Beirne though this one is quite serious. Luce, the main character, escapes her alcoholic parent in a geographical cure of attending University across the country. She then suppresses her pain with alcohol and hook-ups, and tries desperately to keep her new life untainted by her family’s past which has been and, would be still if she was there, quite traumatic.
Parts of this book were really tough for me to read. As luck would have it, I had a similar experience, around the same age as Luce, with an alcoholic parent and a younger sister who was left behind, so that part of the book really hit me hard and the way events were described seemed quite unfortunately accurate. This is a story of bad decisions eventually changing to good decisions with some tense as hell moments in between.
I enjoyed the style of the writing. The author makes the present tense work for her. The story flows really well and I found myself engrossed.
I really enjoyed this latest story from Emily O’Beirne though this one is quite serious. Luce, the main character, escapes her alcoholic parent in a geographical cure of attending University across the country. She then suppresses her pain with alcohol and hook-ups, and tries desperately to keep her new life untainted by her family’s past which has been and, would be still if she was there, quite traumatic.
Parts of this book were really tough for me to read. As luck would have it, I had a similar experience, around the same age as Luce, with an alcoholic parent and a younger sister who was left behind, so that part of the book really hit me hard and the way events were described seemed quite unfortunately accurate. This is a story of bad decisions eventually changing to good decisions with some tense as hell moments in between.
I enjoyed the style of the writing. The author makes the present tense work for her. The story flows really well and I found myself engrossed.
November 11, 2022
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for this ARC. I really enjoyed this overall, and I think it dealt with a lot of heavy subjects really carefully and well. This is one of the only books I have read where the setting is Australia, so it was really lovely to read about and have that change.
September 27, 2022
How is it that this is my first experience with Emily O’Beirne's work?! Perhaps it's because she writes YA books and I don't usually gravitate towards those since I'm well beyond those years, but I'm so glad I didn't miss this one.
This is a painfully relatable book for those who didn't win the parent lottery or loved someone with an addiction. Especially if you're the child that has had to be an adult before your time and help raise your younger sibling. Yes - it appears O'Beirne knows something about that because Luce May's story feels very real.
That said - don't think this is a complete downer of a book. Yes - there are great challenges for Luce in her first year of college. She makes a conscious choice to escape that life to try and bring about positive change before it drags her down. But there are sacrifices for her to do so and they almost cripple her. She trips and stumbles along the way, but develops a family of choice to help her discover a path toward a better future. She finds someone special in Eva but feels so broken and unworthy of being truly loved for who she is that she has to learn how to accept and be open to that.
This impressive coming of age novel is thought-provoking, beautifully written, has strong character development and would appeal to readers of all ages.
I'm not just saying this because this was an ARC provided from Ylva Publishing for an honest review, but they are absolutely publishing some of the best sapphic fiction on the market right now. This is yet one more example.
This is a painfully relatable book for those who didn't win the parent lottery or loved someone with an addiction. Especially if you're the child that has had to be an adult before your time and help raise your younger sibling. Yes - it appears O'Beirne knows something about that because Luce May's story feels very real.
That said - don't think this is a complete downer of a book. Yes - there are great challenges for Luce in her first year of college. She makes a conscious choice to escape that life to try and bring about positive change before it drags her down. But there are sacrifices for her to do so and they almost cripple her. She trips and stumbles along the way, but develops a family of choice to help her discover a path toward a better future. She finds someone special in Eva but feels so broken and unworthy of being truly loved for who she is that she has to learn how to accept and be open to that.
This impressive coming of age novel is thought-provoking, beautifully written, has strong character development and would appeal to readers of all ages.
I'm not just saying this because this was an ARC provided from Ylva Publishing for an honest review, but they are absolutely publishing some of the best sapphic fiction on the market right now. This is yet one more example.
October 10, 2022
The main characters in this book have problems they are dealing with. Luce has travelled far to attend university, getting away from her alcoholic mother but leaving her younger sister Harry behind. A move designed to save her sanity. Eva is a transplant from Canada and finds herself at the same smalltown university as Luce - a friendship is formed.
O'Beirne's storyline has angst, pain, guilt and a roller coaster of emotions. We see how easy it is to make poor choices, cover up pain by falling into spiraling destructive behavior. Side characters such as Harry, Femi, Raf and Dan lend weight to the plot along with Ray and Kirra. Hard decisions must be made by Luce for her own personal survival and for Harry to thrive. I should note that (for me) the rescue cat/kittens added a needed soft touch to a tough plot.
This may be a difficult read for someone who's had to deal with an alcoholic parent/alcoholism but a worthy book nonetheless.
I rec'd a copy through Ylva Publishing. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
O'Beirne's storyline has angst, pain, guilt and a roller coaster of emotions. We see how easy it is to make poor choices, cover up pain by falling into spiraling destructive behavior. Side characters such as Harry, Femi, Raf and Dan lend weight to the plot along with Ray and Kirra. Hard decisions must be made by Luce for her own personal survival and for Harry to thrive. I should note that (for me) the rescue cat/kittens added a needed soft touch to a tough plot.
This may be a difficult read for someone who's had to deal with an alcoholic parent/alcoholism but a worthy book nonetheless.
I rec'd a copy through Ylva Publishing. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
September 8, 2022
Wonderful characters in a fabulous story
I've been a fan of Emily O'Beirne's work for a long time. O'Beirne has a knack for writing characters in their teens and twenties with insight into their hearts and heads, making them complex, realistic, relatable and tough for the reader to choose a single favorite from the bunch. The university experience is accurately depicted in this story with all the poor decisions, balancing acts of study and social life, roommate issues and figuring out who you are away from home.
There's a lot of humor and plenty of moments to make you go 'aww' but also some drama primarily with Luce's family and her trying to hide that from her friends at university. There were some twists in the plot I didn't expect and some that I anticipated. The relationships between characters are great to read particularly when their banter is snappy and sarcastic. I recommend this and all of the author's other books for stories well told, well written and that tug at your heart strings when you're not laughing out loud.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I've been a fan of Emily O'Beirne's work for a long time. O'Beirne has a knack for writing characters in their teens and twenties with insight into their hearts and heads, making them complex, realistic, relatable and tough for the reader to choose a single favorite from the bunch. The university experience is accurately depicted in this story with all the poor decisions, balancing acts of study and social life, roommate issues and figuring out who you are away from home.
There's a lot of humor and plenty of moments to make you go 'aww' but also some drama primarily with Luce's family and her trying to hide that from her friends at university. There were some twists in the plot I didn't expect and some that I anticipated. The relationships between characters are great to read particularly when their banter is snappy and sarcastic. I recommend this and all of the author's other books for stories well told, well written and that tug at your heart strings when you're not laughing out loud.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2025
I found this book to be so interesting! A nice, complicated coming of age story! You can't help falling in love with Luce and Eva. They are people you'd like to have as friends. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!,5 stars!
October 21, 2022
4.25 Stars. Reaction Time is a tough read about a messy young woman with a heart of gold, and her learning to let go of her guilt to just live. Protagonists like Luce are becoming more and more frequent, not because they are a deconstruction, but because they reflect what many teens have to do go through, especially if they're older siblings.
Luce Day is a college freshman who ran from her alcoholic mother and her younger sister, Harry. She didn't want to, but the weight of it all made it nearly impossible for Luce to be herself and to feel like a teen. In this new college, in a small town in the middle of nowhere in Southern Australia, Luce is finally able to breathe, but she doesn't know what to do with it. Especially when a beautiful young woman name Eva starts taking interest in her.
I love the premise of this book, and thought it was a little like She Gets the Girl in that you have a charismatic, kind, but messy lead who learns that she doesn't have to take on the burdens of life on her own. The bonus here is that the whole story is told from Luce's point of view, so it doesn't pull any punches when Luce backslides or when she makes mistakes with the people she's learning to care about.
I love this book; Emily O'Beirne is an excellent writer that can bring the angst but ground it with multi-faceted characters and situations. Almost nothing in the book is wasted for drama's sake, and it doesn't really shame its characters when they make poor decisions. I think the only contempt that can be found is for Luce's mother, who still gets some sympathetic moments despite her unwillingness to see the harm she's doing to her kids, without shaming her for her addiction. It is a tight balancing act that O'Beirne manages well.
If you liked She Gets the Girl, you'll enjoy this one. Be prepared to be sucked in by Luce and her new found family of quirky college kids, though, because you'll have a hard time letting them go.
*I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Luce Day is a college freshman who ran from her alcoholic mother and her younger sister, Harry. She didn't want to, but the weight of it all made it nearly impossible for Luce to be herself and to feel like a teen. In this new college, in a small town in the middle of nowhere in Southern Australia, Luce is finally able to breathe, but she doesn't know what to do with it. Especially when a beautiful young woman name Eva starts taking interest in her.
I love the premise of this book, and thought it was a little like She Gets the Girl in that you have a charismatic, kind, but messy lead who learns that she doesn't have to take on the burdens of life on her own. The bonus here is that the whole story is told from Luce's point of view, so it doesn't pull any punches when Luce backslides or when she makes mistakes with the people she's learning to care about.
I love this book; Emily O'Beirne is an excellent writer that can bring the angst but ground it with multi-faceted characters and situations. Almost nothing in the book is wasted for drama's sake, and it doesn't really shame its characters when they make poor decisions. I think the only contempt that can be found is for Luce's mother, who still gets some sympathetic moments despite her unwillingness to see the harm she's doing to her kids, without shaming her for her addiction. It is a tight balancing act that O'Beirne manages well.
If you liked She Gets the Girl, you'll enjoy this one. Be prepared to be sucked in by Luce and her new found family of quirky college kids, though, because you'll have a hard time letting them go.
*I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 17, 2022
This one hit hard for me. Childhood is not always a time of blissful ignorance. It stays with you- travels with you.
Luce finally escapes home - an alcoholic mother, a younger sister. She writes a hasty note - guilt a constant thought, desperate for Harry to be ok on her own.
Forging friendships - regardless of that massive chip, Luce begins to build a life. Even maybe a romance with Eva.
But Harry starts to spiral. How can Luce be a college student and a mother to her sister?
Very loving, gentle and harsh look at a dysfunctional family. Aren't we all? Great read.
Luce finally escapes home - an alcoholic mother, a younger sister. She writes a hasty note - guilt a constant thought, desperate for Harry to be ok on her own.
Forging friendships - regardless of that massive chip, Luce begins to build a life. Even maybe a romance with Eva.
But Harry starts to spiral. How can Luce be a college student and a mother to her sister?
Very loving, gentle and harsh look at a dysfunctional family. Aren't we all? Great read.
October 19, 2022
So emotional
Luce has escaped a toxic home environment and is trying to survive her first year at university. As she starts to make friends and a connection with Eva, everything she has left behind, including her little sister weighs on her heavily and she knows she needs to do something. With guilt eating away at her, before Luce can settle into a new life with Eva, she has to be honest about things and step in to help her sister before it’s too late.
A very intense and emotional read that tugged on my heartstrings and had me really feeling for Luce. It’s never easy to keep something quiet and form relationships with friends and partners, which is exactly what Luce was struggling with. The intensity this caused between her and Eva was worrying at times, and I just hoped Luce was just going to figure out what to do before she lost something good.
She was fierce and determined for a young woman who had been through so much. Her friends were great, supportive and added some fun and light moments to Luce’s heavy story. I loved how they were there for her, trying to help where and when they could, but only when Luce started to open up. The chaos that surrounded her would have been enough to stop someone trying to get a better life and happiness, and although at times it was as if Luce might let it, she never did. It was in many ways, a very empowering story about all the trials of life young people go through and how they survive such challenging things.
Really enjoyed Luce and Eva’s story and know they have a big adventure ahead of them, so hope we get more stories from them in future. The real winner here though, there was a cat and kittens! What’s not to love?
Luce has escaped a toxic home environment and is trying to survive her first year at university. As she starts to make friends and a connection with Eva, everything she has left behind, including her little sister weighs on her heavily and she knows she needs to do something. With guilt eating away at her, before Luce can settle into a new life with Eva, she has to be honest about things and step in to help her sister before it’s too late.
A very intense and emotional read that tugged on my heartstrings and had me really feeling for Luce. It’s never easy to keep something quiet and form relationships with friends and partners, which is exactly what Luce was struggling with. The intensity this caused between her and Eva was worrying at times, and I just hoped Luce was just going to figure out what to do before she lost something good.
She was fierce and determined for a young woman who had been through so much. Her friends were great, supportive and added some fun and light moments to Luce’s heavy story. I loved how they were there for her, trying to help where and when they could, but only when Luce started to open up. The chaos that surrounded her would have been enough to stop someone trying to get a better life and happiness, and although at times it was as if Luce might let it, she never did. It was in many ways, a very empowering story about all the trials of life young people go through and how they survive such challenging things.
Really enjoyed Luce and Eva’s story and know they have a big adventure ahead of them, so hope we get more stories from them in future. The real winner here though, there was a cat and kittens! What’s not to love?
November 17, 2022
i am very sad i didn’t like this book, because it sounded extremely promising, when i was reading its synopsis in the book tour sign up email.
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my two main issues with the book were the writing style and the main character; the writing style was a bit too sterile for my taste, and while i understand that it was to convey the MC attitude and general character, it did not work for me, especially since i did not like luce. i wanted to slap her every two pages.
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what made me give two stars and not one is the found family trope and the secondary characters, which i actually enjoyed. i would love to read from their perspectives, like one of those companion novels romance series that everyone and their mother seem to be writing at the moment. dan was hands down my favourite character, but i’d love to read from raf’s POV as well.
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however, for a book this short, it really felt repetitive and longer than it actually was. it didn’t take me long to read it, but ten minutes felt like sixty every time i picked this book up.
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the plot was also a bit basic, which I wouldn’t have minded, had i cared for luce or the romance. i am very picky when it comes to romance books, and to me this felt a bit insta-lovey. it’s not, probably, but i do enjoy books with extremely long pining and seemingly unrequited love that goes on for chapters and chapters.
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one thing i liked was that the author picked some topics — such as alcholism, partying to forget, being queer and from a small city — and sprinkled them throughout the book, without making them too surface level, but not making them take over the romance plot either.
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overall, it was not a bad book, and i would still encourage you to pick it up, because it’s just a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. 🌈
⠀
my two main issues with the book were the writing style and the main character; the writing style was a bit too sterile for my taste, and while i understand that it was to convey the MC attitude and general character, it did not work for me, especially since i did not like luce. i wanted to slap her every two pages.
⠀
what made me give two stars and not one is the found family trope and the secondary characters, which i actually enjoyed. i would love to read from their perspectives, like one of those companion novels romance series that everyone and their mother seem to be writing at the moment. dan was hands down my favourite character, but i’d love to read from raf’s POV as well.
⠀
however, for a book this short, it really felt repetitive and longer than it actually was. it didn’t take me long to read it, but ten minutes felt like sixty every time i picked this book up.
⠀
the plot was also a bit basic, which I wouldn’t have minded, had i cared for luce or the romance. i am very picky when it comes to romance books, and to me this felt a bit insta-lovey. it’s not, probably, but i do enjoy books with extremely long pining and seemingly unrequited love that goes on for chapters and chapters.
⠀
one thing i liked was that the author picked some topics — such as alcholism, partying to forget, being queer and from a small city — and sprinkled them throughout the book, without making them too surface level, but not making them take over the romance plot either.
⠀
overall, it was not a bad book, and i would still encourage you to pick it up, because it’s just a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. 🌈
July 2, 2023
Content warnings: alcoholism (parent), a lot of alcohol consumption (MC), terrible parenting, aspergers used instead of autism.
Rep: MC is cis, white, and bisexual. Side queer and POC characters, side autistic character.
I wanted to love this more than I did. But the heavy (heavy) alcohol consumption and some other parts made me not.
The ending felt rushed. Luce has one conversation with someone older who tells her that she isn't responsible for her mum's bullshit and then she's suddenly doing infinitely better? I get that sometimes you need an adult figure to tell you this, my beef is that it was a rushed ending.
I wanted Luce to grow more. And she also needs a hug.
Rep: MC is cis, white, and bisexual. Side queer and POC characters, side autistic character.
I wanted to love this more than I did. But the heavy (heavy) alcohol consumption and some other parts made me not.
The ending felt rushed. Luce has one conversation with someone older who tells her that she isn't responsible for her mum's bullshit and then she's suddenly doing infinitely better? I get that sometimes you need an adult figure to tell you this, my beef is that it was a rushed ending.
I wanted Luce to grow more. And she also needs a hug.
December 14, 2022
Emily O’Beirne was one of my first Favorite authors . I loved her early books and was so looking forward to this one. It is a well written , as I would expect, but I as others have said, this is a tough read. Lots of family troubles and bad choices and close to bad choices. But in the end, overall I liked it and can't wait to see what Emily has next for us. 4 stars
September 28, 2022
This story hit in an emotional way I did not expect, but embraced immediately.
Luce is a perfect character, in that she is imperfect and struggles to connect deeply; a product of the life she physically left, but emotionally cannot leave behind. The realism that family can hurt and be something you need to leave, as much as it can be a place of love and safety was written perfectly.
As Luce gets away, seeking a life anew (yet never truly escaping) at University, she dabbles in all that campus life has to offer; making friends along the way. The parallel between Luce and the stray cat was lovely, and not just because I love the notion of rescuing strays!
Emily does a wonderful job of infusing the supporting characters into the narrative, and I loved learning about their journeys as much as I did Luce’s. Her visceral writing style meant I read the book in one sitting, unable to put the book down (well, bar the coffee I had to make!), I simply had to stay with these characters.
Won’t say too much about other characters in depth - the journey has to be taken with Luce - but I will say I did hold a very soft spot for Femi.
I was given an advance copy for a honest review of the book.
Luce is a perfect character, in that she is imperfect and struggles to connect deeply; a product of the life she physically left, but emotionally cannot leave behind. The realism that family can hurt and be something you need to leave, as much as it can be a place of love and safety was written perfectly.
As Luce gets away, seeking a life anew (yet never truly escaping) at University, she dabbles in all that campus life has to offer; making friends along the way. The parallel between Luce and the stray cat was lovely, and not just because I love the notion of rescuing strays!
Emily does a wonderful job of infusing the supporting characters into the narrative, and I loved learning about their journeys as much as I did Luce’s. Her visceral writing style meant I read the book in one sitting, unable to put the book down (well, bar the coffee I had to make!), I simply had to stay with these characters.
Won’t say too much about other characters in depth - the journey has to be taken with Luce - but I will say I did hold a very soft spot for Femi.
I was given an advance copy for a honest review of the book.
October 3, 2022
I was given an advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
Just finished reading Emily’s new book and I really enjoyed it! She has a flair for the introspective writing that I love so much and I felt so close to Luce and all the emotional turmoil she was experiencing. I also liked the other characters a lot and felt as though I got to know each of them well, like I was living with them! Thanks for sharing this with us Em - well done!
Just finished reading Emily’s new book and I really enjoyed it! She has a flair for the introspective writing that I love so much and I felt so close to Luce and all the emotional turmoil she was experiencing. I also liked the other characters a lot and felt as though I got to know each of them well, like I was living with them! Thanks for sharing this with us Em - well done!
November 23, 2022
3.75 stars
As someone who moved to Australia this year, I found myself really relating to Luce, our main character. It’s the move to a new place, with unfamiliar people around you, at a time when there are so many changes happening in your life, which makes it so easy to connect to her. I can understand why some people may find her annoying because of certain actions, but knowing what happens in Luce’s past, it was easy to understand why she did those.
And if you didn’t already know; I’m a sucker for the found family trope and this book had it which made me appreciate it even more. And the fact that it talks about the family that you make and the family you have….just amazing.
Reading REACTION TIME has been one of the most fun and enjoyable reading experiences I have had in a while and I’d recommend checking out this cute sapphic romance!!
Thank you Pride Book Tours and the authors for my review copy!
As someone who moved to Australia this year, I found myself really relating to Luce, our main character. It’s the move to a new place, with unfamiliar people around you, at a time when there are so many changes happening in your life, which makes it so easy to connect to her. I can understand why some people may find her annoying because of certain actions, but knowing what happens in Luce’s past, it was easy to understand why she did those.
And if you didn’t already know; I’m a sucker for the found family trope and this book had it which made me appreciate it even more. And the fact that it talks about the family that you make and the family you have….just amazing.
Reading REACTION TIME has been one of the most fun and enjoyable reading experiences I have had in a while and I’d recommend checking out this cute sapphic romance!!
Thank you Pride Book Tours and the authors for my review copy!
September 26, 2022
This is the 5th book of Emily’s I have read and was not disappointed. She really does have a way with words.
You get up close and personal with the main character Luce, and go on this emotional roller coaster ride with her through this book. So much so I wanted to stage my own intervention for her.
I enjoyed the different personalities of the characters in this story and how their lives intertwined with each other. Personally I would have given her 5 stars alone for the rescue kitty story.
I was given a copy of this book in advance to read.
You get up close and personal with the main character Luce, and go on this emotional roller coaster ride with her through this book. So much so I wanted to stage my own intervention for her.
I enjoyed the different personalities of the characters in this story and how their lives intertwined with each other. Personally I would have given her 5 stars alone for the rescue kitty story.
I was given a copy of this book in advance to read.
October 12, 2022
This one was slow to start but had a strong finish. It’s got a great cast of friends, and is a lovely found family and finding yourself story. I don’t think it was billed as YA, or maybe I missed that but it definitely read that way to me. Low/no steam, a lot of angst and bad communication plus bad decisions with a major need to come into one’s own. But it’s all explained and makes sense for the MC. Also no bipanic which was nice. The banter between the friends and international cast of characters was really well done. And, I loved Dan and thought the author handled his neurodiversity well. Overall, I’m not sure where to land on this one; higher if categorized as YA. If you’re looking for a freshman college coming of age narrative this is a good one.
Short summary: Luce has left a bad family situation behind to save herself. She lands at uni in a rural town far from home and starts over. But leaving her sister with their alcoholic mother haunts her and her new friendships and relationship. Can she live with herself and her decisions, and if she tells anyone will they still be her friends?
Thanks to Ylva Publishing. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Short summary: Luce has left a bad family situation behind to save herself. She lands at uni in a rural town far from home and starts over. But leaving her sister with their alcoholic mother haunts her and her new friendships and relationship. Can she live with herself and her decisions, and if she tells anyone will they still be her friends?
Thanks to Ylva Publishing. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2022
This is the first book I’ve read of this author, and I liked what I saw. The character Luce is very relatable and interesting to read about. It was nice seeing this young woman blossom and make friends, while also finding love. As someone in her similar age range group it was nice to see. The romance was great, the chemistry between Luce and Eva was amazing. It was overall a really cute story.
October 21, 2022
Depressing.
October 20, 2022
4.5 rounded up to 5!
Two five stars in a row, I’m glad the offering of WLW this end of the year has been strong. And Emily never disappoints, her coming of age stories are always so touching and raw. Though there are heavy subjects, and at times I was frustrated with Luce, it’s such an enjoyable read. Once I was hooked I couldn’t put this book down. Glad I had the day off work.
I loooooved all of her friends and how they formed their own family. It wasn’t just about a character here or there… There we’re the friends from college, the cafe, and her family. Maybe it’s easier to accomplish this when it’s not a Romance but a Coming of Age story but still, kudos to Emily for creating all of these characters that felt so real. I was sad when it ended but it felt very satisfying also.
A gem of a book! Highly recommend
Two five stars in a row, I’m glad the offering of WLW this end of the year has been strong. And Emily never disappoints, her coming of age stories are always so touching and raw. Though there are heavy subjects, and at times I was frustrated with Luce, it’s such an enjoyable read. Once I was hooked I couldn’t put this book down. Glad I had the day off work.
I loooooved all of her friends and how they formed their own family. It wasn’t just about a character here or there… There we’re the friends from college, the cafe, and her family. Maybe it’s easier to accomplish this when it’s not a Romance but a Coming of Age story but still, kudos to Emily for creating all of these characters that felt so real. I was sad when it ended but it felt very satisfying also.
A gem of a book! Highly recommend
October 12, 2022
A couple of moments are tough to read, but we always cheer Luce on because just as Ray says 'she's gold'.
Terrific story of found family, conquering guilt and acceptance of traumatic childhoods.
I wanted it to go on and on...
Terrific story of found family, conquering guilt and acceptance of traumatic childhoods.
I wanted it to go on and on...
September 26, 2022
Grabbed immediately as with each paragraph I have more questions about the back story of the main. O’Brien is a gifted writer. Her phrasing is often beautiful or thought provoking, sometimes beautifully thought provoking. I also get a kick out of lines that unexpectedly make me smile or chuckle. Her characters are three dimensional, she writes them in a way that lifts them off the page.
I read Luce’s interactions with Dan with a smile on my face. There was something sweet about the way she accommodated his difference.
Towards the last quarter of the book, the issues one main has, and not sharing them, or rather unable to share them, are at risk of ruining her fledgling relationship. I care about her, them both actually and want all to be well. There is a sadness to this section but the writer does an amazing job of making me feel but not in a way that is depressing. I read a book recently that was similar but didn’t manage the balance. I thought the issues with the other book might have been me, frame of mind etc but actually I think the other writer just didn’t do the book as well.
I really enjoyed this book. 3.5.
I read Luce’s interactions with Dan with a smile on my face. There was something sweet about the way she accommodated his difference.
Towards the last quarter of the book, the issues one main has, and not sharing them, or rather unable to share them, are at risk of ruining her fledgling relationship. I care about her, them both actually and want all to be well. There is a sadness to this section but the writer does an amazing job of making me feel but not in a way that is depressing. I read a book recently that was similar but didn’t manage the balance. I thought the issues with the other book might have been me, frame of mind etc but actually I think the other writer just didn’t do the book as well.
I really enjoyed this book. 3.5.
October 7, 2022
This is the 3rd book I have read by this author and none of them have disappointed.Super engaging and relatable characters.I loved it!
October 8, 2022
I loved Emily O'Beirne's earlier books. Then nothing for a number of years. Sometimes when I would go through my favorite books looking for a re-read, I would remember these and wonder what happened to the author.
I was excited to see a new book was coming out, and I was not disappointed. There is something about the way Emily writes that really draws me in, painting an engrossing picture of the feelings of the main character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was excited to see a new book was coming out, and I was not disappointed. There is something about the way Emily writes that really draws me in, painting an engrossing picture of the feelings of the main character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 18, 2022
*ARC from Ylva for review*
Luce ran away to a rural university, escaping from her home in Sydney.
There she becomes friends with quite an diverse, even multinational set of people.
Most time is spent at the house where several of her friends cohabitate. That feels a bit like Big Bang Theory, with Dan having Asperger/autism and Eva being rather obsessed with trees. And then Luce is bringing in a pregnant stray cat ...
And while it takes some time and the one or other intervention from said friends, Luce learns to come to terms with her not so easy childhood.
Sometimes you want to shake Luce for her idiotic behavior, but then you remember, she's still a teen.
Overall it is a good coming of age story. Even the text messages are well incorporated, which in other books often stand out like a sore thumb.
Luce ran away to a rural university, escaping from her home in Sydney.
There she becomes friends with quite an diverse, even multinational set of people.
Most time is spent at the house where several of her friends cohabitate. That feels a bit like Big Bang Theory, with Dan having Asperger/autism and Eva being rather obsessed with trees. And then Luce is bringing in a pregnant stray cat ...
And while it takes some time and the one or other intervention from said friends, Luce learns to come to terms with her not so easy childhood.
Sometimes you want to shake Luce for her idiotic behavior, but then you remember, she's still a teen.
Overall it is a good coming of age story. Even the text messages are well incorporated, which in other books often stand out like a sore thumb.
September 19, 2022
A fantastic book that captures the highs and lows of student life. You really do need to find your crew. Plus an excellent portrait of what it’s like to have an alcoholic parent. That moment when you know they’re about to turn nasty was so true and well observed. And there’s a sweet, young romance as well. It’s very well written. A recommended read.
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