I wanted more. I didn’t need in depth but I wanted to see Ollie come to terms with his trauma. I also didn’t like that she was lying to her mom. I just wanted more I felt like the story was incomplete. Nice cliff hanger. I would read the next book.

WARNING: Abuse against children in foster care system

Well, I expected more.

This is a story of Oliver and Mina, two teenagers who confuse crush for love and who think they are so grown up but can't act like grown ups and talk to each other. That's it, that's the whole plot.

We have 2 povs here, and I really enjoyed both for the first part of the book, but then it all went downhill and I ended up liking neither.

Mina started of as a really cool person (but not cool as in "you can't sit with us way", but cool like "I won't take your bs" kind of way) who knows what she wants, but the very moment she met a guy she turns into this selfish little brat who treats everybody like crap - her best friend, her mom, the guy she supposedly loves. Her character isn't developing, it is degrading. And then, in the end, everyone just magically forgives her without her even realizing why she is a crappy person or her changing her behavior. They all just magically forgive her every time she says "sorry" and goes on to do another crappy thing that will hurt everyone.
Also, her trauma was a little fake and uncalled for. I felt as if the author didn't know what to do with her, so she just took the first thing that popped into her head and was like "yes, this will be your deal" but forgot to connect it to the rest of the story.

Oliver is a sweetheart, little sad abused person who is fighting his trauma and his rage. Poorly, but still. However, his trauma was info-dumped on us in the very beginning, so there was no tension or expecting to find something out, which made him really boring. He also has this job that was constantly thrown in our faces, I'm not even sure what he did, but it was boring, I had no interest in it, but the book made me believe that it is something WOW.

There were also some scenes and characters introduced that made NO sense. And as a result of that, I was expecting something scary to happen whenever one of these random scenes was going on. I felt like a balloon that's being blown and blown and blown but instead of popping from surprise, the balloon had a leak and all the air just seeped out of it. That was my excitement. It just seeped out.

And what was with that ending? Just why?

Mina is starting her last year of public high school after three years of fancy private school. Her mom has run out of money necessitating a transfer. She is a very serious student and has almost no social life. Oliver is also starting his last year of high school as well. He’s been in the foster care system and after horrific abuse was granted emancipation and a large sum of money. They cross paths in their new school and it’s love at first sight. There is some definite Twilight (minus the vampire) levels of attraction/obsession between these two right off the bat.
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At first I was interested in the storyline and the characters back stories. I thought it was entertaining if not prize-winning literature. That slowly morphed into feeling that the storyline was becoming somewhat far-fetched but I was still entertained. By the last third of the book it was so cringey (to borrow an expression from my teenagers). Downright awful.
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Also, there are some very strong topics in this book. Parental abandonment, drug use, many forms of abuse, miscarriage, racism, self-harm, etc. So be careful if those will be a problem for you.
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Thanks to @netgalley and @serapress for an advanced audiobook copy of this book. It will be released on 10/19/21.

Audio version provided in exchange for an honest review. I found the story and the two main characters well developed, but the writing as a whole was lackluster. I did appreciate how the narrative switched off from both characters point of view and the audio version has both male and female narrators. I’m not sure if it was a technical error or something else but every time a chapter came to an end, the book would pause itself until I hit play again. There were some triggering topics discussed and I was hoping it would’ve been in a flashback instead of just being blurted out. This book ends on a cliffhanger and I would seriously debate picking up the next book in the installment.

I have to admit, it took me a minute to get into this book but I'm so glad I persevered because I ended up powering through it, unable to put it down. I really liked the story of Oliver and Mina, these characters are both so damaged, but they're certainly not bad people and they're good for each other, I wanted Oliver and Mina to be happy. Flawed people can be good and kind, they're more than the things that have happened to them and Love and Other Sins really does portray that so well. I wanted a happy ending for Oliver and Mina and I found Mina's mum and her broken English so endearing. I've read a few books where the characters come from an abusive background, but I think this might be the first for me where the character was male and I appreciate that, boys and men are survivors too and their stories deserve to be told. I was not expecting the cliffhanger at the end, I can't not read the second book now, I need to know what happens! Karissa Vacker and Will Collyer are amazing narrators, they really brought the story to life.

This book was amazing! First of all, always good with trigger warnings in the beginning, even if it gives some of the story away. I was listening to the audiobook and usually, when I do that, I zone out every once in a while, but not with this book. I was sitting at the endge of my saddle (I was biking while listening to it) with anicipation and I couldn't wait to find out more. The characters were great and especially Oliver really touched my heart. And then the ending. How dare you, Emilia Ares?! I was not expecting it to be a part of a series and I was definitely not prepared for it to end like that. I guess this is the problem with reading ARCS - you have to wait even longer for a sequel!

DNF
I tried with this book, but I could not make myself care about either Mina or Oliver. I struggled with the story because I could not relate to either character. Now, with how traumatic the characters' lives were that's probably not a bad thing, but I felt no connection to either one. I also struggled with how the characters were written. I was honestly surprised to see that this is a single author book because it felt like Mina and Oliver had separate people writing their chapters. Mina's character had a lot more nuance in the writing whereas Oliver's jus sort of had his trauma dumped on us at the very beginning with very little preamble. It just made the book feel disjointed.

That being said, both of the narrators were great. I really enjoy when dual POV books have two narrators. Both did a great job with the character's voices and were probably the only thing that kept me listening as long as I did.

Mina and Oliver are 2 young adults who have each had their fair share of trauma happen when they were kids. They were classmates when they were younger and reconnect in present day. The chemistry and natural allure they both have for each other is written very convincingly and packs a punch when listening to their deep, inner monologues about the other.

When they finally give into their desires, their relationship is seemingly the thing they need at that time and they’re able to help each other. Throughout the story, Mina and Oliver share their pasts and gives the reader a look into what has shaped their lives. In the end, the relationship is very satisfying for a YA/New Adult book. The books ending is equally a nice set up for the next book and left me saying, “What!?”

This is my 2nd audiobook I’ve listened to, and the first from @netgalley. I really enjoyed my time being able to listen and dig into this new, young adult romance that seemed completely real. Major props to the narrators who blew me away with their devotion to the material and the emotions they gave whilst narrating. Make sure you check trigger warnings as this book talks briefly about sexual assault, miscarriage, violence, suggestive behaviors.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to listen to the beautiful book.

I couldn’t put it down when I was reading the ebook ARC and the audiobook is just as good! Both voice talents, Karissa Vacker and Will Collyer, portrayed Mina and Oliver perfectly with such a wise array of emotions.

Here is my review for Love and Other Sins, Thank you to the publisher SERA Press for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn’t put it down. I have to know what happens next. When Mina meets Oliver, she loses her mind a bit but that’s exactly what happens sometimes. Mina isn’t a perfect main character at all but that’s what makes her real. And Oliver’s story is absolutely heartbreaking. You’re routing for him from the beginning. That’s partly because he is charming and smart but mostly because you have a clue as to what he has overcome in his life from the start. The author doesn’t use Oliver’s background as some sick secret that she divulges slowly, she warns us right away that his past will not be easy to swallow. But only in the end is the full horror of it fully divulged and fleshed out. Love and Other Sins is not for everyone. But it has this special way of making you feel exactly the way you did when something special was happening in your life: that fluttering in your stomach sensation. It’s an own voice novel about youth and immigration. From what I saw on tiktok, Emilia Ares wrote this right after high school. It’s a fresh and unique perspective full of interesting dialogue, complex dynamics between mother and daughter, and the romance has you pining.