Deepa > Recent Status Updates

A lot more serious than I expected. But love Bear. Love the guys intervention. I love them for saying you don’t have to tell us but maybe you should tell her. I love Damian recalling how much he and Nat hated everyone’s introspection about them.

Possibly the fave :

"But you're having platonic and romantic feelings for the same person. How ironic."

I love that Bear wants both of his feelings to be recognized. He doesn’t want there to be doubts about their friendship or romance being real.

"You know you can tell us to shut it, right?" Nat laughs. "You don't have to entertain our curiosity."

I love this wording. I also love that you can feel okay with someone’s ribbing but if it’s a real friendship it shouldn’t be offensive to tell them to cut it out too.

"You're asking me for more." I gulp. "Meanwhile, I want to give you everything."

I love that it’s included why women don’t feel flattered by their male friends’ interest in them : that it feels like betrayal or rather they only pretended to like you as a friend to one day pursue you

I don’t know how unhappy her doomed feelings made her. Maybe it’s just one of many thoughts.

I think the panic about the other wife bugs me. The denial ofc.

Their new SO is just a packaged deal. I’m okay with it because one day I could have SO of mine. I want that person they belong too. In this situation Pen doesn’t believe that someone could be out there for her.

She has doomed feelings about this and his other wife.

Bear I understand. He has good reasons in my book. His denial comes from a place that is respectful and maybe even little hurt. But PEN!!! I really struggle with Pen’s inner thoughts. I get her logic. The idea that she is going to lose him one day when he gets a wife is such a big part of her thoughts. They’re very involved in each other’s life. idk her view that there is no one out there for her dunno

Are we not going to raise an eyebrow for Bear dating a woman very similar to Pen?

Every single mention of Dom and Mariana. The mysterious ex wife that the player of the gang never talks about. Oh how freaking good. And the sister…what’s going on there.

Couples that watch Bones together — this is becoming a thing. I feel like a lot of people are mentioning this recently. This got me thinking was it really that good.

And then I remembered — I think it might have been at least the wait was . Booth. I loved Booth. Charming. Charming man.

Bear being the one who yearns and loves romance. Actually doesn’t down play what romance means for him.

I talked a friend about this book while I was 30% in. This cannot cover everything but it can get the ball moving. As a reader who read the first book I see the intentional effort. 5 Stars for me. Learn loads will be stacking up my personal finance books this year.

Finishing this feels like an endeavor well achieved. Do I know everything I need for successful financial life? Not completely but it’s not nothing in fact it’s fairly significant to me because I only knew about 10-20% of what I needed to and tbh that’s bit of generous estimating.

Look the truth is this is not conventional wisdom to a good chunk of us . We all need a chance to getting there.

so far has been an excellent and informative read. personal finance is a large blind spot for me. This has been eye opening for me. Her first book was very much how to save money and build your wealth. This is very much how to spend your money responsibly or plan for your expenses.

I think I might benefit from PPO. This book is an interesting step up from Vivian’s first book. I’m a frugal a person but I’m def at the pt of my life where certain expenses are worth their investment. Deductible + premium convo assist. Very enjoyable chapter so far. POV about relearning feelings toward spending. And looks have $ value and personal confidence value too

That’s standard I would hold this story to. For me, I don’t like every time he calls her “Katydid” he did know her and treated her disposablely. It’s not as uncomplicated as it plays out. He finally gives her the attention she wants from him that it’s now remedied. I did enjoy the story but I just needed time bringing their family into it and ownership. 5 stars from me conflicted + forgiven too soon idealistically

Jacob’s rxns and their conversation their entire history actually burn Akira. They make her feel judged and deeply reviled. When he figures out he made her feel. This man owns up to his shit and actually grovels but is also there for her and is unraveling his own complicated feelings about his sexuality ( for him is very private and at moments shameful). Sure there is attraction but there effort and time.

I contrast this with Gentleman in the Streets by Alisha Rai. (This is my fave of her books. Deep cuts only. ) Jacob is Akira is temporary step sib. This girl does not want to be his step sib. She does everything to provoke him. She wants him to admit this girl is not his sister. This whole time he is rxns and attempts literally leave when she is near and terseness. ( She totally does defy boundaries. Dubious tbh)

I guess for me choosing to tangle up their reconciliation with desirability makes it less earnest ( to a degree. not all but little something)

I also kinda needed him to say the words he lost his actual family and her family became his family but he always knew she was someone he thought of as more than pseudo sister. He treated her as unwanted, to ignore, and someone to criticize to deny his attraction - shitty ??

The q I have for her family is how did you not see this happening for years on end for so long. I think that matters to figure out and correct without jumping into kisses and everything else. ( Christopher is considerate of her beyond attraction but so much of it is attraction and is acted upon with romance being out there. How would they make this right without romance? It is a romance. That’s that but …

I’m glad Christopher wants to explain himself to her immediately. Jaime’s suggestion went only so far and the rest of it was because he wanted to make amends and wanted relationship. The other thing is I get it Christopher’s smooth relationship with everyone else in her family and his behavior toward her sucked more for because she did care what he thought and possibly nursed a fondness for him.

Maybe it’s different for me because I haven’t seen Christopher with Bea and Julia. I thought it was pretty big step for Kate to admit to Bea how out of place and secondary she felt with her family. She thought they were alright with someone close to them casting her out. Christopher + Kate have separate chat but this played with all of them together. I was curious for Bea’s rxn seeing him come out of her room.

Let’s see. Off the top of my head, I would say the rules : 1. you can always make more money 2. rich people are entitled 3. high yield savings 4. diversify your portfolio. 5. bonds are you become the bank 6. ask for the raise. Negotiate big expenses

God I hate paintball. Really if they didn’t start physical attraction so early and instead took it more slowly I think I might have really loved this. But all the same I’m really enjoying. It’s 4 star or above for me.

I’m a bit unimpressed by this idea of older pursuer who grew up around the fmc. I think ignoring /criticism thing tracks for people uncomfortable around attraction but idk I just Christopher had very self professed “profound” feelings very young and that’s kind of a personal no. Like I can read and enjoy the book but I don’t always agree or “feel” the momentous feelings as what he thinks it is.

I was excited thinking it would hit into a redemption arc like Gentleman by Alisha Rai. It has some of the starts. I really like Kate starting with feeling kept out of her family ( being neurodivergent in mind), seeking out the wider world. Christopher very unknowing part in that. But once he realizes it he tries to correct it by pursuing her. That’s not enough for me. Yes he’s good at it but that…

“She thinks I hate her. It’s the last thing I ever wanted. I have never loathed myself so much.”

oh this is getting so good. 😊

*Aiden drove me crazy during Willa Ryder's bk in bk 1. But really loved him here so much. He's not mr. Perfect but damn sticking him with The Bergmans he is my guy. Not cuz of romance but the anxiety and stress about $ and stability is so important to me. And Liese is going great job showing how hard it is get it right because worried minds like Aiden do not often act like romance heroes. Comp billionaire rom $ time

"I didn't know. I never saw.. ." There's a beat of silence, then: "Why didn't you say anything?"

Still staring at the ceiling as Bea leaves the kitchen and joins me on the couch, I blink away the rare, unwelcome sting building behind my eyes. I hate crying. "I figured everyone saw what I saw and didn't care"

"Christopher always makes digs at how little I'm home, my choice to travel all over for work. He talks down to me like he sees my lifestyle as immature. I don't know, inadequate. When he was younger, he ignored me, like I didn't even exist. When I got older, he started picking apart everything I did. He's ei- ther looking down his nose at me or he's not looking at me at all, and nobody's ever done anything about it."