Again, but better ~ Christine Riccio ☆ Audiobook Review

Good morning!

Here’s my first Audiobook read of the year, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was the same narrator that read my first audiobook «Geekerella» ; which I had really liked her! As a bonus, this was another story with a blogger MC – though wasn’t too too into it at first, and travelled related,

Though the bit of the downside is I kind of saw her as Elle in this novel too for a while.. as it’s the same voice 😅

 

** May include Spoilers within the review

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Goodread’s page
5 / 5 Stars

 

I loved the first half of the book — loving all the flatmates friends, but especially Pilot, hoping that Shane & him would eventually end up together! I understand how Shane decided to go abroad to “start again” elsewhere.. to eventually feeling like everything ended up getting out of hands and like she wasn’t controlling everything that she could’ve acted on instead; like ever acting or telling Pilot how she really felt about him, despite the girlfriend he had.

The mystery of the red-haired lady with her hair in a hairdo being just everywhere. I specially enjoyed how the book had the same party club songs than when I was young and clubbing! Shane also had the same first kiss experience as me, with a random at a club, except she did get his number & talked with him a bit.. while I don’t think I even talked with mine xd

 

The second part absolutely DESTROYED me. In fact, I couldn’t continue for a few days as I couldn’t take the heart aches it would gave me.. Finally understanding the title «Again, but better» — and after all that Pilot had said were true 6yrs ago, and acting like THAT. This seemed like such a good “what if we rewritted the past?” trope, and yet.

How Shane & Pilot clearly remember everything that happened six years ago.. and while she would’ve want it to be like they were, he just being wierd and don’t act the same way he did toward her – deciding to keep his distance.

Until finally, she found the reset button — so he could calm down searching everything and enjoy the ride ! As she’s not sure she actually wanna press it

 

I understand the need to have a heartwrenching “middle” to get that kind of anticipation in the readers.. can’t have it now kinda deal — but OMGG ❤️❤️ the relief when he kissed her.. like seriously Pilot?? You just tell her how she was right so many years ago, that there had been something between them and you just — get mad and wanna get back to present time so aggressively after being launched back in time ??! What kind of reaction is THAT, just jump on that goddamn train!!

I loved every lovely moment they had.. how they changed their «pasts» weekends travelling together “as a couple” — but most of all, how Shane grew. She worked for what she wanted, although her parents still didn’t took her writing trip abroad seriously & disgusted that she threw away her future as a doctor. She also connected back with one of her cousin, understanding that he had been struggling alone with hiding being gay (AND a recent breakup); piecing out the whys of his actions 6years ago.

In the end, this wasn’t at all what she’d imagined; being harder and more than a chance to try again with Pilot alone. She got scared of how pilot was “in her way” and lost him along the way.. but she got something so much greater too, learned more about herself, got the internship nailed & got her article published. Getting everything that she had wanted in the first place six years ago, working how she was able to face whatever happened in her way as long as they had each other and she was willing to fight for it.