Based on reviews and feedback from a friend of mine, Seven Days in June is a book that folks either love or hate. For me, I loved it. My friend? Not so much.

My Thoughts

The prologue and the first chapter introduce us to Eva by way of her near-death experience via sex toy and her career as an author of vampire/witch erotica. I like that the author starts the book off that way because it gives you an idea of what you’re getting into right off the bat. There’s sex. There’s some quirkiness. There’s trauma. There’s a little bit of a supernatural element there, even though none of the characters are witches or vampires (Not literally anyway. Metaphorically, an argument could be made.)

Shane is introduced a few chapters into the book. As much as I wanted to hate him, I found myself falling in love with him, too. He’s an “alpha-hole,” a term one character used as another way to say “sexy jerk.”

It was very easy reading. I don’t think the author made things overly complicated. I found the book very relatable. Maybe it’s because I’m a single mom like Eva. Maybe because Eva’s daughter, Audre, reminds me of my own daughter in many ways. Maybe it is because, in my own way, though nowhere near as traumatic (Thank God!), I grew up feeling like an outlier, too, like both Shane and Eva. I still feel like an outlier at my big age. Or it could be because Eva is a Scorpio with an Aries moon, like me. The point is, I could relate.

This is a story of a second-chance, unrequited love. However, I wouldn’t categorize this as romance. It is heavier than a romance. Eva and Shane bonded over trauma and fell deeply in love. They are both painfully aware of how broken they were and still are. Had it not been for their messed up backgrounds, they would have never known each other. Or maybe in their world, fate would have found a way no matter what because they did have amazing chemistry. Not exactly my idea of romance, but I think the story was beautifully told.

Also, I enjoyed seeing the interaction between Eva and Audre because it shows a type of parenting that many people are unfamiliar with. It is a little gentler than I probably am, but I love how well they were able to communicate with one another.

Spoiler alert!!!

The book does have a happy ending. After we learn all about Shane and Eva’s horrible respective childhoods that involved abuse, self-harm, drug addiction, overdoses, and abandonment, they find a way to work out their differences.

One thing I like is that they work out their differences by finding ways to work on themselves. The thing I wish was different is that I would’ve liked a few more pages on how they actively tried to work on their problems. Maybe an extra chapter or two just so that we could really see the growth. Maybe it was there and I just didn’t see it.

One last thing, Lizette, Eva’s mother, was…complicated. I had wanted to use another word, but I had to remember that this story takes place in 2019 and Lizette came from a line of women who had been subjected to domestic abuse, religious abuse, and colorism. She also came from a time where the mention of attending therapy could ruin your life because only crazy people went to therapy. Still, I wish Lizette would’ve tried a little harder for the sake of the book. It would’ve been nice to see a little conflict resolution between Lizette and Eva.

Beautiful story overall.

Do you have any thoughts about this book? Leave a comment or join my bookclub, Ebony Page Turners, on Fable!>>> https://fable.co/club/ebony-page-turners-with-letarawrites-302800552632?referralID=DjCiap4j30