Just Don't Mention It Review

Title: Just Don't Mention It
Author: Estelle Maskame
Series: The DIMILY #4
Publisher: Ink Road
Publication Date: 21 June 2018
Source: Jonathan Ball Publishers
Format: Paperback
Pages: 470
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reading Timeline: 03 February 2019 - 10 February 2019

Goodreads Synopsis:

Tyler Bruce – hell raiser and bad boy – tells his story in his own words.

Alternating between past and present, Just Don’t Mention It is narrated from Tyler’s perspective. We see his life as a twelve-year-old boy suffering physical abuse at the hands of his dad. We see him as the daredevil seventeen-year-old we first met in Did I Mention I Love You?, the stepbrother who falls head over heels for Eden.

In these parallel timelines we finally understand the enigmatic Tyler’s complex story and his innermost thoughts – on his dad, his mom, on Tiffani and Eden – all the things Eden wasn’t witness to. And, crucially, the reader gains heartbreaking insight into why Tyler becomes the self-obsessed, angry and unhappy guy we encounter in DIMILY.

Book Review:

Pre-reading Thoughts:

I am so excited to read this book for one reason, Tyler's point of view. I've been waiting to read more about his thoughts and the reasons behind his behaviour since I first started this series a couple of years back and now I finally have the chance.

Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a copy of this book. Just a quick disclaimer for those reading this review, I have received this book for free. Please note that this does affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own. 

Writing Thoughts:

The writing was much the same as the first one but I definitely found that the writing was a lot smoother than in the first book. Maskame didn't focus so much on telling the reader everything the character was doing instead, her focus shifted to showing the reader. I liked how well the writing flowed, pulling the reader deeper into the story.

Plot Thoughts:

Whilst the present times are almost exactly the same as in the first book of the series, the five years ago sections added a lot of depth to the book and the overall plot of the series. The plot tugs at the reader's hearts and makes them sympathetic to Tyler's cause. I also really enjoyed that we got to see into Tyler's head, especially when it comes to Eden. The plot is well thought out and makes the reader reconsider people's initial first impressions. 

Character Thoughts:

Tyler went from being a rude and typical clichéd bad boy to something more. As readers, we not only got to see him grow and develop in the present time of the book but we also got to see him when he was younger. And whilst his actions were not justified but they are explained. This book definitely played a big role in expanding his character providing us with some background.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I freakin' loved this book. It was everything I hoped for and more. The writing was smooth and captivating. The plot tugged at my heartstrings and made me more sympathetic to Tyler's cause, making the ending even more heartbreaking. The character development that we truly get to experience in this book is not only heart wrenching but also well done. A big thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a copy of this book to review. It is definitely one of my favourites this year!

Yours in Reading,

Melleny