I have this weird relationship with Rebecca Yarros's novels. See as an author Rebecca is amazing. Her stories are absolutely beyond compare and her characters are so perfectly real I immediately fall in love with them. But in every single book I break while I read it and by the time I put it down I've been rebuilt with a tiny piece being left behind in the pages. And so, I always need to find “the right time” to read them. But in our house that just never occurs.



But for this book, all the stars aligned. My awesome hubby and I had 4 beautiful days, kid free in Bali for my birthday. So, I read this poolside in paradise and fell madly in love with Allie and Hudson. And every other character in this beautiful story.



Allie and Hudson had literally everything working against them. And when they are thrown together 10 years after being torn apart all the secrets are forced to light. And I seriously didn't see half of those twists and turns coming. But watching them come through the flames and get a beautiful happily ever after had me putting down my kindle with so much happiness.

This one reminded me of the Notebook vibes at first, but this ended up not being one of my favorites by this author. It was good, but not great.

There was a lot of talk about ballet, so if you are a dancer, you will probably enjoy this. I think the reason I didn’t really love it is that I never felt the extreme chemistry between the two of them.

They were best friends as teenagers and basically in love then the whole book we try to figure out why they haven’t seen each other since. It was finally explained and I thought the explanation was a little dumb and not worth the long wait. I think their story in general just wasn’t what I was expecting or wanting.

Also, I expect this author’s books to really rip my heart out and this just didn’t. I think it was too long and not emotional enough.

With all that said, it was still not bad, it just was a little bit of a let down compared to the author’s previous books.

I have been so looking forward to some contemporary romance Yarros as I adore her other books. Variation is just as raw and emotional as her past books and has you gripping your ereader from start to finish. Hudson and Allie were amazing together and seeing how things play out between them was just wow. Plus a book about a ballerina? Sign me up! Great read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Variation by Rebecca Yarros

Be prepared for laughing, crying, a little anxiety and some spice🌶️!! Variation will have you wanting to stay up even if you have to work the next day!

Allie & Hudson are very similar, meaning they will both do whatever they need to do even if that means hurting one another!

Tropes
🩰Small Town Romance
🩰Faking Dating
🩰Military
🩰Second Chance
🩰He Falls First

3.5 stars

As a reader who has read and loved majority of books by Yarros, I was very hopeful Variation would have the same vibes as some of my favorites by her (In the Likely Event or The Last Letter are two of my favorites) but I just didn't connect with the story or characters in quite the same way I have in her other books. I liked it and recommend it to read but I just didn't love it in the same way I have other books by her.

Rebecca Yarros has outdone herself with Variation. This book is an emotional symphony, weaving themes of love, regret, and healing into a story that lingers long after the final page. Allie and Hudson’s journey is the epitome of second-chance romance done right, set against a backdrop of family secrets and life-altering choices. From the first chapter, I was hooked, unable to tear myself away from their world.

Allie Rousseau, a talented but guarded ballerina, is a beautifully complex heroine. Her struggle to reconcile her past and her dreams is deeply relatable, and you can’t help but root for her at every turn. Hudson Ellis, with his unwavering loyalty and protective nature, is the kind of hero who captures your heart immediately. Their chemistry leaps off the page, crackling with unresolved tension and an undeniable connection. And when Hudson’s niece, Juniper, enters the mix, the story takes on a new dimension that’s as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking.

Rebecca Yarros is a master of emotional storytelling, and Variation showcases her talent in full force. The dual perspectives, layered plot, and vivid settings draw you in, making you feel every ounce of the characters’ joy, pain, and triumph. The inclusion of ballet and rescue swimming adds unique depth, immersing readers in two challenging, fascinating worlds. Add in a sprinkle of mystery, and the result is utterly captivating.

This book reminded me why I love Rebecca Yarros’ work so much. Her stories have a way of pulling you in completely, leaving you emotionally wrecked in the best possible way. Variation is a standout novel, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next—because I know it’s going to be unforgettable.

One thing I personally love in a Rebecca Yarros contemporary read is the emotional turmoil. This book, though I absolutely loved it, did not make me cry. Don’t get me wrong - it was still a very amazing book. I just crave her ugly cry books, lol.

Rebecca does it again. Allie and Hudson grew up together before things pulled them apart. They will need to overcome her family to be together.n

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to early read Variation. The story takes the reader on a journey of first love, secrets, plot twists, and some blush inducing scenes. Variation is a must-read/listen story that combines two characters who are deeply passionate about their professions into a beautiful love story. I couldn't put it down, and I immediately wanted to read it again. As soon as the audio went live, I had to listen (read) to the story again. I mean, who wouldn't @carlyrobinsnarrator and @narratedbyteddyhamilton. They did an incredible job narrating these characters to life.

Je suis cette autrice depuis quelques années et j'ai terminé cette romance avec des tas d'émotions en tête. Cette romance contemporaine est un coup de coeur car les thème abordés et la manière dont évolue les personnages au grè de l'intrigue est parfaite.

Hudson Ellis est un héros fort, protecteur et sauveteur. Son rôle est de sauver des vies et il a mis la sienne en standy il y a de cela quelques années en prenant une décision qui va bouleverser la sienne. Il a fait un choix et quand il devra faire face à son passé, il ne pourra que s'expliquer. J'ai aimé ce jeune homme car il a certes fait des erreurs mais au moment du dénouément final on va comprendre ses décisions à 18 ans. Il aime clairement notre héroïne mais leur histoire n'aura rien de simple. Des obstacles anciens et nouveaux vont entraver ce qui devrait être une magnifique histoire d'amour. Leur famille, leur carrière, rien n'est là pour les aider. Il faudra donc faire table rase du passé pour espérer aller de l'avant.

Alessandra Rousseau est issue d'une famille très inrense. Elle a perdu sa soeur Lina et la culpabilité la ronge chaque jour. Cela est accentuer par les propos odieux de sa mère Sophie. Cette dernière ne voit que la ballerine et non sa fille. Elle est dénuée de tout sentiment et nous allons découvrir son odieux visage. La danse est sa vie mais elle va payer le prix fort. Deux graves blessures vont mettre en danger sa carrière mais elle ne peut pas renoncer. Sa soeur Eva m'a agacée à un certain moment. Quant à Anne, elle ne s'affirme pas assez. Des révélations vont l'amener à renouer avec Hudson et il serait grand temps de comprendre pourquoi il lui a brisé le coeur.

Bref, si vous lisez en VO, ne passez absolument pas à côté de ce petit bijou. Je n'ai pas réussi à le lâcher tant je voulais tout comprendre, découvrir les tenants, les aboutissants. On ne s'ennuie pas un instant, le dénouement final est fabuleux. Bref une pepite.

I loved this book so much! It was a beautiful story of overcoming the past and coming together to move forward. I like the little twists that were in the book as well.

“Forget climbing her walls, I’d tear them down brick by brick. This arrangement might be fake for her, but my intentions were very real. Allie had given me the summer, and I was going to use it to bring her back to life.”

I cannot recommend this book enough!

Variation was such a beautiful story about love, loss, family, and second chances.

Rebecca Yarros has created such captivating characters you can’t help but love them. Each of the characters face their own challenges and have their own individual character arcs, which creates a compelling plot in addition to the swoon-worthy romantic plot, which is just as steamy and sweet as all of Yarros’ romance novels.

“Kissing him—really kissing him—would be totally, utterly reckless, and that word never applied to me. But I wanted to kiss him more than I wanted the safety of my solitude.”

I can’t quite put into words just how much I love the depiction of family in this book. Almost all of Rebecca Yarros books have a prominent theme of family, whether it’s biological or found family, or a combination of the two, and Variation is no different.

From the incredibly accurate portrayal of the ups and downs of sibling relationships, to the complex relationship between parents and their children, it was fascinating to see the contrast between Hudson & Allie’s families and to see their upbringing and how that contributed to their growth and the challenges they needed to overcome in order to make a happy life for themselves.

I absolutely adored Juniper, and my heart broke for her as she tried to pursue her dreams and connect with her biological family.

With its compelling and charismatic characters, Variation is filled with just as many sweet, heartfelt scenes as there are swoon-worthy moments.

The way Hudson is so utterly supportive and knows Allie almost better than she knows herself really made me wish he wasn’t just a fictional character.

“You scared the shit out of me. Do you have any idea what you mean to me? You’re my air. And I know you don’t even want to think about going there when it comes to us, that you need things all neat and tidy, but I’m already there. Messy. Tangled. So wrapped up in you that I couldn’t breathe in that ER because I needed to be here with you.”

I absolutely loved everything about this book and if you love contemporary romance and it’s not already on your TBR you need to go add it now.

My first Rebecca yarros book with no dragons and even though there was no magic, I’m not surprised I loved it! The ending was a little rushed but I had a great time along the way.

So good. It kept me reading from the first page and I didn't want to stop. So many twists and turns and questions. Rebecca Yarros is excellent at writing deep emotions. I loved it!

Overall Grade: A-/B+

Rebecca Yarros's Variation is masterful storytelling. Allie and Hudson's second chance, fated love story is one for the ages: eternal, devastatingly beautiful, and beautifully written. If you love an MMC who falls hard and fast and forever, an emotionally wounded FMC with high emotional walls that the MMC must destroy, and gorgeous prose that pulls at your heart, GRAB Variation TODAY

Variation by Rebecca Yarros takes readers deep into the intense, high-stakes underbelly of the ballet world, where the Rousseau sisters reign as the rock stars of the stage. Together with their mother, they've taken the ballet world by storm, but behind the elegance and grace lies a tangled web of secrets, lies, and heartbreak. Much like the pointe shoes they wear, these secrets are bound tightly, threatening to unravel at the seams.

At the center of it all is Allie Rousseau, who has grown cold and closed off after having her heart shattered by Hudson Ellis many summers ago. A twist of fate brings them back into each other's orbit, setting the stage for a beautifully dysfunctional tale of love, lies, and healing. Rebecca Yarros expertly weaves a story that is as emotionally raw as captivating.

Hudson is filled with regret for his past choices, and the tension between him and Allie is palpable. Variation is a second-chance romance that delivers the perfect balance of drama, unexpected twists, and a touch of spice. Rebecca paints a vivid picture of love, loss, and redemption, proving that even in a world filled with blood, sweat, and tears, second chances can lead to something truly beautiful. One-click worthy!

When I got the arc of this in my inbox I screamed☺️ It took me a while to process the perfection of this book and how @rebeccayarros manages every single time to stole my heart with her contemporary books.

Hudson and Allie stole my heart.
I mean second chance forward 11 years later and they are still deep into each other even if they haven’t seen in 11 years.

She is a ballerina. But not just any ballerina the best in her generation.
He is a guard rescue swimmer. And after two summer when they were kids they fell in love but something really bad happened. And he disappeared she never found out why until they meet again as adults. And they have to navigate a different kind of relationship. Because of his niece, who she wants to dance but her mum is against it…. But he knows a ballerina and he doesn’t hate her he was actually in love with one for. Avery long time.
Let’s give 5 stars to Juniper the smartest kid ever 😌

They are supposed to pretend they are in a relationship. But they are not even sure what’s pretend and what’s real😁also we can pretend it’s just us for five minutes right? And that what we are doing in that moment is real 😁

He had an alert on his phone for when she would get her dream role in ballet and she had a seat saved for him no matter what in every contract. Cause that was his seat.

I loved how she re discover herself because of him and seeing past and present.

Also they kinda adopt a dog and he remembers everything

I will keep saying this no matter what her contemporary are perfection. And way superior to Fourth Wing 😬 Don’t hate me on this I love Fourth Wing 💓

Rebecca Yarros is one of my go-to authors. She could write an encyclopedia, and I’d buy it and set aside an entire day (or more) to devote all of my time to reading it. I love her writing that much. I finished this book almost a week ago and had to take some time to process it before I could find the words to convey how much I loved it. While I love how her Empyrean series continues to take the world by storm, I’ve been one of her number-one contemporary fans since the beginning, so I’m incredibly excited to see how much love this book is already seeing.

OK…on to the review…

Variation, like all of her contemporary romances, is intensely emotional, and as usual, Rebecca made me experience everything Allie and Hudson went through in a nearly tangible way. Her writing never fails to grab you from the outset and won’t let you go until she’s managed to throw you for a loop with a twist you didn’t anticipate at the end of the story, wringing every bit of emotion out of you. The ups and downs these characters experienced were more than dramatic, but even without those moments that took my breath away (for differing reasons), I would have enjoyed it simply because of Rebecca’s extraordinary talent for weaving emotional tales.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rebecca Yarros's books are always an auto-read for me! "Variation" was unlike Rebecca's recent books, but I still loved it! Full of ballet, a long lost remance and family I couldn't put this novel down!

“You’re my air.”

Author Rebecca Yarros has penned another heart-melting hit! Variation is a poignant and powerful journey of first and forever love, family, and the fight to save it all. I fell so hard for Allie, Hudson, and their hard-fought romance. This tale claimed me … consumed me … enthralled me … owned me. It is all the strength wrapped around smolder and soul.

Variation chronicles the strong and stunning ballerina, Allie, whose family was struck by tragedy, and the heart-stopping Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hudson, who’s hero perfection. I adored how sweet and patient Hudson was with Allie, helping her heal both her outer and inner pain. Allie helps Hudson see his worth, revealing a big heart that beats just for her. Drawn together like a moth to a flame, this hero and heroine are the balm to each other’s hearts and souls … so meant to be … so magical together.

Yarros writes with such an authentic voice that I was dropped straight into this story, right into these characters’ heads, where I lived and breathed their journey while feeling everything. Variation hits straight to the heart with its powerful message of rising after falling … of overcoming pain and persevering. This broken yet beautiful romance spoke so much to my soul. I loved this love story.

💋💋💋💋💋 forever kisses

Reviewed on behalf of Bookalicious Babes Blog