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Structural Integrity
Structural Strain
After realizing how badly he was failing his partner, Yaan promised to do better. Being open and vulnerable with Kel isn’t exactly easy, but it’s worth it for the closeness they now share. Kel, meanwhile, continues to combat his conflict-avoidant nature and be honest about his own wants and needs. The payoff includes not just an increase in affection from Yaan, but also Yaan getting to know his family, and even pledging to help get the old neighborhood theater—the catalyst for their reconciliation—open again.
When Yaan begins noticing other ways the city government he works for has failed its working-class residents, his renewed commitment to Kel leads him to push back against his boss’s policies. Kel, however, is concerned Yaan might be taking on too much. When he’s proven right, their relationship will be tested anew, as Yaan is forced to decide what really matters to him and Kel must choose how far he’s willing to go for Yaan’s sake.
When Yaan begins noticing other ways the city government he works for has failed its working-class residents, his renewed commitment to Kel leads him to push back against his boss’s policies. Kel, however, is concerned Yaan might be taking on too much. When he’s proven right, their relationship will be tested anew, as Yaan is forced to decide what really matters to him and Kel must choose how far he’s willing to go for Yaan’s sake.
148 pages, ebook
First published June 30, 2022
About the author
Tabitha O’Connell
6 books31 followersTabitha O’Connell is a historic preservationist and writer of queer fiction living in Western New York. Eir favorite things include animals, abandoned places, alliteration, long walks, and long sentences (some of which may turn up in eir work…). Right now ey is probably drinking tea and daydreaming about stories centering ace, trans, and other queer characters.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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July 1, 2022It's here!! So excited to have this next chapter of Yaan and Kel's story out in the world. Links to buy or request a review copy (the latter will be available through July) are at https://tabitha.carrd.co!
July 31, 2022
This was an excellent sequel that further explores Kel and Yaan's relationship as they face new challenges & circumstances.
Kel continues to be an adorable cinnamon roll, but I also have a lot of love for Yaan, whose character we get a further exploration of here.
Without getting too far into spoilers, their relationship dynamic is flipped in this book, which was really interesting to see.
I also loved seeing more of Kel's family and seeing Yaan bond with them.
In summary, I just adore these two & I'm looking forward to the 3rd installment!
My thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Kel continues to be an adorable cinnamon roll, but I also have a lot of love for Yaan, whose character we get a further exploration of here.
Without getting too far into spoilers, their relationship dynamic is flipped in this book, which was really interesting to see.
I also loved seeing more of Kel's family and seeing Yaan bond with them.
In summary, I just adore these two & I'm looking forward to the 3rd installment!
My thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2022
A beautiful and thoughtful follow up to O'Connell's STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. In STRUCTURAL STRAIN the reader sees Kel and Yaan continue their relationship and lives through much bigger challenges and changes than before.
The intricacies of their mutual inner world together is complicated yet beautiful and SS takes the reader through the ways in which they both struggle to overcome new obstacles as a couple and as individuals. I really enjoyed this continuation of Kel and Yaan's story, and appreciated the addition of length and further depth in comparison to SI.
O'Connell has a unique skill of painting a relationship in a deep and complex light. It's not all romance and joy, it's hardship and complications, miscommunications and secretly hurt feelings. It's not saying what you really think and suffering for it only for things to come to a head that could have definitely been avoided. But these things are real, and the characters not only learn from their mistakes but they also DON'T. They repeat bad habits, they clam up and shut down, they assume how the other is feeling instead of speaking about it, they argue, they come back together in mutual understanding and harmony. All of it is beautifully portrayed against the backdrop of a complex and unfair society that both, despite their unique and differing backgrounds, care about changing.
As a side note, I had a soft spot for Yaan in SI but now I can say after reading SS Yaan is officially my favorite and also a pathetic wet rag of a man but I mean that with the utmost affection.
The potential for his personal side of the story to continue in the future has me very curious and excited.
Overall, SS had me once again on the edge of my seat for the outcome of a domestic relationship. It's beautiful and heartfelt, but so frustrating at times you want to reach in and shake the characters by the shoulders, yet also so tender and real and ultimately an absolute joy to dive into.
I miss them already, and I can't wait for more!
The intricacies of their mutual inner world together is complicated yet beautiful and SS takes the reader through the ways in which they both struggle to overcome new obstacles as a couple and as individuals. I really enjoyed this continuation of Kel and Yaan's story, and appreciated the addition of length and further depth in comparison to SI.
O'Connell has a unique skill of painting a relationship in a deep and complex light. It's not all romance and joy, it's hardship and complications, miscommunications and secretly hurt feelings. It's not saying what you really think and suffering for it only for things to come to a head that could have definitely been avoided. But these things are real, and the characters not only learn from their mistakes but they also DON'T. They repeat bad habits, they clam up and shut down, they assume how the other is feeling instead of speaking about it, they argue, they come back together in mutual understanding and harmony. All of it is beautifully portrayed against the backdrop of a complex and unfair society that both, despite their unique and differing backgrounds, care about changing.
As a side note, I had a soft spot for Yaan in SI but now I can say after reading SS Yaan is officially my favorite and also a pathetic wet rag of a man but I mean that with the utmost affection.
The potential for his personal side of the story to continue in the future has me very curious and excited.
Overall, SS had me once again on the edge of my seat for the outcome of a domestic relationship. It's beautiful and heartfelt, but so frustrating at times you want to reach in and shake the characters by the shoulders, yet also so tender and real and ultimately an absolute joy to dive into.
I miss them already, and I can't wait for more!
March 30, 2023
Emotional depth at its finest
This series of novellas so far has been one of the most emotionally mature approaches to love I've seen in a very long time. And I think where the first excelled in showing the pitfalls of lack of open communication. This one does a wonderful job at showcasing that improvement is a choice that needs to be consistently made and that bad habits need to broken not only once but over and over and over in order for permanent growth to occur. Rarely have I read a sequel where I'm made to see characters make the same mistakes again and it felt so vividly true to life that even though I wanted to be angry, I couldn't actually blame them. These characters are so painfully human I'm still fully prepared to see them miscommunicate in a thousand different ways and I'll forgive them every time. Because under similar circumstances I would be them (especially Yaan, I admit lol).
The more I read about Yaan and Kel the more I feel like there is no happily ever after to their story. Because we all need to work towards the happiness we deserve and they're still figuring out what that means for them. And that's okay.
Also this one has considerably more cat than the first book, but still not enough cat.
This series of novellas so far has been one of the most emotionally mature approaches to love I've seen in a very long time. And I think where the first excelled in showing the pitfalls of lack of open communication. This one does a wonderful job at showcasing that improvement is a choice that needs to be consistently made and that bad habits need to broken not only once but over and over and over in order for permanent growth to occur. Rarely have I read a sequel where I'm made to see characters make the same mistakes again and it felt so vividly true to life that even though I wanted to be angry, I couldn't actually blame them. These characters are so painfully human I'm still fully prepared to see them miscommunicate in a thousand different ways and I'll forgive them every time. Because under similar circumstances I would be them (especially Yaan, I admit lol).
The more I read about Yaan and Kel the more I feel like there is no happily ever after to their story. Because we all need to work towards the happiness we deserve and they're still figuring out what that means for them. And that's okay.
Also this one has considerably more cat than the first book, but still not enough cat.
October 25, 2022
Yaan and Kel return and I couldn't be happier! This second book opens with the pair growing closer -- Yaan is working on demonstrating devotion and Kel strives to be more open. All seems to be going well, until Yaan discovers some disturbing facts about the city government he works for. Can Yaan and Kel survive yet more strain on their relationship? O'Connell weaves such a beautiful and heartfelt love story with this second book in the Structural Integrity series, I read it in one afternoon. I'm definitely hoping we'll get another story centered around these two!
April 3, 2022
Let me start by saying I'd give STRUCTURAL STRAIN ten stars if I could. Maybe more. Probably a hundred, at least. I adored O'Connell's debut, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, and I didn't think it'd be possible but somehow I loved this second installment even more. STRUCTURAL STRAIN is a gripping, emotional, somewhat devastating yet ultimately hopeful continuation of Kel and Yaan's story and I adored every page. This is a binge-in-one-sitting read. I could not put it down.
July 9, 2022
An excellent follow up to Structural Integrity! I was thrilled at the idea of getting to read more about Yaan and Kel and to find out what else O'Connell had in store for them. And boy, did this not disappoint. If you loved Structural Integrity then Structural Strain is the sequel you absolutely must read. It's brimming with everything that made the first installment so great and then some.
June 26, 2022
Loved this follow-up to Structual Integrity.
Yaan and Kel are a wonderful couple and I loved the development of both characters as they grow as individuals, and as a couple. Yaan’s honest efforts in putting his partner first was absolutely heart-warming, and I quite appreciated learning more about his background. Once again, I was impressed with the many emotions I felt with this novella, and how deeply I connected with the two mains. A great read and I am hoping for a third installment to see what happens next with this couple (please?).
Thank you Tabitha O’Connell for my ARC copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Yaan and Kel are a wonderful couple and I loved the development of both characters as they grow as individuals, and as a couple. Yaan’s honest efforts in putting his partner first was absolutely heart-warming, and I quite appreciated learning more about his background. Once again, I was impressed with the many emotions I felt with this novella, and how deeply I connected with the two mains. A great read and I am hoping for a third installment to see what happens next with this couple (please?).
Thank you Tabitha O’Connell for my ARC copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 17, 2023
An amazing sequel, every bit as charming and heartfelt as the first and then some! I loved seeing Yaan’s character explored more, and how he and Kel continue to work for their relationship. Another beautifully written book from the author, I hope to see more!
January 11, 2023
(One of my favourite 2022 reads, just realized that I haven't leave a review)
Kel is my precious little sunshine.
I became repeatedly worried for him- I'm afraid that Yaan was mistreating him again, unfortunately he didn't!
I really HATED Yaan in book 1, but the way he's changed here surprised me. And as someone who's gone through the same struggles, what happened to both of them completely broke my heart in this one.
I stumbled across Structural Integrity by accident and loved it. So I wasted no time in acquiring the sequel when it came out. And I heard there would be a book 3???
Please do, cause I need a happy ending for my baby Kel.
Kel is my precious little sunshine.
I became repeatedly worried for him- I'm afraid that Yaan was mistreating him again, unfortunately he didn't!
I really HATED Yaan in book 1, but the way he's changed here surprised me. And as someone who's gone through the same struggles, what happened to both of them completely broke my heart in this one.
I stumbled across Structural Integrity by accident and loved it. So I wasted no time in acquiring the sequel when it came out. And I heard there would be a book 3???
Please do, cause I need a happy ending for my baby Kel.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews