#optimisticbeth

(I said review, but this is actually a series of ‘i love this fic so much’ in different words.)

Chef’s (Uns)Table by TheAlchemistsDaughter | Rated: T

Kylo Ren is a high-powered chef with an explosive temper. Nevertheless, Rey likes him. To get him to come out of the kitchen, she and her friends try to wind him up. When someone asks for ketchup, it works a little too well.

I’m such a sucker for a hotheaded chef because of a Korean drama I watched a long time ago. And this fic is just *chef’s kiss*. I giggled the whole time. My favorite part is every time Kylo losing his shit. And he loses his shit a lot.

A Solo Guide To Wooing Girls by Ayearandaday | Rated: T

the Solo family and their weird ways to show affection.

Ben flirts and does all the wrong thing.

This fic is so adorable. Basically, Ben Solo’s flirting technique stops in when he was fourth grade and Rey just can’t be bothered (or is she really bothered by him? Hm?). Poe is Ben’s brother in this, and he fits in the Solo household so nicely.

and all i need is to be struck by your electric love by radioactivesaltghoul | Rated: T

Rey’s supposed to fake-break-up with her fake-boyfriend, but Ben’s been pissing her off more and more lately. What better way to irritate him by showering him in a public proposal that he has to say no to?

*inhales* L I S T E N

This fic has everything: Fake relationship. Dumbassery. Emotional constipation. Slow burn but not really (seriously, though. Even though this is a fairly short fic, the angst is everything). It’s got a happy and cliff-hanger ending which is totally worth it. So so funny.

keep me in your clouded mind by hi_raeth | Rated: T

Flu season has claimed its latest victim: Rey’s roommate, Ben Solo. But it’s fine. She’ll get him dressed, bring him to the hospital, and everything will be okay. Things are totally under control.

Except for the part where Ben has completely lost his verbal filter and keeps babbling about his feelings for her.

Okay. I'm very late to this fic. All I can say is, my face hurts from smiling while reading it. And I couldn’t stop thinking about the part where Ben says, “You should be my baby. And I’ll be yours.”

Eye—

i swear i hate you when you leave (but i like it anyway) by hi_raeth | Rated: T

Rey’s all about putting herself in other people’s shoes and empathy and being understanding, but Kylo Ren is The Actual Worst and no amount of empathy will ever change that. Seriously, fuck that guy. Also: literally, fuck that guy.

Or: five times Rey and Kylo have hate sex, and one time they do something... more.

Catching feelings? Rey and Ben? Pfft —

But seriously. I loved the intimacy displayed in this fic. 

There’s nothing wrong with explicit fics (I wrote one or two myself), but there’s something incredibly heart-warming when it’s being told this way. Anyway, I can’t wait to go through hi_raeth’s works.

Coveted by OptimisticBeth | Rated: E

Rey has never wanted nor needed a mate. So when it gets out that her new Pack Leader, Ben, is determined to claim her, she’s horrified to find that not only does she have to fend him off but all the strange alphas who come sniffing around. 

This is probably the first werewolf fic I’ve ever read? And I’m usually not into it (there’s nothing wrong with it). But I almost finished Soul Searching and I adore OptimisticBeth’s writing and characterization, so I just dived right in.

What I love about this fic is how delicate it is. I think that is expected since that’s also what I love about Soul Searching. 

If you find A/B/O relationship kinda off-putting due to power imbalance, etc., this fic might give you a different perspective, I think? Alpha Ben is so respectful of Omega Rey’s space, although in some situations he still makes his intention clear. And Rey is the one who has the upper hand in how their relationship progresses. I just love their dynamics.

Cupcake Wars by crossingwinter | Rated: E

Entirely by accident, Rey ends up fucking someone who works for Snoke's Cupcakery. She's just blowing off steam. It doesn't mean anything at all. It certainly won't come back to bite her in the ass.

I think crossingwinter is one of my early reylo fic writers (back when I didn’t have an ao3 account), and probably contributed in my introduction to A/B/O lol. (i want to wail (to the moon like a cat in heat) is still one of my faves.)

This fic is hilarious... and poignant, sorta? I love how real it feels. Yeah, I know, you might think, ‘well, of course it feels real! That’s the whole thing about fiction!’

But hey, look. This is what gets me attached to this fic: it feels like a story of ordinary people. And that *inhales* is *exhales* everything. The characters, their pain, their worries, their pettiness are so human.

Also, it doesn’t hurt that I can imagine Donald G and Joonas being Ben’s childhood besties, okay?

Wanting by Minkel23 | Rated: E

In one moment of weakness she gave him everything, and he’s been more than happy to take her meagre offering.

But him...

He’s always holding something back.

She tries not to let it bother her.

He said it himself, after all. They only have one night together. One night to fuck each other out of their systems. One night to quench this infernal wanting.

She’d be foolish to expect anything more.

Angst? Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst.

And it’s beautifully written. And yeah, angst.

I wish I could say something else, but angst is really the core of this fic. And Minkel23, as always, is one of the best writers in that department. 

In this story, Ben and Rey are tiptoeing around their own feelings toward each others. They end up hurting each other a lot. Like I said, angst.

Also, ruthless Leia is ruthless.

✨✨✨