Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Something Fabulous

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

48 reviews

carlyoc's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The characters are more of caricatures than realistic human beings and the hsitoricak setting isnt quite believable given the very modern tone, but once you get into it, this story is silly in a delightful and entertaining way.
Valentine, Duke of Malvern, is a stuffy and proper young man determined to do what is expected of him in society, even if it means marrying the childhood friend he has no true feelings for.
Arabella Tarleton is an overdramatic woman who reacts like a gothic novel heroine to Valentine's lackluster proposal by promptly fleeing into the night with her gender fluid friend Peggy.
Her equally overdramatic twin brother Bonaventure "Bonny" Tarleton ropes Valentine into chasing her down and apologizing before she can catch a ship to America.
During the chase, Bonny shows Valentine that there can be more to life than the narrow future laid out for him and they fall in love.
Always on the lookout for demisexual representation, I got some vibes from Valentine who says he had never truly experienced attraction before Bonny, although that may be largely because he didn't realize attraction to men was an option and suppressed or didn't recognize any such previous feelings. But it is only once he gets to know Bonny on an emotional level that he finds he has feelings for him whether he would like them or not.

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thepictureofromance's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The story and the writing were fantastic and I would encourage people to give this book a go. Unfortunately, the characters just didn't click for me and I found the sex really disappointing and unfortunately cringey. It was a good book, just not to my taste.

Also, the 'third act' break-up happened 95% of the way through the book. The ending felt incredibly rushed and really let down the whole book.

Extra also, I felt really frustrated with the way that Valentine was treated throughout this book. He was repeatedly trying to make amends (even though he was making mistakes as he tried to rectify his previous ones) but he absolutely did not deserve the treatment inflicted on him throughout this book. Especially being tied to a chair and then forced to sleep in a cellar. This whole situation just felt really unnecessary.

Final also, if I ever have to read a book that describes an arsehole as a 'hungry flower' again I will give up reading forever. I almost DNF'ed on the spot.

Content Warnings

kangaroo1990's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

The twins are simply horrible people and the author laughs off their abuse, violence, assault as ‘quirky’ making the only reasonable character as the one who has to change. Gun violence with no consequence is not quirky

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beepbeep101's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Valentine is adorable, and I spent most of this book just wanting him to be happy and stop yelling at people. I love that this explored gender roles and expectations, independence and autonomy, and figuring yourself out rather than miserably going along with what you think are the expectations placed on you. A fun “pomp, romp, and circumstance” indeed, with some poignant insights along the way.

No dragons but plenty of fun ~spicyness~

Content Warnings

f18's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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scarroll178's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book somehow manages to be as boring as it is ridiculous. Truly a feat of literary idiocy. The entire plot could have been avoided if the characters had used common sense. Bonny’s sister is a caricature of a young woman from this time period. The only enjoyable parts were the smut.

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silvernfire's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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sage_alexandra's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

bergha1998's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Duke Valentine believes it is his duty to his father’s memory to marry a childhood friend Belle. Except the girl won’t take his proposal even though it will make her life so much easier. And now she’s run away & he’s chasing her around the country with her twin brother Bonny.

MLM Romance, 3 1/2 🔥

“I believe we know when we do wrong. We feel it. In our hearts, our souls, our conscience. And nothing I have ever learned or known or felt has taught me to believe that love is wrong.”

“Inclined”—he was still yelling—“ to see good where I would not even think to try.”

“I sought closeness with fictional characters because I felt incapable of it with anyone else. After all, if someone isn’t real, there are no expectations, no chance of loss.”

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withlivjones's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Very fun, very silly, with some moments of really beautiful writing filled with tender romance and yearning.

The main couple’s romance was very sweet and while it isn’t exactly slow-burn, I’m glad that it still takes time for the conflict between them to be resolved after the initial getting together. Valentine is a very relatable protagonist in his struggle to balance his duty and his own preferences - I’m sure he’s somewhere on the aroace spectrum.

I did find Arabella somewhat infuriating but given that the story is told from Valentine’s point of view this is unsurprising. Peggy definitely deserves better, since she’s apparently the only character with more than one brain cell.

This is a book full of queer joy, and I had a lot of fun reading it.

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