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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
I’ve read a lot of dark romances, but the coercion, the manipulation and the gaslighting in this book were far too much for me and I only read 21% of it.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am glad I knew ahead of time how this book would go, because it is definitely an erotic psychological thriller and not a romance. But knowing that, it was very gripping and powerful.
It has taken me a few days to actually write this review as I just had to digest it all. It is dark, intense, really spicy and fantastically written. It puts your emotions through the wringer and really gets in your head. But what is scary is to see how easily people can be manipulated and I even shouted at the FMC at times telling her to wake up and see what he was doing. Please check the triggers before reading as there are quite a few but if like me you have none then I definitely recommend this book.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well, that was unexpected and unusual. Not quite the romance I expected, FILTHY, but not in the Jade West way I expected. Is it possible to both love and hate a book all at once? It's thought provoking and unsettling, and while there is a beautiful (and loved by me) HEA, this isn't really a romance for much of this story. At times I felt like this was a 5 star read, and other times I wasn't sure I could finish. I think that's the intention, though. And, it's certainly a page turner.
It’s hard for me to talk about my feelings on this story without sharing spoilers, and I do believe the impact of this story comes down to actually the way it twists and evolves. How your expectations pivot, how the story you think you are reading morphs into something else all together. But I caution you to carefully read the blurb and warning, because this is not at all the story you’re anticipating. In fact, at the end, I don’t even really think it is a romance story at all- though it certainly has a HEA and a romance to it.
What I appreciated about this story, and Jade’s writing in general, is how she delves into topics, relationship dynamics, desires and kinks without abandon. In ways that challenge me and incite my curiosity, my own interest. While her books are undoubtedly erotic, and deliciously so, her smut has always been substantial- there is meaning behind it, purpose. The desires and needs of her characters sexually are always implicity tied to the fabric of who they are as characters and often a catalyst to characters finding more about themselves, at times more fuffillmnet, and other times perhaps unanswerwed questions. Strangers in My Bed delivers on that Jade West experience- but in a wholly unexpected way. Creatively, Jade does something very different with the erotic and smutty side of this story- the role is plays to these characters is something I’ve not experience with her before. Cass and Ant are complicated and messy and intriguing- until….well, that’s the point of reading the story. But Jade explores and aspect of exploring sexual desires that is a question with a very different resolution in this story.
SO intellectually and spiritually, this story will impact you. It raised questions for me, made me think. Unsettled me, just in a different way. But, my rating really comes from where I struggled- namely, that this did not feel like romance to me. Again, we have an HEA, but the crux of it comes down to proportionality. Jade is telling many parts of Cass and Ant’s journey. We spend a lot of time in a narrative that ultimately ends up feeling more like a red herring….twists and all that jazz…and not enough time in meaningful resolution, or with other key story breaking characters. Again, hard to not spoil, but what felt absent to me in terms of the pacing was the actual LOVE part of this story- it comes, just far too late for me, and it feels a bit hard to invest a lot of story time in everything that came before that for the actual love to be short changed. That said, that’s likely an artistic choice- this is more Cass’s story than anything, and learning to love herself and be okay with what she needs and face her insecurities and desperation to be loved and cared for is the heart of it all. And truthfully, it’s a bit jarring- as someone who has longed for those things and perhaps made compromises or decisions through that lens verse the lens of my own expectation and need. So again, an impactful story.
I’ve thought about this story for days after reading it- so if you want something that burrows its way into you, look no further- this sticks. But if you’re here for some good ole edgey smutty Jade romance, perhaps tackle another, because romance this for me it was not. But props to Jade for taking such interesting creative risks, and for her always brilliant writing.
It’s hard for me to talk about my feelings on this story without sharing spoilers, and I do believe the impact of this story comes down to actually the way it twists and evolves. How your expectations pivot, how the story you think you are reading morphs into something else all together. But I caution you to carefully read the blurb and warning, because this is not at all the story you’re anticipating. In fact, at the end, I don’t even really think it is a romance story at all- though it certainly has a HEA and a romance to it.
What I appreciated about this story, and Jade’s writing in general, is how she delves into topics, relationship dynamics, desires and kinks without abandon. In ways that challenge me and incite my curiosity, my own interest. While her books are undoubtedly erotic, and deliciously so, her smut has always been substantial- there is meaning behind it, purpose. The desires and needs of her characters sexually are always implicity tied to the fabric of who they are as characters and often a catalyst to characters finding more about themselves, at times more fuffillmnet, and other times perhaps unanswerwed questions. Strangers in My Bed delivers on that Jade West experience- but in a wholly unexpected way. Creatively, Jade does something very different with the erotic and smutty side of this story- the role is plays to these characters is something I’ve not experience with her before. Cass and Ant are complicated and messy and intriguing- until….well, that’s the point of reading the story. But Jade explores and aspect of exploring sexual desires that is a question with a very different resolution in this story.
SO intellectually and spiritually, this story will impact you. It raised questions for me, made me think. Unsettled me, just in a different way. But, my rating really comes from where I struggled- namely, that this did not feel like romance to me. Again, we have an HEA, but the crux of it comes down to proportionality. Jade is telling many parts of Cass and Ant’s journey. We spend a lot of time in a narrative that ultimately ends up feeling more like a red herring….twists and all that jazz…and not enough time in meaningful resolution, or with other key story breaking characters. Again, hard to not spoil, but what felt absent to me in terms of the pacing was the actual LOVE part of this story- it comes, just far too late for me, and it feels a bit hard to invest a lot of story time in everything that came before that for the actual love to be short changed. That said, that’s likely an artistic choice- this is more Cass’s story than anything, and learning to love herself and be okay with what she needs and face her insecurities and desperation to be loved and cared for is the heart of it all. And truthfully, it’s a bit jarring- as someone who has longed for those things and perhaps made compromises or decisions through that lens verse the lens of my own expectation and need. So again, an impactful story.
I’ve thought about this story for days after reading it- so if you want something that burrows its way into you, look no further- this sticks. But if you’re here for some good ole edgey smutty Jade romance, perhaps tackle another, because romance this for me it was not. But props to Jade for taking such interesting creative risks, and for her always brilliant writing.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excuse my language, but that was the most batshit crazy book I’ve ever gd read. Just yowza. It was a tough read. And I don’t mean that because it was terrible writing. It just… I don’t think I knew what this book was going to be about. DEFINITELY check the trigger warning for this book cause wowieeeeee. As wild as this was, I still couldn’t put the book down. 3.5 stars
mind games galore
While this isn’t my normal read, Jade weaves a captivating world with steam, high emotional stakes and games played at a very manipulative level. Very well written. Things are definitely not always as they seem. That epilogue got me!
While this isn’t my normal read, Jade weaves a captivating world with steam, high emotional stakes and games played at a very manipulative level. Very well written. Things are definitely not always as they seem. That epilogue got me!
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes