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mulang's review against another edition
I honestly don’t know how to rate dark romances books. I am not a huge fan of it and It was so fucked up but I will say, reading this felt like I was watching a car crash—I couldn’t look away.
bookboyfriendandhusbandmake3's review against another edition
5.0
Mariano excels at delivering dark romance in a way that only she can, and Even if it Hurts is all that and more.
Leave your morals in reality; there’s no place for them inside the Coastal Elite world.
The author’s note is there for a reason. Read it. If you are skeptical after reading it, stop there.
Don’t say you weren’t warned. This story isn’t an anti-hero or alpha-hole seeking redemption, Dare is a villain, and he has zero “fs” to give.
Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Gah. I don’t even know where to begin. Mariano kicked off this brand new Coastal Elite world with a morally bankrupt bang, and I am fucking here for it.
Aubrey is doing what she can to keep her head above water. She has a reality that isn’t like her peers. She’s dealing with more than her share of stress, and the way she handled it made me love her immediately. She had a perspective on things that showed a maturity well beyond her years. Not to say that some of that fell by the wayside when a traumatic event shined a spotlight on her. Dare has her in his crosshairs, and he gets what he wants.
Dare is a conniving, manipulative asshole. I LOVE him. When I’m immersed in a fictional world, I love it when an author is able to not only make it possible for me to escape reality, but become so immersed inside the world they created that everything about real life ceases to exist, and that goes for any and all real life expectations of love and relationships. My addiction to morally bankrupt, manipulative book boyfriends started with Mateo, and Dare definitely has an addictive darkness that is *almost* on par with Mateo.
The chemistry between Dare and Aubrey was fanatical. A hero swooped in and saved the damsel in distress one moment, and the villain abandoned all pretense of being a hero the next. Dare knew the moment he met Aubrey that nothing, not even her, could stop him from keeping her.
If you’re looking for a bad boy who crosses lines and then seeks atonement, this isn’t that. Not even a little. Not even at all. Dare lives in a world that’s pitch black. He has no patience for inconvenient things like morals or the law.
Even if it Hurts is an all-consuming blend of explosive chemistry, a sweetly naïve heroine, a manipulative villain, boundaries that are laughable, morals that are pitch black, and nth degree steam. I’m completely enamored, and I can't wait to spend more time immersed in the Coastal Elite world.
Unequivocally a top dark read of 2022.
Website | Amazon | Facebook | Instagram
Leave your morals in reality; there’s no place for them inside the Coastal Elite world.
The author’s note is there for a reason. Read it. If you are skeptical after reading it, stop there.
Don’t say you weren’t warned. This story isn’t an anti-hero or alpha-hole seeking redemption, Dare is a villain, and he has zero “fs” to give.
Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Gah. I don’t even know where to begin. Mariano kicked off this brand new Coastal Elite world with a morally bankrupt bang, and I am fucking here for it.
Aubrey is doing what she can to keep her head above water. She has a reality that isn’t like her peers. She’s dealing with more than her share of stress, and the way she handled it made me love her immediately. She had a perspective on things that showed a maturity well beyond her years. Not to say that some of that fell by the wayside when a traumatic event shined a spotlight on her. Dare has her in his crosshairs, and he gets what he wants.
Dare is a conniving, manipulative asshole. I LOVE him. When I’m immersed in a fictional world, I love it when an author is able to not only make it possible for me to escape reality, but become so immersed inside the world they created that everything about real life ceases to exist, and that goes for any and all real life expectations of love and relationships. My addiction to morally bankrupt, manipulative book boyfriends started with Mateo, and Dare definitely has an addictive darkness that is *almost* on par with Mateo.
The chemistry between Dare and Aubrey was fanatical. A hero swooped in and saved the damsel in distress one moment, and the villain abandoned all pretense of being a hero the next. Dare knew the moment he met Aubrey that nothing, not even her, could stop him from keeping her.
If you’re looking for a bad boy who crosses lines and then seeks atonement, this isn’t that. Not even a little. Not even at all. Dare lives in a world that’s pitch black. He has no patience for inconvenient things like morals or the law.
Even if it Hurts is an all-consuming blend of explosive chemistry, a sweetly naïve heroine, a manipulative villain, boundaries that are laughable, morals that are pitch black, and nth degree steam. I’m completely enamored, and I can't wait to spend more time immersed in the Coastal Elite world.
Unequivocally a top dark read of 2022.
Website | Amazon | Facebook | Instagram
katygeewrites's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
•Dark Romance
•Non-Con
•Dub-Con
•Manipulation
•Mind Games
•Somnophilia
•Unhinged MMC
•Virgin FMC
•Good Girl/ Bad Boy
•High School Romance
•Cheating
I love love love a good unhinged mmc and I love Sam Marinos writing but idk something about Dare didn’t give me that same feeling I’ve gotten from other unhinged mmc’s by the end of the book.
I really loved this book for most of the book, it was a five star until Dare started flirting with Hannah. She said “you’re only doing it to scare me” but even to scare her it gave me the ick. Rubbing his finger on her lips, her neck. Pinning her against the wall. Talking to her close enough she could feel his breath on her mouth. Excuse me?! Dare often flirts with threats and rough touches with Aubrey (the fmc) so for him to be doing the SAME thing to Hannah actually pissed me off. Then at the end he hinted at a threesome which only solidified him wanting Hannah for me (although he said it was a joke. Puh-lease 🙄). And the picture he took of her, what is that about? (I know this is part of a series so maybe it’s answered in a different book).
The book felt unfinished at the end and the next book isn’t about them so it left me feeling like I needed more. It also annoyed me how even at the end of the book Aubrey just accepted every command Dare gave. I understood why she didn’t have a backbone throughout the beginning and middle but to still not have one at the end was a bit frustrating.
I did enjoy how manipulative Dare was. The way he would spin things and say them every time in a way Aubrey believed them had even ME wanting to believe them. It really felt like I was being genuinely manipulated and it had me feeling emotionally drained and on the verge of tears which was a first for me. It’s crazy I’ve read MUCH darker books but this one really triggered me and I loved that Sam Marino managed that 😂 I’ve never read a book that triggered me. I have zero trigger warnings so I’m shocked honestly. This is also the first book I’ve ever read that I wasn’t bothered by the cheating, although technically is wasn’t cheating in a sexual aspect because Anae encouraged it but more of mentally cheating because he fell for Aubrey.
If it wasn’t for the interactions he had with Hannah this would’ve been five star read for me but that made me want to dnf and not read further. I did but I couldn’t rate it anything over 3 stars for that reason. It was disappointing honestly and I’m sad. I will read more Sam Mariano books though because I do enjoy her writing.
•Non-Con
•Dub-Con
•Manipulation
•Mind Games
•Somnophilia
•Unhinged MMC
•Virgin FMC
•Good Girl/ Bad Boy
•High School Romance
•Cheating
I love love love a good unhinged mmc and I love Sam Marinos writing but idk something about Dare didn’t give me that same feeling I’ve gotten from other unhinged mmc’s by the end of the book.
I really loved this book for most of the book, it was a five star until Dare started flirting with Hannah. She said “you’re only doing it to scare me” but even to scare her it gave me the ick. Rubbing his finger on her lips, her neck. Pinning her against the wall. Talking to her close enough she could feel his breath on her mouth. Excuse me?! Dare often flirts with threats and rough touches with Aubrey (the fmc) so for him to be doing the SAME thing to Hannah actually pissed me off. Then at the end he hinted at a threesome which only solidified him wanting Hannah for me (although he said it was a joke. Puh-lease 🙄). And the picture he took of her, what is that about? (I know this is part of a series so maybe it’s answered in a different book).
The book felt unfinished at the end and the next book isn’t about them so it left me feeling like I needed more. It also annoyed me how even at the end of the book Aubrey just accepted every command Dare gave. I understood why she didn’t have a backbone throughout the beginning and middle but to still not have one at the end was a bit frustrating.
I did enjoy how manipulative Dare was. The way he would spin things and say them every time in a way Aubrey believed them had even ME wanting to believe them. It really felt like I was being genuinely manipulated and it had me feeling emotionally drained and on the verge of tears which was a first for me. It’s crazy I’ve read MUCH darker books but this one really triggered me and I loved that Sam Marino managed that 😂 I’ve never read a book that triggered me. I have zero trigger warnings so I’m shocked honestly. This is also the first book I’ve ever read that I wasn’t bothered by the cheating, although technically is wasn’t cheating in a sexual aspect because Anae encouraged it but more of mentally cheating because he fell for Aubrey.
If it wasn’t for the interactions he had with Hannah this would’ve been five star read for me but that made me want to dnf and not read further. I did but I couldn’t rate it anything over 3 stars for that reason. It was disappointing honestly and I’m sad. I will read more Sam Mariano books though because I do enjoy her writing.
mafer1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
maisierobson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Loved this! I love this author! Her books hit everytime and she does dark romance very well. The MMC was dark- no questions about it. I liked that the book kept you guessing as to what was the real truth despite the multiple POV’s. The Mmc is a psychopath and this is portrayed very well. I also liked the contrast between the Mmc version of crazy (psychopath) in comparison to his previous girlfriend (sociopath). However I wish you got to see just a bit more genuine interactions between the fmc and mmc to help build the relationship from her pov (as I know it was completely toxic).
waheela's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I liked this much more than Untouchable. So im happy I decided to try another og the authors books.
Dare was a chefs kiss of a MMC. Unhinged and apologetic with no groweling. I enjoyed him immensely.
Special shoutout to Anae - who was fun as well.
Dare was a chefs kiss of a MMC. Unhinged and apologetic with no groweling. I enjoyed him immensely.
Special shoutout to Anae - who was fun as well.
criticallyromantic's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars.
I supermuch enjoyed the reading of this book, I really did. I like Sam Mariano's writing and I generally enjoy her darker heroes from an it's-just-fiction perspective, but this one left me with a bit of a "Have we gone too far with the dark romance?" hangover. I also felt like it was wrapped up a little too smoothly for the... level of dark that it delved into.
I supermuch enjoyed the reading of this book, I really did. I like Sam Mariano's writing and I generally enjoy her darker heroes from an it's-just-fiction perspective, but this one left me with a bit of a "Have we gone too far with the dark romance?" hangover. I also felt like it was wrapped up a little too smoothly for the... level of dark that it delved into.
foxyfoxtrot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
littlestqueen's review against another edition
2.0
Few things here.
1. No
2. No
3. Also no.
For starters, I went into this without realizing it was a bully romance. And I haven’t been a big fan of those as of recent. Second, what the actual fuck. There was no character arc, no hero redemption. And what the hell was up with the whole Hannah thing? At the very least, she could’ve been thrown a damn bone. The ending was boring too.
1. No
2. No
3. Also no.
For starters, I went into this without realizing it was a bully romance. And I haven’t been a big fan of those as of recent. Second, what the actual fuck. There was no character arc, no hero redemption. And what the hell was up with the whole Hannah thing? At the very least, she could’ve been thrown a damn bone. The ending was boring too.