Reviews

Even if it Hurts by Sam Mariano

jcouch76's review against another edition

5.0

Prefect read for when you need something dark, most of the time I feel like books drag on but this one I needed more of!!

yasr's review against another edition

They were both clinically insane! Headache in a book…

mspepesilva's review against another edition

2.0

Gah, I find Sam Mariano (as much as I love her) to be such hit and miss. I really wanted to like this but did not find the MMC charming at all. I officially think I've outgrown high school age couples in books.

paulinepham's review against another edition

4.0

4.25/5 ⭐️

Godamn, Dare is such a psycho... but I loved it.

bookish_kayy's review against another edition

4.0

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sanyaes_library's review against another edition

4.0

[I read this back in April when it was part of the anthology, this is my first reaction review from the past. i've changed my initial rating from 3 stars to 4 stars because I haven't forgotten about this book months later.]

imagine you're in high school, your mom is sick so you're working a part time job just to get by. one day at work, you accidentally piss off a popular girl at school, who is a sociopath. unbeknownst to you, she comes up with a revenge plot against you. she tells her handsome, popular, wealthy boyfriend to trick you into falling in love with him then break your heart. did I mention he's a sociopath too? he literally nail guns someone's hands to a park bench for online bullying, the fmc...

_______my rambling______
okay, I'm shook. this is crazy. I don't know if I should label this a dark romance? perhaps a domestic thriller with some smut... make sure you read the authors note and content warnings that she took the time to write out. this sh*t is not for the faint of heart and I'm so torn on how to feel about Dare. Sam Mariano's writing is amazing. she writes some of the best villains I've ever read. there is an HEA but the ending really fucked with my mind... idk what to believe or think. i do plan on rereading, i feel like a reread would be more enjoyable for me since i know how it ends.

my cons:
•i wanted more of a connection between the mcs then i think i could've trusted Dare
•the ow drama is annoying

amberreadsromance28's review against another edition

4.0

I am not sure how to review this book. It was a crazy ride and I wanted to give it 5 stars. It's just hard to give 5 stars to a book where you don't feel happy the hero (in this case antihero/villian) gets the girl.

I absolutely loved Untouchable and Carter Mahoney, however he was not as psycho as Dare. This book felt like a romantic thriller. Dare's POV made me uncomfortable and my stomach would be in knots. That's what is so genius about Sam Mariano. I couldn't put it down and would like to continue with her new series coming out.

I have not read anything like it, so I would recommend it to dark romance fans looking for a unique book.

pussnb00ks's review against another edition

4.0

i am disturbed and confused and feel like i should surrender myself to a psychiatric facility....

chatterbookbabe's review against another edition

5.0

Before I begin my review, I want to be clear that THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Let's be honest, most of this author's aren't, but this one in particular goes a step further than the others she's written.

Dare is not just a bad boy with psychopathic tendencies. He's a LITERAL psychopath. There is no changing for the heroine or any of the usual bullshit you read in dark romance.

I don't even quite understand how I enjoyed the story as much as I did, because it's not something that would always appeal to me. I have come to the conclusion that I have no choice but to credit the author's talent.



If anybody wants to know why I read Sam Mariano's work, Even if it Hurts is a prime example. It's unique, well written, intriguing, perfectly paced, hot, and twisted af. In other words, it's pure perfection, and I loved every single second of it!



Dare's the same disturbed individual from the beginning of the book to the end. He's just so charming and manipulative that Aubrey has no clue until it's too late. Even the reader doesn't understand the full extent of his kaleidoscope of crazy for a large portion of the story.



Getting inside Dare's mind and seeing how it works is one of my favorite things about this book. Everything he does is purposeful, well thought out, and planned. He isn't spontaneous, rash, or led by emotion. He's extremely methodical. Nothing happens by accident where he is concerned.



Dare unveils himself slowly, bit by bit, careful not to put Aubrey off by showing his full psycho too soon. In his own words, he is a predator, and Aubrey is prey. He lays a very appealing trap for her, and unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), she gets caught in it.



Aubrey and Dare's relationship is going to make a lot of people uncomfortable. It is not healthy. In fact, it's toxic as hell. There is no balance of power. Dare has it, and Aubrey does not.



Despite that, Aubrey is far from miserable. I wouldn't have had as good of a time with this story if that was the case. It was fun to explore the dynamic between a psychopath and the woman that loves him. In real life, this would be a horror story, but since it's not, we're free to enjoy the insanity!



Dare's obsessed with Aubrey. He takes care of her, "loves" her in his own way, and doesn't ever WANT to hurt her. Dare wants Aubrey to be happy...unless that happiness is in conflict with his own of course. He wants her to be his forever. Thankfully, she loves him, because she doesn't actually get a choice in the matter. He protects her. Sure it may sometimes be in a way she finds horrific, but it's the thought that counts, right?



Several events that take place over the course of this story (often times between the "hero" and heroine themselves) are unsettling, immoral, criminal, and just all around fucked up. I'm talking somnophilia, violence, emotional manipulation, and more. Don't come into this book expecting anything conventional when it comes to the romance, because you will be sorely disappointed.



Just enjoy the ride for what it is, and don't place any expectations on it. Dare is such an interesting character. I couldn't get enough of him, and if nothing I've said thus far has put you off, you'll probably feel the same.



Fingers crossed we get a lot more of Dare and Aubrey in future books and possibly even another book of their own one day. It definitely feels like there is more to their story. Parker and Landon's book is coming next, and I can't tell you how fucking excited I am for it!!



If you haven't read Undertow already, DO IT. It was originally released in the Bully God anthology, but I believe it's going to be published on it's own sometime soon. Of course, after reading Even if it Hurts, I'm dying for Hannah's story now, too.



I have a feeling the Coastal Elite series is going to turn out to be as intricately woven, addictive, and captivating as Sam's Morelli Family series that had me in a chokehold back in 2018. I've never read anything like it before or since, so if I'm right, this series might just become my new favorite!



Dark romance fans, this one's for you!

tobegolden's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed reading this and adore the authors writing and dialogue but this book felt unfinished. I honestly thought reading toward the end that there was a sequel. It’s seemed rushed and unresolved.