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juliafrat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
i have pretty mixed feelings about this book.
firstly, it is sorely lacking the heroine’s point of view. i get that the whole focus of the story is meant to be the priest grappling with his sin and religious guilt, but it literally felt like half the book was missing.
secondly, from the jump, the hero is thinking extremely degrading thoughts about poppy that made me so uncomfortable. as the story unfolds we learn that both characters are into bdsm and the heroine consents to being spoken about and treated in a degrading manner, but it takes too long for the reader to learn that, so tyler just comes off creepy in the first few chapters.
i don’t understand why writers of edgier/darker romance insist on being cute about the whole bdsm thing anyways. just call it what it is! if those terms were ever present on the page, i probably would have been less creeped out by the hero.
the truth is, though, catholicism is hot. it is the sexiest religion. this is a fact, i fear. so the sex scenes were literally scorching and i thought tyler’s internal conflict was flawlessly done. i also appreciated that he was sort of an anti-alpha hero and actively worked against being possessive and jealous.
in the end, i was never really invested in the relationship. i didn’t really care whether they ended up together at all. so, three stars.
firstly, it is sorely lacking the heroine’s point of view. i get that the whole focus of the story is meant to be the priest grappling with his sin and religious guilt, but it literally felt like half the book was missing.
secondly, from the jump, the hero is thinking extremely degrading thoughts about poppy that made me so uncomfortable. as the story unfolds we learn that both characters are into bdsm and the heroine consents to being spoken about and treated in a degrading manner, but it takes too long for the reader to learn that, so tyler just comes off creepy in the first few chapters.
i don’t understand why writers of edgier/darker romance insist on being cute about the whole bdsm thing anyways. just call it what it is! if those terms were ever present on the page, i probably would have been less creeped out by the hero.
the truth is, though, catholicism is hot. it is the sexiest religion. this is a fact, i fear. so the sex scenes were literally scorching and i thought tyler’s internal conflict was flawlessly done. i also appreciated that he was sort of an anti-alpha hero and actively worked against being possessive and jealous.
in the end, i was never really invested in the relationship. i didn’t really care whether they ended up together at all. so, three stars.
kaitlynreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
gracelindahl's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.75
hauntedhexgirll's review against another edition
2.0
I'll round up to 2.5 stars based on how intense the yearning was in the beginning, it was palpable. That was good for an instant lust book, but the book also became practically instant love too which I didn't like. It was way better when it was just a carnal obsession than romance.
But unfortunately there was a lot about this book I did not like as well. Like the fact that there was no plot outside of the smut. It was all smut, no plot.
Also why do we keep mentioning the The Walking dead? Why do we keep mentioning Netflix? Why is there so much emphasis on how much of a dark ladies man he was in college? As if it is totally believable for some college boy to be this perfect dominant? Also he's 29 and he can't cook? Gtfo. Also how are you going to try to be some dark sex god while your preference is fucking Winnie the Pooh style with your shirt still on. It takes away from the appeal to me. And quit mentioning her red lipstick and her teeth and the fact that you're a feminist. WE GET IT! And so much emphasis on clothes like this is some teenaged written Wattpad story, I don't need details of every fucking outfit everyday.
A lot of the dialogue was just really cringey and and corny. Like the whole phone sex bit, it was not good. That part should've been cut out of the book entirely. And the phrase "hard as fuck to harder than fuck"? REALLY? What the fuck was that? Inner Caveman? That was necessary? Don't forget the "senatorial voice" and "Madame secretary voice" back to back. "A smile that screamed Ivy League and financial analysis." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Please just shut the fuck up. Quit trying to make Poppy seem smarter and authoritarian than she is.
A strip club that only hires girls who "look expensive" yet she wears a blue wig? As a vivid/fashion hair color girly, I promise no one thinks the blue haired girl looks expensive.
And randomly at the end of the book its like being Irish is suddenly an important part of his identity? Since, uh, when? He casually mentions the fact that Poppy drinks like she's drowning as a part of why he loves her, sooo her random sudden alcoholism is sexy because you're Irish? Okay then.
We also could've left out the just the tip soaking, he's Catholic, not Mormon - the scene should've been something else that was actually sexy, not silly.
Plus a third act breakup that was unnecessary? So original.
And no personalities for the main couple outside of loving God, The Walking Dead, and sexual deviance like if you're going to be all smut, no plot. You have to make the couple worth it and they were not.
But unfortunately there was a lot about this book I did not like as well. Like the fact that there was no plot outside of the smut. It was all smut, no plot.
Also why do we keep mentioning the The Walking dead? Why do we keep mentioning Netflix? Why is there so much emphasis on how much of a dark ladies man he was in college? As if it is totally believable for some college boy to be this perfect dominant? Also he's 29 and he can't cook? Gtfo. Also how are you going to try to be some dark sex god while your preference is fucking Winnie the Pooh style with your shirt still on. It takes away from the appeal to me. And quit mentioning her red lipstick and her teeth and the fact that you're a feminist. WE GET IT! And so much emphasis on clothes like this is some teenaged written Wattpad story, I don't need details of every fucking outfit everyday.
A lot of the dialogue was just really cringey and and corny. Like the whole phone sex bit, it was not good. That part should've been cut out of the book entirely. And the phrase "hard as fuck to harder than fuck"? REALLY? What the fuck was that? Inner Caveman? That was necessary? Don't forget the "senatorial voice" and "Madame secretary voice" back to back. "A smile that screamed Ivy League and financial analysis." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Please just shut the fuck up. Quit trying to make Poppy seem smarter and authoritarian than she is.
A strip club that only hires girls who "look expensive" yet she wears a blue wig? As a vivid/fashion hair color girly, I promise no one thinks the blue haired girl looks expensive.
And randomly at the end of the book its like being Irish is suddenly an important part of his identity? Since, uh, when? He casually mentions the fact that Poppy drinks like she's drowning as a part of why he loves her, sooo her random sudden alcoholism is sexy because you're Irish? Okay then.
We also could've left out the just the tip soaking, he's Catholic, not Mormon - the scene should've been something else that was actually sexy, not silly.
Plus a third act breakup that was unnecessary? So original.
And no personalities for the main couple outside of loving God, The Walking Dead, and sexual deviance like if you're going to be all smut, no plot. You have to make the couple worth it and they were not.
siljezim's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alexrudd's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thethoughtdaughter's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
blindqueen's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
c0urtn3yy's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This was sooooo cringey & took me like 2 years to finish it; was finally sick of seeing it in my "currently reading" pile. I could've DNF'ed it but ya never know when something will surprise you later. There was no surprise here though. The spice was spicey, but the whole priest/church/etc theme is shoved down your throat the entire way. There's absolutely no substance to the characters & none of it was remotely believable - it felt like it was trying SO hard to be taboo that there just wasn't room for anything else. I'm sad I dished out $2 our whatever it was for this.
priddyk17's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0