Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - Welcome to the Dark Side

Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Welcome to the Dark Side by Giana Darling

12 reviews

shaykay's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

I have been curious about this book since finishing the first book. I read them back to back since I'll be posting my TikTok/Instagram reviews back to back, but there was actually an almost 2-month gap between these two reads. We kind of go into this one already knowing the main couple, and I'm fine with an age gap. But things get a little complicated for me when the older character is like a parent figure throughout the younger character's whole life. Granted, Zeus is a complicated man in prison for much of this. And he isn't a parent figure but a pen pal with Lou. Then, the second she takes things a little too far, he cuts contact with her. He also brings up a lot that she's the same age as his kids, there shouldn't be any relationship with her, and then when she's a teen, he talks about how he shouldn't feel this way towards her or even think about crossing that line. But Lou is obsessed with this man and knows that this is her soulmate from the second he saves her. There were moments I loved in this thing, and I was obsessed, but the book gets a bit steam-heavy, and I wish we had more of the MC. I am curious about later books in this series. Still, I'm not rushing to pick up book 3 because it's another age gap, and I need more of the MC. I know from the epilogue of this book that Zeus refuses to let Harleigh in the MC. She ends up with the cop, so I know I'll eventually pick it up, but I need a break from it now. I'm curious about other Darling books, so what was your favorite book that Giana Darling read?

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isajidy's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition

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bookishbabbles's review

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dark emotional tense slow-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

I can’t believe I actually finished this book! This book was so hard to finish because of it’s dark themes. First, this book features Pedophilia! This book is about grooming and child molestors. I went into it thinking that it would be a traditional age gap but it is not. The characters first meet when the girl was 7!!!! I like dark books but this is just way too much. The male character gets off on the fact that the girl is an underage child. She does all the little girl things such as “sucking on a Lollipop” which is constantly brought up. During sex, the male character calls her “little girl” and that I could not stomach. He is very clear that he’s “loved her since they met” when she was 7! Mind you, when they finally get together the girl is still 17. I don’t shame anyone but I cannot stomach this kind of thing. I couldn’t think of these scenes as “sexy” they just made my stomach turn. Would not recommend unless you are truly into “Dark and Twisted” romance, not just getting into it.

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cocpop_reads's review

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dark emotional hopeful fast-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

5.0

Zeus Garro and LouLou have my heart. I loved this book the first time I read it, and I love it even more the second time around.

This is taboo romance. Large age gap, and the FMC is 17. So if any of that is too much, I would not read this book.

I loved Lou from the start. I loved that she pushed herself, and chose to do things for herself. My heart broke for the parents she was given, and it really forced her to grow up fast. I can never say a bad thing about her. I think my favorite relationship besides her and Zeus, was her and Mute. They just had a pure connection, and this book broke me.

And ain’t nobody throwing down quite like Zeus. He was very aware of the optics of his relationship with Lou, but you could tell her never did anything to harm her. He loved his girl from the start, and while that may be off putting to some, their connection just made sense.

5/5 on the spicy scale. The mouth on Zeus, and the fact that Lou was just as dirty as him. My favorite scene will forever be her stripping for him. Just because of the confidence on her, and the determination to get what she wanted.

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