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autumnwitch14's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Stalking
Moderate: Medical trauma, Classism, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Minor: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
witcheep's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
2.0
Read this book if you seek sexual tension building while a troubled past is being used as an edgy backdrop for smut scenes. If you want to read about a balanced relationship forming, pick up some other book (I suggest Hibbert's The Brown Sisters series, I'm far more impressed with those books than this one).
It bothers me that the Merry Inkmas's main characters Cash and Bailey are represented as nearly perfectly goodhearted people that want to save each others from the ghosts of their dark and traumatic pasts: Both their parents have been in different kinds of abusive relationships. This has lead to the main characters to close up in order to shield themselves from similar harm, but they seem to easily warm up to each other because of their sexual chemistry.
However, Cash and Bailey's relationship has big imbalances of power all the time: they are a customer and a server, or a boss and and employee. There is also economical inequality in their relationship. These things are not addressed enough in my opinion, even though they clearly affect the characters' choises in the present and bring up similar situations from their past where things went very badly. This is a novella so I understand there isn't room for very in depth bonding on mental level if you want to write about the sexual tension building up and releasing in multiple smut scenes, as happens in this book. Maybe I picked up a wrong book for me, but I would have preferred to see more chemistry in the interpersonal relationship besides the bedroom.
I hoped these issues would be at least mentioned in the ending, but they are completely brushed under the rug. In the epiloqueCash and Bailey are thrust into a happy ever after of one big family with seemingly no trauma or baggage remaining. The premises of this book had potential to discuss the heavy topics and show how to deal with them, but the novella falls short in this regard, unlike the other books by Hibbert I've read. Hibbert's later books address representation and struggles in a more wholesome and considerate way. Perhaps Merry Inkmas could have accomplished that as well, if it had been a fully fleshed out novel instead of a shorter novella.
It bothers me that the Merry Inkmas's main characters Cash and Bailey are represented as nearly perfectly goodhearted people that want to save each others from the ghosts of their dark and traumatic pasts: Both their parents have been in different kinds of abusive relationships. This has lead to the main characters to close up in order to shield themselves from similar harm, but they seem to easily warm up to each other because of their sexual chemistry.
However, Cash and Bailey's relationship has big imbalances of power all the time: they are a customer and a server, or a boss and and employee. There is also economical inequality in their relationship. These things are not addressed enough in my opinion, even though they clearly affect the characters' choises in the present and bring up similar situations from their past where things went very badly. This is a novella so I understand there isn't room for very in depth bonding on mental level if you want to write about the sexual tension building up and releasing in multiple smut scenes, as happens in this book. Maybe I picked up a wrong book for me, but I would have preferred to see more chemistry in the interpersonal relationship besides the bedroom.
I hoped these issues would be at least mentioned in the ending, but they are completely brushed under the rug. In the epiloque
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pregnancy
jourdanicus's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
5/5 on the spicy scale 🌶️ as usual, which I've come to expect and appreciate from Talia Hibbert. Sadly I felt the plot was a little rushed, which, I guess, ok, it's a novella. Worse than the pacing for me though was the emotional immaturity of Cash. I didn't really like that it was his mom who ended up telling Bailey all about their traumatic past. I felt like that should have been a moment between Cash and Bailey.
Also, something about the homeless person savior subplot rubs me the wrong way but idk. And the fact that Cash hadwatched Bailey in the coffee shop enough to draw her a lot without her knowledge... Seems kinda stalkerish in hindsight I guess?
Obviously I will continue to read more by the author, she's one of my favorites especially for romance and erotica, with POC and ND representation. This one just didn't hit like the others for me personally.
Also, something about the homeless person savior subplot rubs me the wrong way but idk. And the fact that Cash had
Obviously I will continue to read more by the author, she's one of my favorites especially for romance and erotica, with POC and ND representation. This one just didn't hit like the others for me personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Stalking, Mental illness, and Classism
jae_28's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was such a fun and cute read! It had a grumpy sunshine vibe (which is not my favorite trope) but it wasn’t overdone and was super sweet at times. The story was packed with so much emotion and had the feel of a full-blown novel.
It started out great! I loved the friendship between Cash, Bailey, and John. I desperately needed more of that but it would’ve dragged out the story more than the author probably wanted. I wished we’d seen a bit more of Bailey’s life though. I feel like we saw a little bit of it in the beginning but after that, other than college work she seemed isolated once she stepped into Cash’s world/space; we saw more of him while she basically told us about her. I thought she was somewhat close to her coworker in the beginning but they fell out of the story after that first scene.
The narrator was a bit brusque/quick even on the normal setting, but anyone can fix that by playing around with the playback speed. Only that will make the words sound a little dragged out, but it’s not unbearable.
Not gonna lie, there were times when the characters made me want to strangle them. I seriously despise the whole push-and-pull thing when it comes to developed/developing relationships. Cash legit gave me Edward Cullen vibes because of the whole “I really like her but I’m not good” thing.
But as I said, super cute read with moments of heavy emotion. Unless Hibbert decides to extend this in the future (wishful thinking on my part), I don’t see myself rereading it, but I don’t regret the experience either.
It started out great! I loved the friendship between Cash, Bailey, and John. I desperately needed more of that but it would’ve dragged out the story more than the author probably wanted. I wished we’d seen a bit more of Bailey’s life though. I feel like we saw a little bit of it in the beginning but after that, other than college work she seemed isolated once she stepped into Cash’s world/space; we saw more of him while she basically told us about her. I thought she was somewhat close to her coworker in the beginning but they fell out of the story after that first scene.
The narrator was a bit brusque/quick even on the normal setting, but anyone can fix that by playing around with the playback speed. Only that will make the words sound a little dragged out, but it’s not unbearable.
Not gonna lie, there were times when the characters made me want to strangle them. I seriously despise the whole push-and-pull thing when it comes to developed/developing relationships. Cash legit gave me Edward Cullen vibes because of the whole “I really like her but I’m not good” thing.
But as I said, super cute read with moments of heavy emotion. Unless Hibbert decides to extend this in the future (wishful thinking on my part), I don’t see myself rereading it, but I don’t regret the experience either.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Mental illness
notsobinaryart's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Mental illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Classism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Pedophilia
rickireadss's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
i wanted to love this SO bad. i honestly think if i had read the ebook, i would have enjoyed it more since i didn't really like the narrator. i did like the grumpy/sunshine aspect, the plus size rep, and the fact that our mmc was TATTED *swoon* but overall, i just felt like it was choppy and didn't really flow. like some of the scenes felt just thrown in there or abruptly happened, and i was like "woah, wait what???" not my favorite of talia's for sure, but i know many have loved it.
⚠️: domestic abuse, emotional abuse, home invasion, death of parent, mental illness, bigotry towards unhoused people, stalking, cancer, grief, adult/minor relationship (past, fmc’s mother)
⚠️: domestic abuse, emotional abuse, home invasion, death of parent, mental illness, bigotry towards unhoused people, stalking, cancer, grief, adult/minor relationship (past, fmc’s mother)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Grief, and Cancer
fatkidatheartreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
The Christmas vibes were definitely immaculate. Also, this will probably make no sense, but this is the most British of all her books. Lol. Anyway, here's to hoping I also meet a hot tattoo artist in approximately 3.5 months. Dear Santa...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness and Domestic abuse
ashleycmms's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Cancer, Death, Grief, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
jzthecatlady's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I devour everything Talia Hibbert writes, and this was no different. This had great pacing and was sweet and spicy.. although not gonna lie I wouldn't have minded a bit more spice. Overall, I though the story was great, but I wish it had been just a tad longer so we could have gotten to know the characters a little bit more. But definitely still a very fun and endearing read, as always.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse
pennedbykdb's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Mental illness