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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
"Simply put, she intrigues me. How could she not? I can't stop thinking about her dream board-or whatever it is called-with the little perfectly cut out magazine pictures."
This is my first book by this author and it was definitely a good first impression as a new reader of hers. There are a few triggers that should be checked before reading (if you have any).
Inflame follows Claire and Nic's story. As they plan the bachelor/bachelorette together, we get to see their story unfold. Claire has a lot going on in her life, especially with her current boyfriend who is far from being a great man. This book is definitely a SLOW BURN but the build up of their story was so worth it.
As much as I am currently mad with Nic at the moment, I am excited to see what book 2 will entail for Claire and Nic.
Plot: 4/5
Spicy: 3.5/5
This is my first book by this author and it was definitely a good first impression as a new reader of hers. There are a few triggers that should be checked before reading (if you have any).
Inflame follows Claire and Nic's story. As they plan the bachelor/bachelorette together, we get to see their story unfold. Claire has a lot going on in her life, especially with her current boyfriend who is far from being a great man. This book is definitely a SLOW BURN but the build up of their story was so worth it.
As much as I am currently mad with Nic at the moment, I am excited to see what book 2 will entail for Claire and Nic.
Plot: 4/5
Spicy: 3.5/5
This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn’t wait to see how the story played out with Nic and Claire. This story took you through all the emotions and even had me yelling at it multiple times. Lol. Warning it does end in a cliffhanger but it is so worth it.
This book had me hooked from the first chapter! Claire is a burst of happy energy and Nic is grumpy man candy. I really enjoyed the banter and the journey this book took me on. Watching Claire deal with her personal issues and finally finding her fire towards the end of the book was so nice!
I will say that diets, things about food, and working out are mentioned a lot so that could be potential triggers for some.
With that being said recommend and can't wait for book two!
I will say that diets, things about food, and working out are mentioned a lot so that could be potential triggers for some.
With that being said recommend and can't wait for book two!
I loved this book. It kept me reading late into the night. :)
I cant wait for the next book..
I have a love/hate relationship with Nic. Now Ethan I wanted to throat punch from the beginning. Like nope not even a sliver of like for him.. Claire well I liked her but hate how naïve she was towards her relationship.
Over all I thought this was an amazing book.
I cant wait for the next book..
I have a love/hate relationship with Nic. Now Ethan I wanted to throat punch from the beginning. Like nope not even a sliver of like for him.. Claire well I liked her but hate how naïve she was towards her relationship.
Over all I thought this was an amazing book.
Inflame is the first book in the Toxic Desire duet by Victoria Dawson, and it is a grumpy meets sunshine forbidden romance between Nic, a cynical and commitment-phobic bachelor, and Claire, a vegan and optimistic best friend of his brother's fiancée. The two find out that they have more in common than they initially imagined when they are forced to work together to plan a joint bachelor and bachelorette party in Vegas. Nic is not searching for a serious relationship, while Claire is already committed to one person. Will they be able to withstand their toxic desire, or will they put everything on the line in order to find true love?
I had high hopes for this book, as I usually enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories with some humor and drama. However, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of depth, likability of the characters and the plot. This book just gave me a headache by the time I was halfway through. I only finished this book so that I could give an honest review and opinion.
The characters were first and foremost annoying and immature. Nic was a jerk who disrespected Claire's relationship and treated women like disposable items (even though the majority of the women didn't care). He used phrases like "You're not like other girls" and "You're too good for him" repeatedly in an offensive and sexist manner. She has a boyfriend, mister, and you're attempting to get into her pants. Aside from being wealthy and attractive, he lacked any redeeming traits or character development. Except for his appearance and wealth, he had any personality, which is alright, I suppose, but I expected more from him.
Claire was a doormat who let Nic walk all over her and cheat on her boyfriend. She was supposed to be a strong and independent woman, but she acted like a naive and insecure girl who needed validation from a man. She also had no personality or hobbies, except for being vegan and loving animals. She was constantly saying things like "I'm sorry" or "I don't know what to do". She also lacked self-respect or a backbone because she kept pardoning Nic's deceptions and lies. Given that Nate, her emotionally abusive lover (Nate is the subject of a separate essay), was the source of the most of those traits.
Secondly, the plot was predictable and boring. The book was full of unnecessary drama and angst, with no real conflict or tension. The book relied on the same old tropes and devices, such as miscommunication, secrets, misunderstandings, jealousy, exes, etc. The book also had no logic or consistency, as the characters acted out of character and made irrational decisions. Nic and Claire, for example, agreed to sleep together after only a few days of knowing each other, despite the fact that Claire had a boyfriend and Nic didn't want to be in a relationship. They also decided to keep their affair hidden from their friends and family, although knowing it would hurt them in the end. Claire resolved to disregard her feelings for Nic as well.
In conclusion, Inflame was just not my cup is tea. It was a poorly written and poorly executed romance novel that failed to deliver on its promise of a grumpy meets sunshine and forbidden romance. It was a frustrating and unsatisfying read that left me feeling annoyed. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quality romance novel with engaging characters and an interesting plot.
I had high hopes for this book, as I usually enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories with some humor and drama. However, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of depth, likability of the characters and the plot. This book just gave me a headache by the time I was halfway through. I only finished this book so that I could give an honest review and opinion.
The characters were first and foremost annoying and immature. Nic was a jerk who disrespected Claire's relationship and treated women like disposable items (even though the majority of the women didn't care). He used phrases like "You're not like other girls" and "You're too good for him" repeatedly in an offensive and sexist manner. She has a boyfriend, mister, and you're attempting to get into her pants. Aside from being wealthy and attractive, he lacked any redeeming traits or character development. Except for his appearance and wealth, he had any personality, which is alright, I suppose, but I expected more from him.
Claire was a doormat who let Nic walk all over her and cheat on her boyfriend. She was supposed to be a strong and independent woman, but she acted like a naive and insecure girl who needed validation from a man. She also had no personality or hobbies, except for being vegan and loving animals. She was constantly saying things like "I'm sorry" or "I don't know what to do". She also lacked self-respect or a backbone because she kept pardoning Nic's deceptions and lies. Given that Nate, her emotionally abusive lover (Nate is the subject of a separate essay), was the source of the most of those traits.
Secondly, the plot was predictable and boring. The book was full of unnecessary drama and angst, with no real conflict or tension. The book relied on the same old tropes and devices, such as miscommunication, secrets, misunderstandings, jealousy, exes, etc. The book also had no logic or consistency, as the characters acted out of character and made irrational decisions. Nic and Claire, for example, agreed to sleep together after only a few days of knowing each other, despite the fact that Claire had a boyfriend and Nic didn't want to be in a relationship. They also decided to keep their affair hidden from their friends and family, although knowing it would hurt them in the end. Claire resolved to disregard her feelings for Nic as well.
In conclusion, Inflame was just not my cup is tea. It was a poorly written and poorly executed romance novel that failed to deliver on its promise of a grumpy meets sunshine and forbidden romance. It was a frustrating and unsatisfying read that left me feeling annoyed. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quality romance novel with engaging characters and an interesting plot.
5 STARS AND FIRST IN A SERIES??Nic was attempting to get Claire to see the truth about Ethan. Which unfortunately like most girls (including me) until we are ready, we won’t see the truth. However, Claire and Nic’s chemistry? So adorable. Add in two supportive side characters? I want to know more about Graham and Angie!
I received this ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily, all thoughts/opinions above are my own.
I received this ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily, all thoughts/opinions above are my own.
Book one of the Toxic Desires Series 😍. This is actually a character continuation from Victorias previous series “The Entice Series”, so if you loved that one, you’ll love reading more about Claire here.
This book takes us through Claire’s journey after graduation as she struggles with a tough relationship, watching her best friend through pure happiness, and then there’s Nic. Tall, dark, and smoldering Nic. The heart wants what the heart wants, but is it always the best choice?
There’s trigger warnings to watch for as always!
Victoria did a great job building on the characters you grow to love from the Entice series. You get to watch them grow and mature throughout the book. I can’t wait for Toxic Desires Part 2!
This book had me hooked from the first chapter! Claire is a burst of happy energy and Nic is grumpy man candy. I really enjoyed the banter and the journey this book took me on. Watching Claire deal with her personal issues and finally finding her fire towards the end of the book was so nice!
I will say that diets, things about food, and working out are mentioned a lot so that could be potential triggers for some.
With that being said recommend and can't wait for book two!
I will say that diets, things about food, and working out are mentioned a lot so that could be potential triggers for some.
With that being said recommend and can't wait for book two!
Inflame by Victoria Dawson is book one in the Toxic Desire Duet. This is the first book I’ve read by the author, I must say I really enjoyed it. I will mention that there’s a series before this one called Entice. But I didn’t feel lost or that I was missing out on anything as I didn’t read that series before reading Inflame. I flew through this book, never once did I want to put my kindle down. The worldbuilding was great as were the descriptions. It was easy to imagine what I was reading, which I’m a fan. The plot and pace held steady throughout the book… oh boy the tension! Just to be on the safe side check trigger warnings.
My favorite part were the characters and how they were written. The building of emotions and tensions was really well done. I also really enjoyed the duel POV’s of Nic and Claire, their dynamic was great to read. My heart at points went out to Claire and what she was going through. I didn’t see the twist that happened coming! Also I will mention that this book ends in a cliffhanger. While I’m eagerly awaiting book two, I think I’ll go binge the Entice series.
Final review:
5 out of 5 stars
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Inflame (Toxic Desire #1) by Victoria Dawson publishing August 15th 2023
Picking up right up following the end of the Entice Series we now follow the story of Claire and Nic, the best friend and the brother of our previous main protagonists. It is recommended that you read Entice first to understand some of the wider context behind some of the characters actions.
I have been on Victoria’s ARC team since her debut and have watched her development as an author. This books deals with some series situations / circumstances so please (PLEASE 🙏) check the TW before you start.
There were moments in this book that made me giggle - I love the friendship and support that Angie and Claire have with / for one another. They are each others ride or die regardless of the men in their lives.
And then there were a lot of the time I wanted to launch my kindle across the room.
I found myself in a love / hate relationship with the characters - mainly Nic. I so wanted to love him especially because of his sweet moments but his self sabotage particularly at the lead up to the cliffhanger made me want to throttle him!
My heart broke for Claire and the situation that she’s in so I understand why her behaviour and decisions are what they are but at times I did find her infuriating.
Now please don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed reading this book. It gave me the grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, overprotective alpha male vibes with the spice you’d expect from a Victoria Dawson book while tackling some heavy topics woven into the story.
I now need the final instalment Implode publishing September 21st 2023 to see how it all ends and maybe Nic can redeem himself in my eyes (and more importantly Claire’s!!)
Picking up right up following the end of the Entice Series we now follow the story of Claire and Nic, the best friend and the brother of our previous main protagonists. It is recommended that you read Entice first to understand some of the wider context behind some of the characters actions.
I have been on Victoria’s ARC team since her debut and have watched her development as an author. This books deals with some series situations / circumstances so please (PLEASE 🙏) check the TW before you start.
There were moments in this book that made me giggle - I love the friendship and support that Angie and Claire have with / for one another. They are each others ride or die regardless of the men in their lives.
And then there were a lot of the time I wanted to launch my kindle across the room.
I found myself in a love / hate relationship with the characters - mainly Nic. I so wanted to love him especially because of his sweet moments but his self sabotage particularly at the lead up to the cliffhanger made me want to throttle him!
My heart broke for Claire and the situation that she’s in so I understand why her behaviour and decisions are what they are but at times I did find her infuriating.
Now please don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed reading this book. It gave me the grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, overprotective alpha male vibes with the spice you’d expect from a Victoria Dawson book while tackling some heavy topics woven into the story.
I now need the final instalment Implode publishing September 21st 2023 to see how it all ends and maybe Nic can redeem himself in my eyes (and more importantly Claire’s!!)