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heidi_grey's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief and Suicide
chloelj27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Suicide
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Grief, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
dead_wallflower's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
katierosecrane's review
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved the subject of the book and the spiritual aspect incorporated into their love. Love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Mental illness, Sexual content, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Alcohol, Grief, Death, and Sexual violence
paperkindle's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
What an absolute stupid book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Grief, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I want to read this because it was all over the book community. I knew this book would have me questioning my morals the whole way through. But holy mother of balls, I feel like I'm going to hell for enjoying this book.
This book follows Father Bell. He is a priest and there are many rules a priest cannot break. A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God. Father Bell has had no problems playing by these rules for the last three years after a family tragedy set him on this path to priesthood. But this all changes when the sultry voice of Poppy Danforth sinks its claws in them through the screen of the confessional booth, and he can’t get her sins out of his head. It should be easy for Father Bell to put his impure thoughts of her to rest, considering the vows he has taken. It should be nothing to overcome what the sight and sound of her does to him, when his life with the Church meant everything. But the more he sees Poppy inside and outside of the church, the more she makes him feel like Tyler Bell instead of Father Bell. It gets worse once he has his first forbidden taste of her lips, Tyler can’t help but break all his rules for Poppy – no matter what it might cost them both.
I liked that it wasn’t all smut and no story, there was an actual story with actual characters with two very different family dynamics and very real traumas. I think Tyler’s head was a very intriguing and damaging place, knowing why he joined the church and trying not to go down the same road whilst falling in love was difficult and confusing for him. Also, I love the fact that he fell in love with a stripper which obviously added to the sin aspect of the book. Poppy, I thought was also a damaged character who didn’t understand why she was like this and instead of going to therapy she went to church. The smut was fire and honest to god, the alter chapter is going to be stuck in my brain for longer than normal.
I disliked the single POV, even though I was surprised to see that this was from a male’s point of view being the priest, I would have loved for this to be a dual POV especially with the last couple of chapters when they were apart. I liked the forbidden aspect of the story, but felt like it was easily pushed aside once Tyler got over his inner monologue and started sleeping with Poppy. I would have liked more of the forbiddenness.
I feel like I need to go to church after reading this book but I'm looking forward to Sean’s book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Cursing, Suicide, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship
hellowildflower's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Stalking and Sexual assault
mrssmithslibrary's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
booksalacarte's review against another edition
challenging
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
2.75
2.75⭐️ 4.5🌶️
Forbidden love
Taboo romance
Contemporary romance
Miscommunication
MMC POV
The book’s story/character’s meet cute is starts kind of abruptly with very little context on the FMC’s side. The FMC point of view isn’t actually her POV, but her confessions to the MMC. So the all male POV was something new in contemporary romance, for me.
I was mistaken that this was a dark romance. What I expected to happen, did not happen. It felt like there was foreshadowing for it, but then kind of felt like a dud… but in reality it’s just a taboo romance… set up like a dark romance?
The spirituality of the book is what caught me off guard. On one hand it seemed so genuine, raw and applicable, on the other hand it seemed perverse and fetishized in many different ways. I found myself very conflicted with the juxtaposition of the premise of the plot/theme/spice. I also kept reading… so I don’t know what that says about me.
I’m reading the next book to see if it’s a copy and paste situation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, and Abandonment
usjdjfnnffm2737's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence