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frantically's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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? No
5.0
This deserves all the hype it got and is definitely one of my 2023 highlights (if not one of my romance highlight). Abbie and Damien are perfect for eachother and seeing their relationship develop from "not in it for anything serious" to "hey you're my soulmate" was so beautiful — and I wasn't complaining about the revenge plot 😉 I was scared there was gonna be a typical 75% break-up but it wasn't what I expected and I'm so glad. The way The Drama™ was handled was so much more fitting for the characters and really realistic. I loved to see Abbie reinvent herself after her relationship with Richard and I'm so glad we're starting to turn over a new page in romance mc's who embrace their femininity and love for girlish things instead of pushing it away. Morgan Elizabeth's books just get better with each one she writes and I'm so happy to be along the ride with her ❤
P.S.: Download the bonus scene! Totally worth it for my Hannah & Abbie sister feels
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Pregnancy
annikaa's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Infidelity
backitupmoony's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Body shaming
Minor: Domestic abuse and Violence
forgottencupoftea's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Infidelity and Abandonment
bffbookclubbritt's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Sometimes I wish I could be one of those people that’s just along for the ride, but alas, I am not. This is genuinely one of the worst books I’ve ever read.
Abbie wants revenge on her jerk boyfriend who broke up with her because she’s not Reese Witherspoon so she decides to sleep with his boss who is not Luke Wilson. This is a classic case of too much tell and not enough show. I get it, you like pink. I get it, he’s a jerk. I get it, the boss is a hottie. I got to the point where I would skip entire pages and literally missed nothing from the story because it was so repetitive.
This book starts off as “sticking it to the patriarchy” by getting revenge on a controlling a-hole, but then she ends up dating A CONTROLLING A-HOLE. Like cool if that’s what the author is into but don’t pretend you’re going to make this about women’s rights then make the love interest just a different flavor of sexist.
Don’t even get me STARTED on the cringey romance scenes and constant grammatical errors. *shivers*
0/5 stars, honestly.
Abbie wants revenge on her jerk boyfriend who broke up with her because she’s not Reese Witherspoon so she decides to sleep with his boss who is not Luke Wilson. This is a classic case of too much tell and not enough show. I get it, you like pink. I get it, he’s a jerk. I get it, the boss is a hottie. I got to the point where I would skip entire pages and literally missed nothing from the story because it was so repetitive.
This book starts off as “sticking it to the patriarchy” by getting revenge on a controlling a-hole, but then she ends up dating A CONTROLLING A-HOLE. Like cool if that’s what the author is into but don’t pretend you’re going to make this about women’s rights then make the love interest just a different flavor of sexist.
Don’t even get me STARTED on the cringey romance scenes and constant grammatical errors. *shivers*
0/5 stars, honestly.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, and Infidelity
cluckieduck's review
lighthearted
fast-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
2.0
Ohhh boy, seems I'm in the minority with this holiday romp, but I found it completely cringe-worthy. Everything from the dialogue, to the plot, to sex just...no. And the pages upon pages of inner monologue minus any fulsome introspection?? I really started skimming ~50% because it was just became the same old, same old.
I know that, as romance readers, we need to suspend our disbelief and enjoy the fantasy of HEAs but this relationship is toxic AF. You're gonna tell me that a self-described player who enjoys his women 'young, blonde, and soft' will change his spots with a woman who's been unceremoniously dumped after being trapped in a 4-year abusive relationship and it's gonna work out?? While I enjoyed the age-gap, Damien and his magic peen were too perfect. If Damien says it's ok, Abbie believes it's ok. Damien says 'yes', Abbie says 'oh.' The number of first time experiences for Abbie because 'guys don't do that' or 'guys don't like that,' but in swaggers 'Mr. Man' Damien to show her how a 'real man' behaves...my eyes could not have rolled further back.
Anyways, I didn't connect with either MC or any side character and found the story fairly lacklustre. The perfect holiday read it was not.
I know that, as romance readers, we need to suspend our disbelief and enjoy the fantasy of HEAs but this relationship is toxic AF. You're gonna tell me that a self-described player who enjoys his women 'young, blonde, and soft' will change his spots with a woman who's been unceremoniously dumped after being trapped in a 4-year abusive relationship and it's gonna work out?? While I enjoyed the age-gap, Damien and his magic peen were too perfect. If Damien says it's ok, Abbie believes it's ok. Damien says 'yes', Abbie says 'oh.' The number of first time experiences for Abbie because 'guys don't do that' or 'guys don't like that,' but in swaggers 'Mr. Man' Damien to show her how a 'real man' behaves...my eyes could not have rolled further back.
Anyways, I didn't connect with either MC or any side character and found the story fairly lacklustre. The perfect holiday read it was not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism, Gaslighting, and Misogyny
Minor: Body shaming and Infidelity
symabee's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
3/5 🌶
*Age Gap
A woman seeks revenge on her douchebag ex-boyfriend by hooking up with his boss, but she never expected she'd fall for him.
This was a really cute spin on legally blonde! The FMC Abbie had a heart of gold and is trying to rediscover herself after a horrible relationship ends, and the MMC Damien is a kind and successful lawyer who just wants to treat Abbie right. What's not to love?
*Age Gap
A woman seeks revenge on her douchebag ex-boyfriend by hooking up with his boss, but she never expected she'd fall for him.
This was a really cute spin on legally blonde! The FMC Abbie had a heart of gold and is trying to rediscover herself after a horrible relationship ends, and the MMC Damien is a kind and successful lawyer who just wants to treat Abbie right. What's not to love?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Infidelity
lisa_m's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.25
I can understand why people love this book and I truly don't think it was bad. That's why I want to premise my review by saying:
I don't really like age-gap romances, they make be kind of uncomfortable. So basically this book was good and I might have rated it even higher. I just had to rate it at 3.5 stars because the smut scenes made me uncomfortable as well as some other things I will get into.
Okay first I want to write down everything I enjoyed about this book:
- I really liked the female friendship between Abbie, Cam & Kat. I generally really enjoy friendships like that in books and I think it was really well done. The friends had enough personality of their own to make them more than just boring side characters.
- I also liked Abbie most of the time. She reminded me a lot of Elle from Legally Blond who I really like (and I am quite sure she was also inspired by Elle). She is fun and unapologetically feminin, loud and interested.
- I also like Damien generally. He does often feel like a 'perfect man'. He's understanding, kind, rich (and 'self-made' rich as well & without taking advantage of people and instead helping those in need). He is caring, listens to everything Abbie tells him, he wants to build her up and values her work and he is basically obsessed with her after knowing her for less than 24 hours.
I just do not think that is a really person. (Great escapism though).
- I also quite liked the Revenge aspect of the story. Richard is truly horrible and watching his life be ruined and him being put in his place is so gratifying and cathartic.
That being said here are the things that I didn't really enjoy:
- Abbie is fun and bubbly but also she seems a bit like an old white man's fantasy. That's also why it made me uncomfortable when Damien calls her a whore and often reduces her to her looks. There are good moments but often (especially during/before the smut scenes) I felt like I was just reading about a controlling, rich, old man sleeping with a twenty-something year old girl (I think he is 42? She is 28?).
- I did not like him calling Abbie 'Rubia'. I did quite like 'naranja' (because it was explained). I don't I get why he had to use two different pet names though. (I googled it and Rubia apparently means Blonde... still I don't like it.
I don't really like age-gap romances, they make be kind of uncomfortable. So basically this book was good and I might have rated it even higher. I just had to rate it at 3.5 stars because the smut scenes made me uncomfortable as well as some other things I will get into.
Okay first I want to write down everything I enjoyed about this book:
- I really liked the female friendship between Abbie, Cam & Kat. I generally really enjoy friendships like that in books and I think it was really well done. The friends had enough personality of their own to make them more than just boring side characters.
- I also liked Abbie most of the time. She reminded me a lot of Elle from Legally Blond who I really like (and I am quite sure she was also inspired by Elle). She is fun and unapologetically feminin, loud and interested.
- I also like Damien generally. He does often feel like a 'perfect man'. He's understanding, kind, rich (and 'self-made' rich as well & without taking advantage of people and instead helping those in need). He is caring, listens to everything Abbie tells him, he wants to build her up and values her work and he is basically obsessed with her after knowing her for less than 24 hours.
I just do not think that is a really person. (Great escapism though).
- I also quite liked the Revenge aspect of the story. Richard is truly horrible and watching his life be ruined and him being put in his place is so gratifying and cathartic.
That being said here are the things that I didn't really enjoy:
- Abbie is fun and bubbly but also she seems a bit like an old white man's fantasy. That's also why it made me uncomfortable when Damien calls her a whore and often reduces her to her looks. There are good moments but often (especially during/before the smut scenes) I felt like I was just reading about a controlling, rich, old man sleeping with a twenty-something year old girl (I think he is 42? She is 28?).
- I did not like him calling Abbie 'Rubia'. I did quite like 'naranja' (because it was explained). I don't I get why he had to use two different pet names though. (I googled it and Rubia apparently means Blonde... still I don't like it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual content, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Misogyny
kaitlynnnng's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.0
Damien Martinez…yes, ma’am!
The beginning of the book was kind of cringey and felt forced, but it got better.
Parts of this book helped me reflect on my own experiences and growth, but, as a whole, the story wasn’t life-changing or anything.
The beginning of the book was kind of cringey and felt forced, but it got better.
Parts of this book helped me reflect on my own experiences and growth, but, as a whole, the story wasn’t life-changing or anything.
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity, Body shaming, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism