Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman

11 reviews

jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-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

3.5

This was my second read by this author and I certainly enjoyed it more than the first. This author lives featuring Jewish protagonists, and I love that this diversity is being included in such mainstream romance novels. 

I love how this follows Cal, Katherine and Harriet from meeting at theatre camp to accomplishing their biggest dreams, all interconnected by music.  

It deals with rocky relationships (of all types), heartbreak, trauma at the hands of the media and more. Although this made for an interesting plot, and was certainly more engaging than Elissa’s other book, it still left me in a slump. 

The theatre and musical background was preferable to the enemies to lovers interviewer and washed up actor of Elissas other book. 
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gwenswoons's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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katiejohns's review

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-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? Yes

3.0

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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

4.0

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caitlinjadams's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-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? Yes

4.0

A fun read and I continue to really like Sussman’s writing. And the Broadway setting played to my tastes!
I did find myself wishing for more of Harriett. She was a more fully formed best friend character than in many romcoms, but not as fully developed as the leads and it left me wanting more because there was clearly more to give.
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amberlfaris's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

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wormgirl's review

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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stormeno's review against another edition

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

2.5

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juffnstuff's review

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

4.25

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analenegrace's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Her acknowledgments started off by saying, "There are few things more tragic than a theater kid who can't sing, dance, or act" and as a former (barely) theater kid who can't sing AT ALL, I felt that, and this book, so much. 

I loved Kathleen and Cal's relationship, especially because I love second-chance romances and celeb romances. Both felt very real and complicated, which I love in characters. Harriet also felt very real, and
that third-act fight scene
felt necessary to me for Harriet and Kathleen to continue their adult friendship. 

My criticisms are few but include disliking how Rachel James was written and some of the strange language used. Rachel James was a clear and not great character based on Lea Michele to some extent, and I think a character like that has to be written with some nuance. Women like Lea and Rachel is written are a bit more complicated than Sussman writes here, and it feels like some internalized misogyny to make this character consistently villainous without a particular reason. My language issue came with how Kathleen would talk at times, especially about her body. At times it felt like internalized misogyny from Sussman but also just awkward, like when Kathleen says Breasts during
sex with Cal;
women just don't really call them that, in my experience. 

All-in-all, a great and fun read! 
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