Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish

28 reviews

beth_s98's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was a mixed bag. While the concept was super fun, I struggled with one of the story lines, and felt like I kept waiting to switch back to the one I connected with more. It was a fine read, but I’m not sure I’m going to be jumping to reread it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Drug use, and Sexual content

Moderate: Chronic illness, Dementia, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity

maregred's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Dementia, Drug use, and Infidelity

Minor: Lesbophobia

daryn's review

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Dementia, and Drug use

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Vomit

hmatt's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Very sweet queer holiday romance, and how novel that it's not even my favourite queer holiday romance that I've read this year. 🤯

The characters are fun and complex but the secondary characters are definitely a bit heavy-handed, and there's sort of a feeling of forced diversity sometimes. As tropey as you'd expect. Kind of hilarious how explicit the sapphic scenes are compared to the fade-to-black of the m/m scenes. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Cursing, Alcohol, and Drug use

Minor: Infidelity

evelynyle_88's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? No

4.0

OMG!! This is wholesome!! 

Listening to this audiobook is so soothing. Knowing the story between Greta, Truman, Veronica and Ramona really what a new thing for me. Perfect for Christmas story. What a heartwarming story and really my new favourite!!

The Holiday Trap is one of a kind for me. The level of funny killing me. And to know there's astrology, Mardi Gras, King Cakes... once again... make me learn Mardi Gras culture; once again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Infidelity, Dementia, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Homophobia, Child abuse, and Death

theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

A super cute and sexy LGBTQ+ love story very similar to the film The Holiday; staring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. Hanukah and Christmas are discussed throughout so it was a perfect seasonal read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

emily_mh's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective 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

3.5

This book was not a great execution of what it set out to do, which was to be a Christmas/holiday romance. In terms of holidayness, the holidays of Christmas and Channukah barely feature in the story to the point where I think this would have been better off as a regular romance. However, the romance was also lacking. With Greta’s story, her relationship with Carys felt more like a formative one you have in your 20s that doesn’t have an HEA because you’re there to change each other not be each other’s forevers. I didn’t like this, and I didn’t like that Carys seemed not that into Greta. And I’m not talking about Carys’ direct communication, which I liked, but about the fact that she seemed so dispassionate about the whole relationship. Truman’s romance was definitely my favourite of the two as it conversely felt a lot more equal in terms of love, and even just life experience. However I think Ash, like Carys, didn’t really feel like a real person, like the character wasn’t fully realised. 

The strongest part about this book and what saves its overall rating was the character development of Greta and Truman. It was so cathartic seeing them learn about boundaries, and self-love, and living a life you’re in love with, and changing their lives accordingly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Dementia, Drug use, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Child abuse, Classism, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Transphobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Death, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism

Major: toxic family Moderate: sick parent, family estrangement Minor: adoption

kharlan3's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Dementia and Infidelity

Minor: Lesbophobia and Drug use