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amyroseb's review
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I thought maybe this time around we'd get an FMC with a little more backbone but alas, another pushover who is all talk and no game.
Look... I get it. He's hot. He's dark. He's large. He's in charge. And you want to fuck him. But are we forgetting that hedrugged you?? Had non-consenual sex with you? Drugged you again? Tattooed your body without permission in a VERY visible spot? And then to top it all off, forced you to get pregnant??
I was so excited for Val's story because after reading Payton's, then Savannah's, and having read Cassie's book first, I thought the trajectory for decent men and strong-willed women was heading upward. King and Savannah were better than Nero and Payton, and Hans and Cassie were way better than either of them, so I thought Dom and Val would slot nicely in between but unfortunately Dom was just as bad a man as Nero, and Val turned out to be just as weak-willed as Payton.
And I understand these are meant to be morally grey, dominant MMC's. I get that we are supposed to put up with a little strong-arming and overbearing attitudes. But this book went too far for me. There were times when I felt nauseous thinking about what Dom did to Val... all the ways he tricked her and deceived her, and all he had to do was whip out his dick, and she forgave him. Just doesn't do it for me. Also, it's not believable either. At all. Moreover, it was frustrating to get glimpses inside Dom's mind and see how much he wanted Val to trust him (!!!) and then in the next breath do something so fucked up that he would be beyond crazy to think that would gain her trust e.g.switching her birth control aka forcing her to get pregnant when he had no idea if she wanted that aka taking away her choice aka maybe he's secretly a pro-lifer???
Anywho, I am overall very disappointed in the characters of this book. Both of them. Which sucks because the writing is so good. The dialogue is great, and this one finally had a plot to stand on.
Look... I get it. He's hot. He's dark. He's large. He's in charge. And you want to fuck him. But are we forgetting that he
I was so excited for Val's story because after reading Payton's, then Savannah's, and having read Cassie's book first, I thought the trajectory for decent men and strong-willed women was heading upward. King and Savannah were better than Nero and Payton, and Hans and Cassie were way better than either of them, so I thought Dom and Val would slot nicely in between but unfortunately Dom was just as bad a man as Nero, and Val turned out to be just as weak-willed as Payton.
And I understand these are meant to be morally grey, dominant MMC's. I get that we are supposed to put up with a little strong-arming and overbearing attitudes. But this book went too far for me. There were times when I felt nauseous thinking about what Dom did to Val... all the ways he tricked her and deceived her, and all he had to do was whip out his dick, and she forgave him. Just doesn't do it for me. Also, it's not believable either. At all. Moreover, it was frustrating to get glimpses inside Dom's mind and see how much he wanted Val to trust him (!!!) and then in the next breath do something so fucked up that he would be beyond crazy to think that would gain her trust e.g.
Anywho, I am overall very disappointed in the characters of this book. Both of them. Which sucks because the writing is so good. The dialogue is great, and this one finally had a plot to stand on.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide
literaryleesa's review against another edition
Dom.
I understand that Nero and King had red flags, but Dom took the cake.
- drugging her multiple times
- eavesdropping on her therapy sessions
- sexual activity while she is drugged/drunk(not sex but still)
- a whole bunch of manipulation
- changing out her birth control to trap her with a baby
- etc
I just couldn't finish. Normally I love SJ Tilly books, but I couldn't finish this one.
I understand that Nero and King had red flags, but Dom took the cake.
- drugging her multiple times
- eavesdropping on her therapy sessions
- sexual activity while she is drugged/drunk(not sex but still)
- a whole bunch of manipulation
- etc
I just couldn't finish. Normally I love SJ Tilly books, but I couldn't finish this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping and Sexual assault
threeundertwopnw's review
dark
emotional
fast-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
3.5
I really love all the other books by this author but I had a lot of trouble with this one.
He stalks her, ambushes her, roofies her, forces marriage while she's high, has sex with her when she says no, drugs her again and tattoos her, eavesdrops on her therapy session, and switches out her birth control pills with placebo, which is a form of sexual assault.
Val might have decided she was later okay with his actions, but I wasn't. Nothing redeems this level of behavior. She should never have trusted him. He didn't earn it.
Edited to add: Amazon has scrubbed all negative reviews for this book including mine and I can absolutely not support an author who does this. Thank heavens storygraph exists!
Val might have decided she was later okay with his actions, but I wasn't. Nothing redeems this level of behavior. She should never have trusted him. He didn't earn it.
Edited to add: Amazon has scrubbed all negative reviews for this book including mine and I can absolutely not support an author who does this. Thank heavens storygraph exists!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Stalking, Vomit, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Blood, Torture, Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcohol
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