Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

At Your Pleasure by Meredith Duran

1 review

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.5

I have a lot of emotions about this book: respect for the writing, frustration, a smidgeon of swoon, a lot of annoyance, also PAIN. Meredith really put me through something with this.

Meredith F***ing Duran (MFD), as Kelsey says. #DuranDuress, as I say. 

In this stand-alone we have teenage lovers who were forced apart and then are enemies and then lovers again. The content is so realistic and by realistic I mean horrifying and often sad, but also very beautiful on occasion. We have a 1715 English setting, so the first Jacobite rebellion (sadly not JAMMF times, Outlander girlies). Wartime. Women have no agency whatsoever and that is repeatedly made CLEAR by MFD. šŸ« 

I justā€¦ the writing is spectacular but these scenarios were hard for me to enjoy. The FMC, Nora, is forced to marry the MMC, Adrian (under extreme duress šŸ˜…). This couple is one that likes to yell and fight and then make outā€¦ and for me, that is a really tough dynamic to get behind. There were moments of absolutely soul-crushing tenderness followed by hair-raising violence and vice versa. The sex scenes were incredible, and maybe the sweetest moments in the book. But my god, the mess you have to endure to get them. Is it worth it? ā€¦ maybe? Nora also has maybe the shittiest brother of all time, David. So horrible, in fact, that he gets two whole memes to himself!

šŸ˜… What I have learned is that this book pushes some boundaries that are just Not My Thingā„¢ļø and thatā€™s ok! If this book sounds interesting, please check the CW - it covers a variety of topics intensely on page. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...