Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Meet me halfway

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Meet me halfway by Lilian T. James

17 reviews

notanna's review against another edition

I was really close to finishing the book, but it simply didn’t give. In many ways the setting of the book wasn’t enough. The author tried to write an authentic story, that was based on her own experience; however this wasn’t enough to create a good novel. Like the attitude towards her and her son, the fact that almost everyone hated her for being a teen mom.

Starting with the mc… She is doing everything, what a victim of abuse shouldn’t be doing. Also her story is bizarre. She got pregnant really young but decided not to stay with the father or the child, then a year later she married some random dude (it was underlined that they knew each other before, but I still don’t think that’s sufficient explanation). Then the guy started abusing her, she did what she had to do and left after a few years. That’s ok, that’s fine. However, the fact that her next love interest is a carbon copy of the abuser? That is absolutely bonkers to me. He reacts with anger and in many ways he is aggressive towards her. At the beginning of the story, he was mad at her because she played her music too loud… ok boomer, just stfu and say you are boring. From that point he hated her, like wtf. It’s not that serious. After he learned about her background he started acting normal but still his sins are not forgotten (at least not by me, cuz the mc doesn’t seem to hold one good thought in her head). He shows his concern in very aggressive way, like when she got a job as a security. He literally tired to manhandle her, and her reaction?!?!? Oh, his intentions were good. Girl, u got me fucked up.

If you are not triggered by mindless mc go for it, maybe it’s not that bad and I’m just dramatic.

Content Warnings

riddle's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.25

This book has like 4 scenes really similar to some I read in "Wait for It" by Mariana Zapata, but I still enjoyed reading it.

Content Warnings

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

3.5

Content Warnings

lea_talisa's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

This book is inspired by the author’s own experiences in getting pregnant at 16 years old and being a single-mom. It shows the truth of a pregnancy at a young age more realistically than it is common in romance literature.

„We can’t be scared of every man who talks to us, bud. That’s not how I want to live, and that’s not how I want you to live. We deserve more than that, don’t you think?”

He huffed a heavy breath, and his voice came out sharp and angry, “I wasn’t scared of him. I just didn’t like him looking at you like that.“

I love how Jamie (Madison’s son) is so protective of his mother. He is a great child in understanding his mother and the way they work together. I really liked their relationship.

The love interest Garret is so precious! I love the way he cares for Madison but never treats her like she’s breakable. He only ever wants her to feel safe and be cared for. He shows her how strong she is and supports her and Jamie in every way possible.

I feel like the ending was very rushed which disappointed me. The beginning was so perfect and along the whole book the characters had this extreme tension connecting them and the slow-burn made it even better. But after the first time they finally slept together suddenly a month was over and then a whole year? I would have loved to see the beginnings of their relationship evolving more. So while the part until their first time was absolutely perfect, the part after was too short and not detailed enough by far for my liking. All the process and everything that happened and changed were just listed in a few sentences in the epilogue, stated as simple facts without the details or emotions I appreciated in the rest of the book.

„Life wasn’t meant to be perfect. A candle couldn’t change its shape without first burning. I wouldn’t have what I have, be the person I am, without my past.“

„Happily ever after didn’t always mean pregnancy and a diamond ring. Sometimes it also meant only working forty hours a week and discovering who I was as an adult and as a woman. Who I was as Madison, outside of who I was as a mother and a friend.“

Content Warnings