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paulaks's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Purely subjective but this book was SO GOOD. I needed this rollercoaster and it hit home way too hard. Is this a romance? Not really rather following characters. Is this accurate representation? I don't know about the addiction part but dealing with mental illness and how dynamics change was WAY too accurate. Lily and Lo have my heart and felt really realistic. The problems they face and behaviour just made sense. Besides, the side-characters are pretty interesting and add to the story.
Yes, it's character based and probably over dramatic but if you like the characters the ending will have you in a chokeholed (at least I was lol). Not overthinking this review but straight off the bat and influenced by the emotional ending it's five stars.
Yes, it's character based and probably over dramatic but if you like the characters the ending will have you in a chokeholed (at least I was lol). Not overthinking this review but straight off the bat and influenced by the emotional ending it's five stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual harassment and Toxic relationship
lillicoulson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I have been in SUCH a romance book lull recently — everything is boring me and I haven’t really been rooting for any of the characters I’ve been introduced to. this is such a breath of fresh air: lily and lo (not a fan of lo’s name but I’ll get past it) make it so difficult to not be in their corner throughout this book. I actually did not cringe ONCE reading this!! I’ve never read about addiction in such a well-approached manner. it’s confronting but not jarring, easy to read while opening my mind to new (at least to me!) struggles and complexities. I’m invested in all of the characters’ storylines and there isn’t an authorial decision so far that I’ve questioned or disagreed with. it’s so rare for me to be connected to a character-driven storyline and I’m loving it!
genuinely very excited for the rest of the series!
genuinely very excited for the rest of the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Vomit
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Abortion, and Violence
dissociativemouse's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Self harm, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Addiction, and Sexism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, and Sexual assault
amanda_mh's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
I don’t even know what to say, I am hooked. The most heart wrenching beautiful start to a series. I’m so ready to follow Lily and Lo and all their friends/siblings on their own personal journeys.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
nessabali's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
taysaraadam's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming and Sexual assault
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, and Drug abuse
az_makro's review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
+ easy and fast to read
+ promising sequels
+ lots of “devil’s-tango”
+ likeable characters
+ promising sequels
+ lots of “devil’s-tango”
+ likeable characters
- no real plot twists
- no peak of tension
- expensive as shit, I mean come on nearly 18€ for a paperback?
- no peak of tension
- expensive as shit, I mean come on nearly 18€ for a paperback?
Am I addicted to this series? Yes. But is it good? Meh. So far, the characters do not really have any depth. Yes, the main characters both have serious problems with their addictions and some with their families, but that’s about it. They both go to college/university and both kind of fail, so they do not really have any life outside of their relationship, since they do not attend classes. On the other hand, the series is more about their developing relationship and overcoming their addictions, I think.
Although their relationship started off weak and how deep they were connected was not really showing, I start to see how they are connected now. Mainly because of how often Lilly stresses, how good their “system works” and that they accept each other’s addictions. I do love the bantering, teasing and tension between Lilly and Loren.
Their addictions are portrayed pretty realistic, although sometimes I tend to get aggressions, when Lilly whines about her being bad due to her addiction. But I guess, that’s actually the case when you are addictive. So good there.
As already mentioned, they do not really have a school life or any life that does not concern themselves or their relationship. They both are rich, so they do not have to work and have everything they need which makes the plot pretty boring. But while I sometimes get annoyed by the fact, that they have all given to them, I think that it thematized often enough, how rich they are and what possibilities it opens for them. For instance, how they got into Penn University: through money and last names. Also, I do wish I was that privileged.
The main characters are not the picture-perfect people, with zero worries and a tremendous amount of money. But the only way to make them not picture-perfect is to give them an addiction, that’s their problem. Not, not being to pay the bill or having serious family drama, but an expensive alcohol addiction and sex addiction.
I feel like the authors wanted to write about people with no worries and who have everything, but then remembered, that a book like that would be boring and just added an addiction. Honestly, I would love to read a book once where there is literally everything fine and perfect, with no drama or worries.
Since the book is only the start of a series, I think the characters will develop depth and I do hope, there will not be that much “devil’s-tango” in the next books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Cursing, Grief, and Toxic relationship
sophiejo_'s review against another edition
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
no spoilers but GOOD GOD this book was awful
I actually started out the series by thinking I might enjoy it, the first maybe a third of it was very fast paced and I liked the characters and I feel like we were on a roll. But unfortunately as soon as they brought in two characters it seemed like everything went downhill VERY QUICKLY.
Connor and Ryke are the most UNNECESSARY characters, they came out of nowhere and just decided to implant themselves for no reason into these two characters lives. It was annoying having to listen to them trail around after the main characters everywhere, but furthermore it was annoying to be LILY’s HEAD for the entire book. She was a very stupid character who was incredibly naïve, and couldn’t do anything for herself or Loren. (I refuse to call him Lo because that is disgusting). she was just always whining and needy and could never think of anything but yourself. And if you say that Loren had the same problem… I disagree because every time that she was crying or whining about something he would be there to help her. I actually liked Loren, but the book didn’t give him a chance to redeem himself sooooo no thank you.
The plot was also very bad. I understand the way that the authors were going, I think they actually had a REALLY GOOD idea with dealing with addiction and how to get over it… I just think they had a TERRIBLE execution. For starters, the characters were too awful to read about that you didn’t even want to understand. it’s one thing having dislikable characters, but another thing just not wanting to listen to them and therefore not wanted to read the book and THEREFORE not getting the message that the authors are trying to get. Another thing is the plot was very sporadic like one day they were fake dating, now they’re real dating, now they’re fighting, now they’re having sex, like i get it was an unhealthy relationship but reading this book was HECTIC.
there wasn’t even a plot twist, and idk about y’all but the little secret released at the end about ryke didn’t even faze me. i was expecting it 😫.
And lastly, there was QUITE a bit of verbal manipulation and slut shaming in this book that the authors almost accepted in order to weave into the plot.[for example when ryke was blaming lilly for not having a heart bc she didn’t do anything about loren… like okay she was weak but you can’t force her into doing something by twisting and manipulating her. speak to her like a human pls and ty. and if i’m saying this, you know it was a problem bc i hate her.] like yes maybe that person was trying to do good, BUT you can’t just LOOK OVER those misgivings bc they had good intentions. tbh, no one in this book had it right, and idk if the ending cleared a single plot hole up.
overall it was very poorly written (did i mention it reads like WATTPAD) and idk why it got so much hype. not to mention that I just realized yesterday that this five book series is completely about this one couple, and not shifting couples which I thought it was, which means there are FOUR MORE books about these two annoying characters and I definitely DO NOT intend to read them.
⚠️ TW:[alcohol dependency, sex dependency, infidelity, sexual harassment, & drug abuse]
I actually started out the series by thinking I might enjoy it, the first maybe a third of it was very fast paced and I liked the characters and I feel like we were on a roll. But unfortunately as soon as they brought in two characters it seemed like everything went downhill VERY QUICKLY.
Connor and Ryke are the most UNNECESSARY characters, they came out of nowhere and just decided to implant themselves for no reason into these two characters lives. It was annoying having to listen to them trail around after the main characters everywhere, but furthermore it was annoying to be LILY’s HEAD for the entire book. She was a very stupid character who was incredibly naïve, and couldn’t do anything for herself or Loren. (I refuse to call him Lo because that is disgusting). she was just always whining and needy and could never think of anything but yourself. And if you say that Loren had the same problem… I disagree because every time that she was crying or whining about something he would be there to help her. I actually liked Loren, but the book didn’t give him a chance to redeem himself sooooo no thank you.
The plot was also very bad. I understand the way that the authors were going, I think they actually had a REALLY GOOD idea with dealing with addiction and how to get over it… I just think they had a TERRIBLE execution. For starters, the characters were too awful to read about that you didn’t even want to understand. it’s one thing having dislikable characters, but another thing just not wanting to listen to them and therefore not wanted to read the book and THEREFORE not getting the message that the authors are trying to get. Another thing is the plot was very sporadic like one day they were fake dating, now they’re real dating, now they’re fighting, now they’re having sex, like i get it was an unhealthy relationship but reading this book was HECTIC.
there wasn’t even a plot twist, and idk about y’all but the little secret released at the end about ryke didn’t even faze me. i was expecting it 😫.
And lastly, there was QUITE a bit of verbal manipulation and slut shaming in this book that the authors almost accepted in order to weave into the plot.
overall it was very poorly written (did i mention it reads like WATTPAD) and idk why it got so much hype. not to mention that I just realized yesterday that this five book series is completely about this one couple, and not shifting couples which I thought it was, which means there are FOUR MORE books about these two annoying characters and I definitely DO NOT intend to read them.
⚠️ TW:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
the main point of the book is a guy who has an alcohol dependency and a girl who has a sex dependency. huge triggers just fyiforcoballoway's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Addiction
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