Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Tis the Season for Revenge

This deserves all the hype it got and is definitely one of my 2023 highlights (if not one of my romance highlight). Abbie and Damien are perfect for eachother and seeing their relationship develop from "not in it for anything serious" to "hey you're my soulmate" was so beautiful — and I wasn't complaining about the revenge plot 😉 I was scared there was gonna be a typical 75% break-up but it wasn't what I expected and I'm so glad. The way The Drama™ was handled was so much more fitting for the characters and really realistic. I loved to see Abbie reinvent herself after her relationship with Richard and I'm so glad we're starting to turn over a new page in romance mc's who embrace their femininity and love for girlish things instead of pushing it away. Morgan Elizabeth's books just get better with each one she writes and I'm so happy to be along the ride with her ❤

P.S.: Download the bonus scene! Totally worth it for my Hannah & Abbie sister feels

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forgottencupoftea's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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lisa_m's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.25

I can understand why people love this book and I truly don't think it was bad. That's why I want to premise my review by saying:
I don't really like age-gap romances, they make be kind of uncomfortable. So basically this book was good and I might have rated it even higher. I just had to rate it at 3.5 stars because the smut scenes made me uncomfortable as well as some other things I will get into.

Okay first I want to write down everything I enjoyed about this book:

- I really liked the female friendship between Abbie, Cam & Kat. I generally really enjoy friendships like that in books and I think it was really well done. The friends had enough personality of their own to make them more than just boring side characters.
- I also liked Abbie most of the time. She reminded me a lot of Elle from Legally Blond who I really like (and I am quite sure she was also inspired by Elle). She is fun and unapologetically feminin, loud and interested.
- I also like Damien generally. He does often feel like a 'perfect man'. He's understanding, kind, rich (and 'self-made' rich as well & without taking advantage of people and instead helping those in need). He is caring, listens to everything Abbie tells him, he wants to build her up and values her work and he is basically obsessed with her after knowing her for less than 24 hours.
I just do not think that is a really person. (Great escapism though).
- I also quite liked the Revenge aspect of the story. Richard is truly horrible and watching his life be ruined and him being put in his place is so gratifying and cathartic.

That being said here are the things that I didn't really enjoy:

- Abbie is fun and bubbly but also she seems a bit like an old white man's fantasy. That's also why it made me uncomfortable when Damien calls her a whore and often reduces her to her looks. There are good moments but often (especially during/before the smut scenes) I felt like I was just reading about a controlling, rich, old man sleeping with a twenty-something year old girl (I think he is 42? She is 28?).
- I did not like him calling Abbie 'Rubia'. I did quite like 'naranja' (because it was explained). I don't I get why he had to use two different pet names though. (I googled it and Rubia apparently means Blonde... still I don't like it.

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