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cait_0310's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Ummmmm. Wtf was the ending. SPOILERS AHEAD: Considering his religious traumatic past him being a pastor/priest seems forced. After his struggle with religion it felt like there were other more fitting pathways. I love onley james books and this was not an exception. The ending was just not what I was expecting.
ijholets's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
irina_29's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
teereadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-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
3.75
3.75 stars
I was here for this one, until about halfway through. I love both Calder and Robby's characters. Their relationship and character growth and development is great. The spice is nice. But the story felt off. It confused me at times. I was super intrigued by the cult aspect of the story, but the execution felt a little messy and disorganized. I was also a bit disappointed by the epilogue. It felt like it came out of nowhere. I was not at all expecting Robby to take that path. Nothing like that was ever mentioned throughout the story. I wanted to like this more because I love these characters, but the overarching story just didn't do them justice. I will say, I did enjoy the friendship that grew with Robby, Charlie, and Wyatt. Here's to hoping for redemption in the next book.
I was here for this one, until about halfway through. I love both Calder and Robby's characters. Their relationship and character growth and development is great. The spice is nice. But the story felt off. It confused me at times. I was super intrigued by the cult aspect of the story, but the execution felt a little messy and disorganized. I was also a bit disappointed by the epilogue. It felt like it came out of nowhere. I was not at all expecting Robby to take that path. Nothing like that was ever mentioned throughout the story. I wanted to like this more because I love these characters, but the overarching story just didn't do them justice. I will say, I did enjoy the friendship that grew with Robby, Charlie, and Wyatt. Here's to hoping for redemption in the next book.
kendallkels14's review against another edition
4.0
Loooove Calder and Robby!
I wasn’t sure I would like Calder just based off the previous books but my goodness, he was so great! Poor Robby. I felt bad for him. Cults are crazy stuff, y’all. This story was pretty great and I’m gonna miss Calder and Robby!
I wasn’t sure I would like Calder just based off the previous books but my goodness, he was so great! Poor Robby. I felt bad for him. Cults are crazy stuff, y’all. This story was pretty great and I’m gonna miss Calder and Robby!
rebeccabadger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booksafety's review against another edition
5.0
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I wasn’t really keen on reading this book because of Calder being such a massive manwhore (everyone else’s words, lol), but thankfully it wasn’t a huge part of the book other than a couple of mentions, and I ended up really loving it. He was really sweet with Robby. When it was mentioned, it was more funny than anything else, which helped a bunch.
«‘You fucked his wife…and his son.’ Yep. There it was. What could he say? ‘Not at the same time?’»
Oh, Robby. Sweet, slightly dramatic Robby who cries a lot. I didn’t know what to expect after his meltdown in the previous book, but I love him, lol. He has had a really rough time, and doesn’t feel like anyone notices or loves him. Definitely one of my favorite kinds of MC. Characters like Robby can definitely become annoying, but I think Onley James is really good at straddling the line. It helps that both Robby himself and Calder acknowledges that he’s quite emotional and dramatic. To be fair, he has good reasons for being both of those things, in my opinion. I am really enjoying this series.
I also love that drunk-Robby gets tattooed or pierced. A lot. He even has a smiley-piercing, which is the cutest ever. This innocent, virgin, Hollywood-star twink has a bunch of tats and piercings that go against everything he does or says while sober, lol.
I laughed out loud every time someone commented on Robby’s dog, Casanova. I’m gonna post a bunch of quotes below, because it’s too funny. And I mean all the quotes.
«It took him forever to find it, lurking like some mutant sewer rat just behind the toilet.»
«Calder stopped at the conference room door where Robby sat snuggling his demonic looking dog.»
«Casanova had made himself at home on the back of Calder’s sofa, his eyes somehow watching both sides of the room at the same time […].»
«‘I gotta ask. Where did you get that dog?’ The boy glanced over at Casanova and smiled the first genuine smile Calder had seen in a while. ‘The Glendale Humane Society.’ ‘Did you lose a bet?’»
«Linc jammed his finger down on a button. ‘Get the client in here, please,’ he growled into the intercom before releasing the button. After a moment, he jabbed it down again. ‘Keep the dog out there. It gives me the creeps.’»
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict roles
TW/CW
Child abuse, child marriage, explicit sexual content, murder, blood, gunshot wound, mentions of human trafficking, death of family member
Tropes & tags
Age gap, virgin MC, Hollywood actor, demonic dog, bodyguard, forced proximity, religion, cult (and i mean drinking-all-the-koolaid-capital-c-cult), violence
I wasn’t really keen on reading this book because of Calder being such a massive manwhore (everyone else’s words, lol), but thankfully it wasn’t a huge part of the book other than a couple of mentions, and I ended up really loving it. He was really sweet with Robby. When it was mentioned, it was more funny than anything else, which helped a bunch.
«‘You fucked his wife…and his son.’ Yep. There it was. What could he say? ‘Not at the same time?’»
Oh, Robby. Sweet, slightly dramatic Robby who cries a lot. I didn’t know what to expect after his meltdown in the previous book, but I love him, lol. He has had a really rough time, and doesn’t feel like anyone notices or loves him. Definitely one of my favorite kinds of MC. Characters like Robby can definitely become annoying, but I think Onley James is really good at straddling the line. It helps that both Robby himself and Calder acknowledges that he’s quite emotional and dramatic. To be fair, he has good reasons for being both of those things, in my opinion. I am really enjoying this series.
I also love that drunk-Robby gets tattooed or pierced. A lot. He even has a smiley-piercing, which is the cutest ever. This innocent, virgin, Hollywood-star twink has a bunch of tats and piercings that go against everything he does or says while sober, lol.
I laughed out loud every time someone commented on Robby’s dog, Casanova. I’m gonna post a bunch of quotes below, because it’s too funny. And I mean all the quotes.
«It took him forever to find it, lurking like some mutant sewer rat just behind the toilet.»
«Calder stopped at the conference room door where Robby sat snuggling his demonic looking dog.»
«Casanova had made himself at home on the back of Calder’s sofa, his eyes somehow watching both sides of the room at the same time […].»
«‘I gotta ask. Where did you get that dog?’ The boy glanced over at Casanova and smiled the first genuine smile Calder had seen in a while. ‘The Glendale Humane Society.’ ‘Did you lose a bet?’»
«Linc jammed his finger down on a button. ‘Get the client in here, please,’ he growled into the intercom before releasing the button. After a moment, he jabbed it down again. ‘Keep the dog out there. It gives me the creeps.’»
Book safety
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict roles
TW/CW
Spoiler
Child abuse, child marriage, explicit sexual content, murder, blood, gunshot wound, mentions of human trafficking, death of family member
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Age gap, virgin MC, Hollywood actor, demonic dog, bodyguard, forced proximity, religion, cult (and i mean drinking-all-the-koolaid-capital-c-cult), violence
diana8524's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
julcsiii's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5