Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Play With Me by Becka Mack

11 reviews

annekehordijk's review

funny hopeful inspiring relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This series is the first one that represents healthy communication for me. Usually I have to resist shouting 'just tell him you feel that way!' to romance books. Whereas here, they do just that and work through it. It's refreshing. The banter is awesome! The teasing, the 'touch her and die' and the 'you'll be safe with me' (both ways!) made me smile throughout the entire book. Loved it and can't wait to read the next one in this series!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Bullying

chrisljm's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Infertility, Death of parent, Bullying, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, and Car accident

Minor: Infidelity

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Garrett is one of Carter's best friends and teammates. Everyone knows the rule: Carter's sister is off limits. Carter surprises his sister Jennie with a condo which happens to be 4 floors down from Garrett's. After an awkward interaction (iykyk), they agree to a committed friends with benefits situation. After spending time together they both realize that this is so much more. 

GARRETT. OMG Garrett. He is a cinnamon roll.  He is so patient, supportive, encouraging, understanding, and sweet. At first he is so intimidated by Jennie that he could barely form a coherent sentence, but once he became more comfortable around her.... Wow did he ever gain his confidence. He leaves space for Jennie to be herself and never holds her back. He becomes her support system, her shoulder to cry on, her number 1 fan. He listens to what she needs and never pushes her beyond her comfort level. Plus he isn't intimated by her box of "toys". We all deserve a Garrett. 

Jennie has been through so much. She has lost her father and

her highschool boyfriend betrayed her in a completly unimaginable way. Frankly, he should have been arrested. Plus her dance partner is a total creep.

Her trauma as lead to severe trust issues to the point where she hasn't been intimate with anyone since her highschool boyfriend. She is, understandably, closed off and scared of being hurt. She has always felt like the second Beckett, in the shadow of her brother and that all her friends only were her friends because of him. She suffered from a lack of confidence and withdrew from people. Garrett helped her learn to trust again and let people in. Eventually she realized that being in a relationship with Garrett added to her life, she could still be herself and find love. 

The development of this relationship is so cute and fun. Their friendship slowly progressed as they learn to open up to one another and trust each other. They gradually develop feelings for each other, as Jennie said they didn't really "fall" in love.

Again the supporting characters are so much fun! I LOVE Hank and liked that we got Ollie and Carter throughout the book. Unfortunately, Carter continued to be a controlling  man-child. 

Also NO 3rd act breakup! Win! 

I felt the book, like the last in this series, was a bit too long and repetitive. Also the who Toronto storyline was kinda pointless, she was never going to leave, that could have been taken out. 

Tropes: hockey romance, secret relationship, "friends"with benefits to friends to lovers, found family, brothers best friend

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Abandonment, and Car accident

amre23's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Addiction, Sexual content, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Gaslighting, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder, Medical content, and Vomit

lilyemmaaa's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Mental illness

Moderate: Pregnancy, Car accident, and Death of parent

whichdirection's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Dragged a Lot at the end imo,

it was never super believable to me that she was going to take that job, so the amount of time spent on her going to the interview and questioning everything was just kinda… boring

good chemistry & a very healthy relationship!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, Grief, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Body shaming, and Bullying

Minor: Sexual assault

THIS IS ALL GONNA BE SPOILERS SO BE AWARE OF THAT! Sexual Content: They fuck a Lot kids; no condoms here. Body Shaming, Fatphobia & Eating Disorder: Jennie is a professional dancer & both talks abt her past experiences with these things And experiences them on the page. Toxic Friendship & Bullying: Jennie’s dance partner & another student are definitely bullies to her. Death of a Parent, Car Accident, Grief: Jennie’s father died when she was young bc of a drunk driver, it still effects her a lot. Injury/Injury Detail & Medical Content: Garrett gets a concussion in the early part of the novel, Jennie sprains her ankle around this time too; later they are in a hospital and Jennie talks abt her IV. Pregnancy: Jennie’s sister in law Olivia is pregnant through about 95% of the novel. Sexual Harassment: Jennie’s dance partner makes multiple advances despite her repeated no (and is put in his place), including kissing her twice. Sexual Assault: Jennie’s ex boyfriend Kevin, in high school, allowed the football team to record audio of him taking her virginity.

marine2907's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Sexual content, Car accident, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit

thereadhersrecap's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

"But here's the thing, Jennie. You don't  have to be strong and confident all the time. You're allowed to have insecruities, to be afraid, to feel lonely. Those things don't make you weak; they make you human

I have a serious love/hate relationship with this book. It starts off strong. Garrett has the hots for Carter (his teammate's) little sister Jennie. He's trying so hard to suppress them until Jennie realizes she has the hots for him too. They start secretly messing around (very descriptive) and in the process they become best friends.

First of all, it was way too long. AGAIN! I don't see the point of having 20 different sex scenes. I love the descriptions and I love how "alpha male" Gare is and how Jennie asks for what she wants and needs. But I don't need 300 pages of it. 

Secondly, Garrett is..... intersting. I feel like BM couldn't decide if she wanted him to be shy and goofy or demanding and grumpy so she made him both. It was a little bit of a turn off for me. Give me cute, shy, and goofy or give me alpha-male, confident and grumpy. Can't do with the back and forth. 

Jennie = LOVED. I thought BM did a great job portraying Jennie ask a badass but it was nice to see some of her insecurities come through. She is so much like Carter is was sooo soo good.

The best part.... Carter & Olivia. Seeing how they manage pregnancy and how Carter is so attentive to Liv's wants was something unexpected but amazing. 

CW: alcohol/alcoholism, bullying, car accident, curing, death of a parent, emotional abuse, eating disorder, grief, sexual content, panic attacks, toxic friendship, sexual harassment

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Cursing, Addiction, Car accident, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

bookswithca's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

ecravens's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death of parent, Bullying, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Cursing