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dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was recommended this book by a few friends. I'm down with the smuttiest of books. While I liked the book overall and was satisfied with it, when I break it down, I'm really not super impressed with it.
To start, there's obviously a lot of very triggering topics from the beginning of the book. The main character, Tiernan, isn't super loveable or charismatic and I found myself not even sympathizing with her for much of the book. Some of the reveals about her relationship with her parents I really felt like should have been explained earlier on, then I might have had more empathy for her.
Much of the time she spends with her uncle and cousins is very triggering. Basically lowkey rape to start with. And while I know they weren't technically blood relatives, the fact that that's how she addresses them the whole book, just weirded me out to be honest.
The ending also frustrated me sooo much. I'm all for a happy ending, but I definitely thought that given the darker theme of almost the whole book that it would have a more on brand ending but NOPEKaleb miraculously shows up, makes the romantic gesture and suddenly starts to speak. Of course they end up together, with a child and happily ever after. . I genuinely wish that Kaleb had the character development and nuances that we learned in the latter half or latter quarter of the book in the beginning. Again, I liked the book overall, it was a bit of a slow burn to start with, got intense in the middle and then just had the perfect resolution.
To start, there's obviously a lot of very triggering topics from the beginning of the book. The main character, Tiernan, isn't super loveable or charismatic and I found myself not even sympathizing with her for much of the book. Some of the reveals about her relationship with her parents I really felt like should have been explained earlier on, then I might have had more empathy for her.
Much of the time she spends with her uncle and cousins is very triggering. Basically lowkey rape to start with. And while I know they weren't technically blood relatives, the fact that that's how she addresses them the whole book, just weirded me out to be honest.
The ending also frustrated me sooo much. I'm all for a happy ending, but I definitely thought that given the darker theme of almost the whole book that it would have a more on brand ending but NOPE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In its own right, it’s a trip. And if you’re down for erotica, you should take the trip for sure. But I’m not a huge fan of the tip-toeing around the incest and underage vibes. My first read through, I almost DNFed because of being a mother and how I felt like I shouldn’t be enjoying it. But I did get over it and finish to say that I did it…. and then handed it off to my mom saying “wanna read something f’ed up?” 😂 (to which she responded “not like the book your sister just read” which was Dead Inside for context and I loudly said “oh god no, this is a spicy book”).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent
Minor: Stalking, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m not sure what the plot was of this book but I know I enjoyed reading it. It was a good time. It’s about a 17 year old girl who lost her parents to ssuicice and she has a lot of trauma and emotional damage. Because she is under age she has to be sent to her only living “relatives” her dads step brother Jake and his two adult children. Noah and Kaleb. There’s a lot of sexual tension between her and all of them. Her “uncles” business is motorcross and they live in Colorado high in the mountains and when the winter comes they are snowed in for months at a time. She learns about herself and ultimately starts to heal some of her traumas. The spicy scenes are so freaking good. Jake takes her virginity. Noah and Kaleb share. And ultimately she ends up with Kaleb. She has the most connection with him and trauma shares the same things. HEA
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
tense
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
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Credence is another Dark Romance novel by Penelope Douglas and once again, she managed to make me fall in love with the characters, the peak and the cabin, the atmosphere and the storyline.
She created a very calm and relaxing mood throughout the book, probably due to the snow and the winter vibes. The characters were complex, lovable and realistic with their own individual flaws, character traits and passions, which resulted in me instantly liking all of the Van der Bergs, Mirai and of course Tiernan.
The plot offered unexpected turns, thus creating suspense in just the right amount and the right moments within the story, so that it didn’t feel forced or rushed, but rather very natural for all of it to unfold the way it did.
Chapel Peak is a place I would love to stay at, if only it was real. It felt like a dreamy place, with small town vibes, as if it could be anywhere (given there are snowy mountains of course).
All in all, I have to admit that in the beginning it took me a while to get into the story, just because it wasn’t clear which of the guys was the main love interest for our Tiernan, which confused me quite a bit until the plot started to develop into a bit more.
Would definitely recommend this, especially to everyone who loves complicated characters with a lot of personality. And of course to everyone who loves dark romance.
“pain always reminds us that we’re alive. And the fear along with it that we want to stay that way.
“Credence. It means ‘belief as to the truth of something.’ ”
“ ‘It was time’, he said.”
Credence is another Dark Romance novel by Penelope Douglas and once again, she managed to make me fall in love with the characters, the peak and the cabin, the atmosphere and the storyline.
She created a very calm and relaxing mood throughout the book, probably due to the snow and the winter vibes. The characters were complex, lovable and realistic with their own individual flaws, character traits and passions, which resulted in me instantly liking all of the Van der Bergs, Mirai and of course Tiernan.
The plot offered unexpected turns, thus creating suspense in just the right amount and the right moments within the story, so that it didn’t feel forced or rushed, but rather very natural for all of it to unfold the way it did.
Chapel Peak is a place I would love to stay at, if only it was real. It felt like a dreamy place, with small town vibes, as if it could be anywhere (given there are snowy mountains of course).
All in all, I have to admit that in the beginning it took me a while to get into the story, just because it wasn’t clear which of the guys was the main love interest for our Tiernan, which confused me quite a bit until the plot started to develop into a bit more.
Would definitely recommend this, especially to everyone who loves complicated characters with a lot of personality. And of course to everyone who loves dark romance.
“pain always reminds us that we’re alive. And the fear along with it that we want to stay that way.
“Credence. It means ‘belief as to the truth of something.’ ”
“ ‘It was time’, he said.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I want to know... WHO HURT YOU, PENELOPE DOUGLAS!
Fantastic book, while as taboo as they come. The underlying theme of grief and abandonment was compelling and emotional.
Fantastic book, while as taboo as they come. The underlying theme of grief and abandonment was compelling and emotional.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment
gross. way too much smut for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have a lot of mixed feelings. 😅
I didn’t hate it, but I kind of hate that I didn’t hate it. 😂
I didn’t hate it, but I kind of hate that I didn’t hate it. 😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, Grief, Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-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
So clearly there is something wrong with me but that’s for my therapist to dissect. This book has been on my tbr for years and I was so scared of it cause everyone said it was really bad and filled with incest. In legality terms maybe, in blood terms… no. Yes there’s some pretty taboo themes and questionable choices at times but I think we all need to remember that this isn’t reality. We are stepping into another world where things may not be as black and white as the pages of the book. This book is set up really well and as with most of this author’s works it has substance (as opposed to what all those one stat reviewers say). There is a plot and it’s actually pretty heartbreaking most of the time. I think the people reviewing low either bypass the trigger warnings or think they can handle more than they actually can. I liked the relationships Tiernan formed with Jake, Noah, and Kaleb. I think each of them had such distinct personalities that it almost felt like reading multiple books at once with one overarching plot. Almost like Devil’s Night but with the same fmc of course. I was in such a reading slump the past few weeks but I read this book super fast, and when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about what was gonna happen next. I don’t recommend reading before you’ve read the trigger warnings, I didn’t read them but I also haven’t been triggered by a book in the past and I’ve read much worse than this. Again that’s a problem for my therapist that I will not likely address. All the love, always <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail