Reviews tagging 'Blood'

First Down by Grace Reilly

9 reviews

dianaschmidty's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think I read this at the most perfect moment. I mean, this book has a girl spending time with her football player boyfriend’s family in a stadium box while wearing his jersey. Who does that sound like? If you wanted Taylor x Travis vibes, that’s this book!

Taylor’s Team aside, James and Bex were really cute! I thought their progression from friends to fwb to official dating was both sweet and realistic. I loved how they were so supportive of each other. I also loved how the book demonstrated that giving a partner support doesn’t have to mean giving up something. I think James’ journey to realizing that is an important lesson for people to learn.

I wish there had been a little more fake dating and parts of the book felt a little rushed (mainly their progression from friends to lovers, which felt like it happened in a day when it was supposed to be months), but I’m kind of hoping since the rereleased copy is supposed to be longer that some of that is fixed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Infidelity

njh_books's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Since I haven't been able to watch much of football season, this was a nice taste of it--minus all the mid game advertisements haha.

It's a fun book--3.5 stars cause it's fun but I'll probably never read it again.

 

Fake Dating to I Love You. Throwing the National Championship to prove a point.

Really enjoyed Beckett as a female character's name. Reminded me of being down South and the naming practices (wouldn't have expected it for a NY born and raised character).

The Callahan family is fun minus the dad Richard. Love Sandra the mom, she knows what's up.

Darryl was an ass. Hope he got expelled or suspended. 

Interested to see how much more of Bex and James we'll see in the rest of the series. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcohol and Miscarriage

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.25

     This was a deeper new adult romance than I'm used to. There was more backstory to the main characters and they had more baggage than many new adult romances, which I liked. It tackled a lot of mental health and abusive ex-partner issues. 
    However, James wasn't completely likable and had anger issues. As well as a kind of obsessive attachment thing going on with his partners, where it was ALL about them and nothing else in his life. Making even the main relationship not completely healthy. 
    The male narrator wasn't great the female narrator was good. She did a great job with different tones for different characters.
     Overall it was a good book with a lot of emotional depth. I do plan to continue the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury

abicaro17's review

funny lighthearted medium-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

This book is ok. Like the meet cute was fun and the initial flirtation was interesting but after they got together it became clear they were going to stay that way despite every red flag possible. Even the climax was predictable af. Miscommunication and sugary sweet boring romance strikes again. I wanted to like it but honestly its fine but forgettable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

jamiejanae_6's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

sebradley29's review

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Abandonment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Blood

emmysforeverbooked's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

I was so close to rating this 4 stars but then I remembered the McKee vs Alabama game and took my rating down 💀

This book was a super fun read! My first sports romance ever and I'm very glad I started out with this one. I love the fake dating aspect especially because that's my favorite trope EVER so I was immediately excited to read this when I saw it had that trope. I definitely think I would've read this a lot faster if I hadn't been in a reading slump.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Cursing

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol

prettynerdy3's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Infidelity, Stalking, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Cursing

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Sexism, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcohol, and Blood

culzean's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence