Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Hideaway by Penelope Douglas

36 reviews

milena99's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Death of parent, Blood, Death, and Sexism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Rape

laurakwiecinski's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Torture

princess413's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

Read the warning content first.  Very dark will have you thinking wtf but somehow you keep wondering what will happen next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Incest, Bullying, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

bookameme's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense 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

5.0

Kai and Banks Are Crazy Hot

Quote:📖

“We’re only ever good, because there are consequences.”

Thoughts: 💡

This was my second read through and I forgot how much I loved this book. Angsty romance, dark themes, and taboo smut scenes make this series iconic. The schenagains Kai and Banks get up to are crazy hot with an intense push and pull relationship. 

Berkley is re-releasing the first three books in the series and I’m incredibly excited to read them again. 

Writing Mechanics: ✍️

The writing in this series is designed to be dramatic, and it works. The book is told in first person present tense dual POV, but it hops timelines to show you flashbacks and help you piece through the history to understand the story. The smut scenes are pretty wild and if you don’t like it a bit twisted, taboo, and graphic then this one probably isn’t for you. 

I personally love these characters, they’re completely broken with tragic pasts and some really dark ideas, but they pull together to be one another’s life lines. I think the reason I hated Nightfall so much is because I love these characters so deeply. This book and the others in the series paint the characters as extremely morally gray but with a deep ability to forgive, after meeting out a healthy dose of revenge.

Fun Bits:

⚜️ Wild Secrets 

⚜️ Painful Pasts

⚜️ Morally Grey Characters 

⚜️ Wonderful Side Characters 

⚜️ Standalone Romance, Series Long Plot

⚜️ Super Hot Smut In Some Taboo Places

Important Note:✨

This is book 2, this is a standalone romance, but the plot stretches over the whole series.

Full Content Warning:⚠️

Violence, Abuse, Religious Desecration, Death, Mentions of CA & SA & Child SA, Abandoment, Drugs, and Alcohol, Very Dark Themes

Stats:📊

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Characters 💙💙💙💙💙

Romantic Suspense: Hidden Identity, Forced Proximity, Second Chance, Morally Grey, Enemies to Lovers, Found Family

Dual POV

Violence, Abuse, Mentions of CA & SA⚠️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse

souris_de_bibliotheque's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Child abuse, Sexism, Self harm, Rape, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Murder, Death, Sexual violence, and Violence

sshpurple1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

Kai is the most balanced and obvious about his genuine feelings for Nikola Banks. Banks is a loyal, sarcastic, and lost young woman with much love to give. I do not understand her dislike of Rika. This book was not as intriguing as Corrupt, but we get more insight into the group. Even learning more about Damon and understanding why he is the way he is. I know that it states that these books are stand-alone, but I disagree. To fully understand what is happening with the group, you must read Corrupt first.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Violence and Murder

readsbyjeann's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Violence, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

diamondsequallove25's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I love Kai and Banks's relationship.  

I didn't particularly appreciate their story reflected on Damon 

I love Pen's writing in this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Slavery, and Abandonment

Minor: Death, Alcohol, Addiction, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Animal cruelty, and Drug abuse

bigbookslay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

KAI AND BANKS ARE THE LOML

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Incest, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Misogyny, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Blood, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Domestic abuse

dkgreads's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

For a book that’s supposed to be about Kai, it sure seemed like it was more about Damon than anything. It was also really sloooooooow. And there was, like, ZERO chemistry between Kai and Banks. This one didn’t really do it for me. On to the next I guess…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Death of parent, Rape, Self harm, Pedophilia, and Animal cruelty