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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was pretty dark. The mmc actually r*pes the fmc. She enjoys it physically but it definitely isn’t consensual. That being said, it was a good book. I liked the set up. I liked the plot. Though I did prefer the unhappy ending better. Twin brothers. The one the fmc is engaged to is murdered by the other. The surviving twin has been in love with the fmc from day one in hs. Dead twin was a pretty shitty guy.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an interesting ride.
I really considered dnfing around the 20-40% mark, but the "choose your own ending" was such an intriguing concept - I had to finish it and see how both scenarios would play out. There is a NonHEA & HEA.
The entire rest of this review is filled with spoilers. This is your warning.
So the reason I considered DNFing - This man claimed to love her but would violently rape her and painfully force her to finish. He clamped an electric shock device to her cl*t... HE TATTOOED HER CL*T while she screamed and begged.. HE URINATED IN HER MOUTH....... NONCONSENSUALLY.
Now listen, I am no stranger to dark romance: dubious consent, CNC, non-consent. This isn't my first rodeo. But the way he would be so callous about it and didn't care what she wanted or how she felt, but then claimed to love her soooo much? idk. It was hard to read at times.
The MMC is her dead fiancé's twin brother. He's been in her life for over a decade, has become a place of solace for her, a shoulder to lean on, and a caring and devoted person in her life. He is like a golden retriever best friend. But his masked persona is the complete opposite. The way he would speak about her and treat her was so vile. I had a hard time lining the character up as the same person in my mind. It was very Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde.
But I think my fault was trying to find this man as redeemable, as worthy of the FMC, as seeing him as the love interest that I should be rooting for. Once I took this notion out of my mind, it became an entirely different story and experience.
I understand why the author gave the HEA option. Some people want that experience and to know that the couple came out of the turmoil together, in love. However, I think it does a disservice to the story. I think for the arc of these characters and the way they descend into madness, a tragedy is an appropriate ending.
Over this storyline, the MMC tears the FMC down mentally, breaks and fragments her mind. As he get what he wants, he doesn't know how to handle it and his own mentality devolves. His obsession becomes all encompassing and he begins to lose himself to it. He tries so hard to reign the chaos in, but the train is already off the tracks. The tragic ending is the consequences of his choices and actions, and there's a sense of poetic justice in losing the one thing he's ever cared about.
All in all, I'm glad I stuck with it and finished the book. It was a wild ride for sure and definitely not for everyone. But I would recommend. Especially as a way to think about how we view characters in dark romances and whether or not redemption is warranted, or even possible.
I really considered dnfing around the 20-40% mark, but the "choose your own ending" was such an intriguing concept - I had to finish it and see how both scenarios would play out. There is a NonHEA & HEA.
The entire rest of this review is filled with spoilers. This is your warning.
So the reason I considered DNFing - This man claimed to love her but would violently rape her and painfully force her to finish. He clamped an electric shock device to her cl*t... HE TATTOOED HER CL*T while she screamed and begged.. HE URINATED IN HER MOUTH....... NONCONSENSUALLY.
Now listen, I am no stranger to dark romance: dubious consent, CNC, non-consent. This isn't my first rodeo. But the way he would be so callous about it and didn't care what she wanted or how she felt, but then claimed to love her soooo much? idk. It was hard to read at times.
The MMC is her dead fiancé's twin brother. He's been in her life for over a decade, has become a place of solace for her, a shoulder to lean on, and a caring and devoted person in her life. He is like a golden retriever best friend. But his masked persona is the complete opposite. The way he would speak about her and treat her was so vile. I had a hard time lining the character up as the same person in my mind. It was very Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde.
But I think my fault was trying to find this man as redeemable, as worthy of the FMC, as seeing him as the love interest that I should be rooting for. Once I took this notion out of my mind, it became an entirely different story and experience.
I understand why the author gave the HEA option. Some people want that experience and to know that the couple came out of the turmoil together, in love. However, I think it does a disservice to the story. I think for the arc of these characters and the way they descend into madness, a tragedy is an appropriate ending.
Over this storyline, the MMC tears the FMC down mentally, breaks and fragments her mind. As he get what he wants, he doesn't know how to handle it and his own mentality devolves. His obsession becomes all encompassing and he begins to lose himself to it. He tries so hard to reign the chaos in, but the train is already off the tracks. The tragic ending is the consequences of his choices and actions, and there's a sense of poetic justice in losing the one thing he's ever cared about.
All in all, I'm glad I stuck with it and finished the book. It was a wild ride for sure and definitely not for everyone. But I would recommend. Especially as a way to think about how we view characters in dark romances and whether or not redemption is warranted, or even possible.
dark
tense
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
Delivers its promises and is well written. I enjoyed it a lot.
You get to choose whether you want a HEA. The "No HEA" is even better in my opinion, because it suits the characters well.
Amazing book!
You get to choose whether you want a HEA. The "No HEA" is even better in my opinion, because it suits the characters well.
Amazing book!
This book is a wild ride. I love stalker trope but always hate how dumb the FMCs are but this book balanced the line between a decently intelligent woman yet still holds the drama. I appreciated the dual endings so the reader can decide if they want a hea or a more dramatic ending. If you are a fan of the show You, this is the closest book I’ve found!
fast-paced
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Some pages made me cringe 😬 but others had me on the edge of my seat
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Stalking