Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

73 reviews

itsbaberuthless's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

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

3.25

This book was a solid 4 and had me silently screaming at the banter between Daphne and Simon but with 25% left something happened that disgusted me so much I forced myself to finish the book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Misogyny

Minor: Classism, Infertility, Death of parent, Body shaming, and Fatphobia

emclougher's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.0

Started off strong but got really icky really fast. Not sure Julia Quinn knows what consent is.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Classism, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

maziemouse's review against another edition

1.0

baby fever does not mean anything goes…

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

mels_reading_rook's review against another edition

I am flabbergasted. 

I was having a wonderful time, enjoying the story and the characters. And then, a little over halfway, it all started to go downhill. Daphne and Simon were caught in a compromising position, and so Simon agreed to a duel to the death with her brother, Anthony. Daphne proceeds to manipulate the situation and guilts Simon into marrying her, where he informs her he can't have children. Yes, his choice of wording was misleading - as it is a won't not can't situation - and when Daphne discovered that discrepency, she had no respect for his boundaries. Yes, she's entitled to be upset by that misdirection, but she should still respect that children was out of the question.

Instead, Daphne does the worst possible thing. She rapes him, and violates all his boundaries.

I am done with this book. I am done with this series.

This review can also be found on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6531894162

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Classism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Minor: Miscarriage

fanboyriot's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

Dearest Gentle Reader, this book wasn’t what I was expecting.   While it did bring to life the characters and their stories, I feel as though it fell rather flat compared to the show.  I did enjoy the epilogues and the audiobook was narrated rather nicely, I don’t think I will be continuing this book series as of now.  It was entertaining just not really worth it to me, perhaps I’ll revisit this series later though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Classism, Rape, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

Moderate: Gaslighting, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, and Racism

Minor: Fatphobia, Blood, Alcohol, Body shaming, Vomit, Violence, and Cursing

atlaslan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexism and Injury/Injury detail

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Ableism, Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Racism, Murder, Death of parent, Body shaming, Medical content, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Blood, Terminal illness, and Death

leexpenandpages's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Infertility, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, Murder, Death of parent, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

picaresquedreamer's review against another edition

Boring, uninterested

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

el_thegoblinwitch's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.0

I dont even know what to say about this one 😅 I knew going into it that it was going to be ridiculous, and at the start it was in a good way. But as Daphne and Simon's relationship progress I spotted so many red flags that I almost DNFed it. 

*some spoilers below*

I get that Simon's upbringing wasn't great, and he's obviously got trauma, but wow I hated him. His anger was often justified, but the way he kept threatening to kill/strangle people (including Daphne) was so not a good vibe. The sex scenes were so possessive and at times definitely not consensual, which obviously was very uncomfortable to read. 

I honestly struggled to see the romance in their relationship at all and found myself struggling to root for them. I understand that the 1800s was a very different era, but as a modern book, I thought this series would at least be a little more progressive than classic regency novels. 

The whole thing was just so problematic and uncomfortable that I don't think I'll be continuing the series 😬

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy