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challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
First person Dual POV (with 1 bonus POV chapter). š¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļø though I feel really weird eating spice level based on the below. [Some spoiler warnings]
Oookay! I think itās far past time we stop using descriptions like āmorally greyā for characters that just do straight up evil shit. And Iām not even talking about the violence, unaliving, or mafia connections. Iām talking about their āfirst timeā which is just black and white, cut and dry Niko sexually assaulting Bran. Bran is drunk, his inner monologue confirms he doesnāt have autonomy, he says variations of ādonātā and āstopā and āplease donāt do thisā more times than I could count. Niko ignores all of them. WTF?!?
I thought, āwell maybe heāll reflect and apologize for it.ā NOPE! Far from being introspective (especially given what he learns about his partnerās past), he hypocritically says things like āI canāt believe you would compare me to this Greek god rapist.ā And āUnlike [other couple], I never forced you to do anything.ā And has the audacity to be enraged on behalf of his partnerās past without ever looking in the mirror to see how he at the very least triggered Bran if not completely retraumatized him.
As if that wasnāt toxic enough, Niko is a possessive narcissist who uses Bran to feed his supply. He goes hot and cold on Bran (which wrecks the latterās mental health). Niko likes it when heās needed or getting to do what he wants. In the process he makes Bran dependent on him. Then says jealous stuff like, āJust know that Iāll slaughter anyone you let near you and fuck you in their blood.ā And āYouāre never allowed to leave me.ā Classic abusive behavior.
The stars this book gets are mostly for the depiction of Branās mental health, even though it had a very rushed ending.
Given how hyped this book is, Iām going to propose alternative MM romances Iād recommend instead:
- For the often violent struggles with mental health, check out The Foxhole Court series
- For the element of rivals with benefits with a side of gay awakening, I highly recommend Heated Rivalry
- For an exploration of sexuality and taboo after surviving CSA, read For the Fans
Major CW for graphic depictions of: Self-harm, suicide attempt, sexual assault, rape of a minor, and violence.
Oookay! I think itās far past time we stop using descriptions like āmorally greyā for characters that just do straight up evil shit. And Iām not even talking about the violence, unaliving, or mafia connections. Iām talking about their āfirst timeā which is just black and white, cut and dry Niko sexually assaulting Bran. Bran is drunk, his inner monologue confirms he doesnāt have autonomy, he says variations of ādonātā and āstopā and āplease donāt do thisā more times than I could count. Niko ignores all of them. WTF?!?
I thought, āwell maybe heāll reflect and apologize for it.ā NOPE! Far from being introspective (especially given what he learns about his partnerās past), he hypocritically says things like āI canāt believe you would compare me to this Greek god rapist.ā And āUnlike [other couple], I never forced you to do anything.ā And has the audacity to be enraged on behalf of his partnerās past without ever looking in the mirror to see how he at the very least triggered Bran if not completely retraumatized him.
As if that wasnāt toxic enough, Niko is a possessive narcissist who uses Bran to feed his supply. He goes hot and cold on Bran (which wrecks the latterās mental health). Niko likes it when heās needed or getting to do what he wants. In the process he makes Bran dependent on him. Then says jealous stuff like, āJust know that Iāll slaughter anyone you let near you and fuck you in their blood.ā And āYouāre never allowed to leave me.ā Classic abusive behavior.
The stars this book gets are mostly for the depiction of Branās mental health, even though it had a very rushed ending.
Given how hyped this book is, Iām going to propose alternative MM romances Iād recommend instead:
- For the often violent struggles with mental health, check out The Foxhole Court series
- For the element of rivals with benefits with a side of gay awakening, I highly recommend Heated Rivalry
- For an exploration of sexuality and taboo after surviving CSA, read For the Fans
Major CW for graphic depictions of: Self-harm, suicide attempt, sexual assault, rape of a minor, and violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Violence, Blood, Acephobia/Arophobia, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Diversity- BIPOC MCs , Male mental health, and mental health conditions
Queerness: Bi MC , Demi/Ace/Gay MC
Associated Song : Call Your Mom by Noah khan
Content Warnings: Narcissistic Sc , OCD MC. Drug use , self harm in MC along with suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and body dysmorphia stemming from grooming and rage ( mentions towards the end of the book as well as description)
Extra warning to audio listeners : The narrators did an amazing job, but this also means the scenes are intense
Wow, okay, a lot to unpack from this book - firstly, i didn't know what this was about , it was blindly recommended, and Google told me it was YA
NEWS FLASH GOOGLE - NO ITS NOT
this is my second dark romance (I think , unsure if garron Park and Captive Prince counts ), and I was a bit concerned for a while - it started out ... hard to grasp, unsure if it was reluctance or denial ( it was very much denial )
It was a lot more emotional and heavy than expected, and the ending was so cute ! They both did so much personal growth - this is what should happen in a dark romance GROWTH !
ALREADY have kissed the villain on standby
Also, to add the Narrators? Jesus christ , the narrator for Brandon was ...very good. I didn't expect him to start moaning and had to pause the book š³
Queerness: Bi MC , Demi/Ace/Gay MC
Associated Song : Call Your Mom by Noah khan
Content Warnings: Narcissistic Sc , OCD MC. Drug use , self harm in MC along with suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and body dysmorphia stemming from grooming and rage ( mentions towards the end of the book as well as description)
Extra warning to audio listeners : The narrators did an amazing job, but this also means the scenes are intense
Wow, okay, a lot to unpack from this book - firstly, i didn't know what this was about , it was blindly recommended, and Google told me it was YA
NEWS FLASH GOOGLE - NO ITS NOT
this is my second dark romance (I think , unsure if garron Park and Captive Prince counts ), and I was a bit concerned for a while - it started out ... hard to grasp, unsure if it was reluctance or denial ( it was very much denial )
It was a lot more emotional and heavy than expected, and the ending was so cute ! They both did so much personal growth - this is what should happen in a dark romance GROWTH !
ALREADY have kissed the villain on standby
Also, to add the Narrators? Jesus christ , the narrator for Brandon was ...very good. I didn't expect him to start moaning and had to pause the book š³
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Violence, Murder
Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I genuinely have no clue how I finished this book. The only reason I can think is that it was just easy. No politics or complex magic system. But this book is not good.
This book could EASILY have been 300 pages shorter. The backstories and development were saves for the final 60 pages.
The characters feel like they go from nothing to "sure let's bang" with no real development at all. And Niko being horny af for Brandon was so constant and obnoxious it got annoying and repetitive.
1. I hated the constant on and off. It could have made sense with actually decent plot and development. But it just seemed to happen randomly to cause drama. And it happened at moments that made NO sense.
2. Finding out Brandon had been raped makes a lot of scenes shitty. Brandon is clearly still traumatized, so how the fuck is him saying NO and Niko not stopping NOT triggering him? EVENTUALLY Brandon wants Niko, but before that? Brandon comes out as demisexual so he couldn't have been sexually interested in Niko before getting to know him
3. Grace sensing the video was stupid as hell. Even if she thought Brandon wanted it, he was 15. It was still illegal. Even if Niko was a totally normal dude, the video would have ruined her life. It would have made more sense if she had told Niko about it, go into detail so he doesn't think she's lying. Mention to Brandon of he walks in as she is saying all this and could still have the same result.
4. Brandon just had neck surgery for 7 hours fixing nerves and artery. He would not be waking up and having full conversations. He would be medicated, in pain, tired af.
This book could EASILY have been 300 pages shorter. The backstories and development were saves for the final 60 pages.
The characters feel like they go from nothing to "sure let's bang" with no real development at all. And Niko being horny af for Brandon was so constant and obnoxious it got annoying and repetitive.
1. I hated the constant on and off. It could have made sense with actually decent plot and development. But it just seemed to happen randomly to cause drama. And it happened at moments that made NO sense.
2. Finding out Brandon had been raped makes a lot of scenes shitty. Brandon is clearly still traumatized, so how the fuck is him saying NO and Niko not stopping NOT triggering him? EVENTUALLY Brandon wants Niko, but before that? Brandon comes out as demisexual so he couldn't have been sexually interested in Niko before getting to know him
3. Grace sensing the video was stupid as hell. Even if she thought Brandon wanted it, he was 15. It was still illegal. Even if Niko was a totally normal dude, the video would have ruined her life. It would have made more sense if she had told Niko about it, go into detail so he doesn't think she's lying. Mention to Brandon of he walks in as she is saying all this and could still have the same result.
4. Brandon just had neck surgery for 7 hours fixing nerves and artery. He would not be waking up and having full conversations. He would be medicated, in pain, tired af.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is a soul-deep exploration of pain, control and vulnerability and I was hooked from the first page.
Bran prides himself on being in control. His schedule is planned, every day following the same routine to keep out the darkness that swallows him whole, but Niko is determined to see every part of him. Watching Bran fight his feelings, deny the pull towards Niko, battle his sexuality and try to cling onto control until it nearly destroys him was so heartbreakingly beautiful. You can really feel his desperation to not unravel, structuring his life to keep his own beasts at bay.
Nikolai could not be more opposite. Letting his beasts free is his favourite pastime, he is nothing if not chaos, sharp edges and reckless violence. But then he meets Brandon and everything changes. All he wants is to understand him. Even when Bran forces him back into the closet, even when Bran pushes him away, heās there, trying.
Their push and pull is worth every second. You spent half the book waiting for them to break, waiting for the last straw but begging they donāt, begging they find a way to stay together because their private moments? Some of the best of the series.
Bran prides himself on being in control. His schedule is planned, every day following the same routine to keep out the darkness that swallows him whole, but Niko is determined to see every part of him. Watching Bran fight his feelings, deny the pull towards Niko, battle his sexuality and try to cling onto control until it nearly destroys him was so heartbreakingly beautiful. You can really feel his desperation to not unravel, structuring his life to keep his own beasts at bay.
Nikolai could not be more opposite. Letting his beasts free is his favourite pastime, he is nothing if not chaos, sharp edges and reckless violence. But then he meets Brandon and everything changes. All he wants is to understand him. Even when Bran forces him back into the closet, even when Bran pushes him away, heās there, trying.
Their push and pull is worth every second. You spent half the book waiting for them to break, waiting for the last straw but begging they donāt, begging they find a way to stay together because their private moments? Some of the best of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pedophilia, Blood, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasnāt sure at first but Bran and Nikolai grew on me throughout the whole book. I really resonated with Brandon and what he was going through. It was honestly too much at times seeing myself reflected in a character. Iām glad I read this book and look forward to Garethās book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved this book! Far the best of the series. While the other books of the GOL-series focused more on āYouāre mine, my property etc.ā part, and is a little bit toxic, which is to be expected by a dark romance book where the MMC literally canāt feel emotions, this book is such a cutie patotie MxM book with just the right amount of possessiveness but mostly real raw love. You will probably cry during this book and itāll hurt, but itās the good kind of pain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Outing
Moderate: Violence, Grief
Minor: Stalking
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt