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ppchili93's review
challenging
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
2.0
FMC (Madeline): 2.5 (where is your backbone? Your pride? Anything? I get love sometimes requires sacrifice, but her martyrdom and simultaneous refusal to give up the battle for his heart was exhausting. She apologizes to him when she’s kidnapped and assaulted)
MMC (Richard): 1 🤢 (eugh, brother, eugh…never read a more pathetic, wishy washy hero in my life! I got the ick so bad so many times, not the least of which is he carried on a highly inappropriate relationship with her from the time she was 13 and he was 23 but saw her as a sister until magically the day of their wedding and then it’s all sex all the time. He's a real knob)
💕: 1 (if I could give 0 stars I would. This is 200+ pages of Richard literally talking himself into loving? Maddy while she laments trapping him and being second best)
Plot: 2 (the forced marriage between friends and pregnant, recently widowed ex-lover should make for great angst but is so mid-played here. The ex is painted as the epitome of evil when Richard was the one who led her on, took her virginity, and then abandoned her. Maddy being kidnapped and assaulted made no sense as “revenge,” the list could go on)
🌶️: 4
Writing: 2 (when was this published? Bc the gay serial killer pedophile felt very 1945)
MMC (Richard): 1 🤢 (eugh, brother, eugh…never read a more pathetic, wishy washy hero in my life! I got the ick so bad so many times, not the least of which is he carried on a highly inappropriate relationship with her from the time she was 13 and he was 23 but saw her as a sister until magically the day of their wedding and then it’s all sex all the time. He's a real knob)
💕: 1 (if I could give 0 stars I would. This is 200+ pages of Richard literally talking himself into loving? Maddy while she laments trapping him and being second best)
Plot: 2 (the forced marriage between friends and pregnant, recently widowed ex-lover should make for great angst but is so mid-played here. The ex is painted as the epitome of evil when Richard was the one who led her on, took her virginity, and then abandoned her. Maddy being kidnapped and assaulted made no sense as “revenge,” the list could go on)
🌶️: 4
Writing: 2 (when was this published? Bc the gay serial killer pedophile felt very 1945)
mothgirlie's review
tense
fast-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
2.25
pleasureinatrocities's review against another edition
2.0
I thought there would be more angst and the villain was cartoonishly evil.
Summary: Madeline and Richard have been friends since he saved her from bullies as a preteen. Madeline soon develops a crush. Madeline tries to save Richard and his lover Sarah from being discovered by her husband and ends up trapped in marriage to Richard. Richard realizes he's fickle in love and quickly realizes he never actually loved Sarah but now he's afraid that what he feels for Madeline isn't real either. There's a murder and side character coming back for vengeance subplots.
Summary: Madeline and Richard have been friends since he saved her from bullies as a preteen. Madeline soon develops a crush. Madeline tries to save Richard and his lover Sarah from being discovered by her husband and ends up trapped in marriage to Richard. Richard realizes he's fickle in love and quickly realizes he never actually loved Sarah but now he's afraid that what he feels for Madeline isn't real either. There's a murder and side character coming back for vengeance subplots.
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