Scan barcode
gabi_w21's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
This is my first CoHo book, and I am completely and ridiculously simultaneously bored, underwhelmed, and disgusted.
Tate was the dumbest, most pathetic main character I've read about. She has no self-worth, self-esteem, or self-respect because, despite knowing how she feels about Miles, she agrees to a casual sex relationship and then turns around and whines about it. Over and over, she tells the audience how she’s a “strong, independent woman who doesn’t let men treat [her] badly,” yet she goes to insane lengths to excuse Miles’s behavior.
No matter what he did, she stuck around even while she acknowledged how her feelings were being hurt. She’s passive to the umpth degree, allowing Miles and Corbin to control her life, and we never learn anything about her. She’s a nurse and she likes orange juice and she’s not a virgin. That’s it. Oh and Miles. I didn’t understand her obsession with this guy who made it clear up front that he didn’t want a relationship. She was so pathetic that she hung around, hoping and wishing he’d change his mind on relationships, so how is she mad that he keeps her at a distance? She agreed to the friends-with-benefits arrangement so she has no room to be angry! Why stay? Is she that desperate for Miles that she lets him walk all over her? The answer is yes.
The amount of double standards and sexism in this book was insane. Corbin being over possessive over Tate left a really bad taste in my mouth especially since he sleeps around. He sees no problem with this yet has a conniption over any man sniffing around Tate. And the one instance that Tate calls this out, we get no response from the idiot. And why are they all warning Tate away from Dillon? If he’s such an awful person, why are you all friends with him? Tate never calls this out either, and the only reason he gets booted out of the group is—gasp!—he touched Tate’s hip. Also Corbin pulling the “you don’t get to tell me not to be mad! You aren’t a brother!” when he finds out about Miles and Tate made me want to VOMIT. Why would be friends with someone you don’t want your sister around? Hmmm.
Colleen Hoover couldn’t write herself out of a paper bag, let alone write something that doesn’t come across as trauma porn with overdramatic reveals thrown in for the sake of drama. Her style is mediocre, simplistic, and really, really childish. I could care less about Rachel and Miles and Tate, and while all the Booktok girlies were bawling their eyes out over oh my god, Rachel, mine were decidedly DRY. The drama was contrived, the characters unlikeable and bland, and the sex scenes were flat-out laughable.
Ugly Love is more like a bad sitcom only there’s no comedy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Abortion and Death of parent
soobooksalot's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Car accident
itz_sofia_2022's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy, Car accident, Death, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
icarustothemoon's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Damn it, a book about fwb just made me cry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Car accident, and Grief
gracecatheryn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Child death, Grief, and Car accident
jessicabeth96135's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Child death
lovealwaysadi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Cancer
Minor: Violence
thelibraryofanolive's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
really good book i just think it got kind of repetitive and colleen hoover makes me want to rip my eyes out
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Cursing, Child death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Confinement, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Incest, Sexual violence, Blood, Cancer, Sexism, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Violence
itsmeyseniab's review against another edition
emotional
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
I had been interested in picking up a Colleen Hoover novel for a few years simply due to her polarizing popularity, and I will say that I’m glad that I chose this one as my first foray into her writing. While it wasn’t the most groundbreaking romance that I’ve ever read, I did enjoy my time with it. I think this is the case because I didn’t find this one as outwardly offensive and controversial as some of her other works are described as being.
We follow our main characters Tate and Miles as they navigate a “friends with benefits” relationship, which I think is very realistic and relatable (especially in this day and age). I didn’t find this dynamic “toxic,” as it was a consensual relationship and Miles was upfront about his expectations from the moment they discussed having any type of physical relationship. I will say I didn’t love the “woman tries to ‘fix’ the man and erase his dark, traumatic past” trope, and that turned out to be the toxicity in the relationship at times.
The story was told in dual POVs and alternate timelines, with Tate’s being present day and Miles’ being six years prior (and surrounding his previous relationship). I liked this format, but I do wish Miles’ chapters were longer, and not written in a verse-like style.
Miles’ previous relationship with Rachel was the main aspect that I didn’t enjoy. Their dynamic was just weird and VERY unnecessarythem being step siblings added NOTHING to the story - they could’ve just been classmates and their traumatic event would’ve had the same impact in my opinion . I also wish that Tate found out about Miles’ past a little bit earlier in the story, because although they were f**k buddies, their romance felt a little too insta-lovey for my liking.
Ultimately, I would recommend this to anyone new to the new adult romance genre who is looking for a quick, steamy and emotional love story.
We follow our main characters Tate and Miles as they navigate a “friends with benefits” relationship, which I think is very realistic and relatable (especially in this day and age). I didn’t find this dynamic “toxic,” as it was a consensual relationship and Miles was upfront about his expectations from the moment they discussed having any type of physical relationship. I will say I didn’t love the “woman tries to ‘fix’ the man and erase his dark, traumatic past” trope, and that turned out to be the toxicity in the relationship at times.
The story was told in dual POVs and alternate timelines, with Tate’s being present day and Miles’ being six years prior (and surrounding his previous relationship). I liked this format, but I do wish Miles’ chapters were longer, and not written in a verse-like style.
Miles’ previous relationship with Rachel was the main aspect that I didn’t enjoy. Their dynamic was just weird and VERY unnecessary
Ultimately, I would recommend this to anyone new to the new adult romance genre who is looking for a quick, steamy and emotional love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Minor: Child death, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Death of parent
laheath's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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
4.0
I finally decided to see why everyone was talking about this author and just chose the first audiobook available from my library. It's one of her older ones, though, so it may not show much about her current writing style. Although the cast of characters was brief, I felt they were pretty well-developed and intricate. The premise of the story sounds shallow, but it quickly becomes apparent that the male lead is hiding a past in which he suffered a life-altering pain so severe that he believes he'll never be healed. That secret is so heartbreaking, but he finally manages to see past the pain with the help of those closest to him. Told in alternating chapters by Tate (female lead, present time) and Miles (male lead, six years ago), this book takes the reader through all the emotions. Keep the tissues handy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Child death
Minor: Alcohol