Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

28 reviews

khymihr's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism

kg_chickadee's review

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Vomit

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

   After a terrible breakup, Layla returns home and decides to open her own business in the office above her family's restaurants. But her dad has already leased the office to Sam. When Sam arrives for his first day in his new office, he finds his polar opposite and new enemy Layla at his desk. So, they make a wager, if Sam helps Layla find and go through a list of potential husbands then Sam gets the office. But maybe they're a perfect match, for each other.
     The book was as predictable as most contemporary romances. It had a good amount of humor but not quite enough spice. Most of the sex was off page, with some foreplay depicted. 
     I think this book should have been at least 2 hours shorter. I got to around 69% and wondered how there could be so much of the book left. It just felt very drawn out.
     Overall a pretty good book, just too long and with not enough spice. Also, a bit heavier than your usual contemporary romance, which I wasn't expecting. 

 Extra ratings: Fluff - 2/5  Heartfelt- 3.5/5   Helpful-NA    Horror- 0/5    Inspiration- NA   Love aka Romance-4.5/5   Mystery-0/5    Predictability- 4.5/5    Spice- 2/5  Suspense- 0/5   Tear 1.5/5  Thrill- 0/5  Humor-3.5/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Body shaming, Grief, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Car accident

vj_thompson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

1.0

This book was an emotional roller coaster that I did not need. I wasn’t a fan of Sam and Layla’s relationship. I thought it was very unhealthy. I also hated how every male character was written. Not every man constantly thinks about banging women…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Cursing, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Grief, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death, Vomit, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Car accident

rdmoreland0801's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Leila and Sam were absolutely hilarious.  I love their banter and the way they do effortlessly fit into each other’s lives.

There were a few points that I wanted to wring Sam’s neck, but Leila always carried herself with such a strong no-fucks-given attitude, you knew she could stand up for herself.

In the end, Leila asks Sam to marry her - a perfect way to end the book.

Neither Leila or Sam thought they’d want to both win and lose The Marriage Game, but it turned out to be the best win-win scenario.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

claire_fitzgibbon13's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted sad 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

4.25

Loved it. It was fun and flirty. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Car accident

Minor: Alcoholism and Vomit

sweetchocolatez's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Grief, and Medical content

Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Sexism, Vomit, Violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Emotional abuse

sarahmae531's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-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? No

2.5

Overall, I found Sam and Layla’s relationship confusing.. Things moved way too fast to be believable, (

him acting as a “chaperone” after knowing each other 48 hours? her squeezing his leg under the table to get him to stop talking on the first date? they randomly started calling each other boyfriend/girlfriend without a conversation about it??

) and I know it’s a romance and doesn’t have to be believable all the time, but this was just too out of this world.
Also some descriptions of Layla’s body read so much like a man was writing the novel.. Enough said, I think. 
I thought the ending was pretty predictable, but I did think it was cute and is the reason it got an extra .5 stars from me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Minor: Car accident and Vomit

jennabenna's review against another edition

1.5

Read this book if you like toxic masculinity. The love-interest, Sam, full-on only every wants to sleep with or "protect" women, and punch other men. He is emotionally stunted, estranged from his family, possessive of his sister. He literally gets in bloody bar fights against his friend, randomly threatens people for no reason, is a total jerk at work, and has self-absorbed bullies as friends and coworkers. His behavior is WAY out of line in the climax of the book

attending a cocaine and stripper filled party instead of meeting Layla's family, and then defending his decision to evict Laylas family from their restaurant

and yet somehow Layla is the one making a grand gesture to win him back? 
Also, most of the banter between the two leads is in front of other people in a way that is really awkward. And the pacing of the book is off as well. 
Plus, TONS of trigger warnings (in addition to the violent toxic masculinity). A bunch of stuff happens that should be really
upsetting to the characters, but is just casually presented in a cluncky way to move the plot along and doesnt get the attention it deserved  

just to name a few, her parents are losing their restaurant, her brother died, her dad has a heart attack and is comatose in the hospital, the leads get in a car accident, one of her suitors beats up his female Employee within earshot of Layla, Sam's sister was pushed down the stairs by her abusive husband and is now wheelchair bound, Layla has a coworker with a girlfriend who is constantly sexually harassing her, including rubbing her body against his boner when she asks him to stop 

and thats not even all of the intense or misogynistic stuff that is presented casually in the story. I would have  given a lower star rating, but the Indian representation was nice, and her dad was sweet. Overall, Do not recommend.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, and Grief

amberinpieces's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Minor: Gaslighting, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Car accident, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail