Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

7 reviews

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

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

blackveilbeccy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.25

This started off slow but by the end I waa really invested. There was a great, diverse ensemble cast and I found the characters super loveable. Can’t wait to read the next one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Gaslighting, Addiction, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Gun violence, Cursing, and Sexual harassment

kfmcf's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective slow-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

3.75

Really my only issue was this book was that it relied a little to heavily on pop culture references (eg., Layla references the Princess Bride a lot and it even makes an appearance in the epilogue where Sam now knows what it is). I don't mind if books have sprinklings of references but this one almost seemed ingrained in the character development.
The plot of the book was definitely weaker than the characters, but honestly I would much rather have it that way than the reverse. I found the characters enjoyable and relatable if not possibly needing a bit more grounding. The side characters were very enjoyable and I'm glad to be seeing more of them in the sequels which I will happily read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Grief and Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

valeria_gzz's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

3.75

3,75 Okay so I liked it and it was VERY FUNNY, and I loved all the Princess Bride talk and references, but there are buts to this. I didn’t like how overprotective Sam was of someone he literally just met, or how the book was full of sentences describing Layla’s butt or chest or literally any other part of her. When he was chill I liked it but I don’t really like the overprotective guy trope, it’s pretty creepy. I did like that Sam and Layla both actually had other things going on besides falling in love with each other AND I liked that this was sorta realistic with the timeline being 6 months. 

And I wanted to add that I’m not Indian-American but this doesn’t seem completely accurate?? I can’t explain what specific parts but it just doesn’t feel ‘right’.

Long story short I did like this book but there were parts of it that made me roll my eyes, cringe a bit, and feel annoyed at Sam. And I liked the Dating Plan a lot more. I did like Layla she was cool.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

kayladaila's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Car accident, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Grief, Gore, and Gaslighting

readwithde's review against another edition

emotional 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

1.75

There are honestly very few positive things I have to say about The Marriage Game: it shown a spotlight on how death, tragedy, and abuse affect people, including years of bad decisions, failure to move forward, and crippling emotional ruin. It also had a clear through-line of relying on family/friends/a support system to get through tough times versus toughing it out alone. 

These few positives count for next to nothing against the wave of messed up relationship drama that is supposed to showcase a real love and bond, strong enough to build a marriage and family. The majority of the book focuses on Sam and Layla's personal goals: Sam, to avenge his sister's injury and abuse by publicly outing her abuser, while Layla wants stability, through running her own business with the option to find a husband via arranged marriage (since she only chooses losers, a point repeated in the book).

They meet, they fight, they come up with a wager over the office they both have claim to: if Sam can help get Layla a husband, he can keep the office; if not, he leaves.

At this point, there was so much potential for a solidly built romance, but the two continue to fight and bicker, judge each other, assume the worst repeatedly, and (in Sam's case) act possessively and violently towards every suitor; he literally gets into a massive bar fight with one of his friends over her, for no good reason. The couple jumps in and out of bed, based on the random fight of the day (or lack thereof) before Sam finally goes out on a limb and states he wants to be with Layla. This means they should start growing up, right?

With 30% of the book left, Sam instead torpedos his growth

and chance to be with Layla so he can try to fire and out his sister's abuser (through a DIY strip club, complete with drugs, alcohol, and trashing their joint office). When Layla finds him there, he's alone in a room with a handsy stripper and fully disheveled, but two chapters later were supposed to believe he only wants to be with Layla? He never explains, never even pushes the woman off of him, but instead expects Layla to understand this is a necessary part of his job so he can enact his revenge. But two days later, he never wants any woman except Layla?

In under a week, we're lead to believe he's a different man with different priorities, that he's changed and will be a good man and husband, and somehow (off page) got the approval of her entire family? That all his years of trauma and vengeance can be healed and dismissed within a week

because he lost her and missed her?

It takes until the end of the book for Layla to develop any backbone and personal growth, but NOW everyone trusts that she can choose a proper man? That she is "saving herself" by marrying Sam? Even when they have separated, she still plays games to make him jealous, and he still reacts with anger.

It's an emotional train wreck, their personalities flip and change on a whim, even the side characters change their minds based on whatever emotions fit that day.

(Royce is a sociopathic jerk, until he randomly cares? Daisy hates Sam until he spends 2 days trying to undo the mess he made?) There is nothing real or meaningful, despite the characters repeating it.

IMO, it's not worth the read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Violence