Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Once You're Mine by Morgan Bridges

15 reviews

caroreads97's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Rape

kristanjenkins's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Stalking, Death of parent, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Rape, and Torture

jessanicolesingh's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

4.0

As far as dark romances go, this stalker series was a little more on the mild side as I'm used to a more unhinged MMC. I did however like that there was not a secret society this time around, just a morally-gray dude in the regular world. For me it was a pretty fast paced read, and book 1 ends in a cliffhanger so it’s best to piggyback them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

zapndoubletap's review

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Torture, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Stalking, and Physical abuse

Minor: Drug use and Sexual assault

brittneydye19's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Pregnancy

mary_stormageddon's review against another edition

dark 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

anabug444's review

dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Sexual content

mylastfewbraincells's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder

xangemthelibrarian's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I am dead. Deceased. Was not expecting to learn about myself today. That chase scene though. Y'all. 

As far as the writing style goes, there were a few awkward phrasings, but overall, it is very well written. Hayden is the stuff of fantasy. Calista is a bit of a Mary Sue with honestly some very understandable trust issues and a tragic backstory. And the ending is a cliffhanger worthy of the season finale of a TV Show. 

As far as the romance dynamics go, you've got some nonconsensual stalking and voyeurism. You have themes of obsession and "protection" via control and manipulation. Lots of tension. Hayden throws a lot of primal lines out there, and is extremely possessive. Calista, rightfully, challenges his desire to lock her in a cage throughout the entire story and I love her for it. 

Obviously thier relationship isn't healthy. Obviously it's problematic. But dark romance doesn't exist as a genre because of the wholesome vibes. I will be reading the sequel to this one, and I'm really interested to see how the issues presented in this book get resolved.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: Drug use, Death of parent, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Sexual assault

princessjj14's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Addiction