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andycob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Classism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Bullying, and Toxic friendship
lilyemmaaa's review against another edition
3.0
I’m typically not a fan of the bully romances, but here I am now reading a few of them. This book was basically just all smut while still having a decent plot.
My feelings on Whit are hard to explain. I enjoyed reading about his character, but I also hated him in so many moments. He’s a genuine asshole who only cared about himself and I HATE those types of characters. But that is the point of this story. I liked how towards the end he actually succumbed to his inevitable feelings and became just a little bit of a softy, but everything before that was a little hard to read sometimes if I’m being honest.
Summer was a complete submissive and while it was intriguing to read, it also had me wanting her to just stick up for herself at many points. I cringed hard after what happened at the abandoned house prior to the party, I cringed when he called her a whore at the age of 14 where she truly wasn’t, and I cringed when she let him do whatever he wanted all because of blackmail. But she was also so strong. With the mental Ternopil he put her through, the trauma her early teenage years caused, and the mother that she had. I have to give her props because how she got through all that is a little unbelievable to me.
The third act conflict was so hard to read because of all that Summer was put through. I hate Whits mother and the things that she did. I hate how mean Whits sister was to Summer for no reason other than her feeling hurt. And I hate how Summer was abandoned by everyone she basically loved because of it. And then when she got back to her mother, she finds out the truth about the night of the fire? That was a turn I did not see coming and it broke my heart when she realized what it all meant.
But, the way that there was a decent amount of time for her to process everything before Whit came back, felt just a little realistic. And the way he came back had me smiling.
You would think that with all that I wrote I’d have rated it badly, but I love Monica Murphy’s writing and I love the way she wrote this story. It was enjoyable and made me set all my premade opinions aside. A book will barely ever be perfect for me, so a good story and an enjoyable whatever, makes a book good for me. And at the end of the day this book was just that. A good read.
Graphic: Death, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Moderate: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Fire/Fire injury
ellascoven's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Sexism, Alcohol, Bullying, Rape, and Terminal illness
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, and Infidelity
rosesbelair's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Chronic illness, Misogyny, and Terminal illness
ohkaythen's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence