Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan

11 reviews

mlovesbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

Knocked off one full star because the way people brushed off Lizzie all the time was genuinely upsetting to me.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse

the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.0

Every relationship in this book is dysfunctional at best and toxic at worst. No one seems to genuinely like each other, and no one is actually good to each other without having an ulterior motive. The idea that we are meant to support dysfunctional dynamics,

like the two love interests manipulating each other all the time and some straight up gaslighting happening throughout

worries me. The chemistry also seemed to be based entirely on sexual attraction between Cara and Lizzie, which is fine, but doesn't really make the HEA satisfying. The ending also struck me as a lot of miscommunication that could have easily been resolved, so I found myself skimming a lot of the last 5 or 6 chapters. 

There is also no real resolution about Lizzie's mom. It's just assumed she went no contact, which left me without closure as a reader.

The author also specifically noted the races of non-white people, but only noted the races of white people when they were being introduced at the same time as POCs (such as Jane and Sherry). That comes off kind of racist with the white folks being presumed as "default" but non-white people being noted. It also didn't escape my notice that the only racialized people were extremely minor characters with very few lines (Mina, Jane, Ramón).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Biphobia

Minor: Gaslighting and Child abuse

the_lesbrarian's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Classism

torikate7's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Homophobia

ezwolf's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.0

I think my biggest downfall when it comes to romance books is that I expect there to be more of a focus on setting of the romance. In this case, I expected there to be more weightlifting involved and was disappointed there was very little. 

The found/chosen family aspect and the idea of putting your needs and wants first sometimes was good and it had potential, it just came after I'd already decided I didn't like Cara or James. This book could have benefited from having alternating POVs which is not something I would usually say, but I think I would have liked Cara (and possibly James as well) more if I'd been able to see some of the story through her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content, Bullying, and Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction and Toxic friendship

stacy837's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Abandonment, Cursing, Homophobia, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol

alexfromistemor's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-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

5.0

I love Jennifer Dugan. She writes in the same way thoughts flow through my brain, which can seem somewhat chaotic at times, but it so familiar that her work always speaks to me.

Unfortunately, I apparently didn't finish my review when I initially read the book so it's not as fresh in my mind any longer (I'm writing this a month and a half later), and so I'll just say I loved this without details. Sorry. >.< 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, and Abandonment

the_true_monroe's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Classism, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Abandonment and Sexual content

Minor: Abandonment and Addiction

a_rich_read's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Classism, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Bullying, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship

merlesstorys's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was amazing, and if someone’s looking for a new adult/adult romance recommendation without much spice, I’d say this one as an answer.

I really like Jennifer Dugan’s writing style and her way to incorporate characters and motives in a ease that I wouldn’t mind that much either way (like I don’t even like the gym, but this one was amazing). 
Also the trope “best friends sibling is the love interest” is so used up… but it was still very great here?
The characters in general felt so real, and I shed some real tears/was quite the wreck when the final blow up happened.

(And one last praise for the premise in general. A gym girl wrecking the best friend’s sister’s wedding by pep talking her out of the wedding? I love it.)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Alcoholism