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flyingryndeer's review against another edition
dark
medium-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
There is a certain amount of suspension of disbelief that one has to do to read an erotic romance, but this.... pushed the limit.
It's previously established in the other books that Jonah pays heavy attention to everything that goes on at Serve and there are severe penalties for those who break his rules- you mean to tell me that he's not 1. aware of and 2. angry about Monocle Man here sceneing with this total newbie- who isn't even authorized to be there- without negotiating with her? Knowing that she definitely wasn't the sub he was supposed to be sceneing with? And then brings her back several days later as a guest- to which Jonah calls him to raise a red flag and then just.... takes his word for it that everything is fine?
There's a point later on where he knowingly pushes her past her limits but doesn't stop because she doesn't safeword- as a dom, particularly an experienced dom with an inexperienced sub, it was his responsibility to be *paying attention* and caring for her when he started to notice that something might be wrong- she seems to leave every scene with him traumatized and yet somehow begging for more. Frankly this man has no business domming any scene, let alone with an inexperienced sub. And that's not even getting into the possessiveness and violence this man wants to visit upon her own male relatives for checks notes talking to her and being a man in her general vicinity. It's ridiculous. Are straight people okay? These people are not good for each other and also this guy was a tertiary antagonist in a previous book and already described as kind of a bad dom/definitely not someone beginners should scene with and yet here he is traumatizing this woman and continuously fucking up
Sure, I understand that sometimes there are fantasies of that dangerous, possessive, kinda toxic guy but this isn't it
2 stars only because Tessa Baily is a talented writer and the characters were believable people and the scenes themselves were all well written, even if the male lead was a terrible person who should under no circumstances be in a relationship of any kind without lots and lots of therapy
Sure, I understand that sometimes there are fantasies of that dangerous, possessive, kinda toxic guy but this isn't it
2 stars only because Tessa Baily is a talented writer and the characters were believable people and the scenes themselves were all well written, even if the male lead was a terrible person who should under no circumstances be in a relationship of any kind without lots and lots of therapy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Medical content
Minor: Violence, War, and Gun violence
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