Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Dare by Elle Kennedy

7 reviews

abidavisf's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Phew, Elle Kennedy does it again. I’ve not seen myself in one of her protagonists quite as much as I do in Taylor. I’m flawed. The Dare was healing for me, eye-opening and really quite surreal.

As always, the spice and the banter was on point, and Elle navigated really tricky topics with grace. The shining star, however, is definitely Taylor’s insecurities and the way we get to see how the rest of the world truly sees her. I wish I could read the minds of the people around me like we got to read Conor’s. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Drug use, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Classism, Sexual harassment, and Homophobia

Minor: Death of parent, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing

caitlinemccann's review

emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I appreciate how consumable Elle Kennedy's series are. Even if I'm reading it for the first time, there's some inherent comfort in that.

What threw me with The Deal was the heroine, Taylor's, very clear disordered eating habits that were never addressed. Please be mindful of that if you decide to read this book. I debated rating this book lower than a three because of it but ultimately rounded up because there were still enjoyable components elsewhere in the novel. However, I think this is potentially the weakest of the Briar U series.

So easy to read but kind of a meh 3-star rating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Bullying, Body shaming, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Misogyny

Minor: Infidelity

malisac16's review

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Body shaming

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Abandonment

culzean's review against another edition

funny tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Classism, and Misogyny

haley49's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was a mess but I enjoyed it. All the conflicts were melodramic, the mid/plus-size rep was hit or miss, and there wasn’t enough groveling in my opinion—but I ate up all the tropes. Conor and Taylor were sweet leads who pretended they didn’t have golden retriever energy when together. There were some laughing moments and some good cameos from previous installments in the Briar U series. (No off-campus ones) When he wasn’t being stupid, I adored Conor as a love interest. He is the sweetest. Probably my favorite Briar U boy??? (There is something about boy #4 in Elle Kennedy series lol) I recommend—if you can withstand the some representation issues and second hand embarrassment.

The fat rep is with the main character who is bullied for her looks throughout her life, specifically by her sorority sister, but it really impacts her self-esteem and its her main source if inner conflict. At no point in the story does her love interest think about her looks or weight with any negativity but there are several points in which she jumps to conclusions, even when irrelevant, about her weight being a problem. Her love interest continually reassures her but at times it does feel like the she-needs-male-validation-to-feel-beautiful trope. She is also heavily sexualized with her weight, particularly with regards to her boobs. If any of that would seriously bother you, this isn’t your book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, and Sexism

Minor: Drug use and Outing

there is a video released without consent as part of the third act conflict

lilypilly's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• 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

3.0

She's my future now, and I'm hers

Nah I actually loved Conor though, why is he one of my favourites and I didn't even know who he was until Hunter's story? He was such a cutie and bless his heart. I could relate the most to Taylor's body issues compared to any of the other issues covered in this series. It was almost like Elle Kennedy wrote a book about me. Again, I'm missing that fall head over heels in love with someone, like I know they love each other, but it's missing that all-absorbing love. 
This was a good book, feeling unfished though for the last book in Briar U. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing

Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Fatphobia, and Eating disorder

When Taylor gets dared to have sex with Conor Edwards, the hottest boy on campus who gets whatever girl he wants, things arent looking good for Taylor. But Conor is more interested than she thought, Taylor is the most interesting to approach Conor in a year, and he'll take her up on whatever crazy offer she has. When they agree to fake date to mess with Taylor's sorority, the lines become blurred between what is real and what isn't. As a video of Taylor on a porn site kissing a fellow sister gets uploaded, feelings get pushed aside in an attempt to save each other.

sophies_reads's review

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia