Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian

12 reviews

bookninja's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-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

Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

TW for mention of/allusion to a past sexual assault during an on-page sex scene.

fran's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

beepbeep101's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Confinement, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Classism, Dementia, Grief, and Sexual content

Minor: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Stalking

Sexual trauma, difficult pregnancy, postpartum depression

cameronmh's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Cursing

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Classism, and Misogyny

Almost all of the negative content is in the past. Marion has escaped (

at least by the second chapter when she kills him

) a toxic relationship, which is where a solid half the CWs come from. Most of the violence is during the book, and there is lots of very consensual sexual content, but all of the pregnancy and sexual abuse stuff is in the past. The whole thing is a big hurt/comfort fanfiction, basically.

the_crooked_neighbor's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book. Was it revolutionary? No. Was it a feel-good read that had me blushing the whole way through? Absolutely. It was delightful to continue in this series (would not recommend as a stand-alone) and have such a similar vibe to a book I loved last year while having an engaging and new storyline. I really hope we get at least one more book in this series even though I feel like the ending did leave me satisfied. Great book- will most assuredly read again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

analenegrace's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I read Kit Webb and this one back to back as to best understand the story and while I quite enjoyed them both, this was was definitely the better of the two. I definitely recommend reading Kit Webb first and reading them together since the plots are so intertwined and I imagine this would not be easy to understand without Kit Webb. 

Rob was perhaps one of my favorite MMCs in a while, his characterization was written in a way that was so enjoyable and made it impossible not to root for him at every turn. His relationships with the people he loved and the animals he loved, as well as with the people around him, made him practically perfect with a morally grey Robin-Hood-style code of ethics. Marian was, of course, an absolute icon once again and I enjoyed getting to understand her, her past, and her relationships to the ones she cared about more as well! I also enjoyed that the book did not shy away from discussions of her period and the dangers of pregnancy as I feel that even in contemporary books this is often ignored. The relationship between the two and their dynamic in and outside of the bedroom were enjoyable to read and the author balanced well telling us the story of the relationship while telling us the tale of their adventure. 

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a historical romance that has a greater plot and even a greater purpose outside of the romance!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Classism, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Minor: Medical content

alisoun's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

Literally one of the best books I've read this year. 

I enjoyed the casual queerness of the main characters and their friends. 

I enjoyed the very grey morals too! It was definitely a very different romance than I was expecting - majorly the FMC has just killed her husband and she has a baby too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Gun violence and Domestic abuse

Hyperemesis - the FMC had it in her pregnancy and is very traumatised by the experience. No explicit mentions or scenes of vomiting.

wilybooklover's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

Ahhh, the Robin Hood references! I grew up about half an hour from Sherwood Forest and it’s always been one of my favourite legends, so I’m delighted to see the parallels in this story. 

Rob’s blackmail letters to Marian soon turn into love letters, and his infatuation with her grows after she drugs him and ties him up only to ask for his help when she accidentally murders her husband. I just loved their dynamic; Rob’s laidback golden retriever nature versus Marian’s mean and prickly personality. He basically follows her around with heart eyes for the whole book (although briefly distracted by adorable kittens). Both Rob and Marian are bisexual disasters, and their interactions and relationship feel realistically queer. 

The sex scenes were so well-done. Marian’s dislike of penetration isn’t treated as something to ‘fix’, or as though something is wrong with her. Instead they just work around it and find other sexy things to do together! It’s such a rare thing to see portrayed neutrally in a romance novel.

There were some great nuanced conversations about ethics in this — about having money, about stealing money, about murder, about motherhood — but they didn’t feel intrusive or unnatural to the narrative. The dialogue is as witty and clever as it was in Kit Webb.  

I will admit I was a bit weirded out at Rob being the half-brother of Marian’s daughter and the son of her deceased husband, especially since he kept that info from her for longer than he really should have. But it didn’t bother me enough to impact my enjoyment of the story! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Dementia

Moderate: Pregnancy and Confinement

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse

imds's review against another edition

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Dementia, Abandonment, Death, Sexual violence, Confinement, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent

ecobookworm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Gun violence

Minor: Pregnancy