Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Heart Principle – L'ipotenusa dell'amore by Helen Hoang

163 reviews

syab13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Grief, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Cancer, and Death of parent

peachani's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Infertility, and Suicidal thoughts

wisewayfarer's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Cancer

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

lustrous_frog's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

I love Helen Hoang's books, thank you very much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

imanqblake's review against another edition

emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

The heartwarming romance between both Anna and Quan gave me joy. They both are so respectful and patient with each other (Quan in particular), that their love story doesn't feel forced at all but rather something that was always meant to be. I also loved how the author writes the pain caregivers go through, and the burden and guilt they hold. I do love that Anna, despite going through some tough hurdles, manages to push through even when she's scared. Truly, a story that everybody who's up for some heavy hitting romance should read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness

0701mango's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

This was a really touching book about family, love, and life. Both Anna and Quan are unique and lovable in their own ways. They are so different and Helen Hoang makes their chemistry work. I also appreciate Hoang writing main characters on the autism spectrum.

Though it saddened me, I appreciate that Hoang left Anna and Priscilla's relationship at the end unresolved. Sometimes this kind of thing never resolves, or if it does, it happens over a decade or more. A bit sad, but realistic all the same, and something to appreciate.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cursing, Mental illness, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Infertility, Death, and Grief

The female lead has autism spectrum disorder and her characteristics relating to that are described in detail. The main character also goes to therapy. A significant time in the book is spent on discussions of medical illness and chronic/terminal illness. I believe "toxic relationship" is an appropriate tag for describing the relationship between Anna and her sister Priscilla.

georginainvisablestring22's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, and Sexual content

Minor: Toxic relationship

kshertz's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

It’s pretty lighthearted but this author likes to keep it real. This author always has characters on the spectrum. The sex scenes are too real. It takes a long time for these characters to have the perfect sex together and that was hard for me because I’d rather have fantasy sex in my books but I can appreciate keeping it real! I love that they end up having to communicate a ton because of the autism spectrum diagnosis for her. I love that she learns who she is and how to stand up for herself. I related too hard to the big sister who is kind of a villain in this so I guess I need a lot more therapy ? Call me out why don’t you this author. Anywho, it’s a great book with good themes. The hardest is there is a lot of caretaking and survivor guilt but overall I think it’s a great book and I’d recommend for anyone who loves romance and wants more realistic romance in their life. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Bullying

maira_h's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Oh wow, I was not expecting this book to be dealing with heavier themes than the first 2 books in the series. I'm not even sure I'm in the right mental headspace to be reading this because I'm also experiencing burnout but it's because of my job. While Anna's burnout is different from mine, I absolutely resonate with her when she struggled to make her family and those around her understand what she was going through. It felt incredible yet scary how much I could relate to Anna, to the point I was quite emotionally exhausted. That was probably unhealthy of me but, oh well.

The ending felt quite rushed, similar to The Bride Test. I wished we got more of Quan after seeing him as a constant character in the first two books in the series. Quan in The Heart Principle was literally perfect. Too perfect to the point I questioned does a guy like him exist in this world?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Ableism

Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Infidelity

faegyrl_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Cancer