Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun

22 reviews

tierraskye's review

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.25

If you are looking for a sweet, genuine romance…look no further! I found myself giggling and squealing at these characters. I loved the diversity between the group of characters and the writing was smooth. 

I’m so looking forward to reading Alison’s other novel, The Charm Offensive! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Biphobia, Gaslighting, and Infidelity

kelly_e's review

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-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

3.25

Title: Kiss Her Once for Me
Author: Alison Cochrun
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: November 1, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Thoughtful • Nostalgic • Messy

📖 S Y N O P S I S

One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money.

Finding work at a local coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes and isolation. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover it’s Jack—the mysterious woman she fell for over the course of one magical Christmas Eve the year before. Now, Ellie must choose between the safety of a fake relationship and the risk of something real.

💭 T H O U G H T S

The Charm Offensive was an absolute hit for me, so of course, I was keeping an eye on new books from Alison Cochrun. It just may have taken me over a year to finally pick up Kiss Her Once For Me. Unfortunately, this one didn't have the same experience as her debut.

Honestly, the premise sounded kind of ridiculous, so I knew going in, I'd have to suspend belief in order to appreciate this big hearted romcom. Marriage-of-convivence is a trope I often struggle to become fully invested in and it was no different with this one, especially when you add in the love triangle and lack of communication elements. Additionally, I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a holiday read, rather it just has strong winter vibes.

This book delivers an incredibly diverse cast of characters with representation spanning ADHD, anxiety disorders, bisexuality, demisexuality, and nonbinary. It was just all very well done. I also found myself appreciating the growth of the main character, the self-discovery theme, and the quirky family more than the actual romance aspect.

Overall, Kiss Her Once for Me didn't live up to my expectations, yet I don't know if it was really the book itself or rather just it containing elements that I don't love. I am curious and looking forward to see where Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun's upcoming 2024 release will land for me.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• cozy romance
• queer romcoms (demisexual rep)
• love triangles

⚠️ CW: toxic parental relationship, emotional abuse, child abuse, biphobia, transphobia, lesbophobia, homophobia, mental illness, generalized anxiety, panic attacks/disorders, alcoholism, infidelity, sexual content, alcohol, abandonment, cursing, drug use, classism, bullying, gaslighting, ableism, racism, body shaming, fatphobia, death, misogyny, sexism, divorce

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Your trauma is something that happened to you; it’s not who you are."

"We all have seasons of needing and seasons of giving." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia, Gaslighting, Transphobia, Biphobia, Child abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexism, Infidelity, Fatphobia, Ableism, Cursing, Drug use, Classism, Bullying, Racism, Body shaming, Death, and Misogyny

generalized anxiety, divorce

uranaishi's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Vomit, Biphobia, Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Homophobia, Outing, and Racism

dojipengin's review

emotional funny inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Addiction, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Drug use, Ableism, and Biphobia

Minor: Fatphobia and Body shaming

readandfindout's review

medium-paced

3.5

Style/writing: 3.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 2.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Child abuse

Minor: Ableism, Gaslighting, Racism, Misogyny, Transphobia, Death, and Body shaming

happyblkhippie's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

It's okay. Not an easy fun read! I almost didn't finish this book tbh. The pace was too slow for me. 

The dialogue was hard to get through for me. I do appreciate the not so perfect relationship dynamics and mental health representation, but the MC was a bit whiney and insufferable at times. Didn't love the "half moon smile" and Swiftie references every other chapter. Overall okay. Wouldn't read again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Grief

Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Infidelity, Cursing, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Drug use, Body shaming, Classism, and Alcohol

The over mentioning of Taylor Swift songs/lyrics and half moon smile gave me the ick.

infjkiki's review

emotional hopeful tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Classism

littletouya's review against another edition

funny relaxing 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

4.25

it's like real housewives but with gay people

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual content

Minor: Transphobia

coco78337's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-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

5.0

This was such a lovely read and really helped me see things in a different light. I loved the diverse cast of people. Overall a very sweet, loving book about real life and a realistic way of how things like that would go. Easily a 5 star book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Cursing, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders

tigerlindsay's review

funny reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

I really, really enjoyed this book but I felt like it was missing a connection with Andrew. He disappears for much of the book (and there is a reason for that!) but then reappears and it seems as though he and Ellie are close friends but we did not really see that friendship grow on the page. 

I agree with other reviews that wish for more scenes with Andrew and Dylan!

Overall, I really loved seeing the world through Ellie’s eyes and the glimpses at characters with anxiety and ADHD. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

There is a complex mother-daughter relationship that involves long-term emotional abuse, abandonment, and gaslighting. This is not a major part of the book but it is a persistent theme and part of Ellie’s character growth. It was unexpected given the description of the book.