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Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
50 reviews
rickireadss's review against another edition
4.25
while it took me a bit (20%ish) to get into it, once i was in i was IN. i really liked the dynamic between mariel and ozroth and getting to see them both grow individually throughout the book. i also really enjoyed both the smut and how the story eventually ended. i feel like some endings lately in the paranormal romances have fell flat for me, but this one was really good!! i will say - the name ozroth, shortened to oz....??? why was that the final decision for his name bc all i could think of was the wizard of oz :/
⚠️: emotional abuse, bullying, gaslighting, toxic relationship, animal death, fire/fire injury, police brutality, death of parent
⚠️: emotional abuse, bullying, gaslighting, toxic relationship, animal death, fire/fire injury, police brutality, death of parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury
ell_n's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
blissofalife's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Loved the start, Mariel was a delight and the banter was fun. The about halfway through they have sex and all the romantic tension disappears and it got progressively less interesting and harder to suspend my disbelief. The whole book takes place over a few days, but the characters experience massive changes, I wish more time had passed in the book so it didn’t feel so rushed. It felt like after the first sex scene the author didn’t have anywhere else to go so there was just more sex and innuendos. I also didn’t love that everyone who wasn’t Mariel’s family members were constantly telling her to stand up for herself. It felt monotonous. Satisfying ending though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Blood
arlaubscher's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
katelynnelawson's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a sweet, fun, and steamy read if imperfect. Mariel is a witch who struggles with magic despite being prophesized as powerful. While she excels at earth magic, her family looks down on it and subsequently her. During a spell gone wrong, she summons Ozroth, a demon. Oz's goal is to make a soul bargain with Mariel. However, bargaining her soul would mean losing her magic and emotions, and as the two grow closer that's not something either of them wants.
Oz is a peculiar demon in that he has a soul after a previous soul bargain gone wrong, meaning he experiences human emotion, something demons look down on. Given this and his community's need for a powerful soul like Mariel's, there is just as much incentive for him to bargain for her soul as there is top keep her safe. Meanwhile, Mariel's beloved forest is rapidly decaying while her mother and the major of Glimmer Falls plot to build a spa there, two things Mariel and her friends desperately want to stop.
This is an enjoyable read, though the toxic relationship between Mariel and her mother - a major plot point - is a bit harrowing. Some of the language used not just by Mariel's mother but her friend regarding Mariel's "dry spell" feels reductive - cleaning cobwebs from the vagina, good dick being motivation. It's frustrating in the third act how quickly Mariel believes Oz, whom she loves, could be duping her, but also makes sense given her frustrating relationship with her family. Ultimately it's a fun and sexy love story, and the world-building is whimsical and interesting.
Oz is a peculiar demon in that he has a soul after a previous soul bargain gone wrong, meaning he experiences human emotion, something demons look down on. Given this and his community's need for a powerful soul like Mariel's, there is just as much incentive for him to bargain for her soul as there is top keep her safe. Meanwhile, Mariel's beloved forest is rapidly decaying while her mother and the major of Glimmer Falls plot to build a spa there, two things Mariel and her friends desperately want to stop.
This is an enjoyable read, though the toxic relationship between Mariel and her mother - a major plot point - is a bit harrowing. Some of the language used not just by Mariel's mother but her friend regarding Mariel's "dry spell" feels reductive - cleaning cobwebs from the vagina, good dick being motivation. It's frustrating in the third act how quickly Mariel believes Oz, whom she loves, could be duping her, but also makes sense given her frustrating relationship with her family. Ultimately it's a fun and sexy love story, and the world-building is whimsical and interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Blood
Minor: Animal death and Death of parent
emmacartlidge's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
marsh_mall0w's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Bullying
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Police brutality
Minor: Child abuse, Alcohol, Cancer, and Fire/Fire injury
simplyammee's review
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Blood
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
abcdefgerda's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
It seems that the books that manage to surprise me are the ones that I love the most in the end. I was expecting a light, trying-way-too-hard-to-be-funny romcom but this book was actually funny and actually sweet and actually deep and interesting and I was really really hooked.
Mariel was a good person but there was so much more to her and she was willing to do what needed to be done to achieve her ends.I was a little annoyed by how easily the whole forgiveness part happened with Mariel's family but it wasn't anything too big
Ozroth I loved a lot, he was an amazing character. I did start thinking about how it all would've gone down if he hadn't had a soul but I'm also thinking that the next book might clear some of it.
Mariel was a good person but there was so much more to her and she was willing to do what needed to be done to achieve her ends.
Ozroth I loved a lot, he was an amazing character. I did start thinking about how it all would've gone down if he hadn't had a soul but I'm also thinking that the next book might clear some of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse