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madyreadsig's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual content
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Vomit, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Addiction
lorenab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Despite this, I enjoyed the book and plan to read other books in this series. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read and would recommend this book to anyone who likes smut and morally grey characters.
Graphic: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
sami_leigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the journey both MCs take on their personal growth, and the emphasis that these are their journeys to take alone as they need to be better for themselves before they can be anything for someone else.
Alex’s possessive traits are an acquired taste and I found them unsettling.
I’m looking forward to seeing the development of other relationships in the future books, namely Josh and Ava’s
There are a lot of context warnings in this one. ⚠️
🌶🌶🌶🌶
Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Child death, Stalking, and Vomit
mariareviews's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Red flags of Alex Volkov that lowkey had me about to DNF this book (heavy spoilers here so read at your own risk:
1. Chapter 5: Alex. The whole boudoir scene literally had me about to DNF the book and just giving up. It was home disgusting and the fact that we didn’t get an explanation (such as the guys being dicks and selling her pics or smthing) was honestly disappointing.
2. Chapter 32: Ava. The whole Elliot thing also icked me. An unnecessarily violent response to a simple guy asking for her number.
3. Chapter 33: Alex. The whole start of their friendship/truce/relationship based on him trying to get closer to Michael… Do I need to elaborate?
4. Chapter 41: Ava. mf lies to her, betrays her, treats her like shit, stalks her all the way to abandoning his CEO position and flying to another continent to just spew that possessive bs? nah. girlie is lowkey traumatised and he’s thinking with his dick.
END OF SPOILERS
That said, it was entertaining. Read it in about 4-5hrs so that’s cool. Won’t read the next books but a solid ride.
3/5
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Self harm, Vomit, Addiction, Child death, Infidelity, Animal death, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
iolexx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, and Stalking
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Vomit
wts_tiffany's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Vomit
reema_ismail's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Death, Cursing, Child abuse, Murder, and Vomit
abby_shupe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I personally don’t like how the first plot twist was carried out, it seemed too unrealistic, like a soap opera. And the second, way too predictable, Which leads me to say, this whole book is a complicated soap opera. Interesting, unrealistic, dramatic, dark. Some parts were cringy, some predictable.
And specific quotes did make me want to throw up, but you get through it. Specifically, “you’re about to find out what happens when you invite yourself into the lion’s den”. And “with her doe eyes and innocent features, she resembled a sacrificial virgin awaiting defilement. My cock throbbed harder”, … yeah.
I also didn’t expect to agree with reviews I had read beforehand, but the Sunshine nickname got old quick.
I mean, halfway though the book I was rolling my eyes when the first plot twist rolled in, and you’ll find out why. I was throwing my book down, looking to the ceiling, exasperated. Like what the fuck.
I read reviews mentioning Alex groveling, and I suppose I pictured him at Ava’s feet pleading, because the reality was underwhelming.
I expected in one of the many sex scenes, for the dynamic to change, Ava to take a little charge. Nope. The smut was still great though, Huang definitely has talent in that department.
If you like Lauren Asher’s work, I would say the two authors wrote similar dynamics, but Huang writes heavier smut with darker and dramatic plot lines, though I prefer Asher’s writing style.
Alex and Ava are like a couple you see in an amusement park line, full of PDA. I wasn’t necessarily rooting for the two, but they’re cute together.
Still, it was a very interesting book, and I do recommend it since it was a great break from all the YA books I’ve been reading lately.
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Child death, Sexual violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Excrement, and Drug use
cheffreckles's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Grief, and Gaslighting
bookedinsideout's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Vomit, Addiction, and Drug abuse
The heroine was intentionally pushed in a pool as a child (attempted murder) and had vivid nightmares about drowning throughout the book.