Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Don't Kiss the Bride - Special Edition: An Age Gap, Marriage of Convenience Romance by Carian Cole

13 reviews

rgills's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
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sunshine_day's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring slow-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

5.0

IMO age gap books are hard to do. Often the characters and/or the relationship is super unbelievable and I just end up hating the book and myself for reading it. But Don't Kiss the Bride was perfection!  Not only did I believe the characters, their love, their struggles and their ages, but also it took me back to when I was 19 and in a relationship with a much older man. I understood Sparkle and I understood Lucky. 

Quadruple bonus points for the way the author dealt with eating disorders and mental health issues.
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skyhazzard's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

This was so good, did not disappoint. This age gap was done so well I never once thought that it was weird for them to be together. They just clicked so well and had developed such a cute friendship.

Both of their backgrounds left them in a similar state of feeling abandoned and like they weren’t worth staying for so there a lot of inner turmoil that comes up throughout the book and puts a wrench into their relationship romantically. 
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antidietleah's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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ellie_isreading's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

every girl’s dream: to marry a man for his health insurance and eventually fall in love and get dicked down on the regular 

look up full list of TWs prior to reading
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laura_rheads_too_much's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

4.5

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bbygirl21's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

4.0

This was a very interesting story. It was heavier than I thought it was gonna be, and it definitely could've been shorter, but I really enjoyed it. 

I found the characters frustrating at times, but I still find them likable for the most part.

There was a conversation between Skyler's boss and Jude where I think she should've stayed out of Jude and Skyler's business and left well enough alone. It definitely would've saved a lot of trouble and doubt she caused on top of the insecurities both Jude and Skyler already had about being together. Yes I think it's good she was concerned for Skyler seeing as there is an age difference, but her timing was way off. I feel she was only hurting Skyler indirectly, not protecting her, by putting even more doubt in Lucky's head.

Skyler's parents were very frustrating perhaps even angering. They obviously didn't care much for her in the long run. While Skyler's Dad was trying in the end, I felt he had too much of an opinion on Skyler's relationship with Jude when he left Skyler in a horrible living situation and wasn't there for most of her life to have any say on what she does or who she decides to be with. But I do gotta give him credit for trying to salvage his relationship with his daughter. 

I love how the author addressed mental illness with Skyler's mom's hoarding problem and Skyler's eating disorder and her anxiety and depression. As much as I didn't like Skyler's mom, her hoarding problem is a mental illness and I thought it was portrayed very well. Along with Skyler's daily struggle with her mental illnesses too. Skyler's mental illnesses weren't brushed off as you see in most books you see her struggle and do the normal back and forth that comes with recovery.

The book did have a really sweet ending though. And while I was left with quite a few questions at the end, I didn't feel like they were too important to the story that I was left unsatisfied by not having them answered.

Overall this was a very good book.
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bridgetlovesbooks's review against another edition

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

2.75

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strugglingbookaholic's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

4.25

Things I liked:
  • The characters—I loved Skylar and I also loved Lucky like 90% of the time lol (see dislikes)
  • The chemistry—like Aunt Suzy, I was absolutely shipping Skylar and Lucky and I whole-heartedly wanted them to be happy together
  • The tropes—I loved that this centered around a marriage of convenience; this was only my second age gap romance but I’ve enjoyed both of them
  • The writing was gripping and relatable but not flowery—I was hooked from the beginning and it was so easy to get lost in
  • The mental illness representation—I thought the discussions surrounding Skylar’s eating disorder and her mother’s hoarding were really eye-opening

Things I disliked:
  • Maybe it’s my fault for gravitating towards books with the fake dating or marriage of convenience tropes when they almost always involve miscommunication and/or denial, but this book had a bit too much of that. I LOVED the first half where we got to know the characters and watch their relationship grow, but the second half of the book was a little frustrating.
    They both obviously really wanted to be together, but they just kept getting in their own way. They’d take turns having doubts and insecurities and just not saying what they were feeling.
    Even though I just finished this less than two hours ago, I don’t think I can clearly remember how the main conflict played out because the situation was so convoluted.
  • While I really loved Lucky most of the time, there were a couple of moments where I was grossed out by his inner dialogue or actions.
    The sex scene after his sister tells him she’s been fine without him all along was not it for me. I didn’t like how demanding and disrespectful he was.
    I suspect that the author included those aspects to play up his “bad boy” image and “troubled past” but I just could’ve done without them.
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sniderbeebooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

4.0

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