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klsreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Dementia, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization
yinzer_barbie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Self harm
reddeddy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Cursing, Confinement, Grief, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Murder, Abandonment, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Medical trauma, Abortion, Blood, Dementia, Alcohol, and Gore
Minor: Gaslighting, Medical content, Pregnancy, Car accident, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Incest
hannibanani29'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
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Alcohol, Self harm, Cursing, and Alcoholism
Minor: Grief, Homophobia, Car accident, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Torture, Dementia, and Death of parent
shelikesbig_books2'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Physical abuse, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Death, Miscarriage, and Self harm
Minor: Infidelity and Dementia
dontbechey20'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? It's complicated
5.0
One of my favorite things about this book is how raw and real it is. It's not an insta-love story that works out perfectly. It has glaringly obvious and frustrating bumps along the way, which makes the love between Dean and Cora feel so real and authentic. As a reader, I was THROWN every which way with my emotions. I spent the entirety of this book crying, laughing, swooning, and yelling from pure and utter frustration.
Authors can very quickly and easily fall into a "pit" of trauma and pain. Writing a story stemming from pain, dispair, and trauma can be easy. Jennifer seamlessly joined two timelines together to tell the love (and hate) story between Dean and Cora. She somehow brings awareness to dark, heavy, and deep topics, while simultaneously keeping the book hopeful and hauntingly beautiful. I was honestly worried the entire book was going to be focused on the abduction, so as I got through the first chapters that were utterly disgusting (in the best way possible), I was worried Jennifer was only going to hone in on the ugly. To my surprise, she pivoted the story rather quickly to focus on the part of the story a lot of people avoid - the recovery. That is why this book is so powerful.
This book is not meant for everyone, but if you can find the mental space and capacity to read it, please do. You will not regret it. It will leave you aching, crying, and in love with both characters individually and together. Also, this book is NOT focused on the spice. Expect spice (don't worry, it gets better), but that is not the focus of this story.
Quote from the book: "I know I said you’re holding me underwater but you’re the only thing keeping me afloat." I CAN'T!! How can you read that and not fall in love?!
BRB, going to see if I can find a matching necklace, because I need to torture myself every single day with a reminder of a chef kiss of a book boyfriend.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Sexual content, Rape, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Self harm, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol
bookishbeanie's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity
emilyreadstoomuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Infidelity, Gore, Gun violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Confinement, Blood, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Torture, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
juliereadsromance's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
First 25%: shoot it in my veins, I’ve never felt so alive.
Second 25%: still buzzed
Third 25%: I’m dragging. The novel is now just sad which is appropriate for the plot. But, the come down from the adrenaline of the first half is a bummer.
Fourth 25%: I’m glad I’m getting to see the HEA, but I’m also happy I’m done with the book.
This was a five star read for many readers I follow here on GR, so it seems like a lot of other readers didn’t find that the second half of the book slowed down too much.
Importantly, this book gives a meaningful portrayal of PTSD and the characters’ challenging recovery from trauma.
I thought that the FMC’s parents and sister didn’t seem to understand the gravity of the sexual abuse Cora endured. And that was weird.
There are ALOT of potential triggers in this book, so def check the author’s warnings before!
Graphic: Sexual assault, Infidelity, Murder, Mental illness, Violence, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Death, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual violence
ace97's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Suicide, Violence, Confinement, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence