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madlereads's review
- 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
🏒 college hockey
🔪 enemies to lovers
😱 stalker(s)
“Greyson.”
“Grey,” I automatically correct. She narrows her eyes. I shrug, going for nonchalance. “Violet and Grey? Makes sense to me.”
I'm conflicted about how I feel about this...but I think I did enjoy some parts more often than not?
Greyson basically ruins Violet's life one fateful night when he speeds down a seemingly empty road and crashes into Violet's car. With her leg shattered, her dreams to be a principal ballerina is up in the air. And since fate's so funny, turns out Grey is the new hotshot hockey player at her college now since Violet missed out on a whole semester and he's out to get her for "ruining his life."
Yep. He totally believed at the very beginning that she ruined his life for outing him originally as the guy who hit her car. Does he ever apologize? Nope. 🤣🤣 The author wasn't kidding when she said he's not gonna grovel.
Greyson is 100% a red flag and suffers from rich boy-itis of always being right and gets what he wants. He goes out of his way to humiliate Violet and harass her and puts her in these situations with the threat of breaking the NDA over her head. It's a dark bully romance so I expected most of his psychotic obsessive behavior. (But I did want just a little explicit apology teehee.)
Though he was very infuriating, I was hooked because of the story. And I eat up the psychotic asshole finding out he has *feelings* every time. That process is so funny. Like when Grey gets jealous? Phew. What a silly cutie (who's a little violent towards his bros.)
Violet was just okay as a heroine. I was rooting for her to be more toxic to Greyson 🤣 like when he toys with her by kissing her dance team enemy, I wanted her to fuck his teammate 🤣 She was fine though. She's not like total doormat. I think her just tolerating Grey/ignoring him riled him up just the same cause he's obsessed with her attention.
Plus Violet discovered her dark and kinky side with Grey 🤭 so can't blame her mind on focusing on that instead of "Oh no I'm being bullied." So yea the dynamic was entertaining here and there.
Their relationship did turn into something kinda cute despite *everything*. And I did really like their sweet moments which with some context, was Grey being sweetly psychotic. There were a lot of quotes I loved! But I wasn't 100% really sold on their emotional connection or their love really. Grey did show subtle remorse and he did show his care for Violet but it needed more juice. Like as Violet wondered once, why her out of everyone?
The final conflict kinda felt meh to me too. It was external forces at play targeting Violet. But it felt thrown in there despite hints from the start. I think their ends/motivation was too convenient.
So do I recommend? It's a maybe! If you like that non-remorseful bully dynamic go for it!
I think expecting that crazy obsessive psychopath Ryat Archer from the Ritual and Killian Carson from God of Malice energy, maybe not?
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Drug use, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Leaked sex tape, OWD: Grey does kiss another woman but it wasn't when the MCs were officially together, that woman also does pursue Grey and picks on Violet too. OWD: Violet's ex stalks and harasses her and attempts to rape her after drugging her. Grey forces Violet to give a blow job to one of his teammates. CNC, non/dub con, primal play, sommnophilia, no condom, anal play, knife play, toy usage, double penetration with a toy, exhibitionism, bondagektbug1217's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Car accident, and Blood
secretsofabooklover's review
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Sexual content, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Medical content
ninaw's review
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Addiction and Eating disorder
andeng'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
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
readers_sea's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Overall, the bullying was INTENSE. I wish we got more of Violet and Greyson together after they start to understand each other. I needed to keep reminding myself that this was meant to be a bully romance bc ngl, a lot of the time it was hard to read. For a big book, it also read really quickly which was nice.
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Death of parent
annamariasmith's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Drug use, Bullying, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual content, and Blood
Moderate: Stalking and Injury/Injury detail
kelseyyreadssbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Blood, Sexual assault, Stalking, Addiction, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Car accident
alilbitofeveryth1ng's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Stalking, Blood, Car accident, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Violence, and Eating disorder
ladylaurenexplorer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love how toxic Greyson is! He’s the type of H that I love reading about, and will reread all day every day!
And the only problem I have with the plot of the story is the two kind of potholes that would never bring up again. Well one just ended without showing us. They just told us that the person went away.
Like this was a huge part of the second half of the story and age is tied up in the last few pages without showing us what happened and I felt very disappointed in that.
Another one was a plot hole that was never brought up, but is was a main factor in why Knox was going after her best friend. The bet always a major feature out the first half in a little bit of the second half yet at least in the story, it was never brought other peoples attentions. Like the girls never found out about it which seems kind of crazy that would’ve just brought more drama.
Other than those two things definitely loved loved the story. It was really good, the spice great, how toxic Greyson was is just superb.
Will definitely read it and I cannot wait to continue the series, but I’m waiting for bookish buys special edition before I read it!!
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape