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tinkcourtney's review against another edition
5.0
This was amazing!
This author has seriously impacted my productivity this week, since I can’t put her books down. Her characters are so complex - flawed and real and lovable. The BDSM elements in this one were SO well done. The buildup over this and the last book has me very anxious for Ghost’s story!
This author has seriously impacted my productivity this week, since I can’t put her books down. Her characters are so complex - flawed and real and lovable. The BDSM elements in this one were SO well done. The buildup over this and the last book has me very anxious for Ghost’s story!
annaeli's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
syvrina's review
emotional
funny
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
5.0
loishojmark's review
3.0
"Tobias was a hot mess right now, and everything in his life was falling apart, and he needed an outlet"
While I didnt mind the light Bdsm in "For Real" by Alexis Hall, I did mind it in this book. It is still on the lighter side of Dom/Sub play, but there's some connotations that I hate. Like the pain, the collar and calling it scenes/plays/games. The collar is meant to be demeaning (the sub is a dog/animal.) But I especially hat that the punishment for making mistakes or bad behavior... That's just so... urk. It's an unbalanced relationship - like a dog owner punishing the dog for ruining the slippers.
This is exactly like self harming or cutting... The need for an outlet/ pain until the pain is outward instead of inside. Just making another do the harming until the nerves are calmed. Yes this isn't as dangerous, but it is still using pain as an outlet for psychological pain.
Okay, I'll step down from my soapbox now. I did like the story, but mostly I read it because I want to follow Ghost. I can't wait to read his book. But as I said I do like the story in the book, but I couldn't connect with any of the MCs. Of course that is because of my personal hang ups. But as this is my subjective opinions, so I can't give the book more than 3 stars.
While I didnt mind the light Bdsm in "For Real" by Alexis Hall, I did mind it in this book. It is still on the lighter side of Dom/Sub play, but there's some connotations that I hate. Like the pain, the collar and calling it scenes/plays/games. The collar is meant to be demeaning (the sub is a dog/animal.) But I especially hat that the punishment for making mistakes or bad behavior... That's just so... urk. It's an unbalanced relationship - like a dog owner punishing the dog for ruining the slippers.
This is exactly like self harming or cutting... The need for an outlet/ pain until the pain is outward instead of inside. Just making another do the harming until the nerves are calmed. Yes this isn't as dangerous, but it is still using pain as an outlet for psychological pain.
Okay, I'll step down from my soapbox now. I did like the story, but mostly I read it because I want to follow Ghost. I can't wait to read his book. But as I said I do like the story in the book, but I couldn't connect with any of the MCs. Of course that is because of my personal hang ups. But as this is my subjective opinions, so I can't give the book more than 3 stars.
brokenrecord's review
2.0
2.5 stars. Massive disappointment from the first book, which I gave 5 stars and absolutely adored. I mean, part of my issue with this book was just that so much of Tobias and Sullivan's relationship involves BDSM, which is so not my thing. Like, not judging or kink shaming anyone who enjoys it in real life or in their fiction, but it's just not something I particularly enjoy reading about, especially when it's basically the entire focus of their relationship and not just one scene I can skim through. And I did know about that element going in, but one other review I saw mentioned not being into BDSM in general but liking how it was handled here, and I liked the first book SO MUCH that I was hoping it wouldn't be a major element. But unfortunately it was. Like, the first book had sex scenes (not BDSM), but it didn't feel like their entire relationship revolved around sex, but it honestly felt kind of like all Tobias and Sullivan's relationship development happened in the context of BDSM here.
My other issue was that this book felt much more focused on the Russian crime element than the first one, where it did play a role, but it felt like Church and Miller's relationship was the focus and the crime stuff came secondary. Here, that balance was flipped. And while I found the crime stuff interesting enough, it wasn't so interesting that I wanted it to be the entire focus of the plot. Also, I liked both Tobias and Ghost in the first book, but I honestly found them both kind of annoying here. Sullivan was fine, he was just kind of the mature adult in the room, but Tobias felt like a bit of a brat at times, and Ghost just seemed so exhausting to deal with to the point where I could get why Sullivan was like, "Seriously, this is the guy you're putting so much effort into finding?" I also felt annoyed at Tobias for being like "Clearly Ghost doesn't care about me," which Church also did in the first book when it seemed so completely obvious to me that Ghost was just trying to protect the two of them from getting involved in his shit.
I don't know, 2.5 stars feels both too low and too high for this. I just wasn't that into the relationship element, but it feels unfair to rate it low because of that because it's entirely my issue (people who like reading about BDSM won't have the same issue) and I knew that was part of the plot going in, so I can only blame myself for reading it anyways. And it's not like there was nothing I liked about their relationship. But I didn't really care for the non-romance parts of this either, and it was really my residual love from the first book that carried me through this one, although now I'm starting to question my love of the first book! Anyways, I don't think this book was terrible, but it was just very much not for me.
My other issue was that this book felt much more focused on the Russian crime element than the first one, where it did play a role, but it felt like Church and Miller's relationship was the focus and the crime stuff came secondary. Here, that balance was flipped. And while I found the crime stuff interesting enough, it wasn't so interesting that I wanted it to be the entire focus of the plot. Also, I liked both Tobias and Ghost in the first book, but I honestly found them both kind of annoying here. Sullivan was fine, he was just kind of the mature adult in the room, but Tobias felt like a bit of a brat at times, and Ghost just seemed so exhausting to deal with to the point where I could get why Sullivan was like, "Seriously, this is the guy you're putting so much effort into finding?" I also felt annoyed at Tobias for being like "Clearly Ghost doesn't care about me," which Church also did in the first book when it seemed so completely obvious to me that Ghost was just trying to protect the two of them from getting involved in his shit.
I don't know, 2.5 stars feels both too low and too high for this. I just wasn't that into the relationship element, but it feels unfair to rate it low because of that because it's entirely my issue (people who like reading about BDSM won't have the same issue) and I knew that was part of the plot going in, so I can only blame myself for reading it anyways. And it's not like there was nothing I liked about their relationship.
Spoiler
For example, I really enjoyed the bit where after they've rescued Ghost, Tobias is like "We have to talk," and Sullivan's like, "I don't want to," because he thinks Tobias is going to dump him, and Tobias pushes and Sullivan's like, "Fine let's go back to your hotel and you can dump me!" and Tobias is just like "??? I was going to tell you I love you." That was super cute.becka6131's review
5.0
This author is absolutely incredible. The character voices for each MC are so distinct and fun to read, their relationship was deeply developed, and the overarching plot of the trilogy is falling into place beautifully. BIG feelings
jrv45's review
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
colleen_m's review
4.0
I will admit, it took me a while to get into this book. It started slow - there was very little about Sullivan and Tobias that kept me interested before they actually acknowledged their chemistry. However, once they started interacting romantically, their relationship became one of my favorite BDSM couples almost immediately. Their relationship was very... pure, for lack of a better word. So many BDSM themed novels lately just focus on the physical nature of the acts, not the emotional needs behind them. This book did not do that. It also showed the characters as both inherently flawed - not like tortured hero flawed, but focused on Tobias' fear of rejection and Sullivan's distrust of his own desires. I was captivated by their personalities and how they fit together.
In addition to the actual romantic story line, the mystery and character develop were top notch. I enjoyed that the story line carried over from the first book - which is something I guess I should mention - this is not really a stand alone. You will likely be confused if you didn't read Church and Miller's book - not that those characters play a huge roll in this book, but the mystery plot connects the two across time.
Other than that, I just cannot wait for Ghost's book. I was pretty well intrigued by Ghost the first time around, but now having read this book, there were points where I despised Ghost... so of course now I am even more interested in seeing his perspective.
The night before came back to him. He’d slept with Sullivan again. Jesus, he’d done more than that. He’d let Sullivan turn him into a wordless animal. Sullivan had torn him into little pieces, wrung him out, and then put him back together so completely that the only thing Tobias could say about the whole experience was thank you and again. That was the problem, actually. That little again. That itch beneath his skin was all about the again.
In addition to the actual romantic story line, the mystery and character develop were top notch. I enjoyed that the story line carried over from the first book - which is something I guess I should mention - this is not really a stand alone. You will likely be confused if you didn't read Church and Miller's book - not that those characters play a huge roll in this book, but the mystery plot connects the two across time.
Other than that, I just cannot wait for Ghost's book. I was pretty well intrigued by Ghost the first time around, but now having read this book, there were points where I despised Ghost... so of course now I am even more interested in seeing his perspective.