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voracious_book_addict'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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
dreamypageturner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Child death, Misogyny, Gore, Cursing, Confinement, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Body horror, Blood, Pregnancy, Bullying, Violence, Incest, Grief, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Torture, Self harm, Car accident, and Drug abuse
Minor: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking
everythinginbetween's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Murder, Torture, and Sexual assault
belle13's review
- 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
4.0
Amount of spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Explicitness: 🌶️🌶️
I was completely unprepared for how heartbreaking this would be. Please for the love of god check the content warnings for this one. If I had known before going into it how sad and intense it would be I probably wouldn’t have read it but I’m glad I did because the writing was fantastic. The setting is also so vivid and beautiful, I really felt like I had been transported to Ireland.
I wouldn’t class this specifically as a ‘romance’ not in the traditional sense at least because it almost worried me that they were together given they had so much trauma and being together triggered a lot of their PTSD responses. I wouldn’t say it was ‘romantic’ until right at the very end simply because they were dealing with so much and it felt like it was more about how they overcame their own trauma and worked through their grief than it was about them being a couple.
It was beautiful and emotional and I’m glad it all worked out in the end for them. If it hadn’t I would have lost plot because those poor kids could not catch a break! I would recommend giving it a read but read the CWs first and know that it is not a mafia romance. There are mafia aspects to it but don’t go into it expecting a dark mafia romance.
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape
ambercristofaro's review
2.5
Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
cheesy_reads'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, and Rape
unicornofthesea's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Trafficking, Rape, Child abuse, and Violence
Minor: Bullying, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Cancer
hann_smc's review
Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
Moderate: Violence, Rape, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Child abuse
None of the abuse was romanticized - no one falls in love with their abuser / former abuser.elspethm'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
5.0
The background is that Darby comes to visit her grandfather in Ireland every summer and she meets Kellen, a quiet boy she sees in the woods when searching for fairies. Every year she meets up with him. One year they are jumping in the lake when they have a "supernatural" experience which connects them in a fairy tale way.
Meanwhile, Kellen has been abused by his guardian, Father Henry. Darby's mother is sick and she can't always come every summer. Then one year she reads online that Father Henry died in a fire, and his ward has likely died with him, but there is no real indication.
A few years later, Darby comes back for her grandfather's funeral with her abusive fiance. We find out she has been abused by people her father hangs around with, and was "saved" by the fiancé. As he is attacking her, Kellen comes back and saves her. (This is all the first 1/3 of the book!)
Also meanwhile, since Kellen is on the run, he has no birth certificate, and has been taken in by the Irish mafia. That leads into a long mafia story which Darby is dragged into.
Along with dealing with both of their previous abuses, they need to save themselves from the mafia. It sounds crazy, but it all works well together.
Both Kellen and Darby learn to be strong for each other and fight for themselves against their demons. There is a HEA and Kellen's back story is ultimately described, which is also sad, but compelling (dealing with the church, abuse, and church based maternity/"adoption" which wasn't really fought against until *1998*!)
There are a lot of trigger warnings, mostly because of their backstories and Kellen's mafia ties, but the romance is wonderful, and the supernatural / fairy tale portion of the story makes it even more special. I don't generally like mafia books and I definitely prefer not to read books about church/abuse, but I enjoyed this one.
Graphic: Blood, Cancer, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Gun violence, Car accident, Bullying, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Police brutality, Sexual content, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
aklovekorn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Car accident, Violence, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Rape, Police brutality, and Trafficking