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avis03's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement and Violence
nose_in_a_book's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
🌶🌶🌶🌶
This is the second time I’ve read this book, a rare occurrence for me unless I both love a book and can’t stop thinking about it. The relationships in this book have proven to be a continuous standard to which I compare all other why choose romances.
The three men are already in a loving and supportive relationship with existing dynamics and established communication patterns before the book begins. Their interactions with each other are steeped in years of hard relationship work. I think romance as a genre suffers from being obsessed with the beginning phase of being in love, as if that is the best part, but seeing romance thrive between people who choose each other every day for decades (in this case) is just as rewarding. It allows the author room to play with the types of insecurities that only exist past the beginning, bringing fresh character development to the genre. It’s also refreshing to see that the men are protective of what they have and not willing to drop everything for the FMC.
This is a two-sided coin though. I think consent walks a razor thin line in this book. It’s interesting because in dark romance I’m quick to move past any dubious consent as a mark of the genre. Exploring the darker side is meant to be cathartic and dubcon can be that. But this book is cozy. Not only that, it goes out of its way to highlight what healthy communication looks like navigating a tough topic early on. It made the large chunk of this book that is dubcon feel egregious. These men know better. It feels out of character in a way that I found jarring this second time reading it, particularly every time they told her to ask. It’s like the author wanted to make it her choice but couldn’t help putting the FMC in scenarios where is was literally impossible to confidently say she wasn’t coerced.
I will say the book holds the guys accountable. It makes my points on its own which was enough for me personally to move beyond this issue but I can see how other people wouldn’t find that true. I think the unique nature of the novel’s concept (pun intended) in combination with the character development continues to make this one of my favorite books but I don’t think it’s above critique.
This is the second time I’ve read this book, a rare occurrence for me unless I both love a book and can’t stop thinking about it. The relationships in this book have proven to be a continuous standard to which I compare all other why choose romances.
The three men are already in a loving and supportive relationship with existing dynamics and established communication patterns before the book begins. Their interactions with each other are steeped in years of hard relationship work. I think romance as a genre suffers from being obsessed with the beginning phase of being in love, as if that is the best part, but seeing romance thrive between people who choose each other every day for decades (in this case) is just as rewarding. It allows the author room to play with the types of insecurities that only exist past the beginning, bringing fresh character development to the genre. It’s also refreshing to see that the men are protective of what they have and not willing to drop everything for the FMC.
This is a two-sided coin though. I think consent walks a razor thin line in this book. It’s interesting because in dark romance I’m quick to move past any dubious consent as a mark of the genre. Exploring the darker side is meant to be cathartic and dubcon can be that. But this book is cozy. Not only that, it goes out of its way to highlight what healthy communication looks like navigating a tough topic early on. It made the large chunk of this book that is dubcon feel egregious. These men know better. It feels out of character in a way that I found jarring this second time reading it, particularly every time they told her to ask. It’s like the author wanted to make it her choice but couldn’t help putting the FMC in scenarios where is was literally impossible to confidently say she wasn’t coerced.
I will say the book holds the guys accountable. It makes my points on its own which was enough for me personally to move beyond this issue but I can see how other people wouldn’t find that true. I think the unique nature of the novel’s concept (pun intended) in combination with the character development continues to make this one of my favorite books but I don’t think it’s above critique.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence and Violence
Minor: Murder and Confinement
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