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anathemarose's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
stephreviewsbooks's review
5.0
Wow, this book is intense. It is book two of Max and Sean's story. We know from book 1 the demons that have shaped Max and this story brings them all out of him. He is wrecked, trapped and in so much pain. This story shows how Max is utterly in love but too broken to allow his heart to accept it. It is heartbreaking watching him hurt Sean time after time. Sean is steller, he loves Max and doesn't know about his past. Everytime he thinks he will break Max's barrier down, Max builds it higher. This is some kinky book, with the Dom/sub dynamic, we watch Max take Sean to euphoria and it is hot on a high level. We also get the POV of Scott and Tad amongst Max and Sean which really adds a lot to the narrative. It is a painful story with high angst and disappointment but Sean knows Max is worth every second. I can't wait to read Kai's story, his role in this book was nothing short of brilliant and needs a medal for his performance. This ending has a sweetness and is the start of their happy ever after.
jenmason17's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- 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
4.75
layla87's review
4.0
This was:
1. HOT
2. Angsty
3. Heartbreaking
4. Romantic
5. HOT
Max was:
1. STUPID
2. Jealous
3. Possesive
4. Growly
5. Sexy AF
Sean was:
1. The sweetest bb
2. Fearless
3. Level-headed
4. Romantic
5. Hopeful
Thank the lord that Max took his head out of his a$$ Because DUDE JUST LET SEAN LOVE YOU.
1. HOT
2. Angsty
3. Heartbreaking
4. Romantic
5. HOT
Max was:
1. STUPID
2. Jealous
3. Possesive
4. Growly
5. Sexy AF
Sean was:
1. The sweetest bb
2. Fearless
3. Level-headed
4. Romantic
5. Hopeful
Thank the lord that Max took his head out of his a$$ Because DUDE JUST LET SEAN LOVE YOU.
jamie_w's review
4.0
Ok so rating this was a struggle!! Let’s get into it.
This duet was probably 3x too long. It was full of redundancies that did not add any new information or character development. The internal dialogue was wildly overdone. The weird Tad and Scott chapters were better suited for a novella and weren’t necessary for a duet that was supposed to be about Max and Sean. It was disjointed and confusing.
Additionally the constant push and pull between Max and Sean got predictable and made Sean seem like a fool and Max completely heartless. In all honesty, Max had zero character development until 75% of the way through this. And I think there should’ve been more time apart from each other. More groveling on Max’s part. Sean needed to find himself again.
I wanted/needed more angst because the little we got was amazing!! And that may sound odd but I found Max’s issues to be sad but not angsty. Sean’s overwhelming love and devotion with no reciprocation, endless fighting for Max, cutting his heart open was angsty.
Ok ok. I know that sounds like I didn’t like it. Oh but hunnies I did like it. I just had those issues. This duet should’ve been one book around 300 pages. We just had too much filler with no forward movement.
I loved the last 15% of this book. By far the best part of the series. We finally get a splayed open Max and a resilient Sean. We get these truly emotional and impactful moments where these two men let all their walls down and share themselves with each other.
The sex, unfortunately while Max was intoxicated, was some of the best lovemaking I’ve read. And the moment when he asked Sean to take his heart with him broke me to pieces. The moment when Max’s mother told Sean she’s been waiting years for him also destroyed me.
There were so many of these moments in the final part of the duet that made up for some of my earlier issues but oh how I wish we would’ve had them throughout. Ultimately I loved Max and Sean together. I wish we would’ve had more passion and vulnerability instead of bickering.
This duet was probably 3x too long. It was full of redundancies that did not add any new information or character development. The internal dialogue was wildly overdone. The weird Tad and Scott chapters were better suited for a novella and weren’t necessary for a duet that was supposed to be about Max and Sean. It was disjointed and confusing.
Additionally the constant push and pull between Max and Sean got predictable and made Sean seem like a fool and Max completely heartless. In all honesty, Max had zero character development until 75% of the way through this. And I think there should’ve been more time apart from each other. More groveling on Max’s part. Sean needed to find himself again.
I wanted/needed more angst because the little we got was amazing!! And that may sound odd but I found Max’s issues to be sad but not angsty. Sean’s overwhelming love and devotion with no reciprocation, endless fighting for Max, cutting his heart open was angsty.
Ok ok. I know that sounds like I didn’t like it. Oh but hunnies I did like it. I just had those issues. This duet should’ve been one book around 300 pages. We just had too much filler with no forward movement.
I loved the last 15% of this book. By far the best part of the series. We finally get a splayed open Max and a resilient Sean. We get these truly emotional and impactful moments where these two men let all their walls down and share themselves with each other.
The sex, unfortunately while Max was intoxicated, was some of the best lovemaking I’ve read. And the moment when he asked Sean to take his heart with him broke me to pieces. The moment when Max’s mother told Sean she’s been waiting years for him also destroyed me.
There were so many of these moments in the final part of the duet that made up for some of my earlier issues but oh how I wish we would’ve had them throughout. Ultimately I loved Max and Sean together. I wish we would’ve had more passion and vulnerability instead of bickering.
maddamekat's review
4.0
4.5/5 I loved it , I loved them and I had to slow down reading it because I wasn't ready for it to be done.
I loved seeing Scott and Tad again although I'm still awaiting that bench scene.
I loved seeing Scott and Tad again although I'm still awaiting that bench scene.
krisvanc's review
5.0
Okay. So I read all these reviews going on and on about Sean. And yeah, I loved the little sunshine shit. But can we talk about Max? Because I need him to receive a little love. Comments are being hard on him, saying he should've let Sean let him love him earlier. But Max was perfectly clear when they entered a D/s relationship. His H was love, and he had EVERY right to not want it. And Sean kept pushing. Am I happy they ended up together? Well duh. But I liked Max's character growth the best out of all of this in these books.
And now I'm going to read something sickeningly sweet to cleanse my palate.
And now I'm going to read something sickeningly sweet to cleanse my palate.
teresab78's review
5.0
Hot
4.5 stars. There was great range of emotion in the story and lots of character growth. I didn’t like Max much in Upending Tad but really got to know him over the course of this duology. I really liked them together and loved seeing Tad and Scott again. I’m looking forward to Kai and Breck’s story and getting to know them better too.
4.5 stars. There was great range of emotion in the story and lots of character growth. I didn’t like Max much in Upending Tad but really got to know him over the course of this duology. I really liked them together and loved seeing Tad and Scott again. I’m looking forward to Kai and Breck’s story and getting to know them better too.