Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

5 reviews

blackveilbeccy's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this second instalment! It was even better than the first. This had lots of tropes used well - tragic backstory, miscommunications, friends to enemies to lovers - plus the awesome ensemble cast of the first book. I liked the love interest in this one a whole lot and also loved the quirkiness of the geeky heroine.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Medical trauma

ashleycmms's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexual content, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Car accident

Minor: Drug use and Grief

nicolesreadingbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Biphobia

emilyle's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

i listened to this book instead of reading it because i could rent the audio earlier then i would get the book. 
i thoroughly enjoyed this book. it is a cheesy book but the whole thing makes me melt. they are an unlikely couple and jump through so many hoops for each other and to be with each other. there is fake dating which only ever leads to actually dating.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Violence

allyhoo811's review

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

I am not usually much of a contemporary romance reader; however, I choose this book earlier this year a my Book of the Month pick. Prior to reading I learned that it was the second book in a series, so I proceeded to read the book "The Marriage Game" before picking up this one. "The Marriage Game" (the author's debut) was quite a disappointment to me (2.5 stars), but I saw potential in the author's humor and writing style -- so I decided to give this one a chance.

I was NOT disappointed. This book was such a treat. The humor and writing style that I loved from the author's debut were on full display, and most of the problems I had were much improved. This was leaps and bounds better!

What I liked:

1) No insta-love: This was a contemporary romance where the characters actually had a history together. It wasn't just boom meet cute and married a few weeks later.

2) The friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers combo tropes: You will understand if you read.

3) No ridiculous miscommunications: Sure there was some miscommunication (mainly from their past as teenagers); however, it wasn't overdone. For the most part the two main characters would talk out their problems and not let things fester.

4) The male lead wasn't crazy possessive: Sure Liam felt jealousy when other men flirted with the girl he liked, but he didn't immediately jump to wanting to pummel them into oblivion.

5) The family interactions: These are some of my favorite parts of Desai's novels.

What kept it from being a five star read?

1) Both books in the series seem to be trying to get away from the typical romance heroine "type", while appreciating diversity in women. This is great and one of the things that drew me to the series in the first place. However, I'm noticing a trend where in order to accomplish this goal women who would be considered conventionally attractive (blonde, blue-eyed, thin, etc.) are being portrayed in a very negative light (vapid, sexually inappropriate, petty, cruel). The overall vibe given is that women who look like this are bad people, who can't be trusted. We shouldn't have to build people up, by pushing others down.

2) Interestingly, the male protagonists in the novels are very much the traditional perfect male leads (tall, handsome, intelligent, wealthy, chiseled abs, etc.), and the female characters put down other less perfect men for their looks as not good enough.

Neither of these things are a good look when you are celebrating diversity in your characters.

Hope this changes in future books.

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Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I hope this author keeps improving. Will read more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Infidelity