Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Twisted Games by Ana Huang

135 reviews

just_one_more_paige's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Y'all - I knew what I was getting into, picked this up for that reason, and got what I wanted. These are definitely cringe, as all the novels in this erotic unhealthy possessive contemporary darkish mainstream romance genre that’s blooming right now are. But I cannot help it, they're escapist. And I'm in my smut era. But I do have to say, props to Huang because the writing is solid (as opposed to many in this genre). Like the words and sentences and dialogue are written intelligently...and have been edited. I deeply appreciate that. Some of the character points/experiences are a bit over the top for dramatic effect - of course - butttt overall I was entertained. And this outward-badass but softie-for-his-lady situation is a bit more my speed than the last one (Alex was actually actively a bit scary, and didn't grovel quite enough IMO...though nothing can really touch the last one for drama). It's unhealthy, and I do kinda think the spicy scenes here were more for effect than they actually should have been, based on how the relationship developed, but again, Huang is giving the people what they came for - while giving it a plot framework - and I can't fault that. Long story short, I sped through this, enjoyed the cameos and setups for the rest of the series (as I'm used to, and look forward to, with these kinds of interconnected-series-but-still-standalone romances), and will definitely be reading the rest.

“But people were people, no matter their title, and some desires were universal. Unfortunately, the ability to fulfill them was not.”

“There’s no such thing as *just* a story. Every story is important.”

“Even when you’re not there, you’re everywhere. In my head, in my lungs, in my fucking soul.”

Content Warnings

natashaball's review against another edition

4.25

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

agw622's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is a solid read. It's a blend of the cliché bodyguard trope and the enemies trope. The charecters grow some, but this is definitely more of a plot exist for the relationship book.

Content Warnings

boba_nbooks's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

I enjoyed Twisted Games SO much more than Twisted Love, and I think that had a lot to do with Rhys Larsen.

Bridget von Ascheberg is a princess who needs a new bodyguard, but when she meets him, Bridget doesn't think there's any way she could ever get along with this brooding, overprotective man named Rhys Larsen. As the years go on, Bridget and Rhys grow closer. But when Bridget suddenly has to go back to her country to fulfill her new role as the queen, Rhys isn't sure if their newfound love will survive the taboo it would be in court.

Bridget and Rhys are such a sweet couple. I love chemistry and the forbidden love they have (I Can See You by Taylor Swift was playing on repeat in my head as I read this book). Both characters have a lot of baggage, but they truly had so much emotional maturity and were able to work through their trauma together.

There were a few times I felt the plot was rushed and others where I felt it dragged on. But overall, I really enjoyed the character arcs and the way Bridget and Rhys worked together to bring their country into the 21st century.

I highly recommend Twisted Games to lovers of spicy contemporary romance novels with forbidden love, bodyguard x princess romance, forced proximity, and rivals to lovers.

Content Warnings

guzmanmg01's review against another edition

4.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Content Warnings

yourlocalbookbug's review against another edition

4.5

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

If you’re not a fan of twisted love please don’t let it put you off the rest of the series I couldn’t stand the first one but I loved this one .cannot wait to read the next one already ordered :)

Content Warnings

emilygibbs's review against another edition

3.75

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

karinreadsalot's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

ac_52's review against another edition

5.0

I enjoyed this book so much more than the first one! I loved seeing the development in Rhys and Bridget's relationship throughout the story

(which I didn't really see in the first one between Alex and Ava)

. I feel like the time skipping in this one actually helped the story rather than harmed it. The ending was super satisfying (as I knew it would be, thank you Ana Huang), and there were some twists that got me. This one hit my emotions a lot harder than the first one did; I'm okay with that because the tears were totally worth it.

Rhys Larsen the man you are. He was such a better love interest than Alex was in the first one (I'm not sure what kind of morally grey he was supposed to be, but it was just not my favorite thing ever). I loved how he was still protective of Bridget and wanted to fight for her, but he wasn't overbearing. I've also seen a lot of reviews making the comment that he didn't have to grovel because he didn't mess up- that is so true. The relationship between him and Bridget also just felt so much more down-to-Earth than the one seen with Ava and Alex, even if these are very improbable scenarios to be living through. Either way, I still enjoyed Rhys as a character so much more than I thought I would when I first started reading this book or even in his mentions during Twisted Love.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5

TLDR; this book was much better than the first one in my opinion and there was actually shown character development AND the male love interest wasn't a sociopath so he was much more enjoyable

Content Warnings

jules172's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

GUYS I LOVE BRIDGET AND RHYS. THERE LEGIT LIKE SO AAAAQJDKDPQRUEIDJUUDJDNEJ. I LOVE THEM. I LIVE THEIR STORY ARC. I LIVE THEIR CHARACTERS. I LOVE THEIR HEA. I LOVE IT ALL. In all seriousness there were some twists I didn't see coming. See

elin and mikaela being the ones to leak the photos and rhys being related to andreas

but they just contributed to how much I love this book. It only took me so long to read it bc life is life but lol I'm so excited for twisted hate Jules in the other books is the biggest yay ever I'm really excited.

Content Warnings

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