Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I don’t think this book will ever be nothing, but five stars for me. I love the story I love how toxic Dare is.
If you have some hesitations about reading this, then please read the trigger warnings.
I wouldn’t really converse like love, but I do think that Dare has a different interpretation of what loving someone as a partner is and that’s what he does with Aubrey.
I might even call it Stockholm syndrome on her side, but I did thoroughly enjoyed again!
If you have some hesitations about reading this, then please read the trigger warnings.
I wouldn’t really converse like love, but I do think that Dare has a different interpretation of what loving someone as a partner is and that’s what he does with Aubrey.
I might even call it Stockholm syndrome on her side, but I did thoroughly enjoyed again!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Rape
I know my favorite tropes, personality traits in an MMC and kinks are red flags. I probably should be committed. However, the author should be locked up ASAP because huh. There was a trigger warning but I wasn’t triggered, I was just confused and (ok maybe mad) by the end. There were more questions than answers.
*Slight Spoiler?*
Idc if a MMC doesn’t show remorse. If he respects his partner and she loves him unconditionally then I’m down. However.. that is not the case at alll here.
*Super Spoiler*
The fact that part of Aubrey feared him and that he isolated her completely from her one friend was complete crap. It wasnt even a toxic romance. It was straight up abuse. Then that crack he made about screwing them both together…… in the end of the book……??? And Aubrey still loving him despite he full blown threatened to r*pe and kill Hannah like ?! Did part of her love him or did she just fear him? I put my iPad down when I finished it and I genuinely felt like that gif of that white woman with math equations floating around her.
*Slight Spoiler?*
Idc if a MMC doesn’t show remorse. If he respects his partner and she loves him unconditionally then I’m down. However.. that is not the case at alll here.
*Super Spoiler*
The fact that part of Aubrey feared him and that he isolated her completely from her one friend was complete crap. It wasnt even a toxic romance. It was straight up abuse. Then that crack he made about screwing them both together…… in the end of the book……??? And Aubrey still loving him despite he full blown threatened to r*pe and kill Hannah like ?! Did part of her love him or did she just fear him? I put my iPad down when I finished it and I genuinely felt like that gif of that white woman with math equations floating around her.
Just as twisted as mentioned
Don't go expecting normal anti heroes or bully or high school romances. This book is twisted and a true psychopathic hero that has no boundary or limit to his agenda. The girl might irritate you but if you are expecting level headed decisions then you might leave it at the door and dive in this bad little guy and his twisted love for his queen.
Don't go expecting normal anti heroes or bully or high school romances. This book is twisted and a true psychopathic hero that has no boundary or limit to his agenda. The girl might irritate you but if you are expecting level headed decisions then you might leave it at the door and dive in this bad little guy and his twisted love for his queen.
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Even If It Hurts is the 1st book in the Coastal Elite series. This is a book where we see the beginning of the latest series by this author. I recently read Undertow and wanted to read the first book. I have been hearing all the best things about this one and I was curious to see how this one would compare with the elite "Untouchable", and while I definitely enjoyed this one and delivered a powerhouse of a bully romance, its nowhere close to how good Untouchable is for me. But having said that, Even If It Hurts was a phenomenal read and wow this one was definitely intense, dramatic and dark. If you only read contemporary romance, I do NOT recommend this book as it does contain dark themes with a anti hero who is a psychopath---literally haha
Even If It Hurts is a story that begins with our heroine, Aubrey, who is working hard by staying good in High school and taking care of her mother who has cancer. But with one altercation with one of the mean girls of the school, she is brought into the sphere of Dare who is the king of the school but also pulls no punches. At first there is a dare with Dare and his girlfriend to play a trick on Aubrey. But it becomes apparent that there is definitely more going on for Dare than meets the eye. And one has to wonder if he will protect Aubrey and betray her in the end...
So Even If It Hurts was completely different from "Untouchable" and even though there are some similarities, they are completely different. I did find that Dare to be much more of a sociopath than Carter Mahoney. Carter is just different in some ways and doesn't quite get as unhinged as Dare can get. So its definitely an experience to get Dare's perspective. And to be honest, in the first half, I wasn't seeing it haha but yeah once you get into the later half of the story, his character really shines through and you definitely see the sociopath that Dare is. I actually loved the heroine to be honest, I know she isn't everyone's favorite, but honestly, she really just worked for me so well on this one. I really was intrigued by her character and her reactions to Dare. The writing in this one is just as addictive as what you see in Untouchable, so I do think fans of Untouchable will be easily won over by this one here. But this one is so DIFFERENT from Untouchable, so keep that in mind. As I feel like people will go into this expecting an Untouchable type of story. It definitely has depths to the story that is typical of Sam Mariano, but at the same time, its going to deliver a story that is completely different than anything that you have read previously.
Overall I found myself hooked in line and sinker into Even If It Hurts, and this author really magnified the greatness of the complexity of their abilities in this one. It delivers on the dark, on the edgy feels and on the heart! If you are a fan of dark bully romance, then this one needs to be on your checklist!
Even If It Hurts is a story that begins with our heroine, Aubrey, who is working hard by staying good in High school and taking care of her mother who has cancer. But with one altercation with one of the mean girls of the school, she is brought into the sphere of Dare who is the king of the school but also pulls no punches. At first there is a dare with Dare and his girlfriend to play a trick on Aubrey. But it becomes apparent that there is definitely more going on for Dare than meets the eye. And one has to wonder if he will protect Aubrey and betray her in the end...
So Even If It Hurts was completely different from "Untouchable" and even though there are some similarities, they are completely different. I did find that Dare to be much more of a sociopath than Carter Mahoney. Carter is just different in some ways and doesn't quite get as unhinged as Dare can get. So its definitely an experience to get Dare's perspective. And to be honest, in the first half, I wasn't seeing it haha but yeah once you get into the later half of the story, his character really shines through and you definitely see the sociopath that Dare is. I actually loved the heroine to be honest, I know she isn't everyone's favorite, but honestly, she really just worked for me so well on this one. I really was intrigued by her character and her reactions to Dare. The writing in this one is just as addictive as what you see in Untouchable, so I do think fans of Untouchable will be easily won over by this one here. But this one is so DIFFERENT from Untouchable, so keep that in mind. As I feel like people will go into this expecting an Untouchable type of story. It definitely has depths to the story that is typical of Sam Mariano, but at the same time, its going to deliver a story that is completely different than anything that you have read previously.
Overall I found myself hooked in line and sinker into Even If It Hurts, and this author really magnified the greatness of the complexity of their abilities in this one. It delivers on the dark, on the edgy feels and on the heart! If you are a fan of dark bully romance, then this one needs to be on your checklist!
Okay I didn’t finish this book but it 100% didn’t have to do with the authors skills or the story. I started the book without looking much into it and didn’t realize the characters were high school age and I really don’t care for that. I actually made it a number of chapters thought because the plot was really interesting, I just really struggle with reading high school romances. I really wish the characters had been older because based off of what I read, I would have flown through that book!
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Is it normal for dark romance that there is a lot of non consent within sexual activities?
I fucking hate that. And it‘s almost always the femail MC. Because, of course, she‘s the weaker one. I mean, it is bad both ways.
When you read Dare is a psycho? Yep, true. Anae? Also true. Both together? „Dream team‘ coming from hell.
Audrey? Naïve, girly girl in the beginning, survivor in the end who falls for her predator… Because she would never get the chance to get away from him!
It was scarry and disgusting what they (Dare and Anae) planned, what they did, how they get (mostly) away…
I won‘t continue this series.
I fucking hate that. And it‘s almost always the femail MC. Because, of course, she‘s the weaker one. I mean, it is bad both ways.
When you read Dare is a psycho? Yep, true. Anae? Also true. Both together? „Dream team‘ coming from hell.
Audrey? Naïve, girly girl in the beginning, survivor in the end who falls for her predator… Because she would never get the chance to get away from him!
It was scarry and disgusting what they (Dare and Anae) planned, what they did, how they get (mostly) away…
I won‘t continue this series.
Dare and Aubrey. Bully romance, nice dark vibe, liked the ending. Not super memorable but well written and I enjoyed myself. Sam has better books for my tastes, I think :)
Aubrey experiences the length that a person will go to make your life miserable: Anae.
However, she will soon unexpectedly introduce her current boyfriend to Aubrey in a near-death (or homicide) experience.
I don’t know men, this book makes me iffy and my favorite genre is dark/questionable romance. He really is the worst, especially in the last chapters, talking about that, man I did NOT expect that “plot twist”.
“He’s the one who mildly traumatized me in the first place, but he’s also my only source of comfort, so I let him pet me and calm me down. Now that I’m not afraid he’s going to make me do something I’m not ready for, it’s easier to relax.”
The whole development of the book is around Aubrey being manipulated by Dare.
“Now, she needs to be trained to suit my needs.”
I don’t even know if Dare is a psychopath, sociopath, or has some questionable tendencies. Does he even like/love Aubrey? Is he able to love?
“To be loved so hard, so aggressively… it’s frightening, but intoxicating, too.”
However, she will soon unexpectedly introduce her current boyfriend to Aubrey in a near-death (or homicide) experience.
I don’t know men, this book makes me iffy and my favorite genre is dark/questionable romance. He really is the worst, especially in the last chapters, talking about that, man I did NOT expect that “plot twist”.
“He’s the one who mildly traumatized me in the first place, but he’s also my only source of comfort, so I let him pet me and calm me down. Now that I’m not afraid he’s going to make me do something I’m not ready for, it’s easier to relax.”
The whole development of the book is around Aubrey being manipulated by Dare.
“Now, she needs to be trained to suit my needs.”
I don’t even know if Dare is a psychopath, sociopath, or has some questionable tendencies. Does he even like/love Aubrey? Is he able to love?
“To be loved so hard, so aggressively… it’s frightening, but intoxicating, too.”