Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

13 reviews

abidavisf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Elle Kennedy has the ability to write about incredibly harrowing topics in such an empathetic and real way. How she can weave topics such as sexual assault and domestic violence into a gorgeous love story is truly admirable. The Deal is hard-hitting and definitely do not expect a happy-go-lucky romance, but it is beautiful and I would highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Cancer, Classism, Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

asmalloctopus's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Was this book well written? No. But were the characters likeable? Also no. BUT was the plot good? Also no. B U T did I read the whole thing? Yes, and that's the only reason it gets 2.5 stars instead of 1.5.

It's predictable, it's cliched, it's tropey, it's cringey. It was perfect for reading in bed when I wasn't tired enough to sleep but was too tired to actually process good or interesting writing.

Also, this is a minor nitpick, but I really desperately need Canadian authors writing stories set in the US to stop putting the word "washroom" in them. We don't really say that here.

Very ranty very spoilery below

I don't think I can even put into words how much the whole "I can't cum with a partner so I'm broken and no man will ever love me" thing PISSED ME OFF. What the hell is that? Is that an idea we want to be putting in young women's heads? And this was written BY A WOMAN? That's an overwhelmingly normal experience! Why would you make that a major "problem" for the storyline?!

AND THEN if that wasn't terrible enough, OH, it turns out she just needed a MAGICAL PENIS from some guy and now suddenly she can cum all the time with barely any effort! NO. THAT'S NOT HOW THAT WORKS. STOP GIVING WOMEN NEW INSECURITIES AND UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS!!!

It was also super creepy how there were multiple scenes where what's-his-face was expressing how traumatized he was by his father and her immediate reaction is "hey let me blow you so you can forget about it!" Like girl why not just give him a hug? A shoulder to cry on? Just be normal for 2 seconds?

Oh and that whole thing with him wanting her to go out and drink with him and his friends, despite her expressing her discomfort and her related trauma? And he pressures her into it and promises to "protect her" and this is supposed to be... sweet? Romantic? We're supposed to enjoy men pressuring us into things we've said we don't want to do? Maybe just let her be sober?? Why does she have to drink?? Idk I guess I just have this crazy idea that love should generally be free from peer pressure like that.

The ending was also so terrible and frustrating and then oh everything is magically fine and good. Idk if it counts as miscommunication since she lied on purpose, but bitch WHY would you not tell the man what his horrible abusive father is up to behind his back? She's a terrible girlfriend! She's not ready for a serious relationship! He shouldn't have forgiven her, idk how he could ever trust her after all that. But then again none of these characters are likeable so maybe they're perfect for each other after all.

I hate them and I hate everything they did and everything they'll ever do. And yet I still read the whole stupid book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i adored this. hannah and garrett have my heart. the spice was amazing, the tenderness and love between these characters! i loved the honesty and communication between them and the way their love story developed. wasn’t a fan of the reason for the 3rd-act break-up but i loved garrett’s unwavering faith in their love to get the answers he needed to get them back together. i loved hannah’s viewpoints about her past and that they both helped each other to heal parts of themselves that hadn’t yet healed from their past traumas but i liked how hannah had already healed a lot and had a good viewpoint from the experiences of her past.

the only thing i didn’t like was that there was no resolution to hannah’s parents situation, it felt unresolved

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Alcohol, Death, Terminal illness, and Cancer

aleclghtwood's review against another edition

funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Why would an author take such heavy themes like rape and domestic abuse and simply decide not to deepen the subject or raise awareness, but to use as a tool to character development, like they need to have that experience to be who they are today? And even that is made poorly. And talking about character development: the only two characters in the book that she gave a personality are the main ones, the other ones are just shallow as this book as a whole - Justin, who is the main catalyst for everything in the beginning, is totally forgotten at some point, even with all the hints about his shady personality and potential he had for the overral plot. Hannah is the worst, she spends most of the first half of the book claiming that she's soooo not like other girls (istg she actually says the words at some point) because she's not interested in many guys and thinking that other girls are whores for it. Garret is actually a nice guy if you excuse the way he thinks how men and women relationships work in the first chapters, but Hannah and the narrative treats him like some sort of savior and I think it's disturbing when we are talking about a rape victim. She's not a strong female character when she needs to degrade other women to feel better about herself and needs the help of a man to overcome a trauma. And about the domestic violence, it was written a little better, but when Garret

sees that Cindy is a victim, he tells that "it's not his place to intervene"??? WHAT THE FUCK??? It felt so ooc after everything his mother and him went through.

I understand why we would like this book when it was released in 2015, but right now? I thought we're over the pick me trope, disappointed to see we aren't. The only thing I hope could be good were the smut scenes, but not even that, they're just a few and not satisfying. I started this book with low expectations, but it was worse than I thought, hope I never read Elle Kennedy again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Blood, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, and Terminal illness

Minor: Grief

boundt0please's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Physical abuse

vj_thompson's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Drug use, Bullying, Mental illness, and Blood

kat7794's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Violence, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

kaslyndav's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

A really fun read, the perfect amount of spice and fluff and plot. Super tragic back stories for both MCs. Def check the attached CWs before reading. Really sweet book overal though

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape

Minor: Murder, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Cancer

kendrakeuler's review against another edition

funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book is so good. Garret is one of the best men he makes Hannah feel safe and never forced her to do anything he also fell first. Hannah and garrets relationship is gold. There isn't to much sports stuff that's it's  just a sports book. The boys also have such a good friendship that's so supportive.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Alcohol, Cancer, Alcoholism, and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Grief, Mental illness, Stalking, and Bullying

mllewellyn's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Love this book so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse