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gothamvorona 's review for:
Secret Obsession
by S. Massery
・❥・2.5 ✧.*
I wanted to like this book way more than I did. I was leaning towards this being a close 5 star initially. It seemed like it had all the things I like - stalker, sorta second chance, a dark tone, hockey, and an obsessed MMC. The synopsis made it seem like the MMC was going to be completely unhinged and that there would be a lot of smut honestly. It isn’t wrong but its not as out there as it seemed.
Sadly, this was barely a 3 star to be honest. The MMC is my favorite character and I was more interested in the substory of another couple than with the main stars of the show. This book does a lot of things and I think maybe the problem I have with it is that I’ve read other dark romances that have done the same types of things better? at least in the sense of my preferences. You know when you read a bunch of thrillers or mysteries and as the reader you notice the same types of tropes or plot layouts even if they are done great but you have a preference for one authors style over another? that is what happens here. I think the author does the set up, etc. the way you are supposed to but because I have read so many other similar books - the style isn’t my preference so I ended not liking it as much.
My main issues come with the brother dynamic and the FMC. I wish I had liked her. She had the potential to be a favorite FMC but I couldn’t stand her. I felt like every time she was making progress, she’d revert back and then the same thing would happen where the MMC had to force her to come to a realization. I felt like she was more of an addict that was trying to get sober than a romance character. I also didn’t see her how the MMC saw her because all I saw was her wanting to drown in self pity and despair. He was the pillar of strength in the relationship and she didn’t seem to care until she almost died twice - which I didn’t vibe with.
There were many times that she could have grown as a character and strived to be the strength she needed for herself that wasn’t based on a life or death situation for herself or others. Instead she only has these epiphanies when in a dire situation…I think one time would have been okay but it seemed like it was the only way for her to see the reality of the world.
The whole situation with both of the brothers was strange and sort of off-putting. I think the FMC being okay with still making the MMC feel jealous by being around his older brother and sitting on his lap, etc. even though she was just humiliated and being harassed because of the horrible break up just gave me the ick. She’s trying to drown herself in alcohol and is self-sabotaging herself because of this man yet is okay being around him and playing his games with his younger brother? yeah, not for me.
I think this would be good for someone that likes dark sports romances. Can’t say I fully recommend this book or its series but I think that I wasn’t the best audience for this book due to the self-destructive ways of the FMC.
I wanted to like this book way more than I did. I was leaning towards this being a close 5 star initially. It seemed like it had all the things I like - stalker, sorta second chance, a dark tone, hockey, and an obsessed MMC. The synopsis made it seem like the MMC was going to be completely unhinged and that there would be a lot of smut honestly. It isn’t wrong but its not as out there as it seemed.
Sadly, this was barely a 3 star to be honest. The MMC is my favorite character and I was more interested in the substory of another couple than with the main stars of the show. This book does a lot of things and I think maybe the problem I have with it is that I’ve read other dark romances that have done the same types of things better? at least in the sense of my preferences. You know when you read a bunch of thrillers or mysteries and as the reader you notice the same types of tropes or plot layouts even if they are done great but you have a preference for one authors style over another? that is what happens here. I think the author does the set up, etc. the way you are supposed to but because I have read so many other similar books - the style isn’t my preference so I ended not liking it as much.
My main issues come with the brother dynamic and the FMC. I wish I had liked her. She had the potential to be a favorite FMC but I couldn’t stand her. I felt like every time she was making progress, she’d revert back and then the same thing would happen where the MMC had to force her to come to a realization. I felt like she was more of an addict that was trying to get sober than a romance character. I also didn’t see her how the MMC saw her because all I saw was her wanting to drown in self pity and despair. He was the pillar of strength in the relationship and she didn’t seem to care until she almost died twice - which I didn’t vibe with.
There were many times that she could have grown as a character and strived to be the strength she needed for herself that wasn’t based on a life or death situation for herself or others. Instead she only has these epiphanies when in a dire situation…I think one time would have been okay but it seemed like it was the only way for her to see the reality of the world.
The whole situation with both of the brothers was strange and sort of off-putting. I think the FMC being okay with still making the MMC feel jealous by being around his older brother and sitting on his lap, etc. even though she was just humiliated and being harassed because of the horrible break up just gave me the ick. She’s trying to drown herself in alcohol and is self-sabotaging herself because of this man yet is okay being around him and playing his games with his younger brother? yeah, not for me.
I think this would be good for someone that likes dark sports romances. Can’t say I fully recommend this book or its series but I think that I wasn’t the best audience for this book due to the self-destructive ways of the FMC.