Review by reading_with_em224 - Credence

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reading_with_em224 's review for:

Credence by Penelope Douglas

3.75

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I was recommended this book by a few friends. I'm down with the smuttiest of books. While I liked the book overall and was satisfied with it, when I break it down, I'm really not super impressed with it.
To start, there's obviously a lot of very triggering topics from the beginning of the book. The main character, Tiernan, isn't super loveable or charismatic and I found myself not even sympathizing with her for much of the book. Some of the reveals about her relationship with her parents I really felt like should have been explained earlier on, then I might have had more empathy for her.
Much of the time she spends with her uncle and cousins is very triggering. Basically lowkey rape to start with. And while I know they weren't technically blood relatives, the fact that that's how she addresses them the whole book, just weirded me out to be honest.
The ending also frustrated me sooo much. I'm all for a happy ending, but I definitely thought that given the darker theme of almost the whole book that it would have a more on brand ending but NOPE

Kaleb miraculously shows up, makes the romantic gesture and suddenly starts to speak. Of course they end up together, with a child and happily ever after.

. I genuinely wish that Kaleb had the character development and nuances that we learned in the latter half or latter quarter of the book in the beginning. Again, I liked the book overall, it was a bit of a slow burn to start with, got intense in the middle and then just had the perfect resolution.

Content Warnings