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A review by _youfloweryoufeast_
Hideaway by Penelope Douglas
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2.5 ⭐️
Genre: Dark Romance
Age group : Adult
POV : First person / multiple POV
Characters: 3/5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Setting/Themes: 3/5 ⭐️
Writing: 2/5 ⭐️
Spice : 4 ⭐️
• Please check TWs & CWs
• mature language, sexual scenes, violence, arson, mentions of kidnapping, vandalism, sexual assault, mentions of statutory rape, child abuse, implied blasphemy, murder, attempted murder, guns, substance abuse, mentions of mental illness, loss of a loved one, slut shaming & more.
• Dark romance
• Tropes : Brother’s best friend (but make it dark & gritty)
• HEA
“Run. Because I turn into a very different person when no one’s looking”
Okay so, did I like this better than corrupt? Yes. Was it a lot more problematic, too? Of course. But I saw a tweet today speaking of how we’re not allowed to berate dark romances for it’s problematic aspects as that’s the entire point of the genre. And that if we intend to, we might as well not read it. While I do particularly disagree, I’m not going to complain about it, I will highlight a few though. Overall, the plot intrigued me. I liked the suspenseful, horror esque elements in the book, I really did.
Nikova Banks. Okay, for the most part, her judgement and her jaded view of love for her brother and how she thought he was right all along pissed me off, but it did make me understand how victims of abuse felt. It’s heartbreaking, truly. I liked her strength and grit, though. I liked how she had the ability to think, and I do think she’s particularly intelligent. On top of it all, I liked the way she functioned. She’s a badass.
Kai Mori. Dare I say I liked Kai? I did not like Michael but I did love Kai. Sucker for strategic, intelligent and calculating men (people in general) also a sucker for simps, that mess up and grovel after.
My issues:
- the misogynist tendencies of all the men in the book (toy or tool, iyk, yk)
- the fetishism of WLW for the sake of the men’s satisfaction
- the shaming of escorts/sex workers
- slut shaming
- usage of berating names (not in a kinky way, but a really mean way)
- the sexual interaction between an 18 & 17 year old ?!
- the way women were berated
- a brother talking horribly about his sister
- the Japanese rep?¿ she could’ve done it better, truthfully
Welp, there’s so much more. But as I said, no complaints, yes? Will I continue on with the rest of the books in the series? Yes, since I impulsively bought them all.
Genre: Dark Romance
Age group : Adult
POV : First person / multiple POV
Characters: 3/5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Setting/Themes: 3/5 ⭐️
Writing: 2/5 ⭐️
Spice : 4 ⭐️
• Please check TWs & CWs
• mature language, sexual scenes, violence, arson, mentions of kidnapping, vandalism, sexual assault, mentions of statutory rape, child abuse, implied blasphemy, murder, attempted murder, guns, substance abuse, mentions of mental illness, loss of a loved one, slut shaming & more.
• Dark romance
• Tropes : Brother’s best friend (but make it dark & gritty)
• HEA
“Run. Because I turn into a very different person when no one’s looking”
Okay so, did I like this better than corrupt? Yes. Was it a lot more problematic, too? Of course. But I saw a tweet today speaking of how we’re not allowed to berate dark romances for it’s problematic aspects as that’s the entire point of the genre. And that if we intend to, we might as well not read it. While I do particularly disagree, I’m not going to complain about it, I will highlight a few though. Overall, the plot intrigued me. I liked the suspenseful, horror esque elements in the book, I really did.
Nikova Banks. Okay, for the most part, her judgement and her jaded view of love for her brother and how she thought he was right all along pissed me off, but it did make me understand how victims of abuse felt. It’s heartbreaking, truly. I liked her strength and grit, though. I liked how she had the ability to think, and I do think she’s particularly intelligent. On top of it all, I liked the way she functioned. She’s a badass.
Kai Mori. Dare I say I liked Kai? I did not like Michael but I did love Kai. Sucker for strategic, intelligent and calculating men (people in general) also a sucker for simps, that mess up and grovel after.
My issues:
- the misogynist tendencies of all the men in the book (toy or tool, iyk, yk)
- the fetishism of WLW for the sake of the men’s satisfaction
- the shaming of escorts/sex workers
- slut shaming
- usage of berating names (not in a kinky way, but a really mean way)
- the sexual interaction between an 18 & 17 year old ?!
- the way women were berated
- a brother talking horribly about his sister
- the Japanese rep?¿ she could’ve done it better, truthfully
Welp, there’s so much more. But as I said, no complaints, yes? Will I continue on with the rest of the books in the series? Yes, since I impulsively bought them all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse
Minor: Murder
There’s a lot more triggers, please search it up.