Scan barcode
A review by lauren610
Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This book is so full of red flags and toxic relationship dynamics, it's not even funny. **Spoilers ahead**
Her first boyfriend treats her like absolute shit and she just takes it and laps up the crumbs of attention he gives her. Their relationship is extremely problematic, verging on emotionally abusive if not full on emotionally abusive. But ok, fine. Maybe this is her back story so that she makes better decisions in the future and we can compare her next relationship to this one and see how healthy it is in comparison. But NOPE. Cooper is almost as bad as Preston. He is constantly infantilizing her, disrespecting her, and then making *her* feel like she is in the wrong and needs to be the one to apologize being hurt from his disrespect. There are many scenes that display this, but the scene where he didn't stop to get ice before the party is so problematic. He tells her he will get ice, arrives without ice, then makes her feel stupid for being disappointed by this, saying, (not an exact quote) "I didn't get ice because I wanted to get home faster so I could be there to help you, would you have wanted me to take longer and not be here??" Everyone else even says Mac has a point and they still follow their pattern of Cooper being an immature piece of shit and Mac being a doormat.
On top of that, everyone in this book is so violent?? Someone is always slapping, punching, or throwing something at someone instead of just talking it out. Everyone in this damn book needs therapy. The author should probably get therapy as well if this is what they think reads as romance.
And if that all wasn't enough, the plot is bad as well. She created an app and apparently in the span of only 1 year it turned into a business that earns her enough to buy a hotel and renovate it? And like, did she sell the app or do they just like never need her help or input on anything ever? The only thing we hear about it is so everyone knows she's a successful business person. She breaks up with her boyfriend who her parents adore, and we don't really hear about their views on that after that night? Lots of plot holes and forgotten characters here that are only brought in when it's convenient to move the story along, not to establish any character development etc.
Her first boyfriend treats her like absolute shit and she just takes it and laps up the crumbs of attention he gives her. Their relationship is extremely problematic, verging on emotionally abusive if not full on emotionally abusive. But ok, fine. Maybe this is her back story so that she makes better decisions in the future and we can compare her next relationship to this one and see how healthy it is in comparison. But NOPE. Cooper is almost as bad as Preston. He is constantly infantilizing her, disrespecting her, and then making *her* feel like she is in the wrong and needs to be the one to apologize being hurt from his disrespect. There are many scenes that display this, but the scene where he didn't stop to get ice before the party is so problematic. He tells her he will get ice, arrives without ice, then makes her feel stupid for being disappointed by this, saying, (not an exact quote) "I didn't get ice because I wanted to get home faster so I could be there to help you, would you have wanted me to take longer and not be here??" Everyone else even says Mac has a point and they still follow their pattern of Cooper being an immature piece of shit and Mac being a doormat.
On top of that, everyone in this book is so violent?? Someone is always slapping, punching, or throwing something at someone instead of just talking it out. Everyone in this damn book needs therapy. The author should probably get therapy as well if this is what they think reads as romance.
And if that all wasn't enough, the plot is bad as well. She created an app and apparently in the span of only 1 year it turned into a business that earns her enough to buy a hotel and renovate it? And like, did she sell the app or do they just like never need her help or input on anything ever? The only thing we hear about it is so everyone knows she's a successful business person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Misogyny