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rosebelle 's review for:
The Bad Guy
by Celia Aaron
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ah, the dark romance genre. I don't dabble into that much because I always go by the mantra of: Would you think this was still sexy and acceptable if the guy was ugly? No? Then it's still not if he's hot. And although our "bad guy" anti-hero learns a lesson in the end, it's still...yikes. It was still an enjoyable book, though I believe this premise has been beaten to death in every way possible. Sebastian does grow (I guess?)--as much as a diagnosed "psychopath" can be.
By the way, "psychopath" is not an official diagnosis in the mental health field. The actual term is antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), but I guess it doesn't sound as good in a book so whatevs, right? Wrong. I hate when authors play up personality and mental health disorders like we're irredeemable or something. Drives me batty.
Back to the review, the sex scenes were on fire, and so is that cover (*fans self*. The real "bad guy" of the story was terrible enough that he made Sebastian look like a white knight, which worked in his favor. I did appreciate Camille's character. She was just the right dial-in of spunky vs. demur, which I very much appreciated. I thought, for the most part, her reactions seemed plausible, though I think a lot of her emotions were Stockholm syndrome couple with the fact that her boyfriend is a d-bag, so Sebastian looks amazing next to him. lol
Overall, the enjoyment factor is there if you want to turn off your brain for a little bit and feel that feminine thrill of being captured by a handsome, mysterious man for a bit. And I think the book served its purpose for a dark romance with a HEA.
By the way, "psychopath" is not an official diagnosis in the mental health field. The actual term is antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), but I guess it doesn't sound as good in a book so whatevs, right? Wrong. I hate when authors play up personality and mental health disorders like we're irredeemable or something. Drives me batty.
Back to the review, the sex scenes were on fire, and so is that cover (*fans self*. The real "bad guy" of the story was terrible enough that he made Sebastian look like a white knight, which worked in his favor. I did appreciate Camille's character. She was just the right dial-in of spunky vs. demur, which I very much appreciated. I thought, for the most part, her reactions seemed plausible, though I think a lot of her emotions were Stockholm syndrome couple with the fact that her boyfriend is a d-bag, so Sebastian looks amazing next to him. lol
Overall, the enjoyment factor is there if you want to turn off your brain for a little bit and feel that feminine thrill of being captured by a handsome, mysterious man for a bit. And I think the book served its purpose for a dark romance with a HEA.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Stalking