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A review by marik0n
Don't Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Joanne, and her husband Richard (19 years older than her) live in the country side with their newborn (Evvie). One day, Richard's daughter from another wedding decides that after going no-contact with her father for 18 months due to him marrying Joanne wants to meet her baby sister and live in their home. What can go wrong, right?
Well, on the pro side, this book was pretty fast-paced, with short chapters. That's it. That's the only reason I am giving it 1.5 star. However, the prons cannot outweight the cons in any way. The plot twist in the end does not compensate for the rest of this book.
If you want to spend some hours feeling extremely angry I totally recommend this book.
That's it folks. The rest of the review contains spoilers about the book, so please do not read ahead if you are not interested in them.
Spoiler alert!!!
Let's take things one by one, shall we?
Richard
Even before marrying Joanne he was acting in a awful way. Throwing tantrums over nothing and manipulating her. (I would have dumped his ass even when dating, long before marrying and having a child with him. The man is obviously unstable). Also, what's up with this whole 'I don't want to talk about my past' bullshit? Why marry someone who refuses to share their past with you?
Richard is such a fucking bastard. He is rude, manipulative, pathologically jealous, condescending, a gaslighter, does not listen to reason nor his wife, he uses her wife's family trauma against her and so much more. Dude not only knew that something was up with his daughter, but he put Joanne and Evvie in immediate danger, in order to..? What exactly? He was completely unfit to become a father and a husband and he clearly shows it in many occasions.
Also, he left Diane and Chloe alone so shortly after Sophie's death. WTF was that? And then she leaves Joanne and Evvie alone with Chloe once again? Even though Joanne is clearly uncomfortable when it comes to Chloe staying with them. I was so angry with him throughout the whole fucking book. Good for him that he died. He had it coming.
Joanne
Why doesn't this woman have a single backbone in her body? She allows both Chloe and Richard to be rude and gaslight her all the fucking time. I mean girl, I get that you are kind of oblivious when you are endangered, but your child? The man was a walking red flag even when they were dating, but she still chose to turn a blind eye. And the he insists that his daughter stays with them even though Joanne is uncomfortable and he treats her like she is a crazy person?! And she stays in this circus? The man sides with his psycho daughter even when she 'missteps' and show her true colours (don't get me started on the fact that he actually knows what she has done). She should have packed her bags and go to Robin.
Chloe
I know a few women like Chloe. Hanging on their daddy (vomiting)/ brother, constantly acting like a child and speaking in that 'uwu' kind of pitched voice. That's a deal breaker for me.
The whole plot didn't really make sense, since RICHARD FREAKING KNEW. The whole thing is based on men being stupid and I can't take it anymore.
P.S.: As I get older, I am more and more shocked by women that decide to marry (and become totally relied on) men that are so much older than themselves after knowing them for limited periods of time. It really helps me support my case, that men this older only prey on younger women in order to manipulate, gaslight and oh-so-often abuse them.
Well, on the pro side, this book was pretty fast-paced, with short chapters. That's it. That's the only reason I am giving it 1.5 star. However, the prons cannot outweight the cons in any way. The plot twist in the end does not compensate for the rest of this book.
If you want to spend some hours feeling extremely angry I totally recommend this book.
That's it folks. The rest of the review contains spoilers about the book, so please do not read ahead if you are not interested in them.
Let's take things one by one, shall we?
Richard
Even before marrying Joanne he was acting in a awful way. Throwing tantrums over nothing and manipulating her. (I would have dumped his ass even when dating, long before marrying and having a child with him. The man is obviously unstable). Also, what's up with this whole 'I don't want to talk about my past' bullshit? Why marry someone who refuses to share their past with you?
Richard is such a fucking bastard. He is rude, manipulative, pathologically jealous, condescending, a gaslighter, does not listen to reason nor his wife, he uses her wife's family trauma against her and so much more. Dude not only knew that something was up with his daughter, but he put Joanne and Evvie in immediate danger, in order to..? What exactly? He was completely unfit to become a father and a husband and he clearly shows it in many occasions.
Also, he left Diane and Chloe alone so shortly after Sophie's death. WTF was that? And then she leaves Joanne and Evvie alone with Chloe once again? Even though Joanne is clearly uncomfortable when it comes to Chloe staying with them. I was so angry with him throughout the whole fucking book. Good for him that he died. He had it coming.
Joanne
Why doesn't this woman have a single backbone in her body? She allows both Chloe and Richard to be rude and gaslight her all the fucking time. I mean girl, I get that you are kind of oblivious when you are endangered, but your child? The man was a walking red flag even when they were dating, but she still chose to turn a blind eye. And the he insists that his daughter stays with them even though Joanne is uncomfortable and he treats her like she is a crazy person?! And she stays in this circus? The man sides with his psycho daughter even when she 'missteps' and show her true colours (don't get me started on the fact that he actually knows what she has done). She should have packed her bags and go to Robin.
Chloe
I know a few women like Chloe. Hanging on their daddy (vomiting)/ brother, constantly acting like a child and speaking in that 'uwu' kind of pitched voice. That's a deal breaker for me.
The whole plot didn't really make sense, since RICHARD FREAKING KNEW. The whole thing is based on men being stupid and I can't take it anymore.
P.S.: As I get older, I am more and more shocked by women that decide to marry (and become totally relied on) men that are so much older than themselves after knowing them for limited periods of time. It really helps me support my case, that men this older only prey on younger women in order to manipulate, gaslight and oh-so-often abuse them.