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A review by storiesforhisglory
Elf Against the Wall by Alina Jacobs
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's like it tries to be a raunchy all the red flags dark romance while trying to be a sweet, slapstick romcom and really doesn't do either.
If I take the adult content that seemed like hate sex with emotional abuse, I actually would say I liked the two idiots. There was just way too much going on and not in a good way.
3.5 but it doesn't let me do that.
This book feels like it tried to be a bully dark adult spicy romance with lots of emotional manipulation and just nasty comments between the two MCs accompanying the spicy scenes... While at the same time attempting to be a cutesy slapstick romcom. And just didn't hit.
Also... So much going on, and not in a good way. The FMC got a raw deal from her family. They treated her as a disposable amenity, gaslit her massively, emotionally manipulative, and I found that really hard to read. The MMC I really liked... Outside of his emotional whiplash/verbal abuse to the FMC during the adult content. He was solid and dependable and really cool... Just not during the adult content. And I really liked the FMC... As she's trying to make her family love her, she's just trying so hard to do things and they are completely missing her skills and her heart.
Also difficult because she's the adopted sibling getting treated like this.
The massive red flags are just epic in this story and are called out, but pretty much totally ignored. And the chemistry just didn't really click because of how it was written.
I really wanted to like this. The premise is one of the ones I tend to enjoy (dysfunctional MCs who find each other and reluctantly come to love each other because they make each other better)... And it just was not what I was hoping to get.
If I take the adult content that seemed like hate sex with emotional abuse, I actually would say I liked the two idiots. There was just way too much going on and not in a good way.
3.5 but it doesn't let me do that.
This book feels like it tried to be a bully dark adult spicy romance with lots of emotional manipulation and just nasty comments between the two MCs accompanying the spicy scenes... While at the same time attempting to be a cutesy slapstick romcom. And just didn't hit.
Also... So much going on, and not in a good way. The FMC got a raw deal from her family. They treated her as a disposable amenity, gaslit her massively, emotionally manipulative, and I found that really hard to read. The MMC I really liked... Outside of his emotional whiplash/verbal abuse to the FMC during the adult content. He was solid and dependable and really cool... Just not during the adult content. And I really liked the FMC... As she's trying to make her family love her, she's just trying so hard to do things and they are completely missing her skills and her heart.
Also difficult because she's the adopted sibling getting treated like this.
The massive red flags are just epic in this story and are called out, but pretty much totally ignored. And the chemistry just didn't really click because of how it was written.
I really wanted to like this. The premise is one of the ones I tend to enjoy (dysfunctional MCs who find each other and reluctantly come to love each other because they make each other better)... And it just was not what I was hoping to get.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting