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A review by jessanicolesingh
For the Love of Layla by Callie Moss
dark
tense
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? Yes
3.25
I'm so sad that I didn't love this book š The premise had such great potential that just didn't land for me.
Letās just state the obviousā¦ this guy is nuts. Crazy. PSYCHO!!! There was absolutely nothing I found redeemable about him, and normally I enjoy an unhinged and possessive MMC, but this simply was not it. I will say, however, I did like that the stalking storyline was different than the usual timeline found with this trope, as the obsession started AFTER having already known each other and a preestablished relationship.
Another thing I found is that the formatting felt a little off, though some of it may have been due to reading it through Kindle. There were a lot of POV switches mid chapter, which on occasion is fine but this was excessive, creating a block of organic flow to the story. Additionally, there were SO MANY FLASHBACKS, which again had some formatting peculiarities; sometimes they were preluded with a heading whereas other times they were just italicized sections, which was a little confusing.
Overall this was much more of a thriller than a dark romance. There was an āoptionalā epilogue at the end, of which it definitely needed an extended ending, but Iām not sure if the HEA was earned.
Letās just state the obviousā¦ this guy is nuts. Crazy. PSYCHO!!! There was absolutely nothing I found redeemable about him, and normally I enjoy an unhinged and possessive MMC, but this simply was not it. I will say, however, I did like that the stalking storyline was different than the usual timeline found with this trope, as the obsession started AFTER having already known each other and a preestablished relationship.
Another thing I found is that the formatting felt a little off, though some of it may have been due to reading it through Kindle. There were a lot of POV switches mid chapter, which on occasion is fine but this was excessive, creating a block of organic flow to the story. Additionally, there were SO MANY FLASHBACKS, which again had some formatting peculiarities; sometimes they were preluded with a heading whereas other times they were just italicized sections, which was a little confusing.
Overall this was much more of a thriller than a dark romance. There was an āoptionalā epilogue at the end, of which it definitely needed an extended ending, but Iām not sure if the HEA was earned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Stalking
Moderate: Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization