theartistreader's reviews
219 reviews

Medicine Man by Saffron A. Kent

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

TROPES: 
- 15 year age gap
- Psychiatrist/Patient
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Heroine with mental illnesses

This book was a great read, and it did have the potential to be a five star read. However, for me, the ending felt way too rushed and I definitely would have preferred some more grovelling and time to see them back together as a proper couple. 

I'm definitely intrigued for Fallon's book, so I'll be working on book two next so that I can get there!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Car accident

The Pucking Wrong Number by C.R. Jane

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

TROPES:
- Ice hockey
- Obsessed hero with psychotic tendencies
- If I can't have you, nobody can
- Wrong number/mistaken identity
- Virgin heroine
- OTT & protective hero

I saw this allover BookTok and I always get nervous about reading its recs because I worry that they won't live up to the hype. Rest assured, this definitely did!

I can sometimes struggle to get through ice hockey romances because they can be really long or slow paced, but this was literally everything I needed and more. I did it in one sitting, and now I'm annoyed that book 2 isn't available yet. Roll on book 2!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Addiction, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Drug use, Grief, and Sexual violence

The Five by Lily White

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

TROPES:
-Touch her and die
-Always loved you
-Would do anything for you

There's honestly not much I can put in here without spoiling anything, but oh my god! This has to be hands down THE BEST book I've read all year. I'm now sad that it's over so it's time for me to wallow in self pity for finishing it so fast.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Violence, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Body shaming, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Good Girl by A. Briar

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

TROPES:
- Niece and uncle
- Taboo
- Inc3st
- 21 year age gap
- Dad's brother
- Forced proximity
- Found family 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest

The Vow by Maggie Cole

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

TROPES:
-16 year age gap 
-damaged hero
-billionaire
-s3x club scenes
-revenge aftermath 
-dad's business partner
-dom/sub relationship
-second chance

Although I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, the last 25% of the book pulled my rating back up to a 4 rather than a 3/3.5 which was my initial thoughts. 

Compared to book 1 in this duet, book 2 was very slow paced and somewhat cyclical as Riggs and Blakely seemed to be having the same argument repeatedly but just in different scenarios. This is one of the things I always struggle with in second chance romances, and the only reason why I read it was because I read book 1 which gave me the before, something you don't always get in second chance romances.

Their relationship seemed almost toxic at some point, but the ending definitely pulled it back for me, and if it was like that the whole way through then it is possible that I may have chosen to give it a 5 star rating instead.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

The Auction by Maggie Cole

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

TROPES:
-16 year age gap 
-damaged hero that doesn't kiss
-billionaire
-s3x club arrangement
-revenge
-dad's business partner
-dom/sub relationship 

When this book first came out I saw it everywhere, and it's been on my tbr for quite a long time now. But I am definitely glad I finally decided to pick it up. 

This book as a whole is so unique in its storyline and I cannot wait to start book 2 now because I'm impatient.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Classism, Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body shaming

Daisy Unchained: Stepbrother's Sweet Milky Princess by Elena Dawne

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? No

3.0

TROPES:
-Stepbrother
-18 year age gap
-Lactation k!nk
-Multiple secrets to hide 
-Closed off hero that is emotionally unavailable 
-

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Incest, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Along for the Ride by Lauren Biel

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

TROPES:
-MFM
-Hitchhiker
-Hitmen brothers
-Age gap (22 years and 14 years)
-Psychopath and sociopath heroes
-Pure dark romance

One sitting. That's how quick I read this. I devoured Hitched, so I just knew that I had to read this. Honestly, if you have no triggers, then I would 1,000,000% recommend going into this book completely blind. That's exactly what I did and I can say for certain I do not regret it. I'm now desperate for book 3.

Also, side note: What is up with this author and çùm jars?🤣

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Torture, Violence, Animal death, Child abuse, Alcohol, Gun violence, Medical content, Addiction, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

The Butcher and His Boy by Laura Lascarso

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

TROPES:
- M/M romance
-Size difference
-Saved your life
-Marine veteran turned butcher
-Organised crime

I literally DEVOURED this book. The concept is so unique, it's amazing. I did think it was a little rushed in areas but that's a known issue with me and novellas, because I always seem to want more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Physical abuse, and Trafficking

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

Death's Obsession by Avina St. Graves

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Tropes:
-Death/Grim Reaper × human soulmate
-Sweet hero
-Broken heroine
-🌶️ Scenes with both Death + his shadow 

This was such an amazing debut book, I don't think I've ever been so hooked. People complained about the trigger warnings and spice but I honestly can't see their issue. Is it wrong of me to be demanding another book by this author already?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Suicide, and Suicide attempt