Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - Corrupt

Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Corrupt by Penelope Douglas

157 reviews

readwithames's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Listen.. this series was so hyped, I got behind the whole she's forbidden blah blah.. I was so excited and in the end, it felt like a let down? I almost had fun reading this to the end.

What pissed me off was the constant boys terrorizing

and the basic assaulting of

her and the 'love interest' Michael just standing and watching it happen!! I understand it's dark romance and I really am a dark romance lover but this was dark in a different way. Maybe because some of the terrorizing that occurred I could relate so hard to and it made me SICK.

Also chapter 25? What the fuck. I'm so annoyed it's written into the plot? Idc that it was written. I just think it was NOT needed.

It was a threesome between her, Michael, and Kai. If you don't think about who and why it happened the way it did, it was hot. Like out of everyone- it's your "BEST FRIEND'S" GIRL???? ARE YOU KIDDING ME. However, I'm confused on WHY it had to happen. I understand she was trying to help Kai because of his issue but it was so unwarranted for! IT MADE ZERO SENSE. I'm just angry about it. Because I thought these men were possessive and I know this attribute can still happen in RH/why choose. Also, I understand that threesomes or whatever can happen in this book as well, it's just... idk. DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! Now my friend told me this shit happens constantly in the other books too between the group. Like *face palm*. I want the possessiveness to stay between the MMC AND FMC!!!

I think overall a lot of plots/dialogue written into this book was a big WHAT THE FUCK. Also what the fuck is up with PD's obsession with writing in/about minors? I mean when "things start happening", it's not until Erika is of age but just the overall atmosphere of minors. It's a weird ass energy.

↪ 𝕸𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖊𝖑
I don't understand the people who love him or ship him and Erika because he's a POS. I try to understand the reasoning behind his actions as his character and it just makes sense because he's so ???? Idek. Questionable as hell.

IMO, He's a 'hands-off'/'my hands are tied' type of energy. Like everything that happened between him and Erika? It's like all he did/said was "yoU LiK3 f3@R" then would instill fear into her... but when it started it go real bad- it's like he watched to see how bad it could go before stepping in. BUT AT THAT POINT, THE BAD IS BAD NO????

↪ 𝓔𝓻𝓲𝓴𝓪
Everyone is pissed about Erika but honestly, I loved her. Justice for her and I'm SO ANGRY for her- I NEED A FULL VENGENCE PLAN IN PLACE NOW. Because

fuck Michael and the guys. The way they just terrorize her after thinking she leaked the videos to the press about their little night of fun but it was that fucktwat Trevor. They want revenge TO THE POINT OF WANTING TO ASSULT HER. If it wasn't for Damon's big ol' mouth and Erika continuing to scream at them- Michael would have let it happen!!! IDGAF! He was hellbent as well for them and the plan. BTW HE COULD HAVE ASKED HER THAT FUCKING NIGHT IF SHE LEAK IT. SHE WAS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS FUCKING FACE. OH I AM SO ANNOYED AND FUCK TREVOR. He deserved WAY WORSE.

Justice for her!!! And the fact that they just have a party after the attempted assault like what the fuck? I would have run after that because fuck the guys and them telling me to stay.
I would have not let Michael have a piece of me because he can WORK FOR THAT SHIT. She needed to give a run for his money; He needed to grovel!!!! . I'm angry if you can't tell. I just know she just wanted to be loved and deserves so much better than Michael! Maybe I'll change my mind when I get to see their future in novellas or in the next books IDK. All I know is I'm PISSED now.

Anyways, I feel like I was constantly trying to understand the actions/dialogue behind the plot and I get that. And I get it's them or whatever. I was still intrigued by the book and wanted to find out what happened. But OMG am I irritated. The way I feel so betrayed. UGH!

Side note: Before starting this, I thought I would love Damon but omg they all were so questionable in this- I JUST ?! I smell a redemption arc??? Will I jump into book two??? Questionable as well.

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utahtroutwoman's review against another edition

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More than anything, I'm just upset that the FMC is so unbelievably dumb. Might have something to do with her being 19, but I can't imagine putting up with 99% of what she is putting up with. MMCs are not so much morally gray as they are morally bankrupt. I can't suspend my disbelief long enough to find anything appealing about any of the characters. Maybe that's the point? It's not for me.

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bluedreamgirlco's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

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

0.25

I'm surprised this man didn't catch acute torticollis with the amount of times he was jerking his fucking chin.

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honeybeewitched87's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

1.5

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kittykels's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

2.75

The writing wasn't terrible, but somehow this story still fell really flat. Despite all the crazy excitement happening, I was bored. The characters weren't very likeable and I LOATHED the endless name-dropping of random songs. I don't care if I like the songs or not, I hate when authors do this. It takes away from the story instead of adding to it.

I read this for the spice and the drama, but the spice wasn't great. The writing suddenly turned bad during those scenes, with terrible word choice and descriptions.

I won't continue the series and doubt I'll read anything else by the author.

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kimmytanzone's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Erika pissed me off so bad. Where is the self respect lol. The plot was good which was why I finished it, I was really curious why this was all happening, but it also took SO long to get to the point/reason. The spice itself was good and not constant, but Erika realllllly gave me secondhand embarrassment. Her choices and reasonings - and everyone else’s - solidifies they all need help lmao.

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shereadytoread's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I struggle to rate a book like this. It definitely kept me engaged (I read it in less than a day) but I also found it overdramatic and nonsensical in some ways. It feels like watching a soap opera where everyone is terrible? It hinges on the premise that these rich kids families are so powerful they can do anything in broad daylight like kidnap kids from school in front of everyone. It seemed like a really interesting underlying premise but the choices were so unbelievable it took any emotional depth out of the story.

Like it’s not a bad experience but I’m not sure where I fall. I found it more engaging than the last book I read by them so I rated it 3.5 instead of 3 but it’s pretty middle of the road for me.

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amanda_reads13's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Three years ago, 3/4 horsemen were arrested and thrown in jail. Now they are out to get revenge on Erika (Rika), the woman they blame.

We flipflop between the present and 3 years ago. It is within those snippets of the past that we learn about the men's motivation. They believe that Rika is responsible for 3/4 of them ending up in jail.

For some stupid reason, they film their "pranks" and two videos get released.

I felt as though the characters were lacking depth. We don't really get much background information on the men and an idea of what is motivating their behaviour. These men are cruel and horrible to everyone, especially women. There was so much potential to demonstrate the depth of these characters, it comes out in the very end when we get a flashback in the epilogue of

Michael taking care of Rika when she was 13

. We needed more of this depth to really connect to and want to understand these me. Unfortunately, what we get is a bunch of impulsive and misogynistic men who try to justify horrible and abusive behaviour.

We get a snippet of why Damon is the way he is within the last chapters of the book. We learn why he is so angry that Rika has "invaded" the group of men, and his fear of his brotherhood being ripped from him. But his character does not have any growth at all and these limited glimpses into his past do not redeem him.

his mother was abusing and raping him as a child.

Rika was incredibly naive and annoying. She is not the strong woman that she thinks she is. She is impulsive and seems to have no survival instincts. She is incredibly immature and throws tantrums when she can't get her way (ie. Running into the gentleman's club when she wasn't allowed in). She is determined to live her life on her own and by her own rules, but panics the second her money is gone, because she is actually completely incapable of providing for herself. Plus, she forgave these men WAY too quickly.

I did really like Alex. She was unapologetically herself and had no shame about what she had to do to pay her bills.

(escorting)

. She owns her life/decisions and was a complete badass. I think her character really highlighted all of the weaknesses in Rika.

Overall, the plot was interesting and there was a lot of potential. Unfortunately, the characters were lacking depth and I just couldn't get past the their lack of growth. The sauna scene (iykyk), was very spicy, but otherwise the romance fell flat and was not really believable.

Tropes: found family, revenge, brotherhood

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coffaeandpages's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

3.75

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morticiaddams's review against another edition

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Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

1.5

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