Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Broken Bonds by J. Bree

30 reviews

twinklepuff's review

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Vomit

iben_flor's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

1.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Classism, Body shaming, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Violence, Car accident, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Bullying, and Stalking

melissa_rueff's review

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is a good example of poly rep but filled with horrid misogyny. Every part of this book is just the main character shitting on women for being feminine or pretty or interested in men. The main character just is just screaming internalized misogyny all over the book. Honest to God I almost didn’t finish the book because it was so misogynistic. I finished it because I like the poly concept, but I really really think that the author  
 is a “not like other girls” girl and that’s really disappointing to me.  Like the concept that you can write about a poly relationship yet you can’t think that other women who are  feminine are not shitty for being so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Stalking, Rape, Kidnapping, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Body shaming, Car accident, Classism, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

The relationship depicted is severely abusive. I believe the author did that intentionally to create plot points, but the fact that the main character doesn’t recognize and then states the treatment as domestic abuse at the level it is really makes me question what this author thinks is okay. because everything that is happening here is domestic abuse and not even light abuse like horrid treatment is astounding to me. If you’ve experienced any form of like gaslighting, or like control, this might not be the novel for you, I say all of that is a warning because I don’t feel like I was warned getting into this book. I did enjoy this novel it has a lot of fun plot points is an interesting concept. There are redeeming characters, but the fact of the matter is, there’s not enough of a warning how severe the domestic abuse is, and it’s never really touched on even later on in the other novels and nobody really apologizes for the severe severe abuse outside of like “I’m sorry that happened but it had to happen because of the plot points that wr as the character expierenced so it’s excuse” which is a shit excuse and also abuse in itself. Understand me I like this novel but I am warring you it’s a bad time.

doubletherazzle's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Solid audiobook read if you can get over the constant use of f bombs and pseudo f bombs. The plot wasn’t too complicated to track while listening and crafting/multitasking. The writing isn’t great and I agree with other reviews that say there’s a lot of whining, but I don’t think it’s an issue. She’s 19 and got a lot crap going on. I find the story interesting and dramatic and will definitely keep going. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion, Torture, Vomit, Alcohol, and Car accident

shoppy96's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape and Violence

Minor: Car accident

jackietanori's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Okay, wait I liked this. Like a lot more than I thought I would. Yes, the main character is a little childish, but she’s also 19 so I give her a pass. 
I really like a couple of characters; Oli, Sage, Sawyer, Felix, Gabe and Gryphon. Nox can go die in a hole for all I care. 


Crying score: no. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Car accident, Rape, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit

booksalacarte's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.75

2.75⭐️ 2.5🌶️ (1 SA scene not included)

This was out of my comfort zone. Reverse Harem just isn’t for me. From this I’ve found that I am just not a fan of more than 1 love interest in a book.

It’s an entertaining read, bachelor-esk and surprisingly has quite a bit of plot outside of the main relationships. I appreciate the RH clarification in the synopsis from the author. There is also a LOT of cursing in this book.

Forced proximity

One bed

Instalove

Slow burn

Strong friendships

Life on the run

College life

Oil being 19, in college, and forced into living under house arrest isn’t my ideal set up. But the prologue was attention catching, for sure.

It reads as a little bit of a bully romance… but for the world building, kinda-almost-maybe justified? But I hate the name calling (effing B*tch) between main love interests. It feels super disrespectful and foul. Especially from someone, or many, who are supposed to be endgame love interests. I hate it. I don’t even like typing out the words. There was also a SA scene with a love interest. Be aware.

The romance was slow burn, which is good, considering the vitriol that is flying left and right. There is a lot to make up for and any actual romance would have been gross without warming up.

The world building was really minimal, which it being a contemporary romantic fantasy isn’t as important as a high fantasy. But I found a lot to be desired in that area. The magic system is interesting, but very vague. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Car accident, Gaslighting, Murder, Cursing, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

briochebun's review

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

3 out of 5 ☆’s.

”I'm playing to win, Oli. This is one hand I refuse to lose.”

ੈ✩‧₊˚

I have heard many many things about ”Broken Bonds” within the past year & I am so excited to be beginning this journey! :)

I want to start off by saying that I adore the premise of this novel — it’s very original + interesting!

While the characters are also intriguing — I can’t wait to delve deeper into their personalities — there were times where they came across as being a bit juvenile? I wish there was better communication amongst all of the characters & not an absurd amount of mentions about things that Oli could never even think to share with her bonds (or the audience, for that matter).

ੈ✩‧₊˚

I am excited to continue the rest of the series & see how all of the relationships progress, though! ♡

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Bullying, Violence, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Car accident, Murder, Blood, Confinement, Grief, and Torture

monica0309's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

Minor: Murder, Bullying, Cursing, and Kidnapping

_savannahreads_'s review

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage