Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Losers: Part II by Harley Laroux

48 reviews

dkgreads's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Blood

jessanicolesingh's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

For a categorically dark/taboo romance duet, these books were much more emotional than I had anticipated them being. I always love a good reverse harem, especially when the men play together too 😉

The series depicts a group of town outcasts in a polyamorous relationship that find themselves reconnecting with their old high school bully, Jess, whom they have all been obsessed with for years. After a chance encounter and car trouble, the guys propose a deal of sorts; if she agrees to join their quad for the time being they would fix her car in their shop. From there you can unsurprisingly expect a copious amount of spicy scenes, very heavy on the BDSM.

I absolutely LOVED these boys; Manson, the unofficial leader of the house and most forward towards bringing the FMC into the mix, Lucas, the hotheaded racer with a soft spot for cats, Vincent, the drug dealer turned romantic goofball, and finally Jason, abandoned by his religious parents that refused to accept him. Jessica on the other hand, I didn’t find myself all that crazy for, I felt like her plight was deeper than her personality at times.

I wouldn't really say there was too much of a plot outside of the payment arrangement that ultimately, and obviously, leads to Jess joining their “family.” There were some ghosts from their collective pasts slowly creeping in on them, namely Manson’s deadbeat father, Reagan, and a few stray bullies from high school still targeting them. From the first book to the second there was a fairly non-climaxal cliffhanger where the group was planning to take a vacation with just a touch of anxiety over the looming threats. Although the main antagonistic force wove in and out rather than a continuous buildup, this actually made the story more realistic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment

BDSM

autumnwitch14's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Blood, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism

huggablebean's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

The flirting and affection between all the characters was what made the book so enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts

asherketchum25's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

wandering_seal's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

4.5

Reread.

Right. I love this series, love these characters, but I'd be lying if I didn't say this books got issues. It drags a bit when the story turns into

in-which-Jess-says-"I love you"-one-by-one

. Jess's mother does not get the comeuppance she deserves. But. BUT. The romance. The feels. I love these characters and I only want the best for them and this story is a part of that so how could I rate it poorly. It's got lots going for it if you can work around its issues. This story has stayed with me in a way I never would have anticipated, I love it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-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

3.0

We continue to follow Jessica and the men as they navigate their new relationship and deal with outside pressures.

I felt like he overall story and conflict took a backseat in this book and was almost an afterthought. We got the occasional issue with Manson's dad or Jessica's Ex, but not enough to build the tension needed for the reader to care. 

I do appreciate that we get more backstory on the men which allows us to see more of their personalities and their motivations. I think they are all interesting characters, but with 5 different POVs (+1 in this book), it is really hard for the reader to form a solid connection with each of them.

That said, you can feel the love between them. They are fiercely protective of one another and would do anything to keep one another safe. Unfortunately, they have always been a target from the community, but this has lead to such a strong and emotional bond between the men. 

We definitely saw the most character growth from Lucas. As he accepted the love and care of his partners, we saw him relax into the relationship more and become more confident in himself. He held onto so much anger and resentment, that when he let go and began to heal, he allowed himself to really feel that love and support. 

I hate to say it, but many of the spicy scenes felt like they were just thrown in there to get a reaction. Not many of these scenes progressed the plot or added to our understanding of the characters. This duet could have been edited down to one book. This would have allowed the author to place more focus on scenes that gave us solid character development or advanced the plot. It would felt less repetitive and would have allowed for us to connect to the characters more.  
I really appreciate the openness of their relationship. They all have amazing communication and are so supportive of one another. They aren't afraid to talk about everything and anything. I love how open they are about mental health struggles and the conversations around therapy and medication. I wish we had delved a bit deeper into the mental health side. 

Tropes: found family, poly, enemies to lovers

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

art3m1sxx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

hereiskyra's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Man, this book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I was stressed and sad and happy and everything in between. There was a bit more of a plot in this part, fortunately, and I think that made the story that much better. 

We explored allllllll of the trauma, which was helpful in making me fall for each and every one for these boys even deeper. And I’m so glad we got to see more of what made Jessica the way she is/was. She had trauma too, even if it looked completely different from each of the others’ trauma. She came (no pun intended) so far over the course of just a few months. They all had me an emotional wreck. 

I love their love and I had no idea how much I’d feel for each separate character and how much their personalities really blossomed. 

I genuinely loved getting to see the bonds between the boys grow and strengthen, like Jason and Lucas. And I know everyone is loving Daddy Manson, and same but…. There’s no way in hell anyone can pick a favorite here, right? I love them all so much (Vince, dude… you’re still my least favorite but you’re cool). 

Something about a seemingly emotionally unavailable man being nice to animals (looking at you Lucas)… I’ve always got a big soft spot for them.

This was some for the smuttiest reading I’ve ever done and it was also some of the hottest. There was not a single… scene… I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and that tells me a lot about myself I didn’t know before. But I’m okay with that. 😂

I already know this is going to be a re-read for me one day. I just finished and I already miss all the characters. I need more!

Tropes:

Enemies to Lovers

Found Family

BDSM/Kinks

Polyamory 

MF/MM/MMFMM (everybody loves everybody)

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content

kaybee_2033's review against another edition

dark 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail