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runningonbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
megwoman25's review against another edition
2.0
MM Romance
Hurt/Comfort Enemies To Lovers
2 “I’m the problem, it’s me” Stars ⭐️
All my friends love this book but I have no idea what to say about it because I didn’t feel anything while reading it, yet, I couldn’t put it down once I started and I stayed up until 6am devouring it. How does that even make sense??? If I’m going to stay up all night to read a book you’d think I would have been interested in some aspect of it but I found the characters bland, the plot predictable and the writing was kind of wonky at times. I know this is a debut so I’m trying not to hold the wonkiness against him but I’m just kind of underwhelmed tbh and for a book so dramatic and angsty, I just expected to feel more.
The only part of this book I liked was how much Ethan did for Victor despite hating him for most of the book. He paid attention to the fine details, figured out Victor’s needs, and then implemented them in his own way. I especially loved the part when they escaped all the craziness in the city, got a quaint hotel, and then went to the store. I’m usually avoiding most of the packaged food I come across but Victor must have felt so safe and seen by Ethan because without saying a word Ethan knew what he needed and gave it to him selflessly.
However, after liking most of this book despite not feeling much, I wasn’t a fan of the last 15-20% of this story. I felt like the pacing was off and because there were too many tropes competing with each other, a lot of the side stories felt unresolved or rushed. I wanted to see anyone who had ever taken advantage of Victor held to karma of the highest degree and the basic summary in the epilogue was just not enough and left me feeling completely underwhelmed. I also thought Ethan’s mom’s condition was glossed over at the end and since it was a big issue throughout the book, I expected more.
The sex scenes were quite good but FFS just because this book made Victor out to be a slutty bottom boy doesn’t mean he doesn’t need some fucking lube. That part of the body is not self-lubricating and I can’t believe how many MM books I read that have one of them just cramming it in there dry or with a bit of spit. Fucking ouch.
And also, I don’t think I fully comprehend what was going on inside the bathroom with the inner door locks and the dog bed. I mean, I have an idea but it was never really mentioned in a way that made sense.
Overall though, I think this is one of those books where the problem is me more than it being a bad book so I’m going to give 2 stars for no spelling issues, a writing style that pulled me in, and a solid idea even if it wasn’t executed quite to my standards. Surprisingly I do want to read Gray’s book because I’ve heard it’s completely different from this one (a huge plus).
Hurt/Comfort Enemies To Lovers
2 “I’m the problem, it’s me” Stars ⭐️
All my friends love this book but I have no idea what to say about it because I didn’t feel anything while reading it, yet, I couldn’t put it down once I started and I stayed up until 6am devouring it. How does that even make sense??? If I’m going to stay up all night to read a book you’d think I would have been interested in some aspect of it but I found the characters bland, the plot predictable and the writing was kind of wonky at times. I know this is a debut so I’m trying not to hold the wonkiness against him but I’m just kind of underwhelmed tbh and for a book so dramatic and angsty, I just expected to feel more.
The only part of this book I liked was how much Ethan did for Victor despite hating him for most of the book. He paid attention to the fine details, figured out Victor’s needs, and then implemented them in his own way. I especially loved the part when they escaped all the craziness in the city, got a quaint hotel, and then went to the store. I’m usually avoiding most of the packaged food I come across but Victor must have felt so safe and seen by Ethan because without saying a word Ethan knew what he needed and gave it to him selflessly.
However, after liking most of this book despite not feeling much, I wasn’t a fan of the last 15-20% of this story. I felt like the pacing was off and because there were too many tropes competing with each other, a lot of the side stories felt unresolved or rushed. I wanted to see anyone who had ever taken advantage of Victor held to karma of the highest degree and the basic summary in the epilogue was just not enough and left me feeling completely underwhelmed. I also thought Ethan’s mom’s condition was glossed over at the end and since it was a big issue throughout the book, I expected more.
The sex scenes were quite good but FFS just because this book made Victor out to be a slutty bottom boy doesn’t mean he doesn’t need some fucking lube. That part of the body is not self-lubricating and I can’t believe how many MM books I read that have one of them just cramming it in there dry or with a bit of spit. Fucking ouch.
And also, I don’t think I fully comprehend what was going on inside the bathroom with the inner door locks and the dog bed. I mean, I have an idea but it was never really mentioned in a way that made sense.
Overall though, I think this is one of those books where the problem is me more than it being a bad book so I’m going to give 2 stars for no spelling issues, a writing style that pulled me in, and a solid idea even if it wasn’t executed quite to my standards. Surprisingly I do want to read Gray’s book because I’ve heard it’s completely different from this one (a huge plus).
itsmonislibrary's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
readingwithjen_'s review
2.0
Probably just not for me. While reading it's clear that some sort of trauma that's the cause of Victor's behavior, it was still just too bratty and angsty for my personal tastes.
madelinelikes2read's review
4.0
This book was like gasping for air, only to find that you’re being held under water by the person you love to hate. Guess we know where the title came from, eh?
What I loved:
-the lyricism in how Nash talks about love and hate. tbh it truly shifted how I think about love, loving, and the nature of hate.
-the dual pov was very well done. it truly felt like I was getting two different perspectives.
-the dual pov fleshed out the characters, but what really wowed me was the voyerusitic feel of reading about their relationship. Obviously reading is inherently voyeuristic but even though we got each characters internal monologue there was a piece of their relationship that still felt secret, and just for them. Their secret piece helped transport me, as the reader, into their world—-which was tinged with grey and the sound of the sea *sighs dramatically*
-oh and of course we can’t forget the angst, angst, and more angst
-dark themes—I’m a slut for the stuff from nightmares
-THE TWIST
Other thoughts
-Defo would recommend some content disclosures. Representation and discussion of PTSD, abuse (sexual, emotional, physical) , eating phobias, panic attacks, illness of a loved one, abuse of power. Those are just what I noticed, could be missing some!
-the realist in me doesn’t love the message of ‘oh, don’t worry my love will solve your trauma’. but the romantic in me is like ‘nah, love will work it all out somehow’
-I was fully sleep deprived the fist ~40% of this, so I may have missed it (very very possible) but I felt kind thrown in to references to what they look like but never really told, like explicitly. But like I said could be a me problem.
Overall an ASTOUNDING DEBUT. Cannot wait for book two w (hopefully, daddy??) grey!!!
What I loved:
-the lyricism in how Nash talks about love and hate. tbh it truly shifted how I think about love, loving, and the nature of hate.
-the dual pov was very well done. it truly felt like I was getting two different perspectives.
-the dual pov fleshed out the characters, but what really wowed me was the voyerusitic feel of reading about their relationship. Obviously reading is inherently voyeuristic but even though we got each characters internal monologue there was a piece of their relationship that still felt secret, and just for them. Their secret piece helped transport me, as the reader, into their world—-which was tinged with grey and the sound of the sea *sighs dramatically*
-oh and of course we can’t forget the angst, angst, and more angst
-dark themes—I’m a slut for the stuff from nightmares
-THE TWIST
Other thoughts
-Defo would recommend some content disclosures. Representation and discussion of PTSD, abuse (sexual, emotional, physical) , eating phobias, panic attacks, illness of a loved one, abuse of power. Those are just what I noticed, could be missing some!
-the realist in me doesn’t love the message of ‘oh, don’t worry my love will solve your trauma’. but the romantic in me is like ‘nah, love will work it all out somehow’
-I was fully sleep deprived the fist ~40% of this, so I may have missed it (very very possible) but I felt kind thrown in to references to what they look like but never really told, like explicitly. But like I said could be a me problem.
Overall an ASTOUNDING DEBUT. Cannot wait for book two w (hopefully, daddy??) grey!!!
pilgrimgossip's review against another edition
3.0
Not like any other M/M I've ever read
I loved this book. It was just what I needed to get me out of a long book slump. The writing was top notch.
I loved this book. It was just what I needed to get me out of a long book slump. The writing was top notch.
anamariab15's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is a hard, but wonderful book to read - you want the "aha" moment from Ethan a few pages from meeting Victor...and it only happens in the last chapters of the book. The road there is challenging for the two main characters - I wasn't sure, at times, if I liked the characters or their dynamic, if I understood it (which is the reason for not giving it 5 stars). I have to say, though, the ending does bring it all together in a way that sheds some light on earlier behaviors, and you are able to see it as a whole.
The writing is good; both POVs are done really well.
The writing is good; both POVs are done really well.
vanishedknights's review against another edition
4.0
What a twisted sad emotionally exhausting and toxic beauty mess of a relationship and book.
indiekay's review
5.0
4.5 stars
This book was hard to get through at times, mostly due to the heavy topics and toxic relationship. I read the first 50% pretty slowly and at one point even thought about DNFing just because I wasn't sure my mental health was in the right place to read about suicidal characters. But then I just kept going, and I really liked the second half of this book a lot more, and read it much faster.
Also, toxic romances just have the best quotes. I highlighted so many parts of this.
Content Warnings: Toxic relationship, dementia, death of a family member by drowning, power imbalance, non-con touching, past off-page rape, past and on-page drug use, suicidal ideation, and a heap of other things but that should cover the big ones.
This book was hard to get through at times, mostly due to the heavy topics and toxic relationship. I read the first 50% pretty slowly and at one point even thought about DNFing just because I wasn't sure my mental health was in the right place to read about suicidal characters. But then I just kept going, and I really liked the second half of this book a lot more, and read it much faster.
Also, toxic romances just have the best quotes. I highlighted so many parts of this.
Content Warnings: Toxic relationship, dementia, death of a family member by drowning, power imbalance, non-con touching, past off-page rape, past and on-page drug use, suicidal ideation, and a heap of other things but that should cover the big ones.