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bookameme's review
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Great Story, Unfortunate Narrator
Quote:📖
She wasn’t a flake, I realized, no, she was a shadow who had put up walls around her to survive because people who were supposed to love her didn’t.
Thoughts: 💡
This story was enjoyable and if you’re reading it I would give it a solid 4.5 stars. However, if you plan to listen to it I highly suggest you listen to the sample first. (You might enjoy the narrator even though I didn’t.)
The story itself is very sweet and filled with all the angst you would imagine. The MCs are like oil and water at first. Declan is a very grumpy, angry man who was jilted at the altar and forced to marry someone he felt was inferior to his ex-fiance.
Esme is a victim determined to see the bright side of life and make the world better for the people around her. Her kindness and genuinity eventually win Declan over, but that doesn’t mean won her heart or her trust.
I loved the way Maya Alden portrayed the mindset of survivors. There wasn’t some easy fix and she did a great job explaining how a victim can be locked in a cycle without ever truly realizing that they are.
Writing Mechanics: ✍️
The plot was interesting and well thought out. The MCs and supporting characters had rich back stories and carefully, and entertainingly, explained backstories. I honestly enjoyed everything about this story except the narrator.
Audio:
The sound quality was clear and precise, but the narrator was not. I love smut, but every time he started talking I cringed. I think the goal was silver fox but that is not what was delivered. The accent and volume of the narration modulated in each chapter, not in relation to the story though, it just seemed like the narrator would just run out of steam. He also attempted to use accents but the accents would switch during the chapter for the same character. This didn’t seem to be in relation to dialogue or inner monologues, it just happened randomly. I generally hate giving bad reviews but this narration was rough and I felt it hurt the story when the book itself would be amazing.
Fun Bits:
⚜️ Soo Much Angst
⚜️ Beautiful Love Story
⚜️ Great Side Characters
⚜️ Interesting Plot
⚜️ Postive Mental Health Rep
⚜️ Diverse Cast of Characters
⚜️ Adept Portrayal Of Domestic Violence &
Survivors
Important Note:✨
This is an interconnected standalone with a full story and different couple in each book.
Stats:📊
Spice Scale: 2 🌶️🌶️/ 5
Character Dev: 5 💙💙💙💙💙/5
Narrator (M): 1 🎙️/5
Audio Quality: 3 🎧🎧🎧/5
Genre: Contemporary Romance📕
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, GrumpyX Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract📘
POV: Dual 👩❤️👨
CW: Domestic Violence ⚠️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
khaleesimod93's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"If being unhappy or angry would change anything, then I'm all for it, but I've learned that bending with the wind helps me survive without breaking."
When I say I cried my eyes out, I really cried! All the ugly tears and blubbering. I don't know how many times I felt the way Esme felt. Useless, ugly, worthless. While I was nowhere near the same situation she was in, the pain wasn't any different. I can't believe how horrible everyone was to esme. I know Declan was angry with Viv and heartbroken, but I was so livid! How could he be so stupid and watch her and not see the truth? Man, my heart broke for Esme.
"She wasn’t a flake, I realized, no, she was a shadow who had put up walls around her to survive because the people who were supposed to love her didn’t."
Finally, he realized the truth! I wanted to reach through the book and slap Declan silly! And then when Esme and him were finally happy, her dad stepped in and ruined it. People like him make me so freaking angry! He deserves everything that came to him and more!!! Still mad that it wasn't worse. I'm just glad that Esme stood on her own two feet and fought for herself and what she wanted!! So damn proud of her!!!!
When I say I cried my eyes out, I really cried! All the ugly tears and blubbering. I don't know how many times I felt the way Esme felt. Useless, ugly, worthless. While I was nowhere near the same situation she was in, the pain wasn't any different. I can't believe how horrible everyone was to esme. I know Declan was angry with Viv and heartbroken, but I was so livid! How could he be so stupid and watch her and not see the truth? Man, my heart broke for Esme.
"She wasn’t a flake, I realized, no, she was a shadow who had put up walls around her to survive because the people who were supposed to love her didn’t."
Finally, he realized the truth! I wanted to reach through the book and slap Declan silly! And then when Esme and him were finally happy, her dad stepped in and ruined it. People like him make me so freaking angry! He deserves everything that came to him and more!!! Still mad that it wasn't worse. I'm just glad that Esme stood on her own two feet and fought for herself and what she wanted!! So damn proud of her!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
susanpevensie's review
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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
ladylaurenexplorer's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was definitely a rage inducer. I don’t think that the author understood that what the h was doing, was literally being a doormat. Yes, she did things to try to circumvent situations, but she still ended up doing situations.
When you have H coming in and making everything a little bit worse, and realising the truth. His mentality in the first of the book was just making you want to hit upside his head with how he was treating another human being.
I will also say that even though we understood the family dynamic, I still don’t like any of her family, no matter how we also try to redeem them in the end.
When you have H coming in and making everything a little bit worse, and realising the truth. His mentality in the first of the book was just making you want to hit upside his head with how he was treating another human being.
I will also say that even though we understood the family dynamic, I still don’t like any of her family, no matter how we also try to redeem them in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
changeusernamel8r's review
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
HEA
Standalone
Tropes
My opinion:
Until the ending this was a 4☆ book easy, not because it is the best but because it made me feel. And I don't remenber the last time I read something and I felt it.
I hurted for Esme
Standalone
Tropes
My opinion:
Until the ending this was a 4☆ book easy, not because it is the best but because it made me feel. And I don't remenber the last time I read something and I felt it.
I hurted for Esme
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content
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