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Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'
A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy
32 reviews
just_klaudia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Pregnancy
juffnstuff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Religious bigotry
ktrout's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Pregnancy
Minor: Toxic relationship
meganlafo's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Infertility, Infidelity, and Abortion
amberlfaris's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
daffodill37's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
This book starts off fun and sweet and sexy but takes a surprisingly dark and (emotionally) scary turn a little over halfway through. I will say it does have a really lovely HEA but there really ought to be some warnings on this book. I'm going to include them below so, FYI, spoilers ahead.
I'd also like to note that the characters were lovable and fun and it's nice to see some familiar characters sort of in the background. I think the writing is fine and the setting/characters are all just fine but the storyline was far from fun and fancy free like previous installments.
Now, to the warnings/spoilers here.
There is an unexpected pregnancy with physical complications that is used as the main plot driver for the second half of the book. At one point we are set up to reasonably believe that the characters could potentially lose the (very much wanted) pregnancy.
While we're talking about warnings let's go ahead and mention that we have a very awful, overbearing and unsupportive set of parents. This story also revolves around the character's previous life of religion and purity culture (which is actively challenged by this character as well as many others).
This is honestly not the book I expected to read and wouldn't recommended it to anyone due to the themes it works with.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
sami_leigh's review against another edition
- 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
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
Sometimes I just had to remember I was supposed to be in character, but I guess that wasn’t so bad when my character was falling harder than a Jenga tower, because I was too.
It didn’t matter that he was sexy and silly and warmhearted, or that when I was with him, all the ideas of Old Winnie and New Winnie melted away, and there was only Now Winnie and she was enough.
I grew up thinking purity was this binary thing that you had or you didn’t, and once it was marred even the tiniest amount, there was no going back.
“You really got it bad for her?” “She’s my person,”
🎄 Workplace romance; on set of a (steamy) Christmas movie!
🎄 Forced proximity
🎄 Conservative wholesome-movie star & Pop Star with a sex tape
🎄 He helps her ‘research’ for their steamy scenes on screen 😏
🎄 He falls first; long time crush
🎄 Well established secondary characters; Sunny, Bee & Nolan (Book 1), Topher, Tamara, Teddy, Steph, Jack, Addison, Isaac.
🎄 MC growth: Trust, reliability, family trauma, self worth, risking a relationship.
🎄 Spicy 🥵
🎄 Sex Positivity & Consent Culture
🎄 Body respect
🎄 Representation of diverse sexualities
🎄 Representation of the impact of purity culture & finding balance in faith
🎄 Banter!
Available in audiobook, paperback, & ebook. KU.
⚠️ Infidelity (by ex-husband), gaslighting/toxic relationship (ex-husband, parents), infertility, pregnancy, medical trauma (minor).
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, and Medical trauma
mbzoller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I loved the male MC but there was less excitement, less holiday feels, and less healthy communication in this one than the first so it didn't hit as well.
Also, I had to rate it lower for the jump scare pregnancy.
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Pregnancy
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Emotional abuse
rachminick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infertility and Miscarriage
Minor: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail