minimicropup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Main POV:
- A married parent with the ‘perfect’ family. They are a wealthy philanthropist dedicated to cystic fibrosis awareness and funding. They seem open-minded, docile, spoiled, and naïve due to loneliness.
- A single adult in their 20s working in a real estate office while going for the long-con in a self-concocted scheme to infiltrate the philanthropist’s life, although we don’t know why. It could be revenge; it could be because they are completely unhinged.
- Set mostly in a wealthy suburb near Manhattan, NY
- On the ‘juicy’ soap opera side of over-the-top. Not a story you want to go in overthinking or looking for meaningful commentary or symbolism from.
- I don’t mind OTT, but the SLOW OTT is hard to pull off, so although it was an interesting plot in theory, it fell apart in execution for me. I think it could have benefitted from some cuts because the slowness wasn’t contributing to the story, it was stalling it out. We have the story delivered through overreliance on hold-backs (“If only they knew what I was about to do”), overly descriptive scenes about the clothing and appearances of everyone, and a lot of MC internal monologue that involves reminding the reader of a goal or thought we are already are familiar with because it was previously revealed to us…sometimes multiple times!
- There are some problematic tropes in this book, but I think that’s forgivable with OTT/soap opera type plots. It’s like angrily therapeutic. Someone plotting to steal your life and destroy you in the process? Wouldn’t it be nice to find out they self-destructed? Yes, we have women throwing themselves at a man’s feet, being toxic to other women, and using each other to further their own goals. However, this plot used severe physical, emotional, sexual, AND verbal abuse as a major revenge element. It felt icky. But, we also have stories glorifying female serial killers, so just go in to this one aware that it falls into that territory.
- Juicy, behind closed doors domestic thriller
- B****, I’m gonna steal your life trope
- Slow, scheming, long-con sociopathic mind
- Guilty-pleasure soap opera revenge plots
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Ableism and Fatphobia
Minor: Abandonment and Death of parent
Sexual violence, rape, assault etc are on page, repetitive, and occur within a marriage. Ableism refers to reading difficulties in a childSpoiler
(dyslexia and stuttering)Spoiler
(father abandoning daughters in favour of his sonkimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic relationship
crystal83087's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Classism, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Child death, Grief, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexism
rachelreads1994's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The first half really had me hooked. Amber is a terrible human with terrible views on life but it’s very interesting to read from her point of view justifying all she’s doing to this married woman in order to steal her husband. She thinks she’s more clever than anyone around her and is going to use her skills and assets to make this married rich man fall for her and give her the life she thinks she deserves.
The second half sorta went downhill for me. I can’t really go into detail because it would spoil the twist but let’s just say it became very over the top at times, depressing often and much less believable in my opinion.
I still enjoyed the read and got through it pretty fast due to my interest in wanting to see what happens so I still think even with the flaws it’s a solid 4 stars.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Physical abuse
christine7499's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Sexual assault
kimnicol's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Infidelity, Infertility, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Classism, and Child abuse
lindehoffman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Dysphoria, Misogyny, Rape, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Dysphoria and Pregnancy
nicole_g_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
saraellenme's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Abortion, Sexism, and Eating disorder
raelin's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Spoiler
I spent the first half of the book sure that Daphne knew what Amber wanted and that Jackson was a controlling asshole of a husband and that she just wanted out so she was making sure that Amber and Jackson got together. When Daphnes half of the book started it was hard to read just how terrible she was treated and how she was manipulated and imprisoned in her life. But if anything, I was disappointed that Daphne was so taken in my Amber in the beginning. I really really though she had caught on earlier.Spoiler
I really wanted there to be resolution as to what would happen to Jackson Jr at the end. His dad is going to prison, his mom doesn’t care about him and will be poor and resentful. Who is going to care for him? I wish there would have been an added line about how he was adopted by one of Amber’s (real) sisters or something. That poor boy has an awful life ahead of him.Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence