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missawn's review
2.0
I disliked this book intensely. As the plot unfolded I could not help getting increasingly uncomfortable with the MC's actions and motivations ... and how they tried to justify some pretty terrible things in terrible ways.
First, this book gives a whole new meaning to inappropriate workplace relationships (so if that is not your thing, best stay far, far away from this one).
Then you have one deeply damaged MC in need of saving and in swoops in saintly, exceptionally good MC who gets rapidly and hopelessly smitten. The ILY comes really quickly and without a whole lot of chemistry. I just found the whole premise of this book to be deeply, deeply disturbing ...
There is murder, attempted rape, attempted murder, physical assault etc. It was dark, unpleasant and upsetting. Its too bad because the bones of this story were intriguingly interesting and the writing is strong. But I could not reconcile my intense distaste and dislike of the MCs (both with distractingly weird names BTW). Troubling, disturbing ... not a fun read ...
First, this book gives a whole new meaning to inappropriate workplace relationships (so if that is not your thing, best stay far, far away from this one).
Then you have one deeply damaged MC in need of saving and in swoops in saintly, exceptionally good MC who gets rapidly and hopelessly smitten. The ILY comes really quickly and without a whole lot of chemistry. I just found the whole premise of this book to be deeply, deeply disturbing ...
There is murder, attempted rape, attempted murder, physical assault etc. It was dark, unpleasant and upsetting. Its too bad because the bones of this story were intriguingly interesting and the writing is strong. But I could not reconcile my intense distaste and dislike of the MCs (both with distractingly weird names BTW). Troubling, disturbing ... not a fun read ...
thecorioliseffect's review against another edition
5.0
Reread April 2022: Hi. I still love this book. So much. More than anything. I mean, this could possibly be my favorite romance book of all time?? I just love this book so much. I love the flirting and the chemistry between Brogan and Embry. I love the mystery and intrigue of the plot. I love the banter in this book. Sometimes it's downright STUPID, but it's always so funny and endearing.
Mario and Brogan at the end? Fucking dumbass twins extraordinaire. I love them.
I love this book. I love how much Brogan and Embry love each other. I love how smart and clever my sweet, sweet Embry is. So many moments got me wanting to rip my heart directly out of my chest. This is one I definitely know I will reread time and time again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Reread January 2021: I knew I'd be reading this again. And guess what. STILL FUCKING LOVE THIS BOOK OH MY GOD.
So good. A little funny. A lot serious. Very romantic. Just really good. Still an all-time favorite.
~~~~~
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH MY GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD.
I wish I could put into words how much I loved this. Damn.
I wasn't crazy about Pucked, and after getting halfway through, I thought to myself, I needed to try something else. So I looked for a standalone. Idk why, but I was slightly hesitant to pick this up at first because I wasn't sure if it was what I wanted at the moment. But I did anyway, and DAMN AM I GLAD I DID.
This ended up being different than what I expected, but in a good way. As I was reading, the Damen and Laurent vibes were soooo real. Brogan was the big guy, tough, and could totally kill you, but also soft as hell. He has this almost perverse sense of justice, just like Damen, in that he'd probably save his worst enemy from being literally stabbed in the back because stabbing a defenseless person in the back is wrong. Then you have Embry: beautiful, well-dressed, wicked mouth, mysterious. If *that* isn't Laurent, idk what is.
Then the way they just fit together? Magic. The thing is, I was more invested into their relationship 20% into this book than I was into Maximoff and Farrow in three books of the Like Us series. Like, I totally bought their chemistry, and was so into it from the very beginning. It was serious and kind of dark at times, but it also had its funny moments. I read the last 60% of it in one day because I just couldn't put it down.
Definitely going to be checking out more from this author!
You know a book is great when you're already thinking about when you're going to reread it, and I know for sure I'm going to read this one again. And now, in retrospect, it kind of sucks that this is the book I chose to pick up after Pucked, because how am I supposed to go back to that dumpster fire after this?
Mario and Brogan at the end? Fucking dumbass twins extraordinaire. I love them.
I love this book. I love how much Brogan and Embry love each other. I love how smart and clever my sweet, sweet Embry is. So many moments got me wanting to rip my heart directly out of my chest. This is one I definitely know I will reread time and time again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Reread January 2021: I knew I'd be reading this again. And guess what. STILL FUCKING LOVE THIS BOOK OH MY GOD.
So good. A little funny. A lot serious. Very romantic. Just really good. Still an all-time favorite.
~~~~~
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH MY GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD.
I wish I could put into words how much I loved this. Damn.
I wasn't crazy about Pucked, and after getting halfway through, I thought to myself, I needed to try something else. So I looked for a standalone. Idk why, but I was slightly hesitant to pick this up at first because I wasn't sure if it was what I wanted at the moment. But I did anyway, and DAMN AM I GLAD I DID.
This ended up being different than what I expected, but in a good way. As I was reading, the Damen and Laurent vibes were soooo real. Brogan was the big guy, tough, and could totally kill you, but also soft as hell. He has this almost perverse sense of justice, just like Damen, in that he'd probably save his worst enemy from being literally stabbed in the back because stabbing a defenseless person in the back is wrong. Then you have Embry: beautiful, well-dressed, wicked mouth, mysterious. If *that* isn't Laurent, idk what is.
Then the way they just fit together? Magic. The thing is, I was more invested into their relationship 20% into this book than I was into Maximoff and Farrow in three books of the Like Us series. Like, I totally bought their chemistry, and was so into it from the very beginning. It was serious and kind of dark at times, but it also had its funny moments. I read the last 60% of it in one day because I just couldn't put it down.
Definitely going to be checking out more from this author!
You know a book is great when you're already thinking about when you're going to reread it, and I know for sure I'm going to read this one again. And now, in retrospect, it kind of sucks that this is the book I chose to pick up after Pucked, because how am I supposed to go back to that dumpster fire after this?
orangeandmilk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.75
tragicgloom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Trafficking, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood, Homophobia, Torture, and War
swimmingly'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
annaeli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
mint_the_muffin's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
becka6131's review against another edition
5.0
Sidney Bell should just take me out back and shoot me next time
malex117's review against another edition
5.0
This was everything I needed in my life right now.
- The writing was great,
- the characters are real and layered,
- the romance part bittersweet
- the plot was action filled and interesting
- the sex scenes are freaking hot
- and a good epilogue & hea
This was a complex story and really hard to say anything about it without spoiler, and I don’t think it would be fair. So let’s say it’s a cheating trope, one of the MC1 is taken, but not because he wants to be with him. The other MC2 is the new bodyguard of the “boyfriend “. Sometimes it’s painful and looks hopeless, then the story focusing on something else and in the end it became a couldn’t put it down why is it ended book. I loved the romance, loved the investigation, loved the mystery about Embry and the big hart of Brogan. Mind the triggers ( violence, abuse, murder, etc) but in my category it’s not dark, more like a crime show on tv, but much more hotter
- The writing was great,
- the characters are real and layered,
- the romance part bittersweet
- the plot was action filled and interesting
- the sex scenes are freaking hot
- and a good epilogue & hea
This was a complex story and really hard to say anything about it without spoiler, and I don’t think it would be fair. So let’s say it’s a cheating trope, one of the MC1 is taken, but not because he wants to be with him. The other MC2 is the new bodyguard of the “boyfriend “. Sometimes it’s painful and looks hopeless, then the story focusing on something else and in the end it became a couldn’t put it down why is it ended book. I loved the romance, loved the investigation, loved the mystery about Embry and the big hart of Brogan. Mind the triggers ( violence, abuse, murder, etc) but in my category it’s not dark, more like a crime show on tv, but much more hotter
papercranestitches's review against another edition
4.0
This was a kickass revenge novel that felt a little like a Hollywood blockbuster thriller.
A note about my tags:
I know a lot of readers who absolutely refuse to read romance novels in which one of the main characters has sex with anyone other than their intended love interest. I'm usually one of them (I mean, can we all agree that there's nothing romantic about cheating?!). But, while Ford definitely has sex with someone other than Brogan in this book, I just didn't feel like my "cheating bastards" tag applied. There were reasons, you guys. Real, solid, necessary to the plot reasons. So Bell gets a pass from me on this one.
I also chose to apply a "dubcon/noncon" tag even though it doesn't quite fit.
A note about my tags:
I know a lot of readers who absolutely refuse to read romance novels in which one of the main characters has sex with anyone other than their intended love interest. I'm usually one of them (I mean, can we all agree that there's nothing romantic about cheating?!). But, while Ford definitely has sex with someone other than Brogan in this book, I just didn't feel like my "cheating bastards" tag applied. There were reasons, you guys. Real, solid, necessary to the plot reasons. So Bell gets a pass from me on this one.
I also chose to apply a "dubcon/noncon" tag even though it doesn't quite fit.