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koistyfishy'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
4.0
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I am pretty sure that this book was filled with crack as I was pretty much addicted. I am not really sure why I was so captivated, mesmerised or hypnotised but this was legitimately almost impossible to put down. I sacrificed sleep to read this! I was thinking about this non-stop when I was not reading this! And when I was reading, I was fighting with myself to devour the story but also pace myself so it wasn't over too quickly... it was impossible to put down!
So this is a dual POV that follows Ares and Raven. Ares is the eldest son of this very wealthy family and the CEO of a media production company. Raven is a gorgeous supermodel and fashion designer. Raven also happens to be in love with Ares, even though he happens to be her best friend's brother and her sister's fiance. Ares's family has a tradition that all the members of the Winston Family have an arranged marriage, and when Raven's sister gets cold feet, the wedding has to happen one way or another and Raven ends up walking down the aisle...
There is so much ANGST in this book... like to the extreme that it's mentioned as a "trigger warning" at the start of the book. I am pretty sure this is one of the factors that influenced why I loved this so much as I could physically feel the tension and emotional baggage these characters have and seeing how they dealt with their soap opera ridiculous life was predictable but entertaining.
I really liked how Raven grew as a character and learned to stand up for herself. She has been gaslighted, overlooked and taken for granted by her family. To see her push back and be selfish for her, setting those personal boundaries and standing up for herself was really one of the best things in the book. I was her biggest cheerleader and it provides a really important message that everyone should be able to stand up for themselves, even if it is against family. No one, not even your family, your sister, or your mother is allowed to cross your own personal boundaries!
The development of the relationship was strange especially for Ares, as I felt it switched VERY QUICKLY into the "My Wife" mentality. I found I preferred him and his banter with Raven before they were together. Almost all their interactions and dialogue were along the same vein of fidelity and not straying from the marriage - which are all valid points to discuss as there is a sense of contractual fidelity in a marriage...But the possessiveness came about very, very quickly. I needed a little more of Ares realising that he never actually loved Hannah. I wanted to see more of him getting over her and coming to terms with his love for Raven. A lot of stuff happens in a span of a month and his switch from engaged to in love with Raven bordered on Insta-lovie.
I was very set on giving this a full five stars because of how much I was enjoying the drama and the angst until about the 70% mark of the book when I started getting frustrated as it was almost too over the top. These situations do not happen in real life and I was taken out of the magic and blatantly reminded that I'm reading a book. The conflict, the plot twists and the reactions of everything felt so scripted.
I also found the smut to be very very repetitive and formulaic. It would follow the same pattern and almost every scene would have Raven pressed up against a wall with Ares carrying her with his hands in her hair. Now I do get that she is a tiny supermodel and probably weighs as much as a feather, and Ares is a super busy businessman who still manages to look like a picture-perfect Adonis with a 6-pack... but it kinda takes you out of the story when you have to constantly question the physics of a smut scene...AND THE HAIR GRABBING.... It was so much, that every time I saw the words I would roll my eyes...
Ultimately, this book is not perfect, and if I think too long about it, it had its issues and I keep finding more... but this was the second billionaire romance that I have read recently and I absolutely enjoyed the shit out of it! I had a great time reading it as it was a perfect escape to relax and get out of your head.
Your Trope Summary:
▶ Dual POV
▶ Best Friends Brother/Sister Ex-Fiancé
▶ Arranged Marriage
▶ Billionaire Romance
▶ "My Wife"
▶ SO MUCH ANGST!!!!
▶ Soap Opera Level Drama
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Pregnancy
kat7794'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
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
abcdefgerda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I did get serious whiplash from all the times a character seemed to have made up their mind about it/accepted something but had changed their mind by the next chapter. But like not in a bad way? I think I might need to do some soul searching about why I loved this book as much as I did (and I will do so by finding and reading the rest of this series and probably more).
Like this book tore out my heart, then stomped on it, then repaired and put it back, then kicked it into a den of hungry lions, then fixed it again. I've been a mess, not gonna lie, and this book is (like at least 60%) at fault for it.
Ares is such an adorable but edgy simp-dom? I don't think its a phrase but it should be and he should be the definition. Never have I seen a (fictional) man who is so sexily domineering but at the same time so simpily sweet and accommodating and caring.
And Raven! I did not expect this My Sister's Keeper stuff but oh man did it wreck me!! (It's one of my fav movies of all time)
Anyway I'm off to continue the series!
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pregnancy
raconteur'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? It's complicated
1.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Pregnancy
nyx_999'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
4.75
I never before read a book where throughout the whole thing I thought "I wish someone in the future treats me like he does her".
From 0-100% this book had me in captivity. Reading this I felt like I was in my own bubble nothing was able to make me put this book down for more than a minute. Literally.
I haven't even managed to copy many of the good quotes I read because I was so immersed in just reading.
This book is medium long but the roller-coaster of emotions I went through made it feel longer than it is. Be prepared to smile, laugh, cry, giggle, scream, curse, sob, roll eyes and kick your feet in the air throughout the book.
Give this book a chance and Enjoy 💕
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Torture
Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy
olivialeighhh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Really enjoyed it! However wasn’t as emotional and hard hitting as book 3 to me, but book 3 also dealt with more instances of severe physical abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
spines'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? It's complicated
3.0
The last 20% is the most clichéd 'plot twist' that I was hoping wouldn't be included and I found myself speeding through those last few chapters waiting for the obvious conclusion to the drama. The author could have thought of any other plot point for the climax or even ended the book where it was at the 80% mark.
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
aelin_morgenstern's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Pregnancy
alxisrae'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
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Body shaming
anniereads0714's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship