jokaste's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like this one as much as the first two because the story was based more on side characters rather than Caspian and Arden. Also, the fact that Arden was the one that kept groveling and running back to Caspian was bothering.
The last chapters were sweet, but the ending seemed rushed and forced. I mean, Caspian could change that drastically in a span of few hours but had to be the same for nearly three books?
I definitely think a book 4 would've been necessary.
3 stars, mostly because I love Arden so SO much
The last chapters were sweet, but the ending seemed rushed and forced. I mean, Caspian could change that drastically in a span of few hours but had to be the same for nearly three books?
I definitely think a book 4 would've been necessary.
3 stars, mostly because I love Arden so SO much
kimkari's review
funny
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
3.5
cleo_reads's review against another edition
4.0
If I didn't know this series was a retelling of the Fifty Shades of Grey series I would not have been able to read it without my eyes rolling right out of my head. But as a retelling it really rocks. This is the trauma informed and kink positive and queer reclaiming of the tortured billionaire Dom trope that I didn’t know I needed.
This is the third and final book and it is definitely not a stand-alone. I don’t even know how to write about it. You should know there are spoilers for the first two books but not this book in my review.
Caspian Hart is the tortured kinky billionaire stand in for Christian Grey. Arden is the narrator and he is not exactly a stand in for Ana. He’s like her in that he’s a clumsy manic pixie dream person but he’s dirty and kinky and sex positive and he’s like who Christian might end up with after Ana divorces him ten years after the books end if he’s really lucky. Not that I’ve read Fifty Shades but I know the story arc.
This book starts with Arden still picking up the pieces a few months after Caspian revealed that he was sexually abused as a teen by a kinky adult friend of the family and then dumped him for his own good at the end of book two. Caspian is now engaged to his ex Nathaniel who does work as a stand in for Ana. He’s a decent guy who loves Caspian but he’s not at all kinky and he takes Caspian at his word that his abuser turned him into a monster and that he shouldn’t like kink.
The first half of the book is mostly Arden getting on with his life and having life affirming and not emotionally messy kinky sex with an older friend and the second half is the battle for Caspian’s soul between Arden and Nathanial and also the icky abuser who shows up. And oh my goodness was the final conclusion emotionally satisfying.
This entire book and all the characters in it are ridiculous and over the top and I think that’s why it worked so well for me as a reclaiming.
Many of the things that I normally don’t care for in Alexis Hall’s writing really works here. The self indulgent descriptions. The over the top tortured thinking about feelings. The literary and pop culture references from Roland Barthes to Star Wars to obscure board games.
This is the third and final book and it is definitely not a stand-alone. I don’t even know how to write about it. You should know there are spoilers for the first two books but not this book in my review.
Caspian Hart is the tortured kinky billionaire stand in for Christian Grey. Arden is the narrator and he is not exactly a stand in for Ana. He’s like her in that he’s a clumsy manic pixie dream person but he’s dirty and kinky and sex positive and he’s like who Christian might end up with after Ana divorces him ten years after the books end if he’s really lucky. Not that I’ve read Fifty Shades but I know the story arc.
This book starts with Arden still picking up the pieces a few months after Caspian revealed that he was sexually abused as a teen by a kinky adult friend of the family and then dumped him for his own good at the end of book two. Caspian is now engaged to his ex Nathaniel who does work as a stand in for Ana. He’s a decent guy who loves Caspian but he’s not at all kinky and he takes Caspian at his word that his abuser turned him into a monster and that he shouldn’t like kink.
The first half of the book is mostly Arden getting on with his life and having life affirming and not emotionally messy kinky sex with an older friend and the second half is the battle for Caspian’s soul between Arden and Nathanial and also the icky abuser who shows up. And oh my goodness was the final conclusion emotionally satisfying.
This entire book and all the characters in it are ridiculous and over the top and I think that’s why it worked so well for me as a reclaiming.
Many of the things that I normally don’t care for in Alexis Hall’s writing really works here. The self indulgent descriptions. The over the top tortured thinking about feelings. The literary and pop culture references from Roland Barthes to Star Wars to obscure board games.
lovestrucken's review against another edition
4.0
A strangely abrupt and anticlimactic ending?? After all that drama, I’m disappointed the author couldn’t give us on epilogue. Almost as if they were desperate to end it. Not bad but it continues to copy itself after the 50 shades plot.
werakylen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
junisreading's review against another edition
5.0
I thought I wasn’t ready for the emotional rollercoaster of the first book, but I’ll be dammed, I was definitely not ready for the introspective self discovery journey I embarked reading the third.
It was far from perfect, some triggering contents could’ve been dealt with better, and the ending lacked closure, I guess. I would’ve like to see more of Bellerose and to see Lancaster completely fucked (not in a fun way), and just closure for the other characters as well.
And if I’m being honest The Nathaniel-Caspian plot kinda sucked, because I lost the connection to Caspian, and in the end I was hoping they wouldn’t end up together because the important thing was for them to choose themselves and their own happiness, even if it meant being apart, which after what happened would’ve been the mature and healthy decision, at least for a while.
Anyway, even with all its flaws, this book and Arden’s journey through heartbreak and self-acceptance will always have a home with me.
Now I need a kinky novella of these two getting married, in domestic bliss, at least two cats, Ellery hitting it off with Nik, George hitting it off with everybody
It was far from perfect, some triggering contents could’ve been dealt with better, and the ending lacked closure, I guess. I would’ve like to see more of Bellerose and to see Lancaster completely fucked (not in a fun way), and just closure for the other characters as well.
And if I’m being honest The Nathaniel-Caspian plot kinda sucked, because I lost the connection to Caspian, and in the end I was hoping they wouldn’t end up together because the important thing was for them to choose themselves and their own happiness, even if it meant being apart, which after what happened would’ve been the mature and healthy decision, at least for a while.
Anyway, even with all its flaws, this book and Arden’s journey through heartbreak and self-acceptance will always have a home with me.
Now I need a kinky novella of these two getting married, in domestic bliss, at least two cats, Ellery hitting it off with Nik, George hitting it off with everybody
xanfranco's review against another edition
tacoshark's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-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? Yes
3.75
Pretty good - fairly predictable but enjoyable.
ppeachymin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75