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ashleybrianne08's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
As much as I wanted to like this book, it just wasn’t doing it for me. It did have a few elements that I liked, such as the switching of characters before versus after the kidnapping took place. I did like the character Gabe, a police officer that did feel like a trope of your stereotypical cop at times. The Mother had her moments, and the relationship between the two of them was fine.
On the other hand, as you read, the author introduces a romantic relationship between the kidnapper, Owen ( Collin), and Mia, the woman he kidnapped. In the beginning when he kidnaps her he is agressive and abusive. At one point he shoves a gun into her forehead while she cries. He threatens to kill her multiple times, as well as the cat she forms a relationship with at the remote cabin he takes her to. Then as it progresses she finds out he’s trying to “protect” her from the man who hired him to kidnap and deliver her to him, Delmar, and she falls in love with him. The relationship is Stockholm Syndrome and toxic. At no point did the relationship come across as anything other than manipulative.
Another issue with the book that I’ve seen pop up in reviews is the description of minorities. There’s racism towards any black characters that are in the book. At one point there is a comparison between a persons skin and a tire. Not okay and not even needed in the description of his character.
Lastly, the twist ending in the epilogue was unnecessary, and felt shoehorned in to help justify the relationship between Mia and Collin. It turns out Mia is the one who hired Delmar to kidnap her… because she wants to blackmail her father.
This book could have been amazing. The premise was promising but it was not the book It advertised itself as. There should have been a content warning somewhere about the nature of the relationship. Nowhere did it say that this had romance elements.
On the other hand, as you read, the author introduces a romantic relationship between the kidnapper, Owen ( Collin), and Mia, the woman he kidnapped. In the beginning when he kidnaps her he is agressive and abusive. At one point he shoves a gun into her forehead while she cries. He threatens to kill her multiple times, as well as the cat she forms a relationship with at the remote cabin he takes her to. Then as it progresses she finds out he’s trying to “protect” her from the man who hired him to kidnap and deliver her to him, Delmar, and she falls in love with him. The relationship is Stockholm Syndrome and toxic. At no point did the relationship come across as anything other than manipulative.
Another issue with the book that I’ve seen pop up in reviews is the description of minorities. There’s racism towards any black characters that are in the book. At one point there is a comparison between a persons skin and a tire. Not okay and not even needed in the description of his character.
This book could have been amazing. The premise was promising but it was not the book It advertised itself as. There should have been a content warning somewhere about the nature of the relationship. Nowhere did it say that this had romance elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Minor: Racism and Suicidal thoughts
cpalmmoo's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism
mariannaofthelion's review against another edition
medium-paced
- 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
1.5
Kubica is obsessed with furthering the harmful and untrue stereotype that Black men are evil and scary. It’s nauseating how much she obsesses over skin color when irrelevant and works overtime to write in a way that associates Black people with bad things and white people with good things. The obsession with the main character’s pale skin is gross, leave me out of your fetish. By the end of the book, I realize a good chunk was just “blah” that didn’t create any suspense. I found myself skimming the book to get past the boring parts. And finally, romanticizing rape to further a pro life an agenda is absolutely vile. Of course she writes the villain to be the only pro choice person so that the pro life person is a martyr. Boring book, except I was horrified and the bigotry and bad takes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Kidnapping, and Abortion
Minor: Infidelity and Medical content
kaseyjnic's review against another edition
The author is clearly racist. She refers to a diverse area as safe b/c it’s still mostly white, she world builds one of the characters living spaces by saying the neighbors cooking curry created a bad smell and finally she referred to the only black character only by how dark he looked and nothing else, and of course he’s the villain.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
emclean95's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
redhothabanero's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- 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
2.0
There was very little suspense in this book since we find out right away that Mia is rescued. All the characters were flat and two dimensional (especially the dad who was cartoonishly bad). There was really nobody I was rooting for or even cared about. I guessed the "twist" about a third of the way in and it wasn't even a good one because it left me very annoyed. Also, the not so subtle anti-choice talk coming from Eve and the racism/classism when describing people of color was gross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Racism, Abortion, and Classism
hkburke2's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I read the whole thing, mostly because it was audio and it was recommended to me... This was not tense or thrilling and the racism and sexism and toxicity in the relationships started to feel unintentional which is... Just icky. Not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Rape, Police brutality, Stalking, and Pregnancy
bookswithmybulldog's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
A decent thriller but idk what to think about it. I was a bit disturbed and disappointed by the authors references to the black people = bad guys and the non-white area of town a bad area. It was blatant throughout. Would not fly at all if this book was published now
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Stalking
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Abortion, and Pregnancy
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