Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

21 reviews

chicprincess03's review

challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent and Gaslighting

witcheep's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is a hesitant 3 stars (I waa initially thinking 2.5); the book is about cheating as a grounds for a relationship, and even when the characters themselves frown upon the issue heavily, I think the cheating – when found out – should have been worked on more. The main characters are young, though, so you shouldn't expect too much emotional maturity from them. They are both still finding their place in the world and figuring things out, which gives them a little slack.

Both the main characters are flawed and doing things for the wrong reasons. The plot revolves around breaking up a relationship / cheating as a revenge, but that revenge plot turns into unexpected real feelings. The main characters Cooper and Mackenzie are not good people, even though they seem to make each other better by encouragement and emotional support when they are together.

Both the main characters have a tendency to avoid the hardest conversations and facing the truth, though, which creates the basis for the ultimate tension and

third act breakup

. I wish the issue was resolved with more groveling, self-improvement, and a longer heart-to-heart conversation, especially as the morality of cheating and lying has been a constant subject in the story.

I also wish the book continued a little further into the timeline and showed if they really could make their relationship work in the long run – if they can look past the revenge chesting plot. Now it feels like the characters are still looking at each other with rosy shades of lusty infatuation, and the real world might still be too much for them to stay together. Yet maybe that is what they deserve: a good-ish relationship on shitty grounds, or yet another breakup to break their hearts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent

caitlinspeachyreads's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

Simply put it was awkward….

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

britwalsh16's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Elle Kennedy has done it again! The only thing I didn’t like was that there was no hockey in it. Lol Mac & Cooper are the perfect example of opposites attract, and the passion they have for eachother even when they are fighting is inspiring! I want passion like that!! And though it may have started out as a revenge plot, Mac is much better off without Preston. He is such a dick! I feel bad for his future wife! Lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Addiction, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This book was your pretty average and mid straight romance. 
So predictable and not something I fully engaged with. It only got as high a rating as I liked the couple and their development together. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

nicolewithbooks's review

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Lieing, Hidden Secret, Secret bet, smoking, social isolation

mrsalexisrjones's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Rich girl meets local townie. It’s a book with some self discovery along with romance and a little bit of a revenge subplot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

fromjuliereads's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• 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

3.0

This was my first Elle Kennedy and I enjoyed it! I liked the characters and story. A couple parts had me rolling my eyes but that happens. The only thing that bugged me was that the conflict was resolved literally on the last pages. I like to have an additional scene or 2 after the resolution to smooth out the ending. But maybe that's just my preference. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent

cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• 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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

tah_014's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting