Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Beneath Your Beautiful by Adaline Winters

9 reviews

agoerke's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

poupimali's review against another edition

funny tense fast-paced

4.0

Lucy Rivers and Connor Brown bring this intense, raw, and emotionally charged story to life with powerful narration that perfectly captures the characters’ trauma, resilience, and chemistry. 
It’s a dual narration.

Honor endures unimaginable abuse at the hands of her husband, Gideon, a dangerously powerful DA. Her escape from his clutches sets the stage for a gripping tale of survival, healing, and unexpected love. Along the way, Honor, now Cleo, meets Fox, a hardened ex-military bodyguard with his own troubled past. Their slow-burn romance is riddled with trust issues, explosive chemistry, and moments of tenderness. 

 

This book isn’t just a romance—it’s a psychological exploration of healing after abuse, combined with elements of suspense, action, and steamy moments that keep you turning the pages. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

rgraber's review

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Honor is married to a powerful man who has a twisted sense of love for her. She escapes his clutches and finds somewhere to hide working for a nice older lady. She meets his grandson while he is home dealing with his own issues and together they help each other heal, grow, and find the truth to their own happiness. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, and Kidnapping

minareadsallday's review

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

This was an intense book and I strongly recommend reading the triggers for the book. Winters writes and describes things in such a way you feel like you’re there and it adds a level of terrifying to the Darkness in the novel. 
Definitely recommend reading if you have no triggers. 
Honor is a survivor and Fox is her Dark knight in this roller coaster of a story that had me in my feels

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape

kdunc3298's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood

sophie_spragg's review

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

victoria_a's review

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

shewhocooksandbooks's review

challenging dark hopeful tense 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

Please make sure you read the content warnings and if you have any questions, I’m happy for you to ask me (Including via dm) or you can reach out to Adaline/ her PA.

From the start, this book has you hooked and you are with Honor every step of the way as she makes her escape. The first 20-25% is a tough read due to the subject matter. We see the abuse of the FMC and her escape from her husband/ abuser.

Honor finally finds a place she can spend more than a couple nights when a spanner (aka MMC) messes things up for her. He however is determined to protect her and find out her secrets. Fox is very protective and perceptive. He knows just how much to push Honor to help her heal and start acting her true self again. 

I love the book club angle and the older women enjoying discussions of their spicy books and making Honor feel included with them. I also love the suggestion Fox makes when discussing a book with Honor that when reading a spicy book, highlighting the different parts in things you enjoy in fantasy vs the parts you might want to explore in real life.

Honor’s healing (the ups and downs) are portrayed so well. It’s good how it shows that everyone’s experience of healing is different and not necessarily what is typically expected.

“Only you have the power to change your narrative. The life you deserve is there for the taking. You just have to be brave enough to reach for it.”

🖤 Stalker

🖤 Bodyguard 

🖤 MF romance 

🖤 Hunted FMC 

🖤 Possessive over-the-top grumpy Hero 

🖤 Enemies to lovers vibes 

🖤 “Good girl”

🖤 Dual POV 

🖤 Pierced MC 

🖤 Touch and die vibes 

🖤 HEA

A Dark Romance, standalone, full-length novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

rachelmaereads's review

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture