Scan barcode
savpav's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
_deynaaaa's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- 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
imme_van_gorp's review
2.5
➛First read: March 2022 | ★2.5 stars
➛Second read: July 2023 | ★2.5 stars
Okay.. So.. I actually think this book deserves an even worse rating than I gave it, as I absolutely hated everything about it. But then again.. I also found myself enjoying hating it.. If that makes any sense??
Like, yea, it's terrible, but I wasn't bored once and it did capture me in some way? Like, I wanted to keep reading, even when I hated it. I know. It's weird.
Anyway, back to the actual reasons I hated this.
Firstly, I have to say that this one had far too much inner monologue for my liking. I was really craving a bit more action and dialogue.
More importantly, however, I just hated these characters and their entire relationship.
Gabriel is no saint, and I found him a bit of a pathetic character, but nothing compared to my annoyance and dislike towards Jared. The sheer audacity and entitlement of this guy was outrageous.
And the worst thing about it is that Jared is portrayed as the good guy, and Gabriel is set out to be like some horrible human being. But, seriously, how is Jared not the problem??
The whole drama of this book starts only because Jared somehow thinks Gabriel owes him his love or something. For some reason, the idea is that gay guys cannot just be friends with a straight guy; that would somehow mean that Gabriel is leading him on???? As if it is his fault that Jared has a crush on him and cannot accept the fact that he is straight. The fuuuuuck???
The premise is literally: Jared cannot be friends with Gabriel if he won't put out. He would literally terminate their friendship over Gabriel's sexuality. What a dick move. I genuinely felt bad for Gabriel when he was being abandoned by his best friend because of this. Imagine that? Your friend saying 'yo, I have a crush on you, but I know you don't swing my way, so I'm gonna remove you from my life after all these years, because.. well... Because.' I would cry.
Gabriel said it best himself:
➛Second read: July 2023 | ★2.5 stars
Okay.. So.. I actually think this book deserves an even worse rating than I gave it, as I absolutely hated everything about it. But then again.. I also found myself enjoying hating it.. If that makes any sense??
Like, yea, it's terrible, but I wasn't bored once and it did capture me in some way? Like, I wanted to keep reading, even when I hated it. I know. It's weird.
Anyway, back to the actual reasons I hated this.
Firstly, I have to say that this one had far too much inner monologue for my liking. I was really craving a bit more action and dialogue.
More importantly, however, I just hated these characters and their entire relationship.
Gabriel is no saint, and I found him a bit of a pathetic character, but nothing compared to my annoyance and dislike towards Jared. The sheer audacity and entitlement of this guy was outrageous.
And the worst thing about it is that Jared is portrayed as the good guy, and Gabriel is set out to be like some horrible human being. But, seriously, how is Jared not the problem??
The whole drama of this book starts only because Jared somehow thinks Gabriel owes him his love or something. For some reason, the idea is that gay guys cannot just be friends with a straight guy; that would somehow mean that Gabriel is leading him on???? As if it is his fault that Jared has a crush on him and cannot accept the fact that he is straight. The fuuuuuck???
The premise is literally: Jared cannot be friends with Gabriel if he won't put out. He would literally terminate their friendship over Gabriel's sexuality. What a dick move. I genuinely felt bad for Gabriel when he was being abandoned by his best friend because of this. Imagine that? Your friend saying 'yo, I have a crush on you, but I know you don't swing my way, so I'm gonna remove you from my life after all these years, because.. well... Because.' I would cry.
Gabriel said it best himself:
"Unrequited love? What are you talking about? What unrequited love? You're not leaving because your love is 'unrequited'. You're leaving because—because sex means more to you than love."
And Gabriel was genuinely trying, you know. Jared literally got him to start putting out just so Gabriel could keep him. The fact that Gabriel eventually started 'liking' it on his own was a mere coincidence and doesn't take away from the sheer creepiness and unfairness of it all. He shouldn't have to be sexual with his friend just to keep him? Fuck Jared. Seriously. Gabriel was so attached to Jared, he would do anything for him. Jared was his physiotherapist when Gabriel was a sixteen year old, paralyzed boy who didn’t think he could ever walk again. He had no one. So he thought he needed Jared. And Jared took advantage of that. He groomed him. So seriously, how is Gabriel not the victim??
"I can give you anything you want."
"I don't want a pity fuck."
"It wouldn't be a pity fuck. It has nothing to do with pity. I love you and want to make you happy. What's wrong with that."
Honestly, Gabriel's girlfriend voices my thoughts pretty accurately, and I was quite literally screaming 'PREACHHH girl' when she finally snapped and gave Jared a piece of her mind:
"You know he can never love you the way he loves me. So what is the point? Stop ruining our relationship! He was sixteen when you two met. He was an impressionable, vulnerable, paralyzed kid and you took advantage of him—you must have encouraged his weird fixation on you. And now he wants to make you happy. Don't you see you're coercing him into something he doesn't want? You make me sick."
You know what might possibly have annoyed me the most, though? The way every single person pretended like Gabriel was Satan incarnated. No one has a good word to spare for the poor guy.
Not even Jared. Jared who supposedly loves him soooooo much that he cannot accept being merely his friend, and is basically emotionally manipulating him into giving him what he wants sexually. Yea, that guy. That guy apparently not only thinks Gabriel isn't much to look at, but also thinks he has an absolute shite personality.
Jared repeatedly talks about what a trash human being Gabriel is; how selfish, how rude, how unkind. I think the only positive thing he has said about him is that he is supposedly loyal. Kay. Great. So, um, quick question: WHY EXACTLY ARE YOU IRREVOCABLY IN LOVE WITH A DUDE YOU DO NOT HAVE A SINGLE KIND WORD TO SAY ABOUT???????
At the end of the day, I cannot for the life of me understand how this poor kid's confidence wasn't absolutely shot to hell.
"What do you see in me? I mean... Looks-wise, I'm nothing special. And it can't be my personality. I'm not nice or anything."
"Who told you only nice and conventionally beautiful people deserved to be loved?"
"So you don't really think I'm attractive. You love me despite my being plain and weird-looking."
Really, though, plain and simple: Jared was a freaking creep. And apparently he knows it too:
"You probably think I'm a pervert. I thought so, too. I tried to convince myself I wasn't attracted to you. You were a teenager and I was an adult. You were so vulnerable and fragile—and you depended on me—so I had no right to feel it, but it was useless. You could make me breathless just by looking at me. You should have never trusted me."
So glad we can finally agree on something, Jared! You are indeed a pervert, and Gabriel should indeed never have trusted you. Too bad you only say it this once, and afterwards go back to ignoring it and pretending like you are holier than thou, while Gabriel is somehow a dickhead for being straight??
God forbid straight guys are super close with their gay guy friends!! They must be leading them on!! *sigh* Yea rightt
krisssreads's review
2.0
What the fuck did I just read?
This would have to be one of the most weirdest books that I’ve read in a while and I don’t know how to feel about any of it.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Spice:
This would have to be one of the most weirdest books that I’ve read in a while and I don’t know how to feel about any of it.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Spice:
drez80's review
3.0
2.5 stars. I'm really disappointed with this one because I loved the first two books in this series, so much so that I ran off to buy this one even though I'm in a book buying moratorium. Sadly, I hated both MCs. Gabriel was a selfish little d-bag, and even in the end, I didn't believe he was in love with Jared or wanted him the same way that Jared wanted Gabriel; Jared was a possession to him, not a lover or bf. And Jared just kept following Gabe around, taking any scrap of affection/attention from him. The whole kissing arrangement was ridiculous, and I wish Jared had some more self-respect. I felt badly for Jared at the beginning, but he came across as a bit of d-bag too for his behavior during/after the kissing sessions esp. when he was the one who kept sticking around. And OMG, Claire... I DESPISE women like her. She and Jared needed to attend the same support group for people with no self-esteem or self-respect. I'm glad she wasn't around much at the end, but what happened to Jules?!
The ending of this story felt forced and rushed, and I just didn't believe any of it. I am interested in the next book as there was some humor between Zach and Tristan at the end of this one. I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers, so I'm hoping their story will be a much better read for me.
The ending of this story felt forced and rushed, and I just didn't believe any of it. I am interested in the next book as there was some humor between Zach and Tristan at the end of this one. I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers, so I'm hoping their story will be a much better read for me.
emilyexmas's review
emotional
fast-paced
- 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? No
3.0
the_otaku_bibliophile's review
Just a bit Pathetic I’m not going to give this a rating because I don’t leave 1 star reviews . I should have dnfed this but i wanted to be miserable a little more and I don’t dnf books. These characters were horrible. I never want them to appear again. Delusional and stupid. I was angry but then i just got drained. I feel sorry for them. I understand Manipulative Gabriel being young and stupid and latching on to Jared that showed him love. But Jared is what? 40??? Sigh I can’t even. This will kist likely be the worst in the series. It was truly horrible for me. Whatever what was in this book of between these characters was not love and there is no lesson to be learned from here except don’t be stupid kids and age is not a sign of maturity or sensibility . They literally hurt all the side characters. Nah i really do not wish them the best. It’s a disaster.
mila_readsmm's review
3.0
***3.0 rating***
"Jared owned him: his heart, his soul, and now his body. He belonged to Jared and Jared belonged to him."
Hello beautiful people!
"Jared owned him: his heart, his soul, and now his body. He belonged to Jared and Jared belonged to him."
Hello beautiful people!