wordesmith's review against another edition
1.0
Ugh. To be fair, I chose this book because I had to read an LGBTQ+ romance novel for a book challenge, and I knew I would have more trouble with the 'romance' part than the LGBTQ+ part, so this review is coming from someone who has no point of comparison with other romance novels. I chose it because I thought maybe it would have a DaVinci-code like plot that might make the rest more bearable, but that was silly of me because the writing of all parts was so horrid that I actually think it would have been better without a plot. Besides being dribble, the treatment of the female character was maximally patronizing, and I think if I read the phrase 'my bold-as-brass yanky wife' one more time in my lifetime, I may vomit from having the memory of reading this book triggered.
letiziajoi's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! The characters are well constructed and the love story is actually love! Not the smutty sex scenes you find in other books with a poly relationship, Nicholas, Ellie and Luca seem to find each other, like soulmates or something.
The only thing i didn't like was the Italian translations... Like, come on! Don't put stuff in google translate! Ask someone that speaks Italian or, even better, is Italian!
Weird Italian phrases aside, the book is really good and i totally suggest it
The only thing i didn't like was the Italian translations... Like, come on! Don't put stuff in google translate! Ask someone that speaks Italian or, even better, is Italian!
Weird Italian phrases aside, the book is really good and i totally suggest it
authorofthings's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The plot is flimsy and the author's writing is not good. The formatting is terrible and distracting.
jamesflint's review
1.0
Rep: male bi mcs, polyamorous relationship
1) up until about 60% through, all that was happening in this book was sex
2) so naturally i wished for some more plot, but then the plot kicked in and oh boy i regretted that wish because
3) it was unbelievably fucked up
4) there's this count who is so gay he takes it to the extreme and hates women (because that makes total sense, right)
5) he holds parties for other gay men, to one of which our plucky heroes, luca and nic, go
6) at this party, the count makes it clear he desires luca (for reasons to be revealed)
7) also at the party, one of the servants makes a mistake and his punishment is for the count to r*pe him in front of all the guests
8) nic comments on this to his wife (and the third member of their polyamorous relationship) ellie thus: that homosexual men would not stay in that type of employ if they found such abuse unappealing
9) then it is revealed that the count met luca many years earlier while luca was in a relationship with his ex-tutor cesare
10) the count decided that he would take luca for his own, and was just having his two bodyguards prepare luca for r*pe when cesare bursts in and gives the count a scar
11) for which cesare must be punished by being gang r*ped to death
12) i kid you not, this is the plot
13) anyway, luca and nic deceive the count into giving up that thing he has stolen that they want
14) but then it turns out he has kidnapped ellie in an attempt to get luca to go to him (he even gloats to nic that luca will be his)
15) (because it's not like relationships are a two-way thing, right?)
16) so luca gives himself up to the count so nic can free ellie
17) the count tries to force luca into having sex with him
18) luca ends up biting off the count's cock and running away to nic who is in the process of being a plucky hero and going to save him
19) the count comes after them yelling no nic you can't have him he's mine
20) because, again, relationships aren't a two-way thing
21) he's bleeding so much that he slips on his own blood and breaks his neck falling down the stairs
22) nic and luca and ellie escape and all live happily ever after. the end.
23) for the love of god, don't read this book
1) up until about 60% through, all that was happening in this book was sex
2) so naturally i wished for some more plot, but then the plot kicked in and oh boy i regretted that wish because
3) it was unbelievably fucked up
4) there's this count who is so gay he takes it to the extreme and hates women (because that makes total sense, right)
5) he holds parties for other gay men, to one of which our plucky heroes, luca and nic, go
6) at this party, the count makes it clear he desires luca (for reasons to be revealed)
7) also at the party, one of the servants makes a mistake and his punishment is for the count to r*pe him in front of all the guests
8) nic comments on this to his wife (and the third member of their polyamorous relationship) ellie thus: that homosexual men would not stay in that type of employ if they found such abuse unappealing
9) then it is revealed that the count met luca many years earlier while luca was in a relationship with his ex-tutor cesare
10) the count decided that he would take luca for his own, and was just having his two bodyguards prepare luca for r*pe when cesare bursts in and gives the count a scar
11) for which cesare must be punished by being gang r*ped to death
12) i kid you not, this is the plot
13) anyway, luca and nic deceive the count into giving up that thing he has stolen that they want
14) but then it turns out he has kidnapped ellie in an attempt to get luca to go to him (he even gloats to nic that luca will be his)
15) (because it's not like relationships are a two-way thing, right?)
16) so luca gives himself up to the count so nic can free ellie
17) the count tries to force luca into having sex with him
18) luca ends up biting off the count's cock and running away to nic who is in the process of being a plucky hero and going to save him
19) the count comes after them yelling no nic you can't have him he's mine
20) because, again, relationships aren't a two-way thing
21) he's bleeding so much that he slips on his own blood and breaks his neck falling down the stairs
22) nic and luca and ellie escape and all live happily ever after. the end.
23) for the love of god, don't read this book
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