jassari's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Abandonment, Car accident, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
wisemangrace's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Really great story with a mixture of romance and mystery/thriller. A slight slow burn but about 3/4 way through the book it begins to feel too far removed from the plot as it focuses heavily on the spice.
A lot of repetitive words & phrases.
I loved this book with the murderous spin to a romance novel but could have done with a little less spice.
A lot of repetitive words & phrases.
I loved this book with the murderous spin to a romance novel but could have done with a little less spice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
catie_pillar's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse
ecravens's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Violence, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Addiction, Car accident, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
madrwins's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Violence
stupidcat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Gun violence, and Domestic abuse
daisycantread24's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really liked this book in the beginning until they had some references to Remi and Brick when younger. Their age gap isn’t bad later but it’s kinda creepy in the beginning
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
novelnicole1's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.5
The ONLY reason this is not a 5 is because I think Remi deserved more. She did everything for everyone. She had such a big heart and was so hard on herself and everyone just kept piling on her! She wasn’t perfect but neither were the people around her. I wanted to see THAT resolution. I wanted to see how they reacted when they found out how SHE felt. That she wasn’t JUST some spitfire happy go lucky wild child. She had complex emotions, she had achieved fame, and almost DIED. But no one cared?! As I type this my rating is going from a 4.5 to a 4. Remi was a complex character with so much more to offer. We as the reader got to see the inner workings of her mind but she never held the people around her accountable! UGH. I will say l absolutely LOVED everything else. It was also HELLA spicy. The perfect amount of slow burn and a great plot! One of the best romances I’ve read this year.
*** 15 minutes later***
Actually I’m still pissed. I understand that Brick had issues. Trust me I get it. BUT SO DID REMI. He rejected her MULTIPLE times throughout her life. KNOWING how she felt. Leading her on. And then he HE decided for HER that they can’t be together?!?! He doesn’t talk to her, doesn’t think about it for more than I don’t know 5 seconds?! He just decides to cavort what she wants in life. He doesn’t back down even after she gives him MULTIPLE chances. It’s not until his brother says the SAME EXACT thing Remi did he finally realize what an ass he was being ( I find it funny that he didn’t think about it until another white man told but I digress..) He finally gives in and then decides “actually nah this is too much” blames HER (for only wanting sex, not wanting to throw herself into a relationship (WHEN HE DIDNT ASK and AGAIN HE REJECTED HER CONSTANTLY FOR YEARS), for not giving up a successful career… I could go) and then SHE takes it upon herself to comfort him and crawl back to him and hope he doesn’t leave her again?!
Remi took hit after hit. And then everyone was just okay with it because she ended up with Brick?! So now she has someone to watch over her??? Now she’s his problem?! I could write a literal PhD dissertation on the female gender roles, and female self hate that was just oozing out of this book. I get that this is romance book and they’re supposed to end up together BUT AT LEAST MAKE BRICK WORK FOR IT MORE. He made it seem that he was the only waiting for her… when he married her best friend and HE WAS THE REASON THEY WEREN’T TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE. He should’ve been the one working to earn HER trust. NOT the other way round. She had to prove that she was going to stay with him?! Don’t even get me started on the whole “Brick will be there for her whenever she needs him. Even when she doesn’t want him there and even before she knows she needs him” thing. At first I was like awn cute and hot or whatever but then when SHE was blamed for it. I just….. NOT TO MENTION THE REVIEWS FROM OTHER WOMEN ON THIS BOOK AND WHY THEY DIDN’T LIKE REMI BUT LOVED BRICK?! That’s a whole ass other paper on female internalized hatred and how it warps our view of others.
I loved reading this but the more I think about the dynamic between Remi and literally EVERYONE in her life the more upset I become. The person who treated Remi the best was RAJ. He knew what she was capable of and pushed her to be the best version of herself. Didn’t coddle her or let her doubt herself. And he was painted as a bad guy almost. UGH. I DONT EVEN LIKE RAJ.
Yeah so after all this I want to reiterate I DID ENJOY the book. It was a great read. And sometimes the best books are the ones that make you think. Which this one did FOR SURE. I will knock rating down again to 3.5 out of respect for Remi and how she deserved better friends and family. Good night it’s midnight.
*** 15 minutes later***
Actually I’m still pissed. I understand that Brick had issues. Trust me I get it. BUT SO DID REMI. He rejected her MULTIPLE times throughout her life. KNOWING how she felt. Leading her on. And then he HE decided for HER that they can’t be together?!?! He doesn’t talk to her, doesn’t think about it for more than I don’t know 5 seconds?! He just decides to cavort what she wants in life. He doesn’t back down even after she gives him MULTIPLE chances. It’s not until his brother says the SAME EXACT thing Remi did he finally realize what an ass he was being ( I find it funny that he didn’t think about it until another white man told but I digress..) He finally gives in and then decides “actually nah this is too much” blames HER (for only wanting sex, not wanting to throw herself into a relationship (WHEN HE DIDNT ASK and AGAIN HE REJECTED HER CONSTANTLY FOR YEARS), for not giving up a successful career… I could go) and then SHE takes it upon herself to comfort him and crawl back to him and hope he doesn’t leave her again?!
Remi took hit after hit. And then everyone was just okay with it because she ended up with Brick?! So now she has someone to watch over her??? Now she’s his problem?! I could write a literal PhD dissertation on the female gender roles, and female self hate that was just oozing out of this book. I get that this is romance book and they’re supposed to end up together BUT AT LEAST MAKE BRICK WORK FOR IT MORE. He made it seem that he was the only waiting for her… when he married her best friend and HE WAS THE REASON THEY WEREN’T TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE. He should’ve been the one working to earn HER trust. NOT the other way round. She had to prove that she was going to stay with him?! Don’t even get me started on the whole “Brick will be there for her whenever she needs him. Even when she doesn’t want him there and even before she knows she needs him” thing. At first I was like awn cute and hot or whatever but then when SHE was blamed for it. I just….. NOT TO MENTION THE REVIEWS FROM OTHER WOMEN ON THIS BOOK AND WHY THEY DIDN’T LIKE REMI BUT LOVED BRICK?! That’s a whole ass other paper on female internalized hatred and how it warps our view of others.
I loved reading this but the more I think about the dynamic between Remi and literally EVERYONE in her life the more upset I become. The person who treated Remi the best was RAJ. He knew what she was capable of and pushed her to be the best version of herself. Didn’t coddle her or let her doubt herself. And he was painted as a bad guy almost. UGH. I DONT EVEN LIKE RAJ.
Yeah so after all this I want to reiterate I DID ENJOY the book. It was a great read. And sometimes the best books are the ones that make you think. Which this one did FOR SURE. I will knock rating down again to 3.5 out of respect for Remi and how she deserved better friends and family. Good night it’s midnight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse
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