Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Golden Couple by Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks

5 reviews

hudsononaux's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Chronic illness, Infertility, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

I always enjoy this author duo, and I was very sucked into this story. It felt weird that it was set in an area where I've spent so much time! Will read more by this pair.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

adventuresinfictionland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

sunsetcity's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This is my first Hendricks/Pekkanen book and it was a pretty solid domestic thriller! 

The writing was gripping and the short chapters helped moved the story along, even when I found some parts of the plot dragging a little. I did like the dual POVs switching between the two main female characters of the novel, the unorthodox therapist and the unfaithful wife. Overall, the web of lies and deception played out well, bringing in several minor characters to make you second guess things. 

Still, the final moments and twists of the book kinda threw me off of the intrigue. It didn’t quite add up, perhaps feeling a little rushed and tired, in terms of the genre. I guess I was disappointed in the end results, but I wouldn’t say that made it a bad book. I just hoped for something else to happen.

This one was definitely all about perfect appearances, and people not being who they seem to be on the surface. Perfection often precedes secrecy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail