Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - The Stories We Write

I read one of this book's review that stated the story feels like a self-insert pairing with Nikolas Coster-Waldau (you know, Jamie Lannister) and..somehow I agree. Heck, Marcus full name, Marcus Caster-Rupp kinda rhyme with Coster-Waldau, lol. I really, REALLY want to love Spoiler Alert. I bought the book because I like the cover, the representation of plus size woman since I'm myself also fat too, the premise that seems interesting despite I'm not that familiar with fanfiction world. However, April kinda grated my nerves. For a woman age 36, a same age with me when I read this book, she acts like a teenager or in early 20-ish when it's come to her treatment to Marcus. I got that her low self-esteem issues come from fat-shaming that she received from her parents, but I hate that mostly she assumed things regarding Marcus's act to her.

At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.

I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.

Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.

Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).

Content Warnings

diana_raquel's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

3.75

“Please tell me people who look like us can be loved.
Please tell me people who look like us can be desired.
Please tell me people who look like us can have happy endings.”

This book has been on my radar for quite some time, due to the fact that involves the world of fan fiction. As a fan girl myself I found myself attracted to it. And the plus size representation was a plus!

I really enjoyed this book. Is it the best goddam romance that I ever read? No. But it is a light, cute, heartwarming romance about a fan girl meeting her celebrity crush that its also her online best friend. Its a good summer reading!

Tully recommend it if you want a light, cute summer reading!

Content Warnings

just_klaudia's review against another edition

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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

2.75

Content Warnings

imaginingly's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-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

4.0

bruh the beginning made me feel like i was having a stroke i had no idea what was going on but whew it is a bit spicy after you get to know the characters more and the writing was beautiful throughout those explicit scenes

Content Warnings

author2223's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

3.75

Content Warnings

amris's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

smmoe1997's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

I really, really, really liked this book, I listened to the audio version which was very well done by the narrator. I found the characters fun and easy to root for, there is angst, of course, but good communication between the main characters, although not always when they should, the characters are very human and flawed and it was great to read their journey towards their authentic selves.

Content Warnings

notsobinaryart's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

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