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yourbookishbff's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.0
I was big mad at our male main character for a large part of this story! I do generally struggle with Beauty and the Beast retellings, because I'm a grudge-holder and beastly types are often hard for me to forgive, so it's saying a lot that I got there in the end and found the resolution to be both authentic and deeply romantic. Penelope's pain throughout was tough for me, though, because gosh she had already BEEN THROUGH IT in the last series, and I wanted her to have assurance of her value and agency earlier in this story. There are lovely epistolary elements to this that helped develop the childhood friendship for our main couple without using flashbacks or a dual timeline, and I LOVED these inclusions (even when they just spiraled me deeper into my anger at times!). I'm thoroughly enjoying the emotional journey I take in MacLean's romances, and I'm loving the gaming hell premise for this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Abandonment
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
angelfireeast24's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
readwithde's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol