kirillsasha's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
lisamh68's review against another edition
5.0
What a roller coaster. This starts out when they are teenagers and we get the real story once they start college.. you want them to work things out but Callum is such a jerk.. They are hurt but he goes out of his way to be mean. I love how all 3 stories are so different but come together at the same time without repeating the story. Start from the beginning and read them all in order.
michellesantiago's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy book blog
We first meet Callum in Suddenly Forbidden (book 1), and I fell in love with him. He seemed like this super sweet guy and at one point I was rooting for him to end up with the heroine Daisy rather than the actual hero Quinn. Then, we learned that Callum was still hung up on his ex Renee. I remember messaging Ella after reading Suddenly Forbidden and asking if Callum was getting his own book because I wanted him to have an HEA.
Then, we meet Renee in Bittersweet Always and she didn't leave the best impression on me. Then, we got the bombshell truth about Callum and Renee's relationship at the end of Bittersweet Always, and I was sold. I was DYING to know Callum and Renee's story and how they got to the point where they were. And finally here it is. The book I was for sure the most excited for out of all the books in the entire Gray Springs University series. Callum and Renee's book, Pretty Venom.
Reading Pretty Venom was a crazy rollercoaster ride. I was swooning, angry, frustrated, annoyed, swooning again, then I wanted to pull Callum and Renee and knock their heads together. But holy cow Pretty Venom was an incredibly entertaining read. I couldn't stop reading!
I was ready to fall in love with Callum. But, you guys, I hated Callum. So much. Then, I'd forgave him a little, then hate him all over again. I'm glad we got his chapters because I would've hated him all throughout the book. Surprisingly, it was Renee I felt for while at the same time I wanted to shake her and give her a good talking to.
Like I said, Pretty Venom was a crazy ride. My feelings were all over the place with this one. Not everyone is going to like it for sure. After I read it, I wasn't even sure how I felt. But, after mulling it for a day, I decided that while the characters drove me crazy, I wouldn't want it any other way. Pretty Venom was one hell of a read! It's been a while since I felt so many feelings reading a book and I may never get over it.
We first meet Callum in Suddenly Forbidden (book 1), and I fell in love with him. He seemed like this super sweet guy and at one point I was rooting for him to end up with the heroine Daisy rather than the actual hero Quinn. Then, we learned that Callum was still hung up on his ex Renee. I remember messaging Ella after reading Suddenly Forbidden and asking if Callum was getting his own book because I wanted him to have an HEA.
Then, we meet Renee in Bittersweet Always and she didn't leave the best impression on me. Then, we got the bombshell truth about Callum and Renee's relationship at the end of Bittersweet Always, and I was sold. I was DYING to know Callum and Renee's story and how they got to the point where they were. And finally here it is. The book I was for sure the most excited for out of all the books in the entire Gray Springs University series. Callum and Renee's book, Pretty Venom.
Reading Pretty Venom was a crazy rollercoaster ride. I was swooning, angry, frustrated, annoyed, swooning again, then I wanted to pull Callum and Renee and knock their heads together. But holy cow Pretty Venom was an incredibly entertaining read. I couldn't stop reading!
I was ready to fall in love with Callum. But, you guys, I hated Callum. So much. Then, I'd forgave him a little, then hate him all over again. I'm glad we got his chapters because I would've hated him all throughout the book. Surprisingly, it was Renee I felt for while at the same time I wanted to shake her and give her a good talking to.
Like I said, Pretty Venom was a crazy ride. My feelings were all over the place with this one. Not everyone is going to like it for sure. After I read it, I wasn't even sure how I felt. But, after mulling it for a day, I decided that while the characters drove me crazy, I wouldn't want it any other way. Pretty Venom was one hell of a read! It's been a while since I felt so many feelings reading a book and I may never get over it.
charlie29's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
3.5
This book was not what I was expecting. I thought it was an arranged marriage, but they actually fell in love on their own and decided to get married at 18, right before college. Only that Renee messes things up right after freshman year stared and then all hell breaks loose. Callum makes it his number one priority to hurt her in every way possible, going from sleeping with every girl on campus to making a deal with her to sleep together just for the summer but then breaking off their engagement.
IDK, it was really messy, I hated Callum for how he was treating her, but I also hated Renee for how she was picking up his pieces. Everything happened really fast in the book and didn't get much in dept.
still, I was really invested in it being it pure drama, an will likely read the rest of the series.
IDK, it was really messy, I hated Callum for how he was treating her, but I also hated Renee for how she was picking up his pieces. Everything happened really fast in the book and didn't get much in dept.
still, I was really invested in it being it pure drama, an will likely read the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
shms's review against another edition
4.0
Initially I wasn't too sure about the buttoned up super controlled heroine as she was portrayed in this and earlier books but she was so wonderfully portrayed you couldn't help but be sympathetic to her. You could feeeel the control in her as it wound tighter and tighter and as things grew harder. I really wanted her to just let loose in a big way and she never really did. So disappointed. Still this was an absorbing read.
shmsy's review against another edition
4.0
Initially I wasn't too sure about the buttoned up super controlled heroine as she was portrayed in this and earlier books but she was so wonderfully portrayed you couldn't help but be sympathetic to her. You could feeeel the control in her as it wound tighter and tighter and as things grew harder. I really wanted her to just let loose in a big way and she never really did. So disappointed. Still this was an absorbing read.
stephaniek219's review against another edition
4.0
*Book 3 of the Gray Springs series. I recommend reading Suddenly Forbidden and Bittersweet Always first to avoid spoilers.
Ella Fields writes amazing, real characters that are terribly hard to read. You know how comics that tell of real life are the funniest? Characters that are messed up & make mistakes are most real.
In earlier books, we had a glimpse of Callum & Renee. Enough to know that deep down they are not bad people. In Pretty Venom we see them at their worst, and grow into their best. I was so angry at both of them at points, and so encouraged by a love that can overcome the worst mistakes.
4.5⭐️ High school kids making adult decisions, college kids behaving the absolute worst. I struggled with this one a bit, BUT I also loved it- through all the mistakes, they find love still exists. <-And that’s a beautiful message.
Ella Fields writes amazing, real characters that are terribly hard to read. You know how comics that tell of real life are the funniest? Characters that are messed up & make mistakes are most real.
In earlier books, we had a glimpse of Callum & Renee. Enough to know that deep down they are not bad people. In Pretty Venom we see them at their worst, and grow into their best. I was so angry at both of them at points, and so encouraged by a love that can overcome the worst mistakes.
4.5⭐️ High school kids making adult decisions, college kids behaving the absolute worst. I struggled with this one a bit, BUT I also loved it- through all the mistakes, they find love still exists. <-And that’s a beautiful message.
iggyebab's review against another edition
2.0
Enemies to lovers. Too much drama, weird family drama. Just an okay story.
bobi015's review against another edition
The characters were shallow, they didn't have dveloped personalities.