Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Breakaway by Grace Reilly

10 reviews

mrs_gale's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved this more than the first book which surprised me! 
I really enjoyed reading Cooper and Penny's story. A fair bit naughtier than James and Bex's story, but Cooper is also so sweet! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content

Moderate: Grief and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug use, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Car accident, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

allingoodtime's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is just as good as the first book in the series. Cooper and Penny have so much chemistry it’s oozing off the page. When Penny enlists Cooper’s help to get through her list of things she wants to try to regain her confidence, actual intercourse is the last thing on that list. I love that they refer to what they are doing as having sex or f***ing because it helps to enforce the fact that it doesn’t have to be “traditional” penis-in-vagina sex to be real sex. And who needs intercourse when Cooper is such a fiend for giving head? This is your fair warning that this couple has a lot of fun experimenting with different positions and acts, so if that’s not your thing you should skip this one. I, for one, enjoyed the respect and care that was given with each new adventure.

As much as I enjoyed this couple and their connection, there were a few times the story lagged. Not often enough for it to bother me too much, but I could have skipped the bonus epilogue. There was a lot of baggage on both sides and I feel the author did a good job of delving into those problems in a way that had me understanding where they were coming from and caring deeply about the outcome.

Cooper’s dad is, yet again, a disappointment. Over and over he let Cooper down and it bothered me that his siblings didn’t seem to notice the extent to which Cooper was hurt. On the other hand, Penny’s father ended up being a wonderful surprise of understanding and support for both Penny and Cooper.

I love the direction things are going for the two siblings who are still single. It’s great to see them all bonding more and more with each story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction

thecatconstellation's review against another edition

fast-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

4.0

I thought this was cute and sexy.

The tampon scene isn’t gross like people are making it out to be in their reviews. He literally just removes her tampon and fingers her to help with her cramps.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Nonconsensual recording

,

revenge porn

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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

4.5

    Cooper, the college hockey player who's never had a serious relationship, and Penny, whose only serious boyfriend betrayed her. Hook-up and then they try to work on Penny's sexual to-do list to deal with her past trauma. But as they work through the list, they both start to catch serious feelings for one another.
     This book was quite steamy! Just the way I like romance, but also dealt with past trauma and mental health. It was a great balance of serious, funny, and spicy! Though a bit on the sad side at times for a college romance.
    Overall, an excellent book.

Narrator(s) Ratings: 5 stars
   Both narrators did an amazing job. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Death of parent

The toxic relationship, emotional abuse, and gaslighting are not in the main romantic relationship but with some of the MC's family members.

redheadbookgirl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Book two was even sweeter🥹 but with some deeper topics, making for a more raw + emotional read. Starring the second Callaghan brother, ice-hockey-playing Cooper + Penny, his coach’s daughter, this was another fun + easy read with brilliant narration. The characters in this series are amazing, both individually + coupled up. I loved sweet, strong, fiery Penny + Cooper was the perfect gentleman, super kind and loving. Penny’s past trauma added some depth to the plot and was written sensitively and I liked the way her list was incorporated into her healing process. This one was steamy!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual assault, and Grief

ambercunningham's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident

ciara_fs98's review

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This is an amazing story. The author does a great job of writing about traumatic/triggering subjects 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Car accident, and Alcohol

Sexual trauma - being recorded without consent

njh_books's review

emotional hopeful 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? No

3.0

Enjoyed it, but maybe a bit less than the first book in the series.

 

These are smutty books, but this one was basically smut every other chapter. At some points it was like--do you all breathe? I understand sexuality and reclaiming sexual pleasure was a bit part of this book, but sometimes I would have rather seen a scene between Cooper and Penny rather than just the text messages back and forth.

Cooper is a big teddy bear. Penny is sweet until you mess with her and then she will burn you.

Does Richard hate all his kids? Had issues with James and now has issues with Cooper, and drives him to his toxic uncle. The toxic uncle storyline felt kind of slapped on.

Sandra is still 10/10 and enjoyed getting some Bex & James scenes.

Handled revenge porn/nonconsensual pornography well and Cooper was so patient and loving.

I'm pretty sure based off the last line of the book that Book #3 will be all about Seb & Mia getting together...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction

emmysforeverbooked's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.5

I wish I could form thoughts on this book rn and idk if it's because it's 3 am or the fact that it's taken me so long to read this book but I genuinely don't remember anything rn aside from hockey and sex 💀

What I can tell you is that I LOVE this couple. I absolutely loved Penny, maybe even more than I liked Bex from book #1. Cooper is probably my favorite Callahan brother out of the two I've read so far but maybe Seb will take the crown, who knows lol.

But in all seriousness, I think I would've rated this higher if I hadn't reached a point in the book where I was tired of reading the smut 💀 HOWEVER, i am on the asexual spectrum so reading too much smut at one time can get overwhelming for me. Overall, I did really like this book, even if I'm having a hard time with thoughts rn.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident

dxisymitch's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Blood, Vomit, and Grief