A review by lovepotion
Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
๐๐๐๐
I kept going back and forth about I felt about this one. This is my first novel Iโve read by this author, so I wasnโt sure what I was expecting. I really enjoyed the setting. Survival, stranded, lost, etc storyline is one I always thoroughly enjoy. The plot really hooked me in and I wish at times there was less smut and more plot. (Donโt get me wrong. I love my smut.) However, I needed less of them getting nasty in a dirty room and a little more storyline.ย
โ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ง, ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฃ๐บ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถโ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ต, ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ. ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐โ๐ญ๐ญ ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ช๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ.โ
I wasnโt really a big fan of either fan of Sawyer and Enzo. (Besides their obvious problematic behavior and personality traits)ย
Sawyer had some โIโm not like other girlsโ moments that was pretty obnoxious.
Also, when she gets rescued, and she poses as Trinity, no wonder why she is speaking with American accent? When she pretending to be an Australian woman. Oh and she just โhappensโ to have to her note from Sawyer that was supposed written years ago. I think one of stupidest moves she makes is changing her name back to Sawyer. Like I get she changed her last name to Enzoโs and she wanted to have her own name back. But you donโt think anyone would still be looking for her? Easily one of Kevinโs friends could still be, and they could just assume that she just got married by the last name change. It just seemed to risky.ย
There was one scene, I was rolling my eyes at. They decided to hide in the cave for the night, during a storm, in shorts. They were trying to hide from Sylvester, but if he doesnโt get them, hypothermia will.ย
I felt like myself asking over and over again how realistic some of these characters choices were.ย
Enzo was bit of hothead. For someone who is so erratic at times, I expected his backstory to be a little more dramatic than just his mom leaving him. But then again, perhaps the author didnโt want Enzoโs backstory to be as traumatic so it would take away from limelight of Sawyerโs.
Their relationship was so hot and cold. I donโt mind a hate and love relationship. But it was a little off putting when they (especially Enzo) would just flip flop feelings as quickly in a couple paragraphs.
I will say, I did at least enjoy the banter between the two. They did have some fun and interesting conversations. And some playful moments.ย
The smut- oh boy. Some of it was alright. Some of the scenes, were not for me. The way the author would describe the actions, was a little bizarre. Like a few times, Enzo would grab her by the teeth? That just seemed so odd and very unnatural. There was a few moments that Enzo would say he could he smelled her coochie- and Iโm not talking like him being in between her legs- Iโm talking like he was stand beside her, talking to her.ย
The writing in general lacked depth for me. I would have like it to be a little more descriptive. There was a lot of short paragraphs. A lot of back and forth dialogue. For a dark, mysterious, setting - the narration was lacking.ย
I like the overall idea, but I really wish it better executed. I enjoyed the mystery and the suspense. It was just an okay read. I donโt know if I would recommend it.ย
~~~~๐ ณ~~~~
ย ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐๐จ
โDual Povย
โ Forced Proximityย
โ There is only one bedย
โlove-hate
I kept going back and forth about I felt about this one. This is my first novel Iโve read by this author, so I wasnโt sure what I was expecting. I really enjoyed the setting. Survival, stranded, lost, etc storyline is one I always thoroughly enjoy. The plot really hooked me in and I wish at times there was less smut and more plot. (Donโt get me wrong. I love my smut.) However, I needed less of them getting nasty in a dirty room and a little more storyline.ย
โ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ง, ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฃ๐บ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถโ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ต, ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ. ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐โ๐ญ๐ญ ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ช๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ.โ
I wasnโt really a big fan of either fan of Sawyer and Enzo. (Besides their obvious problematic behavior and personality traits)ย
Sawyer had some โIโm not like other girlsโ moments that was pretty obnoxious.
Spoiler
In the beginning, we already know she is in hiding, and try to conceal her identity. So why does get a tattoo? Something that would make her easily recognizable and identifiable. I get it, it was one of her โIโm so quirkyโ moments. But hey, maybe be smart when you are on the run and in hiding.ยThere was one scene, I was rolling my eyes at. They decided to hide in the cave for the night, during a storm, in shorts. They were trying to hide from Sylvester, but if he doesnโt get them, hypothermia will.ย
I felt like myself asking over and over again how realistic some of these characters choices were.ย
Enzo was bit of hothead. For someone who is so erratic at times, I expected his backstory to be a little more dramatic than just his mom leaving him. But then again, perhaps the author didnโt want Enzoโs backstory to be as traumatic so it would take away from limelight of Sawyerโs.
Spoiler
Also, for someone who is tall, big bulk of a man. It took way to long for him to take down the old man.ยTheir relationship was so hot and cold. I donโt mind a hate and love relationship. But it was a little off putting when they (especially Enzo) would just flip flop feelings as quickly in a couple paragraphs.
Spoiler
Like in one moment Enzo is one his knees begging for for forgiveness and the next he is angry at her, telling Sawyer he wont forgive her. The same thing happens with Sawyer, we are one this never ending loop of begging for forgiveness and the anger of the betrayal.ยI will say, I did at least enjoy the banter between the two. They did have some fun and interesting conversations. And some playful moments.ย
The smut- oh boy. Some of it was alright. Some of the scenes, were not for me. The way the author would describe the actions, was a little bizarre. Like a few times, Enzo would grab her by the teeth? That just seemed so odd and very unnatural. There was a few moments that Enzo would say he could he smelled her coochie- and Iโm not talking like him being in between her legs- Iโm talking like he was stand beside her, talking to her.ย
The writing in general lacked depth for me. I would have like it to be a little more descriptive. There was a lot of short paragraphs. A lot of back and forth dialogue. For a dark, mysterious, setting - the narration was lacking.ย
I like the overall idea, but I really wish it better executed. I enjoyed the mystery and the suspense. It was just an okay read. I donโt know if I would recommend it.ย
~~~~๐ ณ~~~~
ย ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐๐จ
โDual Povย
โ Forced Proximityย
โ There is only one bedย
โlove-hate
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Suicide, Torture, Incest, and Suicidal thoughts