Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Work for It

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Work for It by Talia Hibbert

5 reviews

galleytrot's review against another edition

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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

READ: Feb 2023
FORMAT: Audio

BRIEF SUMMARY:

In this contemporary romance, Olu is at a low in his mental health, so he does what he always does: he travels, in the hopes to find purpose in work and recalibrate his sense of self. It’s harvest season for elderflowers, and the orchard that Griffin manages is in need of volunteers to help move the process along. When they first meet, prickly Olu manages to hit Griffin where it hurts the most, but Griff can see that there might be more to Olu than his attitude and ego let on.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 4 / 5⭐

It is both shocking and upsetting how deeply I was able to relate to both of these men and the impact their histories have had on their current states of mind. The number of times I felt seen and known and just... utterly devastated by what I was reading; I had to walk away from the book a few times, and just feel for a while.

Griffin is battling the isolation of being considered ‘other’ in a small village where everyone knows everyone’s business. He is physically imposing; his quiet demeanor gives the air of unintelligence; he is fatherless and born out of wedlock; his mother was an eccentric personality; and, his sexual orientation is no secret. All of this together leads to him being dismissed or looked down on and cast aside from most of the community.

Olu has lost a part of himself after a gross betrayal of trust, and it is impacting his desire for intimacy in the very worst way. His behaviour is growing more aggressive, unpredictable, and self-sabotaging as he lashes out over the loss of something so integral to his being. The libido is there, but a disconnect between brain and body turns every opportunity into a non-starter, leaving him functionally asexual.

Griff offers Olu his patience and understanding, seeing past the prickly thorns to a man who is kind, caring, just, and wants nothing more than to help where help is needed. Olu sees the way others either cast Griff aside or take advantage of his talents, and recognizes the loneliness that would come from a lifetime of such transactions.

TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 3.75 / 5⭐

This is my second read from Hibbert, and while the first one didn’t impress me terribly, this one has given me a whole slew of reasons to start paying attention. While there were some moments where I felt that Olu was behaving like a child having a temper tantrum, I largely felt like the MCs’ reactions and behaviours were profoundly realistic and believable. Too often would a character’s misguided mindset mirror my own experience.

Shane East and Chance Thoreau are both narrators who are new to me. One of the two did an exceptional job, but I couldn’t get behind the performance of the other. The one who narrates Olu’s POV gives Griffin a voice like a cheese grater, and it took me out of the book without fail every single time.

FINAL THOUGHTS - OVERALL: 4 / 5⭐

This book is an angsty one, but while it deals with some heavy subject matter, I wouldn’t say it takes it into any uncomfortable territory. I do feel like I need a bit of a breather after reading it, but I think that’s largely due to how close to home it hit for me.

This book has representation for gay and bi (or pan?) sexualities. The main pairing is interracial.

The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.

This book contains: mental illness (depression, low self-esteem, anxiety); past death of a parent (suicide, overdose); light alcohol use; bullying, isolation, classism; misogynistic ideals; minor injuries; blackmail, forced outing; mention of a vehicle collision resulting in many deaths; and, a pregnant side-character.

Content Warnings

contrapasso's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

deidrelj's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

3.5

I had to work hard to get into this book! The beginning felt slow but I also took issue with how terribly Griff was described by his love interest. Of course it also helps to track how Olu is feeling towards Griff because as his feelings grow stronger, his assessment gets kinder. Overall, I’m glad I stuck with it until the end!

Content Warnings

kimalah'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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I do not read a lot of angst in general, but man oh man, Talia Hibbert does a great job with it in Work for It. This is a book about forgiveness for one’s self, about isolation and connection, about belonging, and of course about accepting and embracing love. It is a slow character story so some may not enjoy the pace. Just so good and made me feel all the feels.

Content Warnings

solinel7'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? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

3.75🌟
This is a mlm romance, which I didn't know because I only picked it up because I like this author, but the book was really pretty. I wanna say Griffin is in the autism spectrum, the same way the author is but I could definitely be wrong. I really liked the characters and how they engage with each other and their friends, and how they develop and come to their own realizations.

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