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bekahlovesllyfrau's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
laurabooklover's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I have no words! This was incredible! It was beautifully poetic. It for sure brought the spice too 🥵. It’s official…I’m addicted to Jescie Hall’s writing. Definitely check content warnings if you are sensitive but wow. Just wow!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
hereiskyra's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
MILD SPOILERS AHEAD...
🖤
🖤
🖤
🖤
🖤
🖤
Slow f*cking clap for this one 👏🏼
I’m not sure if we’re really meant to like Hawke in the beginning but he probably grew on me more than any fictional character ever has. The way he went from a bad boy that seemed manipulative to a tender, loving man was one of the best character developments I’ve seen.
The character development for Cole was also fantastic. She started out as a meek, submissive girl and ended up being such a strong character that does what’s right and speaks up even if it’s not easy. I loved that change in her.
From the beginning I hated Patrick with a fiery passion.
*Proceeds to sing “cause your boyfriends a b*tch, he can suck on my….”
This book may also include one of my new favorite spicy scenes... definitely should've brought the popcorn for that one.
The chemistry between these two combined with the tension and the forbidden aspect was the perfect combination. Whew… 🥵
Somehow this book was all things… Spicy, deep, emotional, triggering, frustrating… and sometimes it even had me giddy and kicking my feet.
Even side characters were well developed. John? Adorable. Great boss and friend. Kid? Had me giggling.
And you know what else?
NO. THIRD. ACT. BREAKUP.
Hallelujah! 🙌🏼
Favorite quotes:
“I’m staring at the only thing that’s got me feeling things after years of feeling numb. The only eyes that have ever made me question myself and who I am in their reflection. You’re right here in front of me, yet we’re just out of reach.”
“Wreck me, shatter me, destroy me, be the ruin of me. I don’t care, just make me feel again.”
Tropes/Themes:
Forced-Proximity
Taboo
Roommates-to-Lovers
Infidelity (IT’S FINE)
Spice:
3.5 🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death of parent
koistyfishy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
4 Adam's Apple Stars ⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
So I've been stuck in low-spice jail, when all I wanted was something "Dark and Dirty". Everything I was reading was 3 MAX, so it's been "a while" for your girl...to experience something a little more raunchy and steamy. This is not a full 5 as it has a very good balance of plot, that is not overshadowed by the sexiness.
If you want something that is going to give you toe-curling, eye-rolling, fast-heartbeat excitement while reading, this is definitely the book for you! It basically kept me in a constant state of being turned on, but anxious at the same time. There is just this perfect balance of drama and sexual tension that I could not put this down. I wanted to inhale it!
This book follows Nicole (But we will call her Cole since she hates her full name). She almost has the perfect "picket fence" life. She is in a relationship with her highly religious boyfriend rich and it all seems like a dream. One day he comes home without having a conversation with his girlfriend and says: "By the way, we have a new roommate who is going to be living with us. He is also an ex-convict". In walks Cameron Hawke, a man covered from head-to-toe in tattoos with a sexy little lip ring. Cole's initial judgment of him kind of matches the "cover".
Basically, this plays into the cliche of "Don't judge a book by its cover", as what unfurls from both their perspectives is Cameron judges Cole believing she was just another stuck-up prissy princess. Cole judged Cam thinking he was a drug-addled junkie. But as they start to connect, spend time with each other and unravel who each of them is they both realize that they have judged too quickly, and the person behind the cover is everything that the other needs and everything that brings out who they truly meant to be as a person. The connection between them was intense, insane, and just really captivating.
Jescie Hall did something in her book that I always appreciate when an author does it. She explains her character behaviour choices in the writing as part of the plot. This has a way to motivate why certain choices were made and that they are there for THAT SPECIFIC REASON.
Two instances this stood out were:
1. How judgemental Cole is at the start. This annoyed me about her where you see her inner dialogue that she is extremely unfair to Cam based on her perception of his character. But he calls her out on her shit and once she realises she has been unfair, changes.
2. In the beginning I thought she was ungrateful because she had so much. She had a house, she had a boyfriend that loved her and looked after her like. I disliked her for developing feelings for Cam as she was hurting Patrick. But as more and more of her current relationship dynamic is unpacked, you realize that she's pretty justified. Her perfect life is not as perfect as it seems.
Patrick is very much a gaslighting, emotionally abusive prick. Due to his domineering personality and the way that he would just shut her down and not give her her own voice to speak, I kind of appreciated that she wasn't going to be with him. The manipulation and how he made her feel like she was the problem or the issue really frustrated me! However how this is handled and how Cole grows to stand up to him and just stand up for herself is what makes this book stand out.
It was quite emotional and fun at the same time. This will not be the last Jescie Hall book I will read. I just want to thank Heather for recommending this to me to scratch the "Dark and Dirty Itch". It gave me exactly what I needed when I needed it!
So if you want:
▶ SPICY
▶ "Enemies" to Lovers
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Instalust but also Slow Burn
▶ Touch her you die
▶ He's broken so she needs to fix him
This is the book for you. Just like it was the book for me!
Note: Let me say, this is the first book that I have read that has a major focus on the "cheating trope". I, however, stand by, just because I read about it- doesn't mean that I will do it in my real life. I am separating my own IRL morals and just enjoying the content for what it is. If you don't like that trope or it bothers you and is a hard trigger, I would not recommend this book because it's not really going to give you what you need.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
So I've been stuck in low-spice jail, when all I wanted was something "Dark and Dirty". Everything I was reading was 3 MAX, so it's been "a while" for your girl...to experience something a little more raunchy and steamy. This is not a full 5 as it has a very good balance of plot, that is not overshadowed by the sexiness.
If you want something that is going to give you toe-curling, eye-rolling, fast-heartbeat excitement while reading, this is definitely the book for you! It basically kept me in a constant state of being turned on, but anxious at the same time. There is just this perfect balance of drama and sexual tension that I could not put this down. I wanted to inhale it!
This book follows Nicole (But we will call her Cole since she hates her full name). She almost has the perfect "picket fence" life. She is in a relationship with her highly religious boyfriend rich and it all seems like a dream. One day he comes home without having a conversation with his girlfriend and says: "By the way, we have a new roommate who is going to be living with us. He is also an ex-convict". In walks Cameron Hawke, a man covered from head-to-toe in tattoos with a sexy little lip ring. Cole's initial judgment of him kind of matches the "cover".
Basically, this plays into the cliche of "Don't judge a book by its cover", as what unfurls from both their perspectives is Cameron judges Cole believing she was just another stuck-up prissy princess. Cole judged Cam thinking he was a drug-addled junkie. But as they start to connect, spend time with each other and unravel who each of them is they both realize that they have judged too quickly, and the person behind the cover is everything that the other needs and everything that brings out who they truly meant to be as a person. The connection between them was intense, insane, and just really captivating.
Jescie Hall did something in her book that I always appreciate when an author does it. She explains her character behaviour choices in the writing as part of the plot. This has a way to motivate why certain choices were made and that they are there for THAT SPECIFIC REASON.
Two instances this stood out were:
1. How judgemental Cole is at the start. This annoyed me about her where you see her inner dialogue that she is extremely unfair to Cam based on her perception of his character. But he calls her out on her shit and once she realises she has been unfair, changes.
2. In the beginning I thought she was ungrateful because she had so much. She had a house, she had a boyfriend that loved her and looked after her like. I disliked her for developing feelings for Cam as she was hurting Patrick. But as more and more of her current relationship dynamic is unpacked, you realize that she's pretty justified. Her perfect life is not as perfect as it seems.
Patrick is very much a gaslighting, emotionally abusive prick. Due to his domineering personality and the way that he would just shut her down and not give her her own voice to speak, I kind of appreciated that she wasn't going to be with him. The manipulation and how he made her feel like she was the problem or the issue really frustrated me! However how this is handled and how Cole grows to stand up to him and just stand up for herself is what makes this book stand out.
It was quite emotional and fun at the same time. This will not be the last Jescie Hall book I will read. I just want to thank Heather for recommending this to me to scratch the "Dark and Dirty Itch". It gave me exactly what I needed when I needed it!
So if you want:
▶ SPICY
▶ "Enemies" to Lovers
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Instalust but also Slow Burn
▶ Touch her you die
▶ He's broken so she needs to fix him
This is the book for you. Just like it was the book for me!
Note: Let me say, this is the first book that I have read that has a major focus on the "cheating trope". I, however, stand by, just because I read about it- doesn't mean that I will do it in my real life. I am separating my own IRL morals and just enjoying the content for what it is. If you don't like that trope or it bothers you and is a hard trigger, I would not recommend this book because it's not really going to give you what you need.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Infidelity
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Misogyny and Domestic abuse
serena_andherstories's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Car accident, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
mmvr08's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Sexism
our_bookish_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
PLEASE CHECK ALL TW/CW BEFORE READING!
Hawke is the debut novel by Jescie Hall & holy hell, did she blow this one out of the water! I started this at 9pm & finished it at 11pm. At first, I couldn't get into the book. This is one of those times where there phrase "It's not you, it's me" it true. Reading has been a struggle lately, but I'm happy I continued because this book is great! Suffice to say, this is not my final read by Jescie!
What you'll find inside:
🪶 Forced proximity
🪶 Enemies to lovers
🪶 Forbidden Romance
🪶 Roommates
🪶 Secrets
I couldn't stand Patrick, he was such a prick & I don't think what happened to him could have happened to a better guy. Though in the book for such a short time, I could not stop thinking of Pat's father looking like Charles Dance.
I love that both Hawke & Cole helped heal each other. They were both in need of love, although honestly Hawke was legit struggling to hang on.
All-in-all this was a good book, I'm rating:
🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
This was more on the tamer & intimate side, so I'm giving the spice:
🔥🔥🔥/5
I want to take a moment to thank the author, Jescie Hall, whom I received a complimentary copy of this book from, & am voluntarily leaving a review.
Hawke is the debut novel by Jescie Hall & holy hell, did she blow this one out of the water! I started this at 9pm & finished it at 11pm. At first, I couldn't get into the book. This is one of those times where there phrase "It's not you, it's me" it true. Reading has been a struggle lately, but I'm happy I continued because this book is great! Suffice to say, this is not my final read by Jescie!
What you'll find inside:
🪶 Forced proximity
🪶 Enemies to lovers
🪶 Forbidden Romance
🪶 Roommates
🪶 Secrets
I couldn't stand Patrick, he was such a prick & I don't think what happened to him could have happened to a better guy. Though in the book for such a short time, I could not stop thinking of Pat's father looking like Charles Dance.
I love that both Hawke & Cole helped heal each other. They were both in need of love, although honestly Hawke was legit struggling to hang on.
All-in-all this was a good book, I'm rating:
🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
This was more on the tamer & intimate side, so I'm giving the spice:
🔥🔥🔥/5
I want to take a moment to thank the author, Jescie Hall, whom I received a complimentary copy of this book from, & am voluntarily leaving a review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Rape
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