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drealovesbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Confinement
Minor: Gore and Rape
shinyfox's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Rape, Blood, Death, and Gore
Minor: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
abibea's review
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood, Gore, and Rape
katiekeske's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a dark, monster romance between a genetically modified alien and a human slave. The male love interest, Crulden the Ruiner, is essentially a prisoner whose owner plans to use him as a gladiator. Crulden has no memory of who he is or his past. The same owner has enslaved a human woman to be the janitor of the prison block Crulden is kept in.
If you have triggers for r@pe, you may be wary of reading this. Read the content warnings at the beginning of the book. Basically, the love interest in this never harms Mina. Her owner has no interest in her sexually either. The main triggering event I would say isin a video that Mina watches of past Crulden the Ruiner r@ping and killing in the arena during a gladiator match. There is a plot twist that occurs later to help explain things.
I don't normally read dark romances, but this one was well done. The triggering event was pretty upsetting, and I wasn't sure how Mina and Crulden could get through it, but there is a plot twist that helps.
I liked Mina. She's a strong character that knows what she wants and is clever.
If you have triggers for r@pe, you may be wary of reading this. Read the content warnings at the beginning of the book. Basically, the love interest in this never harms Mina. Her owner has no interest in her sexually either. The main triggering event I would say is
I don't normally read dark romances, but this one was well done. The triggering event was pretty upsetting, and I wasn't sure how Mina and Crulden could get through it, but there is a plot twist that helps.
I liked Mina. She's a strong character that knows what she wants and is clever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Violence, Slavery, Sexual content, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Minor: Classism
The rape and sexual violence occurs in a video that the heroine watches.fritopie's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
wilybooklover's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
3.0
This was weird, but overall I liked it. The main characters were very cute together. But I think I would have liked it more if they had some sort of agency in their lives before the very end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence
mothercoconuts's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I have no reasonable reason for loving this as much as I do but my god if I can’t give this anything less than 5/5!!!
I don’t read romance, but something about this hooked me from the start and I was swooning like all the bookish girls do over sappy romances and smutty books! First time that happened to me, so it definitely has something!
I loveddddd Mina and Crulden (especially him omg 🥺) and was rooting for them so hard. There was no incredibly frustrating periods of them hating each other bc one found out something that made them mad (my most hated trope) but we’re just so cute together!!
I also loved the world and would like to read more about it! Really liked the premise, setting, and plot a lot.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
I don’t read romance, but something about this hooked me from the start and I was swooning like all the bookish girls do over sappy romances and smutty books! First time that happened to me, so it definitely has something!
I loveddddd Mina and Crulden (especially him omg 🥺) and was rooting for them so hard. There was no incredibly frustrating periods of them hating each other bc one found out something that made them mad (my most hated trope) but we’re just so cute together!!
I also loved the world and would like to read more about it! Really liked the premise, setting, and plot a lot.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Cursing, and Slavery
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Rape
martamae77's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Rape
alisoun's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence
sidhewitch's review
fast-paced
4.0
Kindle Unlimited.
This was definitely a change from the other IPB-universe books I've read, but manages to thread the needle between almost-dark-romance and the more himbo-y Fated Mates stories Dixon is known for. Crulden likes to remind us he's a horrible monster, but in very short order he stops doing anything monstrous. He just sort of looks scary, so don't go into this expecting a dark hero.
That said, there are definitely some darker tones in this one to be aware of, so check that content warning, but if you're already familiar with Risdaverse it won't be anything you haven't already seen.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. The slower burn of Mina and Crulden's relationship was interesting, there was some good tension, good spice, and truly heartbreaking moments. My only complaint - and it's kind of a big one for me - is the last forth of the book.The whole ending feels extremely Deus Ex Machina to me, with a massive problem just swept out of the way by outside forces. Even though Crulden has his heroic moment, I wish he and Mina had been more empowered by the plot. That said, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book. Just dulled it a little. If you liked When She Dances, you like this one.
Oh also that line where Crulden says to Mina thathe wishes she had a penis so he could pleasure her was stellar.
This was definitely a change from the other IPB-universe books I've read, but manages to thread the needle between almost-dark-romance and the more himbo-y Fated Mates stories Dixon is known for. Crulden likes to remind us he's a horrible monster, but in very short order he stops doing anything monstrous. He just sort of looks scary, so don't go into this expecting a dark hero.
That said, there are definitely some darker tones in this one to be aware of, so check that content warning, but if you're already familiar with Risdaverse it won't be anything you haven't already seen.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. The slower burn of Mina and Crulden's relationship was interesting, there was some good tension, good spice, and truly heartbreaking moments. My only complaint - and it's kind of a big one for me - is the last forth of the book.
Oh also that line where Crulden says to Mina that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Rape and Slavery
Sexual Content: SpiceSlavery: The two leads are slaves.
Rape: There is a scene when Mina is watching vids
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