You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

raindrops333's profile picture

raindrops333 's review for:

Bitter Brews and Secret Pages by Emily Campbell
4.5
challenging dark reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Initially, I was confused about the genre of this book. I looked at the graphics and it sells it as a romance, but this is not ... I feel it's more like a thriller that wants to be a romance. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story and was invested in the characters all the way through. 
I want to emphasize to people to please read the trigger warnings for this book, they are essential for this book. It's very well written and triggering.
I'm not a fan of jumping into a relationship when trauma is still very much at the center of the issue. This is fiction and I won't dock points for it. We collectively need to address self healing before jumping into a physical relationship. There's no knight in shining armor that can fix it all with a searing kiss. I just felt they jumped right into baby making without resolving the trauma. In my opinion, this is something that gets glossed over a bit much on stories.

There were parts that felt a bit rushed towards the end. The entire DV was emotional. 
If Eli doesn't already have a book, he needs one pronto.
I'm in awe with this author who's made me react with visceral emotions for what I thought was an easy and fluffy read. Good Job Emily!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings