I've had a really rough couple of days here with books, and so I was trying my hardest to see this one through to the end and not DNF, but here we areI've had a really rough couple of days here with books, and so I was trying my hardest to see this one through to the end and not DNF, but here we are.
The writing is lovely, and the romance is literally love at first sight. The very quick love match is portrayed with this super heavy, ooey-gooey, sickly sweet vibe that's really just too much for me.
I don't believe it for a second. The fact that I was dreading picking this book up is enough for me to just move on and not even feel guilty about it. DNF @60%
I'm hearing that this is an epic, beautiful and painful love story. Looking forward to finding out. Bring on the sobbing.
・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・
୨୧ "A watershed moment exists in every man's life, Fish—the moment he stops being his mother's son and starts being his lover's man. When he transitions from protected to protector." ୨୧
୨୧ “She smiled back at him. Neither of them had said so much as hello yet she was looking at him with those eyes.
Deep in the cathedral of his young being, Erik felt a bell toll, a peal of recognition. And for the rest of his life, he would swear, he would swear to anyone who asked, although nothing was said aloud, he heard Daisy Bianco speak to him. She said it with her eyes, he heard it clearly in his head, and it wasn’t hello.
There's so much that I can't say in this review because it would spoil the whole book since it picks up right w Omg. What a beautiful story!
4.5 Stars
There's so much that I can't say in this review because it would spoil the whole book since it picks up right where the cliffhanger from book 1 leaves off but I did want to jot down a few thoughts and feelings.
I often find that dark romance doesn't always have the best of writing. Usually it comes across kinda clunky and maybe it's just because my tastes have matured that I've noticed this and so I've avoided much of the more recent dark romances- BUT! Rest assured because Pepper Winters SLAYS.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆ೃ⁀➷ The writing is incredible. The story is dark and emotional with characters that have such a multitude of layers and depth.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆ೃ⁀➷ A love story about two people torn apart by power and control, circumstances and madness. It's heartbreaking, suspense-filled romance of the forbidden; torture and pain.
This book had me sobbing! There's twists and turns, so much heartache, loss and despair. There's acceptance and the fight to live as Neri recounts her story about a life of anguish and loss, love and acceptance.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆ೃ⁀➷ Lunamare is a retelling of soulmates tied to one another through love, and the beating of the heart.
Highly recommend! Please keep in mind that this is a dark romance, forbidden love, taboo story. Please check trigger warnings.
I had to sit on this one for the night and really let my thoughts marinate. I'll admit, I've always been aWhew - what a ride this book was!
3.75 Stars
I had to sit on this one for the night and really let my thoughts marinate. I'll admit, I've always been a huge Pepper Winters fan. I think the first book I read from her was about 10 years ago, but I've really only read a couple and while they were dark romance, they didn't necessarily walk the line of taboo.
The two most recent books that I've read from Pepper are very much taboo, and if I'm 1000% honest with all of you, there's been a couple of times that I thought I was going to bow out. With this book and with The Boy and his Ribbon.
╰┈➤ Both are coming of age taboo stories with age gap. Pepper walks a fine line (for me) between- I might cringe, this is a little uncomfortable but she always seems to swing it around to pure enjoyment. Clearly she's extremely talented- I'm a tough critic. Once and author starts to lose me, they usually don't redeem themselves. But let me go ahead and focus in on this one for you.
The story opens up with a boy and his family ending up in an accident - they're in the ocean and drowning. The boy's family doesn't survive and the boy- our MMC Aslan, is rescued by our FMC Nerida and her family, who are marine biologists (why they happened to be in the right place at the right time in/near the ocean)
There is a secret that Aslan is keeping, and no one knows what it is, not even us as readers- but he's is in a very precarious position. He's in a foreign country (Australia), no documentation, identification, no money. No family left. Clearly traumatized and vulnerable.
He's just a boy of 16 years old who has just lost his family, has no where to go and nothing but the clothes on his back - err. Not even that as he went to the hospital. So, Nerida's parents take him in with a few conditions and to start, on a week to week which turns into a year by year and eventually permanent basis.
That's about as far as I want to go with a brief description as to what the book is about, and I will say this- I loved the beginning of the book. I found the characters all very real and well rounded. The story was engaging and entertaining.
In the middle chunk of the book though, I feel like Winters could have benefited from some editing. The book didn't need to be as long as it was and could have cut out much of the back and forth between Aslan and Nerida.
╰┈➤ I found it so frustrating and annoying. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the author was trying to convey her age even more at this point? (She starts out at 12 years old but is 16 or 17 in this reference) I often feel that when the girl is the younger one in an age gap novel, she begs and pleads for the MMC to admit he has feelings for her.
This is exactly what happened here and it just grates at me. I don't find enjoyment in the begging and pleading for a man's attention. That is a me thing, take it with a grain of salt.
╰┈➤ The ending, while predictable was no less a punch to the gut. I was left with all kind of questions as secrets are revealed, memories are shared and emotions fly high.
Winters leaves you hanging on a huge cliffhanger, screaming in frustration. Thankfully, I already have book 2 downloaded.
So, while I did have a few issues here and there, the story came through for me as a whole and I did enjoy it immensely. I can't wait to crack on with the second book.
I would say that this book is comparable to Nicholas Sparks as stated in the blurb only in the fact that the story portrays a bone deep and soul connecting kind of love that stands the test of time - please don't forget that this is a dark, taboo and age gap romance. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys this brand of tea ...more
I'll be honest, I was a little bored through some of this story. I connected and was interested in the hidden/forbidden romance between Susan3.5 Stars
I'll be honest, I was a little bored through some of this story. I connected and was interested in the hidden/forbidden romance between Susannah and Lucy but I felt at times it dragged a little.
Towards the end though I really wanted to sob. For Susannah, for Lucy, for Martin.
As a whole, it's pretty emotional and heartbreaking.
'Sunburn is an astute and tender portrayal of first love, adolescent anxiety and the realities of growing up in a small town where tradition holds people tightly in its grasp.'...more