Book: Sweetly Unhinged by Kira Cole
Reviewed by Shalaya
Rating: 2/5
This book was pitched as a dark rom-com. I’m still looking for the comedy part.
Firstly, the book broaches subjects such as being coerced into sexual favours or relations by a figure of authority, manipulation, safety during sex, and the importance of setting limits and rules in BDSM. I am not claiming to be an expert on the matter, but it’s a point I did enjoy: the importance of safety, consent before, consent during, and aftercare.
I also loved the FMC’s best friend, who was the voice of reason through it all. She is the one shaking some sense into the FMC more than once- things that should be obvious, like: don’t trust a stranger on the internet with your sexual fantasies, especially one who can hack your whole life away?
But ultimately, this book was not for me. I never really understood why some people say “It’s the Temu version of such and such popular book”. I do now. It felt like the author took two very specific popular dark romance books, mashed them together, and wrote this one through a checklist of the main plot points.
I forced myself to go past 50% all while sending voice notes to my best friend who had enough of it. I won’t be picking up the next book to know the ending.