Title: Tis the Season for Revenge
Author: Morgan Elizabeth
Published: October 25, 2022
Source: Owned
Type: e-copy
Blurb:
Abbie Keller thought that Richard Bartholemew Benson the Third would be her forever. In their four years of dating, she never doubted that she wouldn’t end up with his grandmother’s engagement ring on her finger. Sure, she had to change a few things about herself to fit that mold, like dying her hair, dressing more conservatively, and finding golf enjoyable (honestly the most difficult of the changes), but she was sure that at the end of it all, it would be worth it.
That is, until he leaves her crying outside her apartment wearing a Halloween costume, having broken it off with her because she’s just not serious enough. She was just fun, he tells her – and now that Richard has becoming a partner at his law firm in his sights, he needs to focus on work.
So she does what every girl does when she’s broken up with: she calls her friends, gets drunk, dyes her hair, and formulates her plan for revenge. It just so happens that the universe supports her efforts and gives her the perfect match to prove to her ex that he made a huge mistake: his boss.
Abbie starts dating the founding partner of Richard’s law firm, Damien Martinez, with one thing in mind: convincing him to invite her to the huge annual Christmas party as his date.
But when the relationship starts to become something more than casual dating and Abbie sees that the tough New York lawyer has a soft side, will she be able to follow through with her plan of deceit?
Tis the Season for Revenge is a contemporary, grumpy sunshine, age-gap, Christmas romance.
It is a full-length romance with a Happily Ever After that features sexually explicit material and profanity. This book is intended for 18+
Check it on Amazon & Goodreads
A great rom-com, “This the Season for Revenge” really met its purpose. Abbie’s boyfriend breaks up with her on Halloween. Not only she cannot believe the news, but also she cannot believe the hurtful words he tells her. Later that evening, she and her friends come up with a plan to get their revenge on Richard Bartholemew Benson the Third. When a dating app matches her profile with Damien Martinez, her ex’s boss, the plan is set in motion. She wants to prove to Richard that she can get an invite to his company’s Christmas party, that someone else can find her worthy of being a good companion for such an event.
There are so many funny moments, especially when it comes to all the shenanigans Abbie and her friends do o the ex. The romance is lovely as well. Damien is adorable. He is polite, clear with his intentions and with a kind heart. He has principles and is not willing to offer promotions without merit. He has a lot of patience with Abbie, when it comes to building back her confidence.
And this is the part I’d like to insist upon. She was emotionally abused in her prior relationship. Richard was constantly diminishing her self-worth, mocking her job and even forcing her to dress in a way that did not represent her at all. Once given the (unhappy) opportunity to take a step back and see the things as they really were, she realized that the way Richard was treating her was not how love actually looked like. She was living in her own bubble, a world built mainly based on her desires to marry a certain type of man. But abuse takes many forms and love makes us blind and ignorant.
A relationship is like the law. It needs balance. If it’s out of balance, if one person sees themselves as less valuable, the balance isn’t there.
While I appreciated a lot of elements in the book, there are some that I did not enjoy. There is a lot of repetition. Abbie tells her best friends about her date with Damien and it felt just like a retelling with “oh”s and “omg”s or something of the sorts. I unfortunately skipped through these pages. I also feel that the seamy scenes were a bit to steamy for how fun and carefree is the overall atmosphere. They didn’t connect in some strange way.
Favorite Quote:
“Isn’t that a perk for men? A woman who loses her inhibitions?” I ask, raising an eyebrow and smiling.
He laughs again and, damn, he’s got an excellent laugh.
“Losing her inhibitions? Yeah, that’s a plus. But the women I date? They don’t need to drink for that to happen. It just … does.” His smile is feline, sly.
What I like about this quote is Daminen’s confidence and how his maturity is also showing up. Later on, he stands behind this affirmation, belieeeeeve me!
Cover Review: I actually love this cover. It’s all the things Abbie is represented by: the broken heart, the pink, the blond hair and the mocking of the ex. I adore it!
To summarize, I had higher expectations. No, that didn’t come out right. I really liked the story, very much actually. But because of those two elements, I cannot proceed with a clean 4 star rating. I’m going with a 3.5, rounded to 4. An enjoyable Christmas read, which I am sure you’ll like as well.
Until next time, Happy Reading!
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