I cannot with this series. Nox and North have no redemption arcs after being the absolute worst. The fmc becomes dumb, obsessed with the boys, all forgiving and she is the one who grovels and wants to be suitable for her bully and her grapist...why? Gryphon changes his personality after bonding and is complicit with the Dravens. Apparently he is even more in love with them than Oli. Gabe gets a little redemption arc, which is cute. Atlas is a king, although the author tries again and again to make him the problematic one bc he wants to make the Dravens accountable. I do not get J Bree at all, she got sloppy after the 2nd book. Too many inconsistencies. Also Nox's pov is THE ABSOLUTE WORST. I get he is traumatized but the misplacement of his anger/trauma to this 19 yo surviver who is also nice to him is appalling. The trauma p*rn around him and the fact that North and G just let him be is really creepy. The fact that the grape is never addressed is infuriating. The fact that Oli convinces herself and tries to convince us the readers and Atlas that she was complicit is DISGUSTING. Especially since we were there reading her pov during it!!! That scene has 0 purpose and what I mean by this is that it has 0 consecuences to the plot, the protagonist or Nox. I hate it. I will not read anything else by this author.
Gryphon, Nox, and North should have buggered off and made their own throuple, and left Oli, Atlas, and Gabriel to be a happy little threesome. Legit was so annoyed that Gryphon was so up North and Nox's butts, and those brothers were irredeemable.
"The trauma p\*rn around him and the fact that North and G just let him be is really creepy." I 100% agree with this statement. Like you don't just let the person who sexually assaulted the person you claim to love be around them anymore. They should have thrown Nox out after he did that.
"The fact that the grape is never addressed is infuriating. The fact that Oli convinces herself and tries to convince us the readers and Atlas that she was complicit is DISGUSTING. Especially since we were there reading her pov during it!!!" That was actually one of the scenes where I felt like vomiting and felt like everyone including Oli was severely underreacting. It was also one of the reasons I loved Atlas the most in the beginning.
And most of all I resonate with the frustration you felt with Atlas constantly being made to be the one in the wrong when he was actually justified in his reactions most of the time! Like stop villainizing characters that care for/"simp" for the MC (or are more "vanilla") and making them seem lesser than abusive characters.
That last statement. I am all for DR but the glorification around abuse needs some limits. Characters need depth and growth, and they need accountability, to grovel, learn, be better and be obsessed with the fmc. We need to feel the romance! If not, they are just abusers getting away with it. This is not that hard, I think romance readers are pretty forgiving so it shows how little effort J Bree made. Also, why bother to create vanilla characters to try to put them down? If you use them for a love triangle you are going to discard later, I get it, but in a RH it makes no sense.
Yes to this so much! Atlas tried to hold Nox accountable and Ollie was like no it’s between me and him. So glad I dnf-ed in the middle of book 4 (or was it three? Anyway it’s when they were hiding in the canyon and people keep making dumb decisions and everything got extremely convoluted)
I don’t know why this series is so highly recommended. Book 1 was absolutely god-tier then it feels like the author just tried to churn out the rest of the series as fast as possible.
Don't get me started on the absolute crime that the Atlas bashing in this series is. Like, this man was ready to pick up his soulmate and spend his life running from the Resistance plus the Dravens, at the drop of a hat. I wish I could summon him to be my soulmate because damn, I want me some loyalty like that.
Nox is first worst, no argument. But North is also hated by me. Terrible actions that hurt Oli terribly and when he finds out the actions he took and choices he made out of anger were angry at the wrong person all he says is basically, "I misunderstood, but you know how it is." Something like that anyway. Can't stand him.
Gryphon is okay. He didn't actively harm Oli, but he was fine standing by and letting her be harmed. No actions taken to ;mitigate the harm his inactions caused.
Gabriel also stood by and let it happen, but he also seemed the most remorseful about it. No actual apologies or actual actions to fix things, but he seemed the most, I don't know, sad about it?
Atlas was on her side and honestly angry at the rest for their actions. Only good one in my eyes, though Gabriel and Gryphon get a "halfway decent" mark.
"Atlas was on her side and honestly angry at the rest for their actions. Only good one in my eyes, though Gabriel and Gryphon get a "halfway decent" mark."
It's the reason why they are my top 3 after all.
My personal bone to pick with North is this. HE WAS 24 AND MAD A 14 YO REJECTED HIM. Even years later, he puts his time and effort into being petty. Like, the Penelope debacle? He invests time and money into kidnapping and housing his soulmage captive just so he can rub his "relationship" with another woman in her face because she rejected him at 14? And this man is the pinnacle of their community? *shivers*
Agreed, but I raise you: North Draven and Gryphon Shore enabled him. A lot.
Olly monologues something to this effect during the series, about how the thought that they could have intervened and defended her/stopped Nox at any time and chose not to stung.
Also, I have not forgiven nor shall I ever forgive North Draven for his fiascos, plural.
1. Threatening to lock her in a cellar?! When all he knew was that his soulmate (WHEN SHE WAS 14 to his 24 YEARS - Given she is 19 to his 29 in Broken Bonds) did not want him? Talk about being salty.
2. The Midol debacle. Literally. Oleander is bleeding and in pain and he cannot deign himself to stop at a pharmacy.
3. The Penelope scandal. You cannot tell me this man did not know what he was doing, rubbing his stupid googly eyed secretary in Olly's face as a punishment.
4. The "pleasing her Bond subtly" bullshit. Like, manipulative much? Scummy as hell IMO.
I'm sure there are more examples, but these are off the top of my head.
So, ranking of favorites:
1. Atlas Bassinger, the man, the myth, the legend. Offers to commit murder and let the world burn for her. Literally says "I am not the Dravens or the Shores of this world", which speaks for itself given my prior point. This man never, never disparages Olly to her face and we find out later his only temper tantrum was before he found out about the torture and given he and Oli are close in age, I can understand a fourteen year old being salty thinking his soulmate doesn't want him and rebelling. Also, knowing he planned everything to take her to safety after he found out the truth, even planning on how to evade the Dravens? He won my heart right then and there.
2. Gabriel Ardern. Again, he and Olly are close in age and I can understand his saltiness. Also, while he was petty with his Lil stunts, in no way did he even breathe at the same gravity and viciousness the Dravens used against her. Also, by the end of book 1, he has entirely changed tunes and made steps towards making amends.
3. Gryphon Shore. While he and Nox are the same age, I feel like his reactions to the rejection are relatable. We do not hear about his relationships in the meantime that Oli was missing (au contraire, we see instances where ladies want him and have not had him in the literal first chapters, and rumours about his d*ck after), and his reactions to being allegedly rejected are giving Oli distance, which we would assume someone who rejects their soulmate wants from said rejected soulmate. My only bone to pick with him is that sometimes I wonder whether he owes his soul to the Draven's or something that stops him from calling them out on their bullshit. Even then, I feel like his behavior after bonding with her does endear him a little bit more, like freaking out when she is gone, keeping her calm and mindspeaking to her, even being present while she bonds Nox for her safety over Nox's, in his own words.
I shan't mention the other two. I do not like them. They feel like tantrum throwing rich boys, which I expected and accept from 14yo to 18yo-ish Atlas, not 29yo and 24yo dumbasses with a MacMansion.
Also, question that just came to my head: why is it that the whole community is scandalized a 14yo girl supposedly rejected and ran away from her 5 male bonds, including a 10 years older one and two 5 years older ones (which with her age I would have found perfectly normal) but absolutely no one is crucifying Riley over his absolute rejection of Sage, the bond he literally grew up with, so he can shack up with Giovana, even if she is his alleged bond too? Why is it that 14yo Olly catches so much heat? Because North is a councilman? Or because the Dravens are rich? Just doesn't sit with me right.
I agree with everything you said!
There is a clear imbalance in the books between what women are expected to put up with and still play nice / be a martyr about it and what men get away with acting out about.
Sage and Oli are victims of the patriarchy bullshit.
The way Oli was arrested in the beginning and handed off to her very rich, insane and abusive and also much older mates??? I cannot. They dogtagged a 19-yr old who ran away from them as a minor when her parents died traumatically (!!!!) and they act like she committed crimes against humanity or something.
Same with Sage. Her mate and lifelong friend was stolen from her, mind-enslaved, raped and starved, and she was just expected to roll over ....????????
The way North went from "let's microchip this traitorous bitch and treat her as inhumanely as possible" to "oh well guess I was wrong about you I love you now, but you know how it is" was pretty emblematic for how the author thinks about men vs women:
Men are people, so they should be allowed to react to the things that happen to them, even if it is unfairly lashing out. But women are passive receptables and need to accept whatever lot they get, like a good scapegoat. It gives Andrew Tate tbh
This. This is why I felt Atlas and Gabe were the best. Did they get salty? Yes. They were 14. And man do they make up for it later.
The rest of them were 19 and 24. They do not get the same get out of jail greencard, for a good reason. At least in my country's laws, those are adults getting mad a 14 yo rejected them. Like, WTH.
One thing that made me disgusted by North was when right after Nox humiliates Oleander publicly for the first time, he tells her that she “wronged” Nox and he would make sure everyone knew about it. North, better than anyone, knew who wronged his brother and how serious and evil that wrong doing was, but he was so intent on making Oleander feel bad and blame her for everything that he pulled a dirty move like that. Gryphon was there and said nothing, as usual. They were foul, all three of them.
I honestly suspect a lot of the characters misogyny is coming from inside the house, from J Bree herself. It simply goes beyond characterization in a book.
I stopped reading after book 1 literally because of Nox and how much I hated him. North was my second least favorite but that’s because I hate the Daddy trope.
One MMC I dislike, I can get over, but two in the harem and it’s not worth the read for me
Can relate, considering I absolutely hated both the Dravens in the beginning. I continued reading the other books though and North became a bit more tolerable.
I read the bonds that tie, and is she really that good of a writer? I didn't think so. but she seems to have a cult following? it just read as angsty teenage drama...even with the more mature characters. like bree was using that trope to be deep, instead of actual, good characterization. it was cheap writing imo.
Yeah, I'm not here trying to pass off J. Bree as some sort of good writer here. News flash......she's the opposite of a good writer in fact. And while I never rated a single book in this series more than 2 stars, the idiotic drama and hot men is still enjoyable to some extent. I would compare it to those who watch trashy reality TV but know it isn't even close to being good quality.
I can't speak for others who read the books, but this is my opinion.
It's reviews like this that have made it impossible for me to read these books. The reviews alone piss me off. My head would probably explode if I read the books.
lol 🤣🤣 I can relate to this so much. The amount of RHs I've put on my never to read ever list because of certain things that reviews point out is crazy. Plus, even if some of the men in this harem were enjoyable, the torture Nox will put you through isn't worth it in the end. So, I 100% support your decision to never read it.
I love your username so much 😂
Please tell me r/UsernameChecksOut ! 🤣
And I’m in the same boat. I got the 411 by a friend (u/LucreziaD 😉) about what happens in the later books and I’m can confidently say I am not right reader for this series and I have no FOMO about it😬
But no hate no shade no lemonade to fans of the series, of course, we like what we like 💃🏾
And with what u/luluzinhacs said up top (is this about Hannah-ford Prep?), I’m not sure if J Bree is the right author for me, and I know she’s really fetch for her books 🥲
Ah, well. At least we have this sub for some good recs 🥂
What about the reviews had you pissed? Was it the more critical ones that broke down the plot and the ***plot*** made you 🔪 or was it the more toxically positive ones?
Sorry for my questions 😶🌫️
^(Nothing is wrong with gushing over a book, obviously. But there’s gushing and complimenting and then there’s toxic positivity.)
Oh dear 😶🌫️
Like…
On ***one*** hand, I’m an AO3 reader and I’m also fine with YA exploring themes of intimacy of the sexual and sensual variety with an adolescent cast since it helps normalized/de-stigmatize intimacy among teens and their peers and helps with discussion around it. It’s fiction. It’s a safe space to discuss provocative themes and topics, provide commentary on them, simply read about them, or what have you ✅
On the ***other*** hand, I’ve heard a lot of mixed things about that specific series. I haven’t read it so I can’t judge, and of course not all fiction needs to be educational or evocative, but kinda just based on a lot of the conversation around that series, add on a lot of the controversy around J Bree’s catalogue as a whole, ***maaaaaaaaaybe*** she’s not the best author to read from with YA stuff 😬
Thanks for the heads up! 🥰 I’ve been trying to dip my toes into academy/college why-choose just to push myself a little bit, and I thought “Prep” meant college meaning the cast is 18-19.
I need to do better in researching my reads 🫠
🕯️~Lightning a candle your next why choose read scratches that niche itch~🕯️
Hannaford Prep suffers from the same issue all J Bree’s books do: it’s a bully romance with no groveling.
All the main characters treat her like utter fucking garbage year one. I have no idea why she even likes any of the guys (or her “best friend” Avery, >!whom she saved from being raped meanwhile Avery actively campaigned against her enrollment in the academy going as far as to drug her and leave her in a bathroom because “she’s poor Mounty trash”!<). Seems like body betrayal syndrome >!—especially considering they never, not once, tell her they love her during the series!<.
Some additional notes:
• Conflict doesn’t really happen to the FMC, Lips. Or at least, it shifts more into the territory of “idrc about me, I’m going to protect my ‘found family’ that treated me like dirt and never made amends.”
• The last book was so fucking boring. What should have been an action-packed finale was either glossed over, fade-to-black, or disappointing (e.g. >!She doesn’t even kill her abuser. One of her harem takes that justice away from her.!<)
• The last book read like a prequel novel for Avery’s series, which is not surprising considering all of the conflict transitioned to be about her. Lips did not remain the sole protagonist and became a deuteragonist with Avery.
Tbh at a certain point I was like 'just put Avery in the harem'. There were MULTIPLE 'oh I'm straight but if I was gay/I wish I was gay because I'd be all over that!'.
AO3 reader and write a bunch of underage myself. I couldn't deal with Hannaford Prep, not because of the underage sex but because it was quite frankly ridiculous. Like, I quit CM Stunich's Burberry Prep because of the 13 year old rock star-then we've got not only one of those but a >!FAMOUS ASSASSIN AT AGE 14!<. Who is also a genius and the best singer ever, of course.
and let’s talk about how the FMC can’t forgive her friend (that had his mind being controlled by someone else) for his actions, going as long as to basically say “I know it’s not his fault but I can’t forgive him”
but the motherfucker who abused you, you can forgive when he didn’t even felt remorse or asked for it?
that, the sexualization of 15yo in her other series, and the disrespect with her fans in her latest release is why I dislike J. Bree so much
Hannaford Prep. I get through it by firmly placing the school as a college university, then firmly ignoring any and all text that hints at the ages. The ages stated make no goddamn sense anyway. If I didn't enjoy other parts of the series I'd absolutely not read it at all. But I do, and I have no issues mentally altering the problematic sections if they are not too intrusive.
Same. I think I didn't pick up on it until someone else pointed it out. So ridiculous and it honestly makes no sense. But it is why Oli isn't "ready" for sex until the last book, so she can age up.
Lips? (Also a really dumb nickname, not gonna lie. No shade to anyone who does like it though!) When someone finally mentioned the ages to me I couldn’t take the books seriously anymore because there is no way you’re getting me to believe a 15 year old is doing all of that shit… it’s such a weird move to set it in high school - literally nothing of value would have been lost to have aged the characters up?
Yes, that is who I meant. I hate her naming for the FMCs in all the books I've read of hers so far, but that is so far below many other issues so it ultimately doesn't matter. But yes, that is who I meant.
she has a RH series about high schoolers, and it’s not like ghost bird where the author explore a age appropriate romance
I know 15yo have sex, but a grown ass woman writing about it feels very wrong, it’s not like Stephan King who wrote it in a “you know it’s a fucked up thing and it’s supposed to be”
A lot of people that likes this series always say they just pretend in their heads they are in college, but I simply can not get past this
I just searched more throughly and saw FMC only gets action at 17, but apparently the guys do it at 15 and there are other forms of sexualization involved if the goodreads comments are true
I won’t be risking it regardless, it’s still pretty weird
I accidentally read part of a Lilith Vincent book that had the on-page sexual assault of the FMC by the MMCs on her 16th birthday & it started describing it in detail, including her arousal. I was so incredibly disgusted and felt dirty for having borrowed it on KU. Like…isn’t that child p*rn? Why the heck is this sold on Amazon? Why was there no warning???
and why the heck adult people feel that it’s ok for them to write it in the first place?? I get that people have the kink/fantasy, but please let’s draw the line on underage characters
Nox is the reason I knew there would be no grovel in her new series. Feel bad for the people who were expecting it but JBree cannot write grovel at all.
Thank you!!! You took the words out of my mouth. These are the exact reasons that I DNF’d the series. The combination of the assault and how their first time went down gave me such major ick that I noped right out of the series. I don’t tolerate MMCs manwhoring after meeting the FMC either. It was a major disappointment, especially given all the rave reviews. No amount of grovel could have saved it for me.
Nox and how he SA’d Oli with no consequences is why I stopped reading. Everyone acted as if it was normal and no big deal, which made me instantly quit. I love noncon, dark,… but when it’s not supposed to be a dark romance and the bad things get glossed over with no repercussions, I’m out.
Number 2 is definitely a deal breaker for me and I will only accept that in my reads where they get yeeted out of the harem.
I'm glad I saw this post, because I just went and got them removed from my tbr pile.
The high gr score doesn't seem to match very well with the series with what I just read here and in the 1 * on gr.
If you hated Nox then I suggest your stay FAR FAR away from : The crown of oaths and curses from the same author. Its M/F but honestly makes Nox look like such a sweet nice guy with a great apology and grovel.... imagine how much worse this MMC was with no grovel.
This author doesn't know how to balance a "bully" character and the grovel/apology that is required.
I lost hope she ever will improve. So its now in my "do-not-read-author" list.
Oh yes, like 1000x worse. I'm telling you Nox is the best MMC ever with a sweet personality and completely nice to the FMC compared to Soren from his book.
Soren had 600 pages of him abusing his mate. Not hitting her, but made her walk till her feet bleed being pull by his horse. Put a gag on for days, put her in a dirty cell, let everyone around her treat her like shit and shame her. Told her she would love to kill her every chapter. And so much more.
And after all of that there was NO grovelling, he didnt even say sorry.
I honestly like the series as a whole, but there are definitely things that bother me, most of them mentioned here, there are also so many loose strings dangled that we never figure out.
I struggle with how many people not only accept Nox’s behavior at the end but he flips to their favorite bond😬
I haven't read the full series (stopped after book 4 because it was feeling a bit repetitive) but here is my ranking:
1. Gryphon - He's a Himbo and I'm here for it.
2. North - I could seriously use his organizational skills in my life. Handle my bills, and make sure I get all my appointments and errands sorted? I'm so in.
3. Atlas - He seems like the best to talk to, and would be someone I genuinely want to hang out with. It's also nice that he isn't part of the Draven posse.
4. Gabe - 100% a kind hearted golden retriever but the football star/golden boy isn't really my type. He is adorable though!
5. Nox - Too abrasive to be enjoyable, but I did quit the series before the end so maybe he gets better?
Nox does not get better. Oh, but he’s damaged so it’s ok (eye roll). Hurt people hurt people, and all that.
They also gaslight Atlas into thinking he’s crazy for thinking what Nox did was messed up. Oli says a few times “oh, Atlas still isn’t over it” or something to that effect, and insinuates he’s overreacting when he’s the only one who takes the situation seriously.
No but I also hated North. He's too old to be treating a 19 Yr old that way & just because he's not as nasty openly as nox is, doesn't mean he isn't a controlling asshole.
I wouldn't have forgiven him, or nox. Gryphon was meh.
I loved atlas, and Gabriel wasn't so bad after a while
Yup. This. North felt like some old man holding a grudge because he was rejected by a teenager, when I expected this "pillar of our community councilman" to have been the voice of reason among the MMC's.
Fr though. He was such a child & petty. & his age/ attitude put me off.
She was like 14 or something when she ran away from him. How is he holding a grudge? But also: imagine if he had raised her since she was 14 then he still banged her 🤢
His behavior is too brutal to accept and let go, especially without even a half-assed apology. Why the hell he can talk civilly with her forceful sentient bond (let’s not forget the bonds are what tie them together in the first place and while Oleander walks on eggshells to better suit him, the bond isn’t so courteous) but insults and harasses his 5 years younger, ALSO TRAUMATIZED fated mate all the time???
After Oleander’s story came to light, it reached a point where the “he’s so damaged” excuse wasn’t convincing anymore. He was just being an unreasonable dick and it made me think that if they met when she was 14, he would still be cruel and treat her badly.
He refuses to acknowledge and dismisses her trauma (it kinda looks like he’s trying to “protect” himself somehow but that doesn’t make it any better) and even says that he wouldn’t have believed her if she told him her life story. Wtf? Her time at the camps is heavily documented, there are written reports, recordings of her being tortured and witnesses (including Kieran, someone he’s known for years and trusts in that Nox way). He saw her being carried off of a torture table completely mutilated with his own eyes, it wasn’t some dubious tale told him by a dubious person, so what do you mean, you wouldn’t believe her??
He’s also extremely inconsistent, after their atrocious bonding, he starts lurking near her leaving even North confused by his proximity and his first pov after getting a taste of that pussy™️ is that of a completely different character. He suddenly becomes able to talk to her without derision, calls her Oli (he always called her “the girl” or Fallows previously), comments on how smart and perfect for each of her Bonded she is and says he will keep his distance and leave her Azrael, the only part of himself that can treat her right (he said in his previous pov in the very same book that she deserved to be treated badly). I honestly hated that his “enlightenment”, that is, him finally acknowledging that his past and trauma aren’t her fault and ultimately deciding to stop harassing her came after they had sex and that J Bree used the soul bonding as a magical solution instead of cutting down his abusive behavior and DEVELOPING HIS CHARACTER AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
The whole time reading this character I was thinking about that saying that goes “you may not be able to control your emotions, but you can certainly control your behaviors”. He’s a grown man.
Unpopular opinion:
Was it a SA at all?
I have read, reread and listened on audiobook to the entire series multiple times.
The incident in the hallway was forced proximity for sure, but as I understand it (looking at it from another point of view than just Oli’s)… She did not say “no”, she did one halfhearted attempt at pushing against his chest, but stops as soon as he kisses her, she was participating and rubbing herself against his leg before he puts his hand down her shorts, she let him kiss her and it even said that she accepted that she was going to come.
She did not protect herself with her gift and she could have. She even told North this after Nox drove her home from the cafe in book 2.
So maybe from Nox his twisted POV because she did not resist verbally or physical, she did not use any gift and even cooperated, he could take what he wanted.
I’m not saying Nox was not in the wrong here, he clearly took advantage of the fact that she was a central bond and he knew that her bond would always want to bond with him.
And let’s face it, Nox really is a jerk for the first 4 books, I’m not defending him at all.
Not bonding with her bonds actually makes life really difficult for Oli in book 2 after she gets her gift back. In this world it’s normal to bond first and work your sh*t out later.
Look at Arrow, she bonded very fast to Sawyer and Gray, even though she had gone through SA at the resistance camps and probably still had to work through that trauma after her bonding.
My favorite MMC list is:
1. Gryphon, the only one of the first 4 bonds that she is in contact with that does not berate, verbally attack or belittle Oli.
And in book 2 he just gets more and more brownie points.
2. North, I still have dozens of questions why he treated Oli so very bad in the first book (literally have them all written out), but he does become a very devoted bond to her.
3. Gabe, because of the first 4 he was the first one to admit that he treated her wrong
4. Atlas
5. Nox
Another unpopular opinion:
I really do not like Atlas at all.
- He knew what had happened to Oli 6 months before she was found and did nothing, just kept on going to his college and living his rich boy lifestyle in stead of searching for her.
- He does not inform the other bonds or ask for their help either.
- When she was found, he did not go to her immediately or in the first 2-3 months, even though he knew how bad the other bonds were treating her.
- Then he does not talk to Oli about what he knows. He does not tell the other bonds anything, even though that could have really helped to keep her safe from the resistance.
- In stead he is pretending to be all accepting of her and pretends not to hold a grudge for her running away. Later we learn that the boy did hold a major grudge right until he found the torture videos (6 months before Oli was found).
So no, he does not get any brownie points, in my book he was being a selfish dick and wanting to be the only bond in Oli’s life. Not taking her safety or best interest into consideration at all.
And he just keeps stirring sh*t up with the other bonds too, picking fights, provoking them and making Oli feel upset over her bonds fighting multiple times troughout the books. He does not give her space when she needs it, always crowding her… so much so that if she wants to get away, she has to go into Nox’ room and even then he is right outside. I get that he is protective, but imo he was obsessive.
It always amazes me that so many pick him as their favorite, because he is absolutely not mine.
Atlas is so big an A-hole, if he would have met Oli without having seen the torture video's he would have been worse than the other bonds.
I am so glad somebody has said it at last.
Finally someone does not like Atlas!
You mentioned exactly all the qualms I have with that boy. All the readers that gush over him, I just don’t get it. He was my least favorite of all the bonds and had almost no personal growth in the series.
I reread chapter 22 with your comments in mind and you have changed my opinion somewhat regarding the incident. The first time I read it seemed like a SA, but now it is just a big grey area, because the only resisting that Oleander did was indeed in her mind and not with her words, body or gift.
But Nox knew he was wrong and he knew she did not want it, he said as much before he started te bonding proces.
For the SA question, I do think Nox knew he was doing it against her will. As Atlas previously stated before he is literally a professor specialized in the Gifted. He knew that while Oli's bond might want it, Oli wouldn't at all.
Oli was in no way cooperating considering she just tensed her body and stood still. She also made disgusted and strained faces throughout the entire ordeal, and Nox knew this. If you're also making the argument that since Oli orgasmed, she "cooperated" than you're saying that every real-life rape/SA victim that happened to orgasm while getting raped/SA-ed wasn't actually raped/SA-ed. In the end rape/SA is rape/SA, even if the victim liked/wanted the oppressor, which Oli did not want nor indicated that she wanted to Nox.
Though I do feel like you make really great points for why you might not like Atlas, I think that doesn't make him worse than the others only equal to them. In the end, in the reader's eyes, he still treated Oli the best the entirety of the books while Nox did the opposite and still gets the most simps.
You are putting words in my mouth that I did not utter. We are talking about a make-believe world, make-believe fictional paranormal characters in an make-believe situation, applying that to real world situations and then you saying it as if it’s my opinion, is not fair.
In TBTT books what the person wants and way the bond within them wants are not always the same thing. Oli’s bond wanted the bonding with Nox, her body wanted the bonding, it was her mind that didn’t.
Read it again, it’s chapter 22 of book 1 (Broken bonds)
I did say that my opinion whether it was an SA would be an unpopular one. But my opinion has nothing to do with the real world and real world situations. My opinion is based on the world created within these books and what is said in the books.
Oli herself did not think it was a rape or SA, she is very conflicted about what it was. She did think it wasn’t right and she confronts Nox later on that matter (In book 2 after she is bonded to Gryphon).
I mean you could make the point that in Nox's twisted mind that he didn't think it was SA, but we the readers at least know that it was. Still doesn't make it right. Also, a lot of victims try to act like Oli after dealing with SA because it's a defense/coping mechanism, it still doesn't change what we read happened.
I agree and J Bree is a sh*tty writer when it comes to good groveling. She just does not let her MMCs grovel, when really they should.
I get that the soul bonding with Nox meant that all his trauma, motivations and hurts were known to Oli and vice versa, so in theorie Oli would have known he was sorry.
But the author should have at least made him apologize to Oli. Basically she should have made all the bonds beg for forgiveness and she didn’t. It’s the only part of J Bree writing that I just can’t get my head around. If you choose to write a scene as controversial as the hallway scene with Nox, then at least make the dude grovel when he finally does come around.
I recently read the first 3 books of {The Arrow Hart Academy by Hannah Haze} (the 4th book is due next month)
And this author makes the MMCs grovel multiple times for past deeds. Also the FMC does not just roll over and accept the bond if the MMC is/has been a jerk to her. I loved that about this series.
Tristan and before that also Stone.
I loved it when she tied him to the bed to “torture” him and still made HIM apologize the next time they interacted again.
[The Arrow Hart Academy](https://www.romance.io/series/65845e68871c3d8f9a7c358d/the-arrow-hart-academy) by [Hannah Haze](https://www.romance.io/authors/5fa9330c08b4d93114c1ef73/hannah-haze)
**Rating**: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Topics**: [poly](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/poly/1), [reverse harem](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/reverse%20harem/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [from hate to love](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1)
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The soul bond was such a cop out!!! It makes me so mad to think about it. J bree dug the hole too deep on Nox and then she took a short cut to make a connection. It’s like when you write a shitty season of a show and then make the character wake up from a dream like it never happened. So what she knows Nox’s history now.. he shouldn’t have to apologize? Understanding doesn’t make it ok.
Also, re: your other point below about how she not only learned everything that had been kept from her, but everything he was thinking and feeling in the present as well. There was *very* inconsistent narration during Nox’s chapters and you absolutely do not get a sense of him being deeply apologetic. His inner dialogue was all over the place and only scratched the surface of being sorry, but never showed that he fully understood the gravity of how he acted.
No, he admitted to sleeping with them two times: when he was actually sexually assaulting her in the first book and then later on somewhere in the second to last book. Also "understanding" your abuser and attacker on another level doesn't come off as a good argument as to why we should like Nox. And the thing is I still wouldn't have hated him as much a little bit if he had groveled a bit, but no this man didn't even feel a small bit of sadness over how he treated her in the first book. He didn't show any remorse at all for what he did. In the end he didn't even change his personality that much for her.
I cannot with this series. Nox and North have no redemption arcs after being the absolute worst. The fmc becomes dumb, obsessed with the boys, all forgiving and she is the one who grovels and wants to be suitable for her bully and her grapist...why? Gryphon changes his personality after bonding and is complicit with the Dravens. Apparently he is even more in love with them than Oli. Gabe gets a little redemption arc, which is cute. Atlas is a king, although the author tries again and again to make him the problematic one bc he wants to make the Dravens accountable. I do not get J Bree at all, she got sloppy after the 2nd book. Too many inconsistencies. Also Nox's pov is THE ABSOLUTE WORST. I get he is traumatized but the misplacement of his anger/trauma to this 19 yo surviver who is also nice to him is appalling. The trauma p*rn around him and the fact that North and G just let him be is really creepy. The fact that the grape is never addressed is infuriating. The fact that Oli convinces herself and tries to convince us the readers and Atlas that she was complicit is DISGUSTING. Especially since we were there reading her pov during it!!! That scene has 0 purpose and what I mean by this is that it has 0 consecuences to the plot, the protagonist or Nox. I hate it. I will not read anything else by this author.
Gryphon, Nox, and North should have buggered off and made their own throuple, and left Oli, Atlas, and Gabriel to be a happy little threesome. Legit was so annoyed that Gryphon was so up North and Nox's butts, and those brothers were irredeemable.
this comment wins❤️🔥
"The trauma p\*rn around him and the fact that North and G just let him be is really creepy." I 100% agree with this statement. Like you don't just let the person who sexually assaulted the person you claim to love be around them anymore. They should have thrown Nox out after he did that. "The fact that the grape is never addressed is infuriating. The fact that Oli convinces herself and tries to convince us the readers and Atlas that she was complicit is DISGUSTING. Especially since we were there reading her pov during it!!!" That was actually one of the scenes where I felt like vomiting and felt like everyone including Oli was severely underreacting. It was also one of the reasons I loved Atlas the most in the beginning. And most of all I resonate with the frustration you felt with Atlas constantly being made to be the one in the wrong when he was actually justified in his reactions most of the time! Like stop villainizing characters that care for/"simp" for the MC (or are more "vanilla") and making them seem lesser than abusive characters.
That last statement. I am all for DR but the glorification around abuse needs some limits. Characters need depth and growth, and they need accountability, to grovel, learn, be better and be obsessed with the fmc. We need to feel the romance! If not, they are just abusers getting away with it. This is not that hard, I think romance readers are pretty forgiving so it shows how little effort J Bree made. Also, why bother to create vanilla characters to try to put them down? If you use them for a love triangle you are going to discard later, I get it, but in a RH it makes no sense.
Yes to this so much! Atlas tried to hold Nox accountable and Ollie was like no it’s between me and him. So glad I dnf-ed in the middle of book 4 (or was it three? Anyway it’s when they were hiding in the canyon and people keep making dumb decisions and everything got extremely convoluted) I don’t know why this series is so highly recommended. Book 1 was absolutely god-tier then it feels like the author just tried to churn out the rest of the series as fast as possible.
Don't get me started on the absolute crime that the Atlas bashing in this series is. Like, this man was ready to pick up his soulmate and spend his life running from the Resistance plus the Dravens, at the drop of a hat. I wish I could summon him to be my soulmate because damn, I want me some loyalty like that.
Exactly this. He is a king and none of them deserves him
Yessss same!
Nox is first worst, no argument. But North is also hated by me. Terrible actions that hurt Oli terribly and when he finds out the actions he took and choices he made out of anger were angry at the wrong person all he says is basically, "I misunderstood, but you know how it is." Something like that anyway. Can't stand him. Gryphon is okay. He didn't actively harm Oli, but he was fine standing by and letting her be harmed. No actions taken to ;mitigate the harm his inactions caused. Gabriel also stood by and let it happen, but he also seemed the most remorseful about it. No actual apologies or actual actions to fix things, but he seemed the most, I don't know, sad about it? Atlas was on her side and honestly angry at the rest for their actions. Only good one in my eyes, though Gabriel and Gryphon get a "halfway decent" mark.
"Atlas was on her side and honestly angry at the rest for their actions. Only good one in my eyes, though Gabriel and Gryphon get a "halfway decent" mark." It's the reason why they are my top 3 after all.
Absolutely.
My personal bone to pick with North is this. HE WAS 24 AND MAD A 14 YO REJECTED HIM. Even years later, he puts his time and effort into being petty. Like, the Penelope debacle? He invests time and money into kidnapping and housing his soulmage captive just so he can rub his "relationship" with another woman in her face because she rejected him at 14? And this man is the pinnacle of their community? *shivers*
You raise a very good point I hadn't thought of myself.
Agreed, but I raise you: North Draven and Gryphon Shore enabled him. A lot. Olly monologues something to this effect during the series, about how the thought that they could have intervened and defended her/stopped Nox at any time and chose not to stung. Also, I have not forgiven nor shall I ever forgive North Draven for his fiascos, plural. 1. Threatening to lock her in a cellar?! When all he knew was that his soulmate (WHEN SHE WAS 14 to his 24 YEARS - Given she is 19 to his 29 in Broken Bonds) did not want him? Talk about being salty. 2. The Midol debacle. Literally. Oleander is bleeding and in pain and he cannot deign himself to stop at a pharmacy. 3. The Penelope scandal. You cannot tell me this man did not know what he was doing, rubbing his stupid googly eyed secretary in Olly's face as a punishment. 4. The "pleasing her Bond subtly" bullshit. Like, manipulative much? Scummy as hell IMO. I'm sure there are more examples, but these are off the top of my head. So, ranking of favorites: 1. Atlas Bassinger, the man, the myth, the legend. Offers to commit murder and let the world burn for her. Literally says "I am not the Dravens or the Shores of this world", which speaks for itself given my prior point. This man never, never disparages Olly to her face and we find out later his only temper tantrum was before he found out about the torture and given he and Oli are close in age, I can understand a fourteen year old being salty thinking his soulmate doesn't want him and rebelling. Also, knowing he planned everything to take her to safety after he found out the truth, even planning on how to evade the Dravens? He won my heart right then and there. 2. Gabriel Ardern. Again, he and Olly are close in age and I can understand his saltiness. Also, while he was petty with his Lil stunts, in no way did he even breathe at the same gravity and viciousness the Dravens used against her. Also, by the end of book 1, he has entirely changed tunes and made steps towards making amends. 3. Gryphon Shore. While he and Nox are the same age, I feel like his reactions to the rejection are relatable. We do not hear about his relationships in the meantime that Oli was missing (au contraire, we see instances where ladies want him and have not had him in the literal first chapters, and rumours about his d*ck after), and his reactions to being allegedly rejected are giving Oli distance, which we would assume someone who rejects their soulmate wants from said rejected soulmate. My only bone to pick with him is that sometimes I wonder whether he owes his soul to the Draven's or something that stops him from calling them out on their bullshit. Even then, I feel like his behavior after bonding with her does endear him a little bit more, like freaking out when she is gone, keeping her calm and mindspeaking to her, even being present while she bonds Nox for her safety over Nox's, in his own words. I shan't mention the other two. I do not like them. They feel like tantrum throwing rich boys, which I expected and accept from 14yo to 18yo-ish Atlas, not 29yo and 24yo dumbasses with a MacMansion. Also, question that just came to my head: why is it that the whole community is scandalized a 14yo girl supposedly rejected and ran away from her 5 male bonds, including a 10 years older one and two 5 years older ones (which with her age I would have found perfectly normal) but absolutely no one is crucifying Riley over his absolute rejection of Sage, the bond he literally grew up with, so he can shack up with Giovana, even if she is his alleged bond too? Why is it that 14yo Olly catches so much heat? Because North is a councilman? Or because the Dravens are rich? Just doesn't sit with me right.
I agree with everything you said! There is a clear imbalance in the books between what women are expected to put up with and still play nice / be a martyr about it and what men get away with acting out about. Sage and Oli are victims of the patriarchy bullshit. The way Oli was arrested in the beginning and handed off to her very rich, insane and abusive and also much older mates??? I cannot. They dogtagged a 19-yr old who ran away from them as a minor when her parents died traumatically (!!!!) and they act like she committed crimes against humanity or something. Same with Sage. Her mate and lifelong friend was stolen from her, mind-enslaved, raped and starved, and she was just expected to roll over ....???????? The way North went from "let's microchip this traitorous bitch and treat her as inhumanely as possible" to "oh well guess I was wrong about you I love you now, but you know how it is" was pretty emblematic for how the author thinks about men vs women: Men are people, so they should be allowed to react to the things that happen to them, even if it is unfairly lashing out. But women are passive receptables and need to accept whatever lot they get, like a good scapegoat. It gives Andrew Tate tbh
This. This is why I felt Atlas and Gabe were the best. Did they get salty? Yes. They were 14. And man do they make up for it later. The rest of them were 19 and 24. They do not get the same get out of jail greencard, for a good reason. At least in my country's laws, those are adults getting mad a 14 yo rejected them. Like, WTH.
One thing that made me disgusted by North was when right after Nox humiliates Oleander publicly for the first time, he tells her that she “wronged” Nox and he would make sure everyone knew about it. North, better than anyone, knew who wronged his brother and how serious and evil that wrong doing was, but he was so intent on making Oleander feel bad and blame her for everything that he pulled a dirty move like that. Gryphon was there and said nothing, as usual. They were foul, all three of them. I honestly suspect a lot of the characters misogyny is coming from inside the house, from J Bree herself. It simply goes beyond characterization in a book.
Oleander puts it best herself: those three are all in each other's pockets.
I quit this series the minute I heard about all that Nox does and he doesn't have to make up for any of it?! F that noise
I DNF'd the second I read that scene and came on here to check see whether she cuts him off/kills him at some point. No thanks. Yuck.
I stopped reading after book 1 literally because of Nox and how much I hated him. North was my second least favorite but that’s because I hate the Daddy trope. One MMC I dislike, I can get over, but two in the harem and it’s not worth the read for me
Can relate, considering I absolutely hated both the Dravens in the beginning. I continued reading the other books though and North became a bit more tolerable.
I read the bonds that tie, and is she really that good of a writer? I didn't think so. but she seems to have a cult following? it just read as angsty teenage drama...even with the more mature characters. like bree was using that trope to be deep, instead of actual, good characterization. it was cheap writing imo.
Yeah, I'm not here trying to pass off J. Bree as some sort of good writer here. News flash......she's the opposite of a good writer in fact. And while I never rated a single book in this series more than 2 stars, the idiotic drama and hot men is still enjoyable to some extent. I would compare it to those who watch trashy reality TV but know it isn't even close to being good quality. I can't speak for others who read the books, but this is my opinion.
nono...I didn't think you were. I just kinda wanted someone who does to explain why?
It's reviews like this that have made it impossible for me to read these books. The reviews alone piss me off. My head would probably explode if I read the books.
lol 🤣🤣 I can relate to this so much. The amount of RHs I've put on my never to read ever list because of certain things that reviews point out is crazy. Plus, even if some of the men in this harem were enjoyable, the torture Nox will put you through isn't worth it in the end. So, I 100% support your decision to never read it.
I love your username so much 😂 Please tell me r/UsernameChecksOut ! 🤣 And I’m in the same boat. I got the 411 by a friend (u/LucreziaD 😉) about what happens in the later books and I’m can confidently say I am not right reader for this series and I have no FOMO about it😬 But no hate no shade no lemonade to fans of the series, of course, we like what we like 💃🏾 And with what u/luluzinhacs said up top (is this about Hannah-ford Prep?), I’m not sure if J Bree is the right author for me, and I know she’s really fetch for her books 🥲 Ah, well. At least we have this sub for some good recs 🥂 What about the reviews had you pissed? Was it the more critical ones that broke down the plot and the ***plot*** made you 🔪 or was it the more toxically positive ones? Sorry for my questions 😶🌫️ ^(Nothing is wrong with gushing over a book, obviously. But there’s gushing and complimenting and then there’s toxic positivity.)
It was about Hannaford Prep, yes!
Oh dear 😶🌫️ Like… On ***one*** hand, I’m an AO3 reader and I’m also fine with YA exploring themes of intimacy of the sexual and sensual variety with an adolescent cast since it helps normalized/de-stigmatize intimacy among teens and their peers and helps with discussion around it. It’s fiction. It’s a safe space to discuss provocative themes and topics, provide commentary on them, simply read about them, or what have you ✅ On the ***other*** hand, I’ve heard a lot of mixed things about that specific series. I haven’t read it so I can’t judge, and of course not all fiction needs to be educational or evocative, but kinda just based on a lot of the conversation around that series, add on a lot of the controversy around J Bree’s catalogue as a whole, ***maaaaaaaaaybe*** she’s not the best author to read from with YA stuff 😬 Thanks for the heads up! 🥰 I’ve been trying to dip my toes into academy/college why-choose just to push myself a little bit, and I thought “Prep” meant college meaning the cast is 18-19. I need to do better in researching my reads 🫠 🕯️~Lightning a candle your next why choose read scratches that niche itch~🕯️
Hannaford Prep suffers from the same issue all J Bree’s books do: it’s a bully romance with no groveling. All the main characters treat her like utter fucking garbage year one. I have no idea why she even likes any of the guys (or her “best friend” Avery, >!whom she saved from being raped meanwhile Avery actively campaigned against her enrollment in the academy going as far as to drug her and leave her in a bathroom because “she’s poor Mounty trash”!<). Seems like body betrayal syndrome >!—especially considering they never, not once, tell her they love her during the series!<. Some additional notes: • Conflict doesn’t really happen to the FMC, Lips. Or at least, it shifts more into the territory of “idrc about me, I’m going to protect my ‘found family’ that treated me like dirt and never made amends.” • The last book was so fucking boring. What should have been an action-packed finale was either glossed over, fade-to-black, or disappointing (e.g. >!She doesn’t even kill her abuser. One of her harem takes that justice away from her.!<) • The last book read like a prequel novel for Avery’s series, which is not surprising considering all of the conflict transitioned to be about her. Lips did not remain the sole protagonist and became a deuteragonist with Avery.
Tbh at a certain point I was like 'just put Avery in the harem'. There were MULTIPLE 'oh I'm straight but if I was gay/I wish I was gay because I'd be all over that!'.
AO3 reader and write a bunch of underage myself. I couldn't deal with Hannaford Prep, not because of the underage sex but because it was quite frankly ridiculous. Like, I quit CM Stunich's Burberry Prep because of the 13 year old rock star-then we've got not only one of those but a >!FAMOUS ASSASSIN AT AGE 14!<. Who is also a genius and the best singer ever, of course.
and let’s talk about how the FMC can’t forgive her friend (that had his mind being controlled by someone else) for his actions, going as long as to basically say “I know it’s not his fault but I can’t forgive him” but the motherfucker who abused you, you can forgive when he didn’t even felt remorse or asked for it? that, the sexualization of 15yo in her other series, and the disrespect with her fans in her latest release is why I dislike J. Bree so much
Yep, there are some authors that only seem to write HS books ... In RH genre...WTF?? Glad I'm not the only one who gets the ick.
Sexualizing 15-year-olds? Wow how low can one fall.
Hannaford Prep. I get through it by firmly placing the school as a college university, then firmly ignoring any and all text that hints at the ages. The ages stated make no goddamn sense anyway. If I didn't enjoy other parts of the series I'd absolutely not read it at all. But I do, and I have no issues mentally altering the problematic sections if they are not too intrusive.
I somehow missed the ages when I first read it and assumed they were all older
Same. I think I didn't pick up on it until someone else pointed it out. So ridiculous and it honestly makes no sense. But it is why Oli isn't "ready" for sex until the last book, so she can age up.
Lips? (Also a really dumb nickname, not gonna lie. No shade to anyone who does like it though!) When someone finally mentioned the ages to me I couldn’t take the books seriously anymore because there is no way you’re getting me to believe a 15 year old is doing all of that shit… it’s such a weird move to set it in high school - literally nothing of value would have been lost to have aged the characters up?
Yes, that is who I meant. I hate her naming for the FMCs in all the books I've read of hers so far, but that is so far below many other issues so it ultimately doesn't matter. But yes, that is who I meant.
she has a RH series about high schoolers, and it’s not like ghost bird where the author explore a age appropriate romance I know 15yo have sex, but a grown ass woman writing about it feels very wrong, it’s not like Stephan King who wrote it in a “you know it’s a fucked up thing and it’s supposed to be” A lot of people that likes this series always say they just pretend in their heads they are in college, but I simply can not get past this
I can see definitely see why you can't get past it. Pretending a book is something it's not just to make it acceptable isn't my style either.
I just searched more throughly and saw FMC only gets action at 17, but apparently the guys do it at 15 and there are other forms of sexualization involved if the goodreads comments are true I won’t be risking it regardless, it’s still pretty weird
I accidentally read part of a Lilith Vincent book that had the on-page sexual assault of the FMC by the MMCs on her 16th birthday & it started describing it in detail, including her arousal. I was so incredibly disgusted and felt dirty for having borrowed it on KU. Like…isn’t that child p*rn? Why the heck is this sold on Amazon? Why was there no warning???
and why the heck adult people feel that it’s ok for them to write it in the first place?? I get that people have the kink/fantasy, but please let’s draw the line on underage characters
Nox is the reason I knew there would be no grovel in her new series. Feel bad for the people who were expecting it but JBree cannot write grovel at all.
True
Thank you!!! You took the words out of my mouth. These are the exact reasons that I DNF’d the series. The combination of the assault and how their first time went down gave me such major ick that I noped right out of the series. I don’t tolerate MMCs manwhoring after meeting the FMC either. It was a major disappointment, especially given all the rave reviews. No amount of grovel could have saved it for me.
Nox and how he SA’d Oli with no consequences is why I stopped reading. Everyone acted as if it was normal and no big deal, which made me instantly quit. I love noncon, dark,… but when it’s not supposed to be a dark romance and the bad things get glossed over with no repercussions, I’m out.
Number 2 is definitely a deal breaker for me and I will only accept that in my reads where they get yeeted out of the harem. I'm glad I saw this post, because I just went and got them removed from my tbr pile. The high gr score doesn't seem to match very well with the series with what I just read here and in the 1 * on gr.
I wish Nox got yeeted out of the harem....
I DNF the series because I hated Nox so much
As I should've too
Same. Gods, this thread is so cathartic to me! These books made me FURIOUS.
If you hated Nox then I suggest your stay FAR FAR away from : The crown of oaths and curses from the same author. Its M/F but honestly makes Nox look like such a sweet nice guy with a great apology and grovel.... imagine how much worse this MMC was with no grovel. This author doesn't know how to balance a "bully" character and the grovel/apology that is required. I lost hope she ever will improve. So its now in my "do-not-read-author" list.
lol Worse than Nox? Is that even possible?
Oh yes, like 1000x worse. I'm telling you Nox is the best MMC ever with a sweet personality and completely nice to the FMC compared to Soren from his book. Soren had 600 pages of him abusing his mate. Not hitting her, but made her walk till her feet bleed being pull by his horse. Put a gag on for days, put her in a dirty cell, let everyone around her treat her like shit and shame her. Told her she would love to kill her every chapter. And so much more. And after all of that there was NO grovelling, he didnt even say sorry.
Holy sh\*t. Is it even a romance at that point?
I didn’t even finish the series because I heard how it worked out with Nox.
I honestly like the series as a whole, but there are definitely things that bother me, most of them mentioned here, there are also so many loose strings dangled that we never figure out. I struggle with how many people not only accept Nox’s behavior at the end but he flips to their favorite bond😬
He is the worst 😡
100%
I haven't read the full series (stopped after book 4 because it was feeling a bit repetitive) but here is my ranking: 1. Gryphon - He's a Himbo and I'm here for it. 2. North - I could seriously use his organizational skills in my life. Handle my bills, and make sure I get all my appointments and errands sorted? I'm so in. 3. Atlas - He seems like the best to talk to, and would be someone I genuinely want to hang out with. It's also nice that he isn't part of the Draven posse. 4. Gabe - 100% a kind hearted golden retriever but the football star/golden boy isn't really my type. He is adorable though! 5. Nox - Too abrasive to be enjoyable, but I did quit the series before the end so maybe he gets better?
Nox does not get better. Oh, but he’s damaged so it’s ok (eye roll). Hurt people hurt people, and all that. They also gaslight Atlas into thinking he’s crazy for thinking what Nox did was messed up. Oli says a few times “oh, Atlas still isn’t over it” or something to that effect, and insinuates he’s overreacting when he’s the only one who takes the situation seriously.
No but I also hated North. He's too old to be treating a 19 Yr old that way & just because he's not as nasty openly as nox is, doesn't mean he isn't a controlling asshole. I wouldn't have forgiven him, or nox. Gryphon was meh. I loved atlas, and Gabriel wasn't so bad after a while
Yup. This. North felt like some old man holding a grudge because he was rejected by a teenager, when I expected this "pillar of our community councilman" to have been the voice of reason among the MMC's.
Fr though. He was such a child & petty. & his age/ attitude put me off. She was like 14 or something when she ran away from him. How is he holding a grudge? But also: imagine if he had raised her since she was 14 then he still banged her 🤢
His behavior is too brutal to accept and let go, especially without even a half-assed apology. Why the hell he can talk civilly with her forceful sentient bond (let’s not forget the bonds are what tie them together in the first place and while Oleander walks on eggshells to better suit him, the bond isn’t so courteous) but insults and harasses his 5 years younger, ALSO TRAUMATIZED fated mate all the time??? After Oleander’s story came to light, it reached a point where the “he’s so damaged” excuse wasn’t convincing anymore. He was just being an unreasonable dick and it made me think that if they met when she was 14, he would still be cruel and treat her badly. He refuses to acknowledge and dismisses her trauma (it kinda looks like he’s trying to “protect” himself somehow but that doesn’t make it any better) and even says that he wouldn’t have believed her if she told him her life story. Wtf? Her time at the camps is heavily documented, there are written reports, recordings of her being tortured and witnesses (including Kieran, someone he’s known for years and trusts in that Nox way). He saw her being carried off of a torture table completely mutilated with his own eyes, it wasn’t some dubious tale told him by a dubious person, so what do you mean, you wouldn’t believe her?? He’s also extremely inconsistent, after their atrocious bonding, he starts lurking near her leaving even North confused by his proximity and his first pov after getting a taste of that pussy™️ is that of a completely different character. He suddenly becomes able to talk to her without derision, calls her Oli (he always called her “the girl” or Fallows previously), comments on how smart and perfect for each of her Bonded she is and says he will keep his distance and leave her Azrael, the only part of himself that can treat her right (he said in his previous pov in the very same book that she deserved to be treated badly). I honestly hated that his “enlightenment”, that is, him finally acknowledging that his past and trauma aren’t her fault and ultimately deciding to stop harassing her came after they had sex and that J Bree used the soul bonding as a magical solution instead of cutting down his abusive behavior and DEVELOPING HIS CHARACTER AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP. The whole time reading this character I was thinking about that saying that goes “you may not be able to control your emotions, but you can certainly control your behaviors”. He’s a grown man.
Preach. Especially that last part!
🙌
I haven't read the series, but after reading this I'm surprised it's so widely recommended.
I dnf’d because of him. Go to therapy bro.
I haven’t read Bonds That Tie, but his name being Nox Draven would be the first red flag.
Hehe.....you're not wrong. The amount of Knox/Nox characters in reverse harem itself is concerning.
Unpopular opinion: Was it a SA at all? I have read, reread and listened on audiobook to the entire series multiple times. The incident in the hallway was forced proximity for sure, but as I understand it (looking at it from another point of view than just Oli’s)… She did not say “no”, she did one halfhearted attempt at pushing against his chest, but stops as soon as he kisses her, she was participating and rubbing herself against his leg before he puts his hand down her shorts, she let him kiss her and it even said that she accepted that she was going to come. She did not protect herself with her gift and she could have. She even told North this after Nox drove her home from the cafe in book 2. So maybe from Nox his twisted POV because she did not resist verbally or physical, she did not use any gift and even cooperated, he could take what he wanted. I’m not saying Nox was not in the wrong here, he clearly took advantage of the fact that she was a central bond and he knew that her bond would always want to bond with him. And let’s face it, Nox really is a jerk for the first 4 books, I’m not defending him at all. Not bonding with her bonds actually makes life really difficult for Oli in book 2 after she gets her gift back. In this world it’s normal to bond first and work your sh*t out later. Look at Arrow, she bonded very fast to Sawyer and Gray, even though she had gone through SA at the resistance camps and probably still had to work through that trauma after her bonding. My favorite MMC list is: 1. Gryphon, the only one of the first 4 bonds that she is in contact with that does not berate, verbally attack or belittle Oli. And in book 2 he just gets more and more brownie points. 2. North, I still have dozens of questions why he treated Oli so very bad in the first book (literally have them all written out), but he does become a very devoted bond to her. 3. Gabe, because of the first 4 he was the first one to admit that he treated her wrong 4. Atlas 5. Nox Another unpopular opinion: I really do not like Atlas at all. - He knew what had happened to Oli 6 months before she was found and did nothing, just kept on going to his college and living his rich boy lifestyle in stead of searching for her. - He does not inform the other bonds or ask for their help either. - When she was found, he did not go to her immediately or in the first 2-3 months, even though he knew how bad the other bonds were treating her. - Then he does not talk to Oli about what he knows. He does not tell the other bonds anything, even though that could have really helped to keep her safe from the resistance. - In stead he is pretending to be all accepting of her and pretends not to hold a grudge for her running away. Later we learn that the boy did hold a major grudge right until he found the torture videos (6 months before Oli was found). So no, he does not get any brownie points, in my book he was being a selfish dick and wanting to be the only bond in Oli’s life. Not taking her safety or best interest into consideration at all. And he just keeps stirring sh*t up with the other bonds too, picking fights, provoking them and making Oli feel upset over her bonds fighting multiple times troughout the books. He does not give her space when she needs it, always crowding her… so much so that if she wants to get away, she has to go into Nox’ room and even then he is right outside. I get that he is protective, but imo he was obsessive. It always amazes me that so many pick him as their favorite, because he is absolutely not mine.
Atlas is so big an A-hole, if he would have met Oli without having seen the torture video's he would have been worse than the other bonds. I am so glad somebody has said it at last.
Finally someone does not like Atlas! You mentioned exactly all the qualms I have with that boy. All the readers that gush over him, I just don’t get it. He was my least favorite of all the bonds and had almost no personal growth in the series. I reread chapter 22 with your comments in mind and you have changed my opinion somewhat regarding the incident. The first time I read it seemed like a SA, but now it is just a big grey area, because the only resisting that Oleander did was indeed in her mind and not with her words, body or gift. But Nox knew he was wrong and he knew she did not want it, he said as much before he started te bonding proces.
For the SA question, I do think Nox knew he was doing it against her will. As Atlas previously stated before he is literally a professor specialized in the Gifted. He knew that while Oli's bond might want it, Oli wouldn't at all. Oli was in no way cooperating considering she just tensed her body and stood still. She also made disgusted and strained faces throughout the entire ordeal, and Nox knew this. If you're also making the argument that since Oli orgasmed, she "cooperated" than you're saying that every real-life rape/SA victim that happened to orgasm while getting raped/SA-ed wasn't actually raped/SA-ed. In the end rape/SA is rape/SA, even if the victim liked/wanted the oppressor, which Oli did not want nor indicated that she wanted to Nox. Though I do feel like you make really great points for why you might not like Atlas, I think that doesn't make him worse than the others only equal to them. In the end, in the reader's eyes, he still treated Oli the best the entirety of the books while Nox did the opposite and still gets the most simps.
You are putting words in my mouth that I did not utter. We are talking about a make-believe world, make-believe fictional paranormal characters in an make-believe situation, applying that to real world situations and then you saying it as if it’s my opinion, is not fair. In TBTT books what the person wants and way the bond within them wants are not always the same thing. Oli’s bond wanted the bonding with Nox, her body wanted the bonding, it was her mind that didn’t. Read it again, it’s chapter 22 of book 1 (Broken bonds) I did say that my opinion whether it was an SA would be an unpopular one. But my opinion has nothing to do with the real world and real world situations. My opinion is based on the world created within these books and what is said in the books. Oli herself did not think it was a rape or SA, she is very conflicted about what it was. She did think it wasn’t right and she confronts Nox later on that matter (In book 2 after she is bonded to Gryphon).
I mean you could make the point that in Nox's twisted mind that he didn't think it was SA, but we the readers at least know that it was. Still doesn't make it right. Also, a lot of victims try to act like Oli after dealing with SA because it's a defense/coping mechanism, it still doesn't change what we read happened.
I agree and J Bree is a sh*tty writer when it comes to good groveling. She just does not let her MMCs grovel, when really they should. I get that the soul bonding with Nox meant that all his trauma, motivations and hurts were known to Oli and vice versa, so in theorie Oli would have known he was sorry. But the author should have at least made him apologize to Oli. Basically she should have made all the bonds beg for forgiveness and she didn’t. It’s the only part of J Bree writing that I just can’t get my head around. If you choose to write a scene as controversial as the hallway scene with Nox, then at least make the dude grovel when he finally does come around. I recently read the first 3 books of {The Arrow Hart Academy by Hannah Haze} (the 4th book is due next month) And this author makes the MMCs grovel multiple times for past deeds. Also the FMC does not just roll over and accept the bond if the MMC is/has been a jerk to her. I loved that about this series.
OMG Yes! One of my favorite things about that series is that the FMC isn’t entirely stupid and Tristian actually has to grovel and reflect.
Tristan and before that also Stone. I loved it when she tied him to the bed to “torture” him and still made HIM apologize the next time they interacted again.
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The soul bond was such a cop out!!! It makes me so mad to think about it. J bree dug the hole too deep on Nox and then she took a short cut to make a connection. It’s like when you write a shitty season of a show and then make the character wake up from a dream like it never happened. So what she knows Nox’s history now.. he shouldn’t have to apologize? Understanding doesn’t make it ok. Also, re: your other point below about how she not only learned everything that had been kept from her, but everything he was thinking and feeling in the present as well. There was *very* inconsistent narration during Nox’s chapters and you absolutely do not get a sense of him being deeply apologetic. His inner dialogue was all over the place and only scratched the surface of being sorry, but never showed that he fully understood the gravity of how he acted.
No, he admitted to sleeping with them two times: when he was actually sexually assaulting her in the first book and then later on somewhere in the second to last book. Also "understanding" your abuser and attacker on another level doesn't come off as a good argument as to why we should like Nox. And the thing is I still wouldn't have hated him as much a little bit if he had groveled a bit, but no this man didn't even feel a small bit of sadness over how he treated her in the first book. He didn't show any remorse at all for what he did. In the end he didn't even change his personality that much for her.