Um Passado com Espinhos

by Clara Ann Simons

"Crow" Hollander deixou para trás um passado cheio de espinhos... ou assim ela pensava.
Ao sair da prisão, garantiram-lhe que se abria diante dela a oportunidade de uma nova vida. Mas, todas as noites, em seu minúsculo apartamento, a liberdade tão desejada mais parece um arresto domiciliar no qual só encontra solidão e portas fechadas. Ninguém quer contratar uma ex-presidiária.
E quando a sua característica rosa negra aparece ao lado de um cadáver, tudo se torna muito mais confuso.
Ela se torna imediatamente a principal suspeita de um crime que não cometeu e ver-se-á obrigada a mergulhar na retorcida mente de um perigoso assassino em série para provar sua inocência.
Embora, talvez, o maior perigo seja começar a sentir algo pela detetive que jurou prendê-la para sempre.
Porque a linha que separa a paixão da loucura é tão tênue quanto as afiadas espinhas de uma rosa.

Genres: Lesbian, LGBT

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2024

Reviews

[Sam’s Sapphic Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 47%

I really tend to not DNF books and push through, but I can’t get myself to do that this time.

I just couldn’t get over the writing, and i’m trying not to be brutal, but it simply was not good. It felt very mediocre and couldn’t get me attached at all.

Bad bad bad.

[SainteCrystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible, bad writing, stereotypical characters, bad police writing with probably zero research done besides watching cop shows and there was a typo with a character named Caleb that was at one point also called Kaleb. Felt like fanfiction writing and not the good kind.

[Julián Lacasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

UN PASADO CON ESPINAS de Clara Ann Simons (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Lisbeth Salander al estilo Simons

@claraannsimons vuelve a la novela policíaca, y con la experiencia que le ha dado centrar sus últimas novelas en los Estados Unidos, sobre todo en su serie de doctoras de hospital, donde se mueve como nadie.
Dos mujeres diferentes a ambos lados de la Ley que se acabarán enamorando y colaborando. El enorme carisma y fuerza de ambas ayuda en una trama que no es de las mejores de Simons, sobre todo en la parte final.
El personaje de Crow me recordaba mucho a Lisbeth Salander, con un igualmente terrible pasado. Se lee rápido como cualquier novela policíaca, y tiene a veces un tono como una serie televisiva.

#claraannsimons
#unpasadoconespinas
#novelalesbica

[clara · Rating 2 out of 5]

'A Thorny Past' is a perfect read to get out of a reading slump, I'd say. The plot is fast paced and the short chapters bring that illusion of it not being a heavy read; they have you endlessly saying "just one more chapter" and, when you want to realize about it, you're halfway through the book already.

That said, there were many things that didn't click with me.

Reading 'A Thorny Past' felt like reading fanfiction, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, if that's what you're looking for in a book. Sadly, that's not my interest, since I'm opening a book, not ao3.

As I said, the action is fast paced, which gives the book a lot of dynamism. However, at times, it felt scarce on the details about the case, while it lost itself in too much computer/tech talk in the hopes of the narration feeling more real or professional.
This also affected the characters' relationship which, to me, felt rushed. I understand this is a novella, and some licenses have to be taken to fit so much story into its less than 200 pages, but the evolution of the main characters felt unjustified. Yes, they shared a past as police-criminal, but they truly went from that to insta-love/lust, which is not a topic I'm too excited about.

Some topics also felt redundant, be it by the relentless repetition of some sentences across the narration, or by introducing some topics that are, many chapters later, picked up again with the surprise of the characters involved (as if this were their first time dealing with the topic, when they had come in contact with it a while back).

And the typos... I don't know if it was my just my copy/version, but the names of the characters just danced around in various formats; there were a couple of 'he/she' misunderstandings; and we have one character calling her own name instead of her love interest's at some point.
That was a bit disappointing, in my opinion.

Bottom line is, if you're looking for a quick, kind of lighthearted read with sapphic main characters and sex scenes, then this is the book for you.

[Lindsay Ottens · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me forever to read this… I’m not a fan of mystery’s… it was hard for me to connect with these characters. When I first read the blurb I was instantly interested but that quickly changed. For a hardened criminal, Crow is extremely immature. The dialogue between the two main characters felt forced and awkward. Then it goes all insta love/lust and even though the sex was hot he story was lacking. And the end… even though I didn’t see that coming it was still anticlimactic.

[Ire Gil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solo por ser un GL le daria una puntuación alta, la verdad que esperaba un mejor desarrollo del romance, algo más enemies to lovers pero se quedó corto, el misterio bien, bastante interesante, ah y la gran cantidad de palabrotas y frases sacadas de wattpad es impresionante...

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

La libertad no me ha traído la paz que esperaba. Me siento todavía encadenada. Quizá ahora, no por las normas de la prisión, sino por los prejuicios de una sociedad que se niega a aceptarme. Un sistema en el que el pasado pesa más que el presente.

[Jaziah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like it

I'm not sure olif if it wasn't long enough but I wanted more. The story line was very easy to follow and the MC's had me rooting for them the entire time.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buena historia. Y rápido de leer.

[Laura Blanco · Rating 3 out of 5]

La historia no es mala, pero siento que faltó mucho desarrollo, profundizar más en los personajes y su relación, básicamente desde antes de la mitad del libro ya se veía quiénes serían los asesinos.

[clarissa. · Rating 3 out of 5]

it read like a wattpad story, but not in a bad way.

[saylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeez, such a fast pace book. Felt like it could have been a bit longer with more details but overall it was okay.

[Batia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinámico, divertido, interesante, fácil de leer y con un toque de romance safico

[Gisela Tellez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Faltó un poco más de desarrollo de personajes, y he sentido que la relación ha ido muy rápido y un poco sin sentido. Pero me gustó mucho la historia.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was like a cheap version of a Gerri Hill book. Will not be reading another of this authors books.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flojo para mis gustos en este tipo de historia.. pensé que habría más tensión o intriga.

[Steph H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short. Easily finished in a few hours, if that.
Characters don’t really connect with you, it’s all abit glossed over.

[Belén Conde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un thriller entretenido que mantiene el interés hasta el final de sus páginas y que gustará a los amantes del género.

[Andrea Tenjou · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un fanfic ni más ni menos... Cursi, bobo y lleno de clichés. Me voy a poner a escribir 10 planillas recordándome: "Debo leer la muestra gratis antes de comprar un libro".

[Maliha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the concept and the dynamic of cop and criminal so much, especially the cop that sent you away

but for me, pacing was a slight issue but other than that i enjoyed the plot as well as the characters

crow and detective alvarez for the win

[Alejandro perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente trama, muy detallado, cada evento que sucede te atrapa y quieres solucionar todos los problemas que pasan las chicas, de verdad uno de mis favoritos de ann Simons

[Vivi La Gobe · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPCE

Hermosa historia. Me tenía ansiosa en algunas partes, pero eso es parte de este tipo de género. Amo a Crow, me encanta!