Listening to this book, I had so many mixed emotions. There were things that I loved and others that I didn’t care for. I don’t often have conflicted feelings about books. I waited a few days to write this review, hoping to gain some clarity as I processed my thoughts. Yet, I don’t think it will come. Part of me wonders if “conflicted” is exactly what the author wants you to feel. Nothing about Salem and Arrow is neat and tidy, so why should our feelings about their story be?
Here’s what I enjoyed about My Darling Arrow. Salem’s squad is fantastic. They had her back no matter what. I would be interested in future stories about them. In terms of Arrow & Salem, I loved that Arrow encouraged Salem to develop her soccer skills and believed in her when no one else did. The chemistry between the two was HOT! I loved their letters!!! I also liked the book’s message that there’s perfection in your imperfection.
But there were several things that I didn’t care for in this book. First, I wasn’t a fan of Salem’s selfless, undying devotion to Arrow with zero expectation of any return of feelings. I also struggled with Arrow’s insensitivity. I know he was working through his issues, but it doesn’t endear him to the reader at all. His controlling personality was a little much for me, but it did make for some scorching hot sex scenes, though! I just would have preferred less of it in their everyday life. And finally, the repeated use of particular words/phrases did get old.
While I may have felt somewhat conflicted about the story, I’m not conflicted about the narration. Sarah Puckett and Jason Clark did an excellent job; they brought this story to life. In particular, Sarah Puckett did an amazing job; I felt like I was inside of Salem’s head, hearing her thoughts as they came to her. I could feel all of her varied emotions — longing, confusion, desperation. These narrators kept me engaged in the story and made it a great one to listen to.
My Darling Arrow is a different kind of love story; two broken people find a raw, emotional, messy love. Fans of this author will love this book. Those new to the author like me will be treated to a story that definitely doesn’t fit the typical romance cookie cutter. I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy of this audiobook. This voluntary review represents my honest and unbiased opinion.