I listened to the first book because someone recommended it to me, and I have to say, it was pretty solid. A fresh take on the genre, some interesting twists, and I even found myself comparing the main character to a few people I know.
Then came the second book, and… well, let’s just say it didn’t live up to the hype. Honestly, it felt like it could’ve been condensed into a few chapters of the first book. It dragged on forever, and the characters—who started strong—took a nosedive.
(Spoiler alert ahead, so proceed with caution!)
Let’s start with the wife. She’s supposed to be a doctor, but by the end of the book, she’s written like she doesn’t have a single clue about what’s going on. The female characters in general don’t fare much better—they’re painted as naive, petty, and more like props for creating conflict than actual people. At times, it felt like I was watching one of those Taylor Sheridan dramas where everyone’s decisions are just setups for chaos rather than making any sense.
And don’t get me started on the husband. He’s so caught up in being “right” during an argument that he leaves his wife, autistic son, and daughter in harm’s way. Really? No one acts like that. By the halfway point, I was done.
I wanted to love this book, especially after such a promising first installment. But I don’t think I’ll be moving on to book three unless a strong cup of coffee—and maybe a compelling reason—changes my mind.