It took me almost an entire year to finish this. It’s so shocking because of how many glowing reviews this has online and in bookish spaces.
I’ll start with saying that I desperately wanted to like this book. I wanted to enjoy the story, but aside from a very underwhelming lead up to the romance, there really was no story. The plot felt very undeveloped and like there was information that was supposed to have been shared but never was, so I never got connected to the FMC’s reason for trying so hard to figure out the main mystery. I never cared about the motivations of the MMC at all, and I couldn’t grasp why the FMC was attracted to him at all outside of physical looks.
The FMC is boring and weak, and she feels so one dimensional with no true personality, desires, or goals. She’s suddenly in love with the guy who helped convict her dad with no lead up or reason why other than he’s Tall Dark and Handsome, which was annoying by itself. Coupled with the fact that she lost everything, but had a rich dad who probably would have had her get a decent degree so she would be successful on her own, and she’s suddenly completely broke with no work history or any experience in anything except being a Struggling Barista and letting The Hot Millionaire sweep her off her feet, I was cringing and groaning the entire time.
The MMC was okay in the most basic ways. There was no real build up to the romance between them and I had zero desire to see them end up together. He does all this bad stuff and just expects her to comply without question or fight. He’s the snarly, dark and brooding type that I’d actively avoid in any situation I found myself in instead of the snarly, dark and brooding type I’d actually swoon for. He felt like a watered down, Great Value version of Zade Meadows(Haunting Adeline) and Josh Hammond(Lights Out).
Both characters were insufferable, but I always found myself hoping the next chapter would be from Haden’s POV instead of Calista’s because of how one note she is in everything. I can’t even say it’s because Haden is more interesting than Calista, because he’s not. It’s purely because it would be a break from the constant brain rot that was Calista for me.
As for the spicy scenes… please listen to me when I tell you that it inspired zero emotion or excitement in me at all and it could have been so much better. Just… boring and basic.
I never leave poor reviews on books because I understand how much work goes into this industry, but this was so bafflingly boring and one note the whole time that I can’t imagine ever recommending this to anyone.