Scan barcode
unsweetener's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
5.0
This book somehow has everything, and I absolutely binged the audiobook. Beth is a widowed companion in her late 20s who has come into an inheritance, presumably because she's really fun. Ian is a genius with autism (and the attending trauma of having an undescribed condition, which is tough to read) who has the hots for Beth immediately, and the insta-lust worked for me here because Ian is immediately communicative about his interest in Beth, and she's not a blushing virgin. The real strength is Ian getting to know and trust himself alongside Beth, and there were about a dozen moments of real pathos that I don't always feel for a male main character. Beth is a delight; she's got jokes, but Ian usually doesn't get them, which really pushes her not to always deflect with humor in her conversations with him. Just great character beats all around.
There's also a murder mystery, which is handled just about perfectly for a romance novel; true crime vibes that don't detract from the romance and has a huge impact on Ian and his relationships. It's not exactly progressive, but it's well done.
The audiobook narration is absolutely incredible and really elevated the story. Angela Dawe's performance gave all the characters such much personality, especially Beth and Katie, who constantly had me laughing. I would read a Katie spinoff in a heartbeat.
There's also a murder mystery, which is handled just about perfectly for a romance novel; true crime vibes that don't detract from the romance and has a huge impact on Ian and his relationships. It's not exactly progressive, but it's well done.
The audiobook narration is absolutely incredible and really elevated the story. Angela Dawe's performance gave all the characters such much personality, especially Beth and Katie, who constantly had me laughing. I would read a Katie spinoff in a heartbeat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy