Reviews with content warning for Violence - Things We Hide From The Light

4⭐️2🌶️(descriptive scenes but not a lot of them, no hook ups until 70% of the way through)
This book was not as bad as everyone said, but it wasn’t as good as the first. The first book is more gilmore girls/hallmark mixed with thriller and this one is much darker than that because Nash is struggling so much with depression, PTSD, and panic attacks. We still get to see a lot of the characters we know and love from book 1 though, which I appreciated! I’m glad

stef and Jeremiah finally got together too!

It was nice to get some more backstory on Nash’s parents as well and we finally see his dad go to rehab.

I really relate to Lina who has commitment issues and the way she lives independently. Nash is more of a serial monogamist who is looking for something to make him feel anything at all except the numbness he’s been experiencing after his shooting. Lina sparks that fire in him and he decides pretty immediately that he can’t let her go, and becomes obsessed with her (not in a creepy Joe from you way but in a “I can’t breathe when you’re not near me” way). I love them together and I think we as the readers and the other friends in the book pretty much know from looking at them that they’re it for each other. We still get a loooong slow burn though. There’s conflict in the middle when nash discovers Lina’s job assignment might be linked to his shooting, and he therefore loses trust in her. I didn’t care for this conflict to be drug out for as long as it was, considering Lina’s job was revealed to be perfectly legal and she had witnesses to back her up. From the way the author wrote about her job in the beginning of the book I was expecting her to be like an art thief or something that worked for the 1% but she actually

is there to recover an expensive car.

Once it was revealed that her being in town had nothing to do with Nash I felt like that should’ve been the end of it. That was the main conflict in the book. There is a minor conflict later that is resolved very quickly.

It’s not a true third act breakup like in book 1.

I thought the first 40%ish was very slow compared to book 1, and I fell asleep several times while reading. I liked the mystery and the twist at the end but it came pretty late. I think this book could’ve been cut in half. I was also hoping for a hookup early in the book since Nash literally cannot sleep without her in the bed, but we didn’t get it. The spicy scenes come in at around 70% of the way through and Nash is pretty feral for Lina. I love it when men beg for forgiveness.

I really loved the chemistry between Lucian and Sloane, and that we got a lot more scenes with them in this book. I can’t wait to move onto their story next!

Overall I didn’t like this one as much as book 1 and probably won’t reread. Set aside a few weeks to read this one because it’s not one you can get through in a day. The bonus epilogue was very sweet!

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ronnieex's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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desana75's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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steviehamlington's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Lina Solavita doesn’t do long term, she is never around long enough for it. She goes into town, gets a job done and off she goes. She has no intention of getting trapped in the gravitational field of Knockemout, Virginia. Even if the moody Chief of Police Nash Morgan says he needs her, it won’t stop her from skipping town as soon as she finds Duncan Hugo.

It was a bit of a rollercoaster reading this one, in that it started off really good, I was hooked on the story. Piper was my favourite character but I really was invested in Nash and Lina’s relationship. The ended was shocked and explosive and done much better than the ending of TWNGO. Again it would have been 5 star, if it wasn’t for all the cliché speeches and advice being handed out. I’m all for a deep revealing epiphany but after a few motivational chats, I get the message and we can move on.
I would like to say that I was in awe that I didn’t predict the plot twist in this one though. I don’t know if I just wasn’t looking properly, but I didn’t see it before it all came together. It was very impressive. Can’t wait to find out what happens with Lucian and Sloane - just wish it wasn’t another 600 page book.

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maljacks87's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Always a star off for language. Does anyone actually talk like that? Way over the top.

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katharina90's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted tense slow-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.0

The plot was almost identical to book one which made for a long, boring read. The copaganda was tiresome as well.

I just want to get to Lucian and Sloane's book already.

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tanvi45's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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carissa230's review

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Nash is recovering from his gunshot wound and in a dark mental place. When Lina moves in next door he suddenly has a glimpse of light in his darkness. He could try to make a relationship with her, but why do that. Definitely be toxic instead.

Lina for her part is equally toxic. She realizes that Nash is in a dark place and tries to help, kind of. Lina is also not in the best mental health space. She had a bad experience as a child and her parents smothered her to the point of running off as an adult and working an extremely dangerous job.

Lina and Nash are decent as a couple, but not my favorite. They were both in bad places and they "cured" each other. Therapy would probably be better, but I guess love will work. Now I can't wait for Sloane and Lucian.

Also don't read the extended epilogue, it will ruin part of the next book.

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