timap 's review for:

All Your Pucking Secrets by A. Rivers

4.25

challenging emotional

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Echo, the female lead, is in college on a scholarship far away from the town where she was hurt numerous times. She’s almost shocked into a panic attack to look up at a coffee shop and see Tyler, the male hockey playing lead and her ex-boyfriend, staring at her. His words and actions when they were in high school led to her emotional devastation, followed shortly after by physical damage from one of his teammates. She’s determined to have nothing to do with him, ever. 

Tyler had reasons for everything he did when they were in high school and, now his father is dead, he’s angling for a second chance with Echo. But, whilst he knew she was seeing a psychologist, he didn’t realise just how hurt Echo remained…

This story is dual POV with flashbacks, well written, and an angsty, contemporary college romance, with accurate trigger warnings. I waited to be in the right headspace to read this story because I knew it would be emotionally intense, and I did cry for certain sections. I enjoyed that Echo was willing to draw boundaries and to continue to seek help for her mental health. I appreciated that there was general recognition that therapeutic help is often necessary when recovering from trauma for all people. Tyler is correctly identified as morally grey and fairly pushy but I appreciated that Echo’s health was his ultimate focus and he was willing to walk away if that was genuinely what she needed. I enjoyed the effort put into relationship redevelopment, and the intimate scene buildup that appropriately accounted for Echo’s historical trauma. I enjoyed supportive secondary characters. 

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.