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A review by nellamoon
More Than Need You by Shayla Black
5.0
Why was this so emotional I-
I came here for a quick and steamy romance and by the end of the book, tears were running down my face. I wasn't ready for the character growth I was about to experience with Griffin. It was *chef's kiss.* Gosh, it was so deep! To me, it wasn't just about another fuckboy changing his ways, it was about how trauma can destroy one's self-worth and ability to view relationships and sex in a healthy way.
Griffin's parents essentially pimped him out at age 16 by coercing him to have sex with various people for their own business/financial gain, leading him to develop severe trust issues and a shattered sense of self-worth. His view of relationships and sex was distorted because he was used (raped, since he was a minor) and discarded by so many people. The worst betrayal of all, in my opinion, was that his own mother and father, who were supposed to provide him love and compassion, did this to him.
To protect himself from being used betrayed again, he refused to trust people, refused to open up, abandonned them before they could hurt him, and engaged in meaningless sex.
By opening up to Britta about his trauma and giving her the chance to understand him, he began the journey to loving himself as he deserves, and seeing the self-worth he thought he didn't have. Griffin had spent so much time trying to get Britta to fall for him again without understanding that he was worth loving. He didn't truly trust that anyone could care for him because he'd only ever been used. Talking about his past finally, and receiving that compassion and empathy from Britta, the woman he loves, showed him that he is worth it, that he's not just a body or a means to an end.
SO FREAKING PROFOUND!
This book was the perfect blend of angst, romance, steaminess, and emotion.
I came here for a quick and steamy romance and by the end of the book, tears were running down my face. I wasn't ready for the character growth I was about to experience with Griffin. It was *chef's kiss.* Gosh, it was so deep! To me, it wasn't just about another fuckboy changing his ways, it was about how trauma can destroy one's self-worth and ability to view relationships and sex in a healthy way.
Spoiler
Griffin's parents essentially pimped him out at age 16 by coercing him to have sex with various people for their own business/financial gain, leading him to develop severe trust issues and a shattered sense of self-worth. His view of relationships and sex was distorted because he was used (raped, since he was a minor) and discarded by so many people. The worst betrayal of all, in my opinion, was that his own mother and father, who were supposed to provide him love and compassion, did this to him.
To protect himself from being used betrayed again, he refused to trust people, refused to open up, abandonned them before they could hurt him, and engaged in meaningless sex.
By opening up to Britta about his trauma and giving her the chance to understand him, he began the journey to loving himself as he deserves, and seeing the self-worth he thought he didn't have. Griffin had spent so much time trying to get Britta to fall for him again without understanding that he was worth loving. He didn't truly trust that anyone could care for him because he'd only ever been used. Talking about his past finally, and receiving that compassion and empathy from Britta, the woman he loves, showed him that he is worth it, that he's not just a body or a means to an end.
SO FREAKING PROFOUND!
This book was the perfect blend of angst, romance, steaminess, and emotion.