A review by abbeyroad1410
Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I enjoyed this book. The plot was fun. I liked having the light thriller in the background of a romance novel. Knox and Naomi were great side characters, and I appreciated that they were worked into the plot rather than appearing as a strange cameo. 
I really liked the character of Lina. At times, she did come off as a member of the "not like other girls" trope, but I enjoyed that she enjoyed inherently feminine things like purses and heels. She got along with other women and was happy for their accomplishments even if they didn't match what she wanted. I also liked that Lina had a fully developed back story that explained her overbearing parents and her desire for freedom.
One of the best scenes (which was fairly irrelevant to the plot) was a moment between Lina and one of her former friends which forced Lina to look inwards while still acknowledging how others contributed to the problem. The scene struck a wonderful balance.
Now, onto the low point of the novel: Nash Morgan. When the novel started out I liked him, but this man was red flag after red flag. He was controlling; he was condescending; he was slightly sexist. All of this was under the guise of "protecting" Lina. At times, he was blatantly interfering with her career when she asked him not to. Honestly, Lina deserves better. 
Overall, this was an enjoyable book which I may read again if I get in the mood for 500 pages.

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