I don’t even know how to put into words just how much I love this book. I was completely absorbed from start to finish—I didn’t even realize I had hit the end until I was there, and then I just sat there, staring, because I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
This story is everything. The tension, the intrigue, the raw angst—Cora Flynn has outdone herself. The moment I started, I knew I wasn’t putting this book down, and it took everything in me to pace myself instead of devouring it in one sitting.
And let’s talk about Hillary. I love her. I knew I would after Cascade of Lies, but To Catch a Rook just solidified her as an all-time favorite. She is sharp, fearless, and so layered. The weight she carries, the scars of her past, and her need to take justice into her own hands—it all made me feel so deeply. Every woman has, at some point, thought about going full vigilante on men who prey on the weak, and Hillary does it. I felt her anger, her pain, and her drive in my bones.
Then there’s the men. Oh, the men.
Kellan is a mess of contradictions, and I adore him for it. He is so entangled in lies and obligations that he doesn’t know how to exist outside of them. You can feel how much he loves Hillary, how much he wants her, but he doesn’t believe he can have her without destroying everything. Watching him fight against himself was painful, and I need him to just let go already.
Lucky. Oh Lucky. If there’s one man who stole my heart effortlessly, it’s him. I want to trust him so badly, but I know there’s more to him. He’s dangerous, charming, and devastatingly unpredictable, and I am utterly obsessed with him. Every time he was on the page, I felt butterflies, and then he’d make me howl with laughter.
Aaron. Aaron. I thought I’d hate him, and yet here I am, in love. The way this man grew on me was unreal. His struggle between loyalty to his family and his need to be better is heartbreaking. He doesn’t want to be involved in the darkness, but he’s trapped in it, and it’s crushing him. I just want to wrap him in a hug and protect him from the world.
The pacing was perfect. Not too fast, not too slow, and the way everything flowed—especially with the introduction of the new crime family—was so smooth. It can be easy to get lost in underground crime plots, but this was crafted so well.
And the tension? The pinning? THE ANGST? I was losing my mind. The bar scene where Hillary meets Lucky? Flawless. The gym scene with Lucky and Kellan? Perfection. The gala? UNREAL. And the scene between Hillary and Aaron where he finally lets down his guard? It broke me.
Then there’s the steam. Cora. Cora, listen. Chef’s kiss. I wanted more, but I also know we need to work past a lot before we get there. The build-up is agonizing in the best way, and I know when it finally happens, it’s going to wreck me.
This book made me feel everything. The injustice Hillary faced made me furious. Kellan’s self-sabotage broke my heart. Lucky had me grinning like an idiot. Aaron made me ache. And through it all, I just kept thinking, I am so in love with this story.
I could go on forever, but the bottom line? 5 STARS. Easily. No question. If you need me, I’ll be sitting here, screaming into the void, waiting for the next book.