2.5 stars. I was close to making it 3 stars, but the last few chapters were so rushed and felt like a hallmark movie. I enjoyed the beginning of the book and didn’t want to put it down. But all the mysteries felt like they really weren’t solved but summarized to the reader. Like it seems that there will be a sequel which I wouldn’t be opposed to reading at well. But Mick and Rachel kept doing things without the other, just Rachel really, and there was still conflict between them. They weren’t really solving anything either. I was also getting tired of Rachel, like I understand her having a hard time with her feelings towards Mick. She never really got to feel love and had to grow up fast, but she wasn’t acting like that. I was hoping that she would be a strong female character that can accept help when she needs it. But she kept doing things without Mick and putting herself in dangerous position even though she has daughters at school that need her. Then the ending rewrote her character with a hallmark like moment. I loved the age gap, I want to see more books like that that don’t make it weird or fetishized in a book. I liked the POV of the antagonist as well, just wished it was more clue solving than just reading quotes. But I still enjoyed the book, I saw it in Walmart one night and just took a picture to remember later, but then going back to that Walmart the next day I decided to get that book. Which I’m glad I did.
I really enjoyed this story and was heavily invested in Mick and Rachel's relationship. I hope Riley gets his own story. We need to know who's behind everything.