When I picked up this book, I was honestly expecting just romance, but it ended up being so much more than that. It gave me romance, yes, but also chaos, art, healing, and a lot of emotional depth—and I really loved that.
Leo was someone I connected with pretty early on. He’s the kind of person who tries so hard to stay in control, but when it comes to love, he completely loses that composure. That made him feel very real to me. I also liked how much art meant to him—it added something special to his character. But at the same time, I didn’t like how he sometimes let people walk all over him. That part was frustrating to read.
Ash is very different. On the outside, she’s strong, focused, and all about her work. She seems like she has everything together. But deep down, she’s dealing with fear and years of trying to be who other people expect her to be. I admired her ambition, but I won’t lie, it annoyed me how long she stayed stuck in that mindset. Still, seeing her finally grow and start choosing herself made it worth it.
And Violet… wow. She didn’t just annoy me, she exhausted me. The constant interference, the unnecessary comments, the subtle manipulation—it was too much. It felt like she always had something to say or some way to insert herself where she wasn’t needed. And what made it worse was how she carried herself like she was right all the time. I kept waiting for her to mind her business or at least show some growth, but she really tested my patience from start to finish.
What made this story stand out for me wasn’t just the relationship, but everything around it. Ash walking away from her father after seeing his true colors and deciding to build something for herself was such a strong moment. Her mother leaving a toxic marriage added another layer to the story, and I liked how it showed that it’s never too late to start again. Leo also had his own struggles, coming from a place where he was manipulated, but he still chose a better path for himself, which I respected.
Now the reverse age gap? I really liked how it was handled here. It didn’t feel like it was added just for shock value or to be “different.” It actually made sense for their characters. Ash being older didn’t make her overly dominant or controlling, and Leo being younger didn’t make him immature or unserious. If anything, there were moments where Leo felt more emotionally open, while Ash was the one holding back because of everything she had been conditioned to believe about how her life should look.
The book is definitely a slow burn, but not the boring kind. It keeps you interested the whole time. There were moments I had to pause, not because I was tired of reading, but because I needed a second to take everything in.
At the end of the day, this book is about more than love. It’s about growth, breaking out of toxic situations, finding your voice, and having the courage to choose yourself—even when it’s hard.