Take Me to the Lake

by Senna Hill

They thought they were there to save her.
They never expected to save each other.

Daphne
I came to help Olivia, not to lose myself in her brother.

When your best friend is drowning in her own darkness, you don’t let her sink. You leave your messy breakup behind and follow her to the one place that might give her light: her parents’ lake house.
My ex was all surface. Olivia’s brother Jason is all silence. He should be the last man I notice…
So why can’t I stop thinking about him?

Jason
Keeping my sister alive has become my only purpose.

Right now, everything revolves around my sister.
She’s slipping away and I don’t know how to reach her, but I have to do something. If that means dragging her to the lake house and inviting her chatty best friend along, so be it.
Daphne gets under my skin, but she also reaches Olivia in ways I can’t.
She’s supposed to break through Olivia’s walls.
But now somehow she’s tearing down mine.

410 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2026

About the author

 
Contemporary romance with depth, drama, and a touch of spice.  
For women who feel deeply—and know love isn’t always easy.
 
Senna Hill has been writing fiction for over a decade. Take Me to the Lake is her first romance book. She loves emotionally complicated people, slow-burn tension, and love stories that get very dramatic before they give you a happy ending.
Senna Hill writes contemporary romance for women who crave more than just a simple love story with one miscommunication that drags on for 300 pages.
She writes characters who are complicated before they fall in love and even more complicated after. People who are doing their best, carrying things they haven't fully named yet, finding each other at exactly the wrong time. Her novels explore the quiet battles people carry within themselves—trauma, longing, healing—and the kind of love that doesn’t come easy, but is worth everything. 
Senna believes that the most powerful romances aren’t perfect—they’re complicated, raw, and deeply human. Her characters don’t just fall in love; they grow, they break, and they learn how to choose each other anyway.
 
When she's not writing, she is probably out in the woods walking her dog, overanalyzing fictional relationships, dancing in her kitchen or lounging on the couch reading romance books.

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Take Me To The Lake by Senna Hill.

Please read the triggers around mental health before reading.

This quote from the blurb puts it beautifully, "They thought they were there to save her. They never expected to save each other."

The story centers around Olivia who is going through a mental health crisis. Her best friend Daphne and her brother Jason take her to their family's isolated lake house to try to support her.

Their journey of understanding to be able to support her is beautifully done.

Throughout, they are trying to focus on Olivia while navigating their growing emotional and physical attraction to one another.

The book is written in a dual POV of Daphne and Jason. Mental health and depression are very difficult subjects to write about. Senna Hill has handled it with care, understanding, sensitivity, and honesty. You can truly feel the emotions, struggle and growth.

The book pulls you in from the very first page, takes you on a roller coaster of emotions but leaves you with hope.

A true 5 star read.

[Sage Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of Take Me to the Lake, and honestly, I was completely blown away.

This is one of those books that grabs you from the very first chapter and refuses to let go. You’re thrown straight into the story, but every page keeps you hooked and emotionally invested in the characters.

Depression is such a difficult subject to write about authentically, and it’s something that can easily be mishandled. Senna Hill has done an incredible job of portraying it with honesty, sensitivity, and realism. Olivia’s journey felt so raw and genuine that at times it was almost like therapy to read. I didn’t just understand what she was going through—I felt it alongside her.

What makes this book so special is the characters. Olivia’s growth throughout the story was beautiful to witness, but I also fell in love with Jason and Daphne. Their relationships, struggles, and interactions felt incredibly real, and I found myself completely invested in every one of them.

This story took me on an emotional rollercoaster in the best possible way. It made me smile, broke my heart, and ultimately left me feeling hopeful. By the end, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

Without a doubt, this is one of my favourite reads of the year and has earned a place amongst my all-time favourites. If you’re looking for a deeply emotional, beautifully written story with unforgettable characters, I cannot recommend this book enough.

[T || · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take me to the lake by Senna Hill is classed as a Contemporary Romance. Thanks for the arc.
I rate this a 4.5 out of 5.
There is 0 trigger warnings in the book at the beginning, so readers are unaware of what they are in for, it contains some extremely heavy topics, depression being one - be prepared to feel it all (the dispair, the sadness, the struggle), a toxic ex featuring confrontations, mentions of @busive childhood, SA & Violence, $uicide contemplation, mentions of $elf h@rm (fmc thinking someones done it), it does have some steam/spice also.

Its also a slow burn romance - for my pacing the slow was abit to slow.
Tropes
Forced proximity
One bed
Best friend's brother
Grumpy x Sunshine

You start the book the FMC Dephne answering a call while in work from her best friends brother, (enter the $elf H@rm warning mentioned above), and from their call you instantly think you know where the stories going & where the majority of it will be based. I also took an instant dislike to her boyfriend/ex whatever he is Malcolm, like dooch canoe do not try to make her step away from someone whos 1. Her best friend and 2. Round longer than you.. just. No.

Switching to Jason's pov, you are instantly like. What's with all the depression (why is Olivia so clinically depressed?)...its scary how much I actually relate to Oliva.

I picked it up expecting a cute romance, but ended up being so much more emotional and meaningful than I anticipated.
I loved the lakeside setting, and the characters felt so real and relatable. Their chemistry was great, but what really stood out to me was the way the story explored mental health and personal struggles. It wasn't just a romance—it was also about healing, growth, and learning how to move forward when life gets messy.

There are definitely some heavier topics and the triggers throughout the book as i mentioned above, so I'd recommend checking the content warnings beforehand if that's something you need (as of right now in the arc copy there isnt a trigger warning page, i think it is all via the authors website - hopefully this changes before release). That said, I thought those topics were handled thoughtfully and added a lot of depth to the story.
I found myself really invested in the characters and their journey, and there were several moments that genuinely tugged at my heart - even more so when you see MH traits of yourself in one of them. The balance between emotional moments and the sweeter, hopeful ones was done so well.
Overall, this was a beautiful, emotional read that stayed with me after I finished. If you enjoy romances with depth, realistic characters, and stories that aren't afraid to tackle mental health and difficult subjects, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try, as i said above overall the romance pace for me was abit too slow, but thats personal preference!

[Teri Peña · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Review of an advanced readers copy*

This book destroyed me. It was raw and real. I could relate to some of the characters having been in similar situations. Their hurt and confusion were real and this story wasn’t afraid to show all of their emotions. I cried, I smiled. This book had me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I loved that it is mental health rep heavy and wasn’t afraid to address the deeper sides to it. Cannot wait to read more stories by this author!

[Rainbowsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Me at the Lake by Senna Hill is an absolutely beautifully written story that completely stole my heart.
​At the center of this emotional journey is Daphne’s best friend, Olivia, who is struggling with a deep depression—even reaching a point where she wishes she wasn't in this world anymore. Desperate to keep his little sister from slipping completely into the darkness, Jason will do anything to save her. He takes Olivia to their parents' lakehouse and invites Daphne along to help. The catch? Jason and Daphne barely know each other, aside from one previous encounter that was a total disaster for both of them.
​Now, they find themselves on the same side, united by a singular goal: doing whatever it takes to save Olivia. What they don’t realize is that while trying to rescue the girl they both love, they might just end up being each other's saving grace through this entire ordeal.
​I was so deeply moved by Daphne’s journey. The way she navigates life, handles her thoughts, and rationalizes everything with such fairness and kindness truly resonated with me. And then there's Jason. The phrase "still waters run deep" came to mind the very first moment we get a glimpse of his personality, and he quickly proved to be the absolute sweetest, most protective big brother. The way this story evolves, and the way both Jason and Daphne react to every low that gets in their path, was incredibly moving.
​This book handles some very heavy topics and mental struggles, so I definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings before diving in. However, the author balances the trauma beautifully with a strong FMC, an amazing best-friend connection, and just the right amount of fun, light spice.
​I felt so much personal recognition in this story, and I know many others will too. I loved every single page, and I was so incredibly relieved to hear that we are getting a follow-up book about Olivia—I cannot wait to read how she is doing. If you are looking for an emotional, trauma-healing romance with a protective big brother trope, go for it!

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. This is my first time read anything from this Author. If you have any mental health triggers please take care of them. The Author did a great job writing this topic. This is a best friend brother slow burn romance. Absolutely loved this story and can’t wait to read more from this Author!!

“They thought they were there to save her.
They never expected to save each other.

Daphne
I came to help Olivia, not to lose myself in her brother.

When your best friend is drowning in her own darkness, you don’t let her sink. You leave your messy breakup behind and follow her to the one place that might give her light: her parents’ lake house.

My ex was all surface. Olivia’s brother Jason is all silence. He should be the last man I notice…

So why can’t I stop thinking about him?

Jason
Keeping my sister alive has become my only purpose

Right now, everything revolves around my sister.

She’s slipping away and I don’t know how to reach her, but I have to do something. If that means dragging her to the lake house and inviting her chatty best friend along, so be it.

Daphne gets under my skin, but she also reaches Olivia in ways I can’t.

She’s supposed to break through Olivia’s walls.

But now somehow she’s tearing down mine.”

[Tracey Cramer-Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot going on in this story including a number of potential triggers: suicidal ideation, child abuse, sexual harassment, sibling reconciliation, attempted rape and a violent attack. At times, it was almost too much. The author managed a good balance, but many aspects could have been explored in a deeper way. From a somewhat contentious start, the relationship between Jason and Daphne grows in a way that I liked a lot. While the description says they saved each other, and Daphne was a strong person in her own right… it was a lot of Jason taking care of the two women in his life – which he does better once he allows Daphne to ‘teach’ him how to interact with his sister. I especially liked that Daphne saved herself (I sorta expected Jason to arrive just in time so that was a nice plot twist) and that while things had improved by the end of the story and healing had begun (and love found), it wasn’t magically all okay.

[Vicki Dyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review of Take Me to The Lake by Senna Hill

Please note the trigger warnings for this book, it covers alot of heavy topics
-Depression
-Talk of Suicide
-Abuse
-Sexual Assault

I'm not even sure where to start with this review because wow... this book is a fantastic read. The story, the characters – everything about it is amazing. The way mental health and severe depression are explored is done with such understanding and sensitivity. It feels incredibly respectful and realistic.
The friendship between Daphne and Olivia is the kind of friendship we all dream of having. No matter what you're going through, you know your best friend will be there through it all. And the love Jason has for his sister is just so sweet.
There were quite a few chapters that were very deep and emotional, but they were written so beautifully. Then there was that chapter towards the end... the one I absolutely wasn't expecting.
I honestly can't wait for the next book.

[Sanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy

I came by this book on TikTok, the writer was looking for ARC readers and on a whim I decided to try for it. And I must say it did nog disappoint.

The first half of the book was a really easy read the second half took me a little longer to get through. I really liked the way Daphne and Jason communicated with each other and Olivia, she really let him see that there are other ways to look at different situations.

The slow burn was a little less slow burn than I would have liked, there was little build up than I would have thought.

It was new for me to read about this topic, but I think it was very nicely written. I did like how in the end there was a little bump in the road and of course that one chapter that I didn’t see coming, but when it started I felt what was going to happen and just had to keep reading to see how it would end. And then of course a nice and happy ending.

Thank you for the writer to give me this opportunity.

[Megzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of ARC

This book was not what I expected going in, I thought the author did a fantastic job portraying the heavy topics that were in the book, I did cry on a few occasions.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future

[Simplymetaramarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5☆ Oh, I just absolutely melted. Jason is exactly the person for Daphne. He is exactly the brother for Olivia. This wasn't a happy, sweet romance, there is a lot of dark in with the romance. I feel the depression was very well handled. The anxiety, the SA, contemplation of suicide, child abuse are all very heavy topics that are explored, but so is the healing journey. Simple a beautiful story of finding beauty through the darkness.

[Meg Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take Me to the Lake — Senna Hill
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A very emotional story, but it was handled so beautifully. I loved this book from start to finish. The writing was incredible, the emotions felt real and meaningful, and I found myself completely invested in the story. I honestly couldn’t put it down. Such a well-written and unforgettable read. 🫶📖✨

[Chanelle Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to say thank you to the author Senna Hill and the Wings and Words community for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This book was a masterpiece! It was truly one of my favourite reads so far this year.
There are many things I love about this book, one thing that I love is how caring,Thoughtful and supportive both the MFC Daphne and the MMC Jason are of Olivia the MMC sister that is battling with depression. I really enjoyed reading the book and seeing how Olivia dealt with her depression journey throughout the book with the help of everyone around her specifically Daphne and Jason. The reason why I loved the mental health representation with Olivia so much is that it showed how important it is for family and friends to support in times like that.
And how it could make all the difference to someone’s recovery. I liked the way this was written because it also showed a very important lesson that sometimes recovering from mental health issues is a messy bumpy battle. The way the mental health issues were written through Olivia’s character changed my perspective it made me step back and think. The way that the main characters are empathetic made me so emotional and so glad that people can show kindness to someone that’s struggling.

[Missi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙩. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙮 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩.”

🪻 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗲 𝗧𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 🪻
✍🏼 ꜱᴇɴɴᴀ ʜɪʟʟ
3.5⭐️

First and foremost, I want to thank Senna for the opportunity to ARC read her debut novel. I truly appreciate it. There were parts I absolutely loved, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

At times, I felt like I was being told the story rather than fully immersed in it, which pulled me out of it a bit. I loved the themes explored throughout the book and truly feel like she’ll continue to grow with each new release.

🌊 ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇꜱ
🪻 ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ’ꜱ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ
🌊 ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
🪻 ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ
🌊 ɢʀᴜᴍᴘʏ x ꜱᴜɴꜱʜɪɴᴇ

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author, Senna Hill, and the ARC Community Wings and Words for sending me the ePub of this book!

Hook, line, and sinker!!! Senna, you have caught yourself a new fan!! While the topics covered in this book can be very difficult to read, the way Senna handles the story is beautiful. I love her writing style and will definitely be reading more of her work. Please check your triggers before reading, though, as like I said, dark subjects are covered.

Take Me To The Lake is a contemporary romance that follows Daphne through the emotional rollercoaster of her life. She is caught off guard when her BFF’s brother calls her out of the blue with a plan to help his sister, Olivia, with her battle against depression. She finds herself at the family’s lakehouse. The only catch? Daphne and Jason have to share a room with only one bed.

A standout line from the blurb perfectly captures the essence of the story: “They thought they were there to save her. They never expected to save each other.” This statement really is the book in a nutshell.

I 100% recommend this book to anyone ready for an emotional read. Just make sure to have tissues close by; I definitely shed a few tears!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the chance to read an early copy and I was blown away! You're instantly thrown into the deep end but it keeps you hooked!

Depression is such a hard topic to write about, but Senna Hill did a phenomenal job. I've never felt so connected to a book before and wow, it was almost like therapy. The way each character interacts is beautiful, and I can't wait for Olivia's book!

Jason and Daphne's story was so sweet, even if it was a rollercoaster for a few reasons. I hope to see them both in future books!

[Laura Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take me to the lake was such a beautiful read! I loved the mental health rep and felt that it was portrayed perfectly and sensitively! I loved seeing Daphne & Jason’s relationship flourish from being irritated by each other to loving each other. While still focusing on Olivia! I was so glad when that ex of hers finally had his karma! Loved it, will we get an Olivia spin off?

[Heather Deffley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a brilliant book. I really enjoyed reading it and I absolutely want a cabin at Lavender Lake!

The story has lots of twists and turns and kept me on my toes, it was funny and emotional and once I started reading it I struggled to put it down. The story touches on so many topics that people struggle with such as mental health and abuse and the struggles in the story really resonated without being overwhelming.

It's definitely worthy of a read or a place on your TBR.

[Kadi Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read. I was fortunate enough to read an early copy and my God was it great. It had tension and drama. It was wholesome and healing. I cannot rate this book higher it's fantastic. I just loved everything about it. Supportive mmc and a strong fmc, honestly it was refreshing.

Please read the triggers and look after your mental health.

[Fangirl_and_stuf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would first like to thank Senna Hill for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I think one thing that this book very much needed where trigger warnings, a lot of the topics where implied in the blurb, but some where not!

Trigger warnings:
- Depression
- Discussion of suicide
- Abusive relationship
- Assault
- Child abuse
- Child neglect
- Alcoholism
- Graphic description of sexual assault
- Rape

That being said, I did really enjoy this book and the relationship between Daphne and Jason. I specifically really liked Daphne's character and how she dealt with Olivia's mental health struggles. She had clearly spent a lot of time working on herself and she knew not only how to take care of Olivia but also how to take care of herself while doing so. I could also really appreciate how communitive both her and Jason where with each other.

When it comes to Olivia and the representation of depression in this book, I must admit I'm not the most knowledgeable person on those topics, but it seemed to me like the topics where handled with a lot of care and grace. There was however a different topic towards the end of the book that was not handled with the same amount of carefulness, for spoiler reasons I won't say what topic, but I didn't like how one of the characters thought about this event and especially how quickly it was forgotten by the narrative. I'm not saying that it was handled badly, just that it could have been better.

I also noticed that when it came to story lines that didn't centre the relationship between Daphne and Jason, the former had a lot more that the latter. There where two storyline integral to the plot that had to do with Daphne, while the only one (if you can even call it a plot line) of Jason's felt like it was just set-up for a future book.

So overall, a good book with great characters and a sweet relationship. Just a few things that I didn't enjoy as much.

[Megan May · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW OF ADVANCED COPY RECEIVED FROM AUTHOR

In all honesty up until 30-40% this book was 3 stars for me, not bad but I just wasn’t connecting to it like I wanted to. It starts off with very heavy topics (check trigger warnings) but in hindsight I think it was all necessary for the plot, for us to understand the characters and their flaws more clearly.

The romance felt like a little like subplot to the characters personal development and I wasn’t mad about it. For a standalone the slow burn was done really well. There’s definitely a build up of tension between the FMC and MMC and I was all here for it. There’s not a ton of spice which I think was necessary because of what the FMC goes through (check trigger warnings) so their connection is a lot more emotional than physical- and that almost felt more intimate than just throwing in spicy scenes like other romance books do.

My 4 stars goes to the last half of the book where I feel the plot picks up pace. I couldn’t put it down! At this point I loved our characters, was really invested and was heartbroken for them. It made me cry, made me laugh- it was an emotional rollercoaster! 🎢 The author writes about these heavy topics with a hopeful comforting tone so it doesn’t feel really depressing. This book at times felt like a big hug.. if that makes any sense?

If you love contemporary romance with some drama, tension and best friends brother trope- you’ll love this. If you’re not a huge contemporary romance reader like me, give it a try (but do check trigger warnings!)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take Me to the Lake ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
ARC Read: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you are picking up this book- be mindful of mental health, domestic violence and SA triggers.
This isn’t just some romance story- this is a story about the human experience, full stop. Senna Hill writes with a vulnerability that feels both tender and unflinching; exploring the darker, harder parts of life with honesty and care.

The emotional journey was intense, a true rollercoaster. I found myself in tears more than once. I appreciate that Senna gives space for the reader to feel the pain, despair and devastation along with the characters. There is a quiet bravery in tackling topics like abuse and mental illness and I felt like Senna Hill was able to share those intimate experiences while still honouring the stories of those who suffer and have suffered. This story does not flinch away from the trauma, grief or messy parts of living, sharing the stories and letting you feel the pain and discomfort. The story builds a bridge, and sweeps you away with the characters into their raw experiences.

I found myself far more invested in the characters’ journey than in the romantic arc itself. The love story felt like a subplot, but in a way that made the book even more powerful. The romance was used to drive the story forward, revealing layers after layer of who these characters are.

Heart‑wrenching, human, and deeply resonant. This one took a piece of me in the end ❤️
I would like to thank Senna Hill for the opportunity to read her work. I loved this book.

[Riemmelth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm in between three and four stars, but the more I think about it the more I lean towards four so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt.

This was nice, men very obviously written by a woman and the mental health aspect was also done really nicely. (Although I cannot claim to know the real depths of depression, whatever experience I do have fitted with the way it was dealt with in this book, I liked that. It felt like it was doing it justice without making it too heavy to read.) The relationships (not just the romance, also between siblings and friends) were really lively and on point and the cliché cosy feeling was definitely present.

Yet I also had myself wondering at the halfway mark how this wasn't the end of the book. The second half felt slower for me and less intriguing. Next to that, throughout the whole book, I felt like the characters were thinking a bit too much, meaning it felt like you got a lot served on a silver platter without having to do much thinking yourself. It could have been more compelling otherwise.

This also had SO MANY points with potential for a great dramatic turn of events and this was obviously not the direction the author wanted to go in, but it broke my drama loving heart a little every time.

All in all, a good read of which I am happy about all the things it did right and it made it worth reading!

Thanks to the author for providing the ARC ❤️

[Demi · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC-

At first (the first few chapters) i was a little suprised by how "heavy" it was since i couldn't find the triggerwarning list right away. BUT i must say this book will be in my memories a whole while longer...🥹

The topics in the book are indeed heavy so i do advice you to look for the triggerwarnings before you continue. If you think you can handle it PLEASE read it.

This book grabbed my heart like no other book has done in a while. It's easy to sympathize with the characters because the struggles they face are so well known in this day and age, how sad they may be unfortunatly. But the beauty of this book is that the author didn't just gave the characters these issues, she actually made them work on themselves and wrote about some solutions, which gave me as the reader a very ✨️hopeful✨️ feeling for these characters (and for myself). I was left with a feeling of contentment but also with an open heart for these people truly felt like a family, even to us readers. I am sad to see them go but i am grateful i got to experience the feeling this book left me with. A little hope, a little grief, a little love.🤍

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently finished reading Take Me to the Lake, and it completely pulled me in… I love a best friend’s brother trope! It didn’t take long to get into either - right from the get-go the story grabs your attention and keeps you invested. The romance takes a little longer but not in a bad way.

What stood out most was the character work. The friendships and relationships felt very relatable, it was very easy to connect with the characters and picture everything so vividly. I appreciated how the story explored themes of depression and healing, especially in a supportive setting. At one point, I was concerned that Olivia had been forgotten about, but no man (or woman!) was left behind!

If I had one small critique, it’s that I would have loved a little more time with Daphne and Jason simply having fun/ flirting in the second half of the book but the story still works really well without it.

I would absolutely recommend this to readers who enjoy heartfelt, emotional, and relatable reads and I cannot wait to find out more about Olivia’s story!

[Katie Worth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first ARC read and I have to say it was a good one!

It dives right into the story from the start and the character development is built up over time through their words and actions. From the half way point I could not put it down. I needed to find out what was going to happen to Daphne, Jason and Olivia. More importantly, I was more intrigued to find out how they would react the the situations they were faced with. These characters needed each other to grow and to heal and the way they dealt with the struggles of their pasts and the issues they faced in the story was refreshing and real.

The author deals extremely well with some difficult themes. Olivia's depression is accurately portrayed and the way that the characters learned to live in the moment with her, and not try to 'fix' her was enlightening.

This book has made me think about my own experiences and questions my actions in my own relationships and it has left me with a lot to think about. Not a lot of books can do that.

Also, I am a sucker for a HEA!

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be aware of the triggers in this book as it deals with very heavy themes explicitly.

This was a fantastic read, it surprise me in the best of ways. This book hits a bittersweet tone from the start as the Olivia is struggling with mental issues and severe depression as a result of a break up from an abusive ex. Daphne and Jason are the ones who come to her rescue taking her to her family's cabin for some needed TLC.

Between trying to deal with her breakdowns (check triggers) Daphne and Jason start to get to know each other beyond their preconcieved notions of each other. Their love for Olivia makes them divest of their own needs and focus on her, which in turn brings them closer than what they expected, Their love comes from a desperate love to protect, heal, and safe a loved one. Having to service mentallly and phsyical leads them to support and protect each other. As a result their love story is filled with an intensity that brings them to be each other's partner.

A great read!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anah Grindrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book offers a powerful and thoughtfully written exploration of mental health.

The despair, sadness, and emotional struggles of each character are conveyed with real depth and authenticity. Olivia’s journey was especially moving; her pain felt deeply personal, and her struggles were portrayed in a way that was both heartbreaking and memorable.

Daphne and Jason each carried their own burdens, and their contrasting personalities made their dynamic especially compelling. Jason, in particular, showed emotional depth and a willingness to recognize when he was wrong or had not fully understood a situation. Daphne, rather than pushing him away when he challenged her relationship with Malcolm, showed a quiet self-awareness in recognizing the truth behind his words.

What stood out most was the growth each character experienced. This is a story full of love, resilience, and emotional honesty.

Thank you Sienna Hill for the ARC

[Jess Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

***HONEST ARC REVIEW***

Please check all trigger warnings before reading this book.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't sure how I would feel once I finished it. Out the gate the book dives deep into some very heavy topics. Senna Hill truly captured every little bit of the messy, the chaotic and the trauma surrounding these topics and wrote it in such a beautiful, emotional way. She wraps the story up in a big, happy bow and really feels you with all the good emotions after such a dark and heavy plot.

This story shows you that even in your absolute darkest days where it feels like there's no way out - there is. You just need to surround yourself with people who love and truly care about you and allow them to help you. There's a happy ending out there for everyone, you just have to believe in it.

I cried way more than I anticipated while reading this book and I can't wait to cry even more with the next book in the series.

[chris fike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim and am so glad I did. This is not about the romance.. well not for a bit.

This is all things mental health and it is well written. You can feel the despair, the sadness, the struggles of all the characters. And Olivia .. I cried for her and with her. She struggled so much .. so so much.

Daphne had her own struggles. Jason had his… and man these two were polar opposites.

Jason had depth to him and could admit when he was wrong or looking at something incompletely.

Daphne .. she could have pushed him away when he picked apart her relationship with Malcom but she was aware enough to see what was being said.

Each of these characters grew …
There is so much love in this book .. and struggle and strength.

I binged it ….

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.