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RESONANCE
For readers who loved The Edge of Darkness Trilogy and The Words, RESONANCE is a haunting second-chance romance about a spiraling rockstar, the woman he left behind, and the powerful forces that never truly let him go.
It is the second and darkest installment of the Falling Star Trilogy.
Jude Graves walked away from Emma Easton once before. This time, it might be forever.
After disappearing into the hands of a Russian crime lord, Jude is dragged back into a nightmare he barely survived. Isolation. Manipulation. Psychological torture designed to break him down piece by piece.
The longer he’s held captive, the more the lines between reality and survival begin to blur. And the man Emma loves is slipping further away.
Emma refuses to believe Jude is lost. But finding him means stepping into a world far darker than she ever imagined. As secrets surrounding Jude’s past begin to unravel, Emma forms a dangerous alliance with one of New York’s most notorious hackers to track him down.
Rescuing him will take everything. Because saving him is only the beginning. Getting him back in one piece may be the real battle.
And the man Emma fights to bring home may not be the same one who left.
It is the second and darkest installment of the Falling Star Trilogy.
Jude Graves walked away from Emma Easton once before. This time, it might be forever.
After disappearing into the hands of a Russian crime lord, Jude is dragged back into a nightmare he barely survived. Isolation. Manipulation. Psychological torture designed to break him down piece by piece.
The longer he’s held captive, the more the lines between reality and survival begin to blur. And the man Emma loves is slipping further away.
Emma refuses to believe Jude is lost. But finding him means stepping into a world far darker than she ever imagined. As secrets surrounding Jude’s past begin to unravel, Emma forms a dangerous alliance with one of New York’s most notorious hackers to track him down.
Rescuing him will take everything. Because saving him is only the beginning. Getting him back in one piece may be the real battle.
And the man Emma fights to bring home may not be the same one who left.
403 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2026
About the author
Adeline Humphries
5 books137 followersTHE CROWNED MONSTERS DUET is my debut work as a dark romance author. It has since been re-released with updates and corrections.
THE FALLING STAR TRILOGY is a dark rockstar romance with thriller elements.
I'm Adeline and I'm a 31 year old dark romance author who started out writing spice-heavy work (CMD), then soon pivoted to more emotionally heavy work (FST). My work is ever-growing as I continue to hone my craft and figure out what kind of writing resonates best. You’re on this journey with me, so thank you!
When I'm not writing morally ambiguous characters, I’m living a quiet and adventurous life in the US with my husband and cats.
I am forever grateful for everyone who has picked up my stories and given them a chance. Thank you so much for supporting me on this incredible journey. Little me would be so proud to say that she will one day be a published author after scribbling in her notebooks for years.
THE FALLING STAR TRILOGY is a dark rockstar romance with thriller elements.
I'm Adeline and I'm a 31 year old dark romance author who started out writing spice-heavy work (CMD), then soon pivoted to more emotionally heavy work (FST). My work is ever-growing as I continue to hone my craft and figure out what kind of writing resonates best. You’re on this journey with me, so thank you!
When I'm not writing morally ambiguous characters, I’m living a quiet and adventurous life in the US with my husband and cats.
I am forever grateful for everyone who has picked up my stories and given them a chance. Thank you so much for supporting me on this incredible journey. Little me would be so proud to say that she will one day be a published author after scribbling in her notebooks for years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
June 4, 2026
💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤
I HAVE NO WORDS ! I AM STUNNED! I AM SHOCKED ! I AM TERRIFIED! I AM SAD ! I AM SHAKING! I WANT TO SCREAM ! ! ! !
💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤
AFTER YEARS OF LOOKING FOR IT, I FINALLY FOUND A BOOK (trilogy) THAT GIVES THE SAME VIBES AND FEELINGS OF THE EDGE OF DARKNESS! And this is equally amazing as it is DEVASTATING. Think of all the horror, pain, devastation, helpless from the edge of darkness and also the love story. Think of all of that but make it a Rockstar Romance!
I have so many emotions right now and I don’t even know how to even start this review !
Jude was taken to Russia after the events of the first book, to be broken and made as a monster, he just didn’t know the extent of it.
They took EVERYTHING from him. When I say everything I mean think about Kade in the Edge of Darkness kind of thing. He was tortured endlessly everyday, he was sold and rap🍆ed, he was drugged and also subjected to withdrawals constantly to then be drugged again to condition his body, they fucking associate Emma’s imagine to pain and hurt to make him hate her, they associate Alexei’s presence to relief of the pain, to be obeyed and be feared. He was made a ruthless killer, a unfeeling monster, a weapon . He is almost beyond saving. He tried to kill the love of his life Emma and his best friend Micah.
Emma never gave up, after he was taken she gathered Micah and Hather and they got a flimsy plan to get him back. They tried to get help from a hacker of criminal organizations , he directs them to his cousin Nico and his cousin’s boss Rafe and Rafe is AS TERRIFYING as Alexei, but he has what Emma and Micah need, he has the experience, he has the criminal underworld at his disposal, he controls USA side, he is a billionaire with resources, intelligence and an spectacular intelligent and as equally powerful and terrifying wife. They WILL help Emma because they see her desperation and they’ve been there. So now they have a chance, they need a plan, they need hackers, they need an army of skilled criminals, they need to fly to Russia and they somehow need to infiltrate this hell to rescue Jude.
Micah and Hather are the best friends anyone would be happy to have . The unique friendship and the support they offer are unmatched!
I truly cannot wait till June 20 to read the last book. 😭
😖
I have ONE complaint and I will advise you to stop reading because it will be a spoiler !
Did you stop ?
Continue if you’ve read the book and want to see what I am complaining about it. If not, STOP RIGHT NOW !
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌SPOILER❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌SPOILER❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
If you didn’t back away till now then it’s on you…..
Seriously…..
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
My ONLY complaint is the Adriana angle. I absolutely hated and I get it why it was done, I understood, so don’t come at me with the “trauma” talk, I am not talking about this, I am talking about another thing, and it is the fact that there’s a way of doing without pissing off the reader. I don’t understand WHEN authors will get it that we HATE reading about smut scenes between the MMC and someone else, we HATE even more to see intimacy and tender moments. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ? It made me so mad. I am a person capable of still rating the book 5⭐️ despite this BUT I know for a fact this is a big turn off to most people and the rating of the book will probably be affected by this . It wasn’t necessary to have this angle of the story. It should’ve been done in a different way because instead of making me have sympathy towards her, it made me dislike her even more no matter her background story and no matter the trauma bonding, no matter that she helped him after she was basically responsible for his situation. I get it that “hurt people will hurt people” but was it worth to piss off the readers ? Not in my opinion! Fuck that ! And the fact that she had more space and attention in the book then the FMC EMMA ! THAT TRULY angered me ! Ridiculous if you ask me…
I HAVE NO WORDS ! I AM STUNNED! I AM SHOCKED ! I AM TERRIFIED! I AM SAD ! I AM SHAKING! I WANT TO SCREAM ! ! ! !
💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤🖤🎸💔🎤
AFTER YEARS OF LOOKING FOR IT, I FINALLY FOUND A BOOK (trilogy) THAT GIVES THE SAME VIBES AND FEELINGS OF THE EDGE OF DARKNESS! And this is equally amazing as it is DEVASTATING. Think of all the horror, pain, devastation, helpless from the edge of darkness and also the love story. Think of all of that but make it a Rockstar Romance!
I have so many emotions right now and I don’t even know how to even start this review !
Jude was taken to Russia after the events of the first book, to be broken and made as a monster, he just didn’t know the extent of it.
They took EVERYTHING from him. When I say everything I mean think about Kade in the Edge of Darkness kind of thing. He was tortured endlessly everyday, he was sold and rap🍆ed, he was drugged and also subjected to withdrawals constantly to then be drugged again to condition his body, they fucking associate Emma’s imagine to pain and hurt to make him hate her, they associate Alexei’s presence to relief of the pain, to be obeyed and be feared. He was made a ruthless killer, a unfeeling monster, a weapon . He is almost beyond saving. He tried to kill the love of his life Emma and his best friend Micah.
Emma never gave up, after he was taken she gathered Micah and Hather and they got a flimsy plan to get him back. They tried to get help from a hacker of criminal organizations , he directs them to his cousin Nico and his cousin’s boss Rafe and Rafe is AS TERRIFYING as Alexei, but he has what Emma and Micah need, he has the experience, he has the criminal underworld at his disposal, he controls USA side, he is a billionaire with resources, intelligence and an spectacular intelligent and as equally powerful and terrifying wife. They WILL help Emma because they see her desperation and they’ve been there. So now they have a chance, they need a plan, they need hackers, they need an army of skilled criminals, they need to fly to Russia and they somehow need to infiltrate this hell to rescue Jude.
Micah and Hather are the best friends anyone would be happy to have . The unique friendship and the support they offer are unmatched!
I truly cannot wait till June 20 to read the last book. 😭
😖
I have ONE complaint and I will advise you to stop reading because it will be a spoiler !
Did you stop ?
Continue if you’ve read the book and want to see what I am complaining about it. If not, STOP RIGHT NOW !
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌SPOILER❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌SPOILER❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
If you didn’t back away till now then it’s on you…..
Seriously…..
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
My ONLY complaint is the Adriana angle. I absolutely hated and I get it why it was done, I understood, so don’t come at me with the “trauma” talk, I am not talking about this, I am talking about another thing, and it is the fact that there’s a way of doing without pissing off the reader. I don’t understand WHEN authors will get it that we HATE reading about smut scenes between the MMC and someone else, we HATE even more to see intimacy and tender moments. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ? It made me so mad. I am a person capable of still rating the book 5⭐️ despite this BUT I know for a fact this is a big turn off to most people and the rating of the book will probably be affected by this . It wasn’t necessary to have this angle of the story. It should’ve been done in a different way because instead of making me have sympathy towards her, it made me dislike her even more no matter her background story and no matter the trauma bonding, no matter that she helped him after she was basically responsible for his situation. I get it that “hurt people will hurt people” but was it worth to piss off the readers ? Not in my opinion! Fuck that ! And the fact that she had more space and attention in the book then the FMC EMMA ! THAT TRULY angered me ! Ridiculous if you ask me…
June 17, 2026
6⭐️ Adeline Humphries just poured burning gasoline on our raw, bleeding hearts
This book fucking traumatized me.
(That is a compliment)
I’ve read a stupid amount of dark romance and usually don’t let it seep into my real life or affect my mental health at all. THIS BOOK??? Had me sulking around like someone murdered my entire family. I’ve never felt so empty and helpless. I was so fucking depressed I had several people ask me if I was ok this week 😅 the answer is NO. Not until my babies get their HEA
I have a feeling this is about to be my fav trilogy ever 🥹
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🖤🩶🤍 Light spoiler 🤍🩶🖤
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I just KNEW in some twisted way I would end up liking Adriana 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 the trauma bond did me IN. Yes I’m rooting for her too idgaf
This book fucking traumatized me.
(That is a compliment)
I’ve read a stupid amount of dark romance and usually don’t let it seep into my real life or affect my mental health at all. THIS BOOK??? Had me sulking around like someone murdered my entire family. I’ve never felt so empty and helpless. I was so fucking depressed I had several people ask me if I was ok this week 😅 the answer is NO. Not until my babies get their HEA
I have a feeling this is about to be my fav trilogy ever 🥹
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
🖤🩶🤍 Light spoiler 🤍🩶🖤
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I just KNEW in some twisted way I would end up liking Adriana 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 the trauma bond did me IN. Yes I’m rooting for her too idgaf
June 17, 2026
So I got lucky and received an arc for this book and WOW! This book is really sending me back to similar vibes of the edge of darkness trilogy and I devoured it!
This book was definitely harder to read and a lot darker than the first book. I wish I could hold Jude in my arms forever. I will say that I loved getting some of the other characters pov and I’m really going to need a book on Heather and Micah AND Rafe and Adela. Adela is a dark romance reader and she has a crush on Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle. Need I say more?
This book ended on an even worse cliffhanger, but I am very excited to read the last book of the trilogy.
This book was definitely harder to read and a lot darker than the first book. I wish I could hold Jude in my arms forever. I will say that I loved getting some of the other characters pov and I’m really going to need a book on Heather and Micah AND Rafe and Adela. Adela is a dark romance reader and she has a crush on Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle. Need I say more?
This book ended on an even worse cliffhanger, but I am very excited to read the last book of the trilogy.
July 6, 2026
JUDEEE!!!
🥲🥲🥲 after everything he has gone through i just dont know how anyone can get out of it?!! Hes so broke and now lost. I want him to find the peace he deserves 😞🥲😭😭😭
🥲🥲🥲 after everything he has gone through i just dont know how anyone can get out of it?!! Hes so broke and now lost. I want him to find the peace he deserves 😞🥲😭😭😭
June 11, 2026
lost.
If I thought Dissonance emotionally wrecked me, Resonance absolutely buried me alive.
This book was darker, heavier, more brutal in every possible way and I genuinely don’t think I was prepared for the level of devastation waiting inside these pages. The emotional destruction in this story felt relentless. Every chapter peeled back another layer of pain until I felt completely hollow by the end.
The angst was unbearable in the best possible way. Not the kind that simply makes your heart ache, but the kind that leaves you anxious, sick to your stomach, and desperate for these characters to survive themselves. Their love felt toxic, consuming, obsessive, heartbreaking… but underneath all of that was this terrifying vulnerability that made everything hurt even worse.
There’s such a rawness to the writing that makes you feel trapped inside every emotion with them. The grief, rage, guilt, desperation, and longing were so palpable I had to stop multiple times just to breathe through what I was reading. Some scenes genuinely shattered me.
What makes this series stand out so much is that the darkness never feels there just for shock value. Every painful moment serves a purpose and adds to the emotional unraveling of these characters. You don’t just read their suffering, you feel consumed by it alongside them.
I finished this emotionally exhausted, completely devastated, and still unable to stop thinking about it. This series isn’t just dark romance. It’s emotional torment in book form.
If I thought Dissonance emotionally wrecked me, Resonance absolutely buried me alive.
This book was darker, heavier, more brutal in every possible way and I genuinely don’t think I was prepared for the level of devastation waiting inside these pages. The emotional destruction in this story felt relentless. Every chapter peeled back another layer of pain until I felt completely hollow by the end.
The angst was unbearable in the best possible way. Not the kind that simply makes your heart ache, but the kind that leaves you anxious, sick to your stomach, and desperate for these characters to survive themselves. Their love felt toxic, consuming, obsessive, heartbreaking… but underneath all of that was this terrifying vulnerability that made everything hurt even worse.
There’s such a rawness to the writing that makes you feel trapped inside every emotion with them. The grief, rage, guilt, desperation, and longing were so palpable I had to stop multiple times just to breathe through what I was reading. Some scenes genuinely shattered me.
What makes this series stand out so much is that the darkness never feels there just for shock value. Every painful moment serves a purpose and adds to the emotional unraveling of these characters. You don’t just read their suffering, you feel consumed by it alongside them.
I finished this emotionally exhausted, completely devastated, and still unable to stop thinking about it. This series isn’t just dark romance. It’s emotional torment in book form.
May 7, 2026
FUCK FUCK FUCK !!!!!! This book fucking torn me in half. I thought book 1 was sad & dark but fuck me this book just made me feel x double what I did. I actually had to put the book down at points & just cry. I just wanted to reach in & grab my baby 💔💔😭😭😭😭 nah seriously this series has consumed me & I feel lost for words. I can’t even express how much love I have for these characters. So much pain, so much hate, so much grief… nah I’m done for. I’m so fucking scared for book 3 THIS IS NOT OKAY !!!
July 1, 2026
OKAY I thought the first book broke my heart but nope this one absolutely shattered it.
June 11, 2026
I dived head and heart first into this book.!
Resonance is the second book in the Falling Star Trilogy and is much darker as it descends into depths I never expected.
Jude Graves, my heart belongs to you! I wept all the tears I could possibly muster during major parts of this novel. What brought me to my knees was the internal battle Jude fought daily against his mind and his love for Emma while losing parts of his soul. The depth of Judes mental and physical deterioration made me want to reach into this book and save him, hold him and cry with him. "Why the fxck can't I feel anything anymore."
While the book follows the rest of Jude and Emma's devastating and whirlwind romance, I found myself drawn deeply to Adrianas and Michas povs as well. It's always fantastic to get supporting characters pov in a trilogy. I was deeply invested in seeing Emma's growth from her more understanding therapist self, to a woman who was ready to risk it all to save the man she loves. I commend her strength and resilience for being the light in Judes darkness. I am ready for their HEA now ...
Honorable mention to Rafe (of course)
Resonance is the second book in the Falling Star Trilogy and is much darker as it descends into depths I never expected.
Jude Graves, my heart belongs to you! I wept all the tears I could possibly muster during major parts of this novel. What brought me to my knees was the internal battle Jude fought daily against his mind and his love for Emma while losing parts of his soul. The depth of Judes mental and physical deterioration made me want to reach into this book and save him, hold him and cry with him. "Why the fxck can't I feel anything anymore."
While the book follows the rest of Jude and Emma's devastating and whirlwind romance, I found myself drawn deeply to Adrianas and Michas povs as well. It's always fantastic to get supporting characters pov in a trilogy. I was deeply invested in seeing Emma's growth from her more understanding therapist self, to a woman who was ready to risk it all to save the man she loves. I commend her strength and resilience for being the light in Judes darkness. I am ready for their HEA now ...
Honorable mention to Rafe (of course)
June 27, 2026
i really enjoyed the first book and i did enjoy this one as well but i kept thinking of kade & stacey the entire time !!! it’s so so similar to TEOD and at first i was like hmm okay im glad to be getting the same type of story/feel but the similarities are a lot… so just know that if you continue this series or even think about picking up the first book!
anyways, to my actual review…
this book was a lot!!! it’s definitely darker than the first one. soooo much happens but then also nothing really happens?! it’s hard to explain. jude my heart 😭 i genuinely don’t even know what to say. that ending was also wild… it had my heart racing because i didn’t know what to expect!! i’m most definitely going to read the next book because i need to see Jude & Emma get their HEA!
anyways, to my actual review…
this book was a lot!!! it’s definitely darker than the first one. soooo much happens but then also nothing really happens?! it’s hard to explain. jude my heart 😭 i genuinely don’t even know what to say. that ending was also wild… it had my heart racing because i didn’t know what to expect!! i’m most definitely going to read the next book because i need to see Jude & Emma get their HEA!
July 5, 2026
I didn’t think I could possibly be sadder in this book than I was in book 1 but I was so wrong.
I felt every emotion in this boook, truly this is a story that will stay with me forever.
My only complaint is the Adriana angle, I truly despise her and I didn’t like seeing the sweet moments with her and Jude. And nothing from her past makes it okay for what she put Jude through .
Emma is the definition of ride or die & never giving up on her mannnnnn!
I still absolutely love Heather and Micah!!!
I need to read the next book immediately, I need Jude to be okay. I need him to be happy. I need them to be happy, all the pain they’ve been dealt — I need the happiness now 😭
I felt every emotion in this boook, truly this is a story that will stay with me forever.
My only complaint is the Adriana angle, I truly despise her and I didn’t like seeing the sweet moments with her and Jude. And nothing from her past makes it okay for what she put Jude through .
Emma is the definition of ride or die & never giving up on her mannnnnn!
I still absolutely love Heather and Micah!!!
I need to read the next book immediately, I need Jude to be okay. I need him to be happy. I need them to be happy, all the pain they’ve been dealt — I need the happiness now 😭
May 27, 2026
Resonance absolutely wrecked me. Like genuinely had me sitting there staring at the wall after finishing it. Jude’s spiral was heartbreaking and stressful and I felt every second of it. This book is HEAVY though. Emotional damage from start to finish honestly. The tension, the obsession, the heartbreak, the tiny moments of hope… it had me hooked the entire time. And that ending?? I can not wait for the third book!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This book took me longer to read because holy emotional damage…. (So Voracious coded iykyk 😭🫠)
I felt like the first half was pretty slow but the last half really made up for it.
POOR BABY JUDE he’s just trying to do whatever he can to forget and also stop the pain 😔💔
I LOVE the closeness of Emma, Heather, and Micah in this book. the found family they are creating is everything.
Also Rafe and Adela?! 🥵 HOT! I NEED TO READ THEIR DUET ASAP
This book took me longer to read because holy emotional damage…. (So Voracious coded iykyk 😭🫠)
I felt like the first half was pretty slow but the last half really made up for it.
POOR BABY JUDE he’s just trying to do whatever he can to forget and also stop the pain 😔💔
I LOVE the closeness of Emma, Heather, and Micah in this book. the found family they are creating is everything.
Also Rafe and Adela?! 🥵 HOT! I NEED TO READ THEIR DUET ASAP
July 10, 2026
Sorry, that's how you're ending book 2?! No seriously ending it just like that?
Nope. No way. Of course this is a bloody master piece yet again and I am LOVING following these characters, their stories intertwined yet individual.
Requiem better heal the heart break
Nope. No way. Of course this is a bloody master piece yet again and I am LOVING following these characters, their stories intertwined yet individual.
Requiem better heal the heart break
June 29, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
🤯🤯🤯
Well holy sh!t.
🤯🤯🤯
Well holy sh!t.
July 6, 2026
Had to knock a star off cause I hate this “redemption arc” of Adriana. Otherwise I’m obsessed
June 8, 2026
I.. don’t even know where to begin. That was devastating, and I thought book 1 was rough!? This literally gives the same feelings as EOD and I didn’t think that would be possible. The last 10% I was on the edge of my seat it was like I couldn’t read fast enough. My poor babies, all of them 😭
Also so intrigued by the new side characters Rafe and Adela. I saw they have their own book so I will immediately be adding that to my too long TBR
Also so intrigued by the new side characters Rafe and Adela. I saw they have their own book so I will immediately be adding that to my too long TBR
June 27, 2026
I’ll be back with a review because 😭😭
Read
June 22, 2026Gosh not even sure if I can rate this. The torture Jude went through BROKE ME
give me the last book NOW with a happy ending pls
give me the last book NOW with a happy ending pls
June 22, 2026
My heart actually hurts I feel so deeply for these characters and one thing I'm happy about is that the 3rd book is out just as I've finished this I can go straight into it
April 20, 2026
Rafe>>>>
Book 2 was a harder read because of how dark it was but that cliffhanger 😭😭 I cannot wait to read Emma & Jude’s much deserved HEA in book 3.
Book 2 was a harder read because of how dark it was but that cliffhanger 😭😭 I cannot wait to read Emma & Jude’s much deserved HEA in book 3.
June 8, 2026
I NEED THE THIRD BOOK IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!! I NEED JUDE TO HAVE A HAPPY ENDING PLEASE 🥲🥲🥲🥲
July 11, 2026
I needed a day.. to sort out how I feel about this story.
Form: 📱ebook on phone
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Trope: Tortured MMC, Second Chance, Rockstar
Angst: ~
Spice: ~
Recommend: 4
Ok after reading book two, I’m a bit more invested in the story, but it gets darker, and more twisted.Jude is slowly dissociating, with each bout of torture. It’s breaking my heart worrying if he will come back to Emma, or is he going to be lost forever… behind a broken mind.
Form: 📱ebook on phone
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Trope: Tortured MMC, Second Chance, Rockstar
Angst: ~
Spice: ~
Recommend: 4
Ok after reading book two, I’m a bit more invested in the story, but it gets darker, and more twisted.Jude is slowly dissociating, with each bout of torture. It’s breaking my heart worrying if he will come back to Emma, or is he going to be lost forever… behind a broken mind.
July 5, 2026
4.25 🌟 my anxiety is through the ROOF rn
May 9, 2026
Resonance - Book 2 in the Falling Start Trilogy absolutely wrecked me.
This book isn’t just dark, It’s psychologically devastating in a way that crawls under your skin and settles into your bones. The kind of story that consumes you so completely you stop reading it and start living it.
Book 2 hurts.
Not in a dramatic, surface-level way. In a soul-deep, suffocating, emotionally violent way that leaves you sitting there staring at the wall trying to process what you just read ... while simultaneously not wanting to process it because every page feels like the exact opposite of what your heart is begging for.
Jude ... God, Jude.
He’s still trapped, but the prison has evolved into something even darker. More psychological. More calculated. He isn’t being punished anymore – he’s being remolded. Refined. Trained into becoming a weapon for someone else to weild.
One hit.
One needle.
One command.
One shattered piece of himself at a time.
Watching him lose pieces of his humanity while desperately trying to hold onto the last fragile threads of who he used to be is absolutely brutal. Fear. Desperation. Emptiness. Numbness. He is becoming a shell of himself, and Adeline doesn’t let you look away from it for even a second.
And Emma ...
Emma has always been the light in the darkness, but now she’s being forced to step into the dark herself. To embrace it. To become whatever she needs to become to survive and to save him – even if it destroys her in the process.
Because what happens when love isnt enough anymore?
What happens when rage becomes the thing keeping you alive?
When hate consumes every ounce of who you are because grief has nowhere else to go?
And then there’s Heather and Micah ... the ride-or-die friendships that somehow manage to hold together the shattered remains of everyone else.
Micah (Meekah) especially ... gah!
That man owns a piece of my soul too. His heart, his faith, his unwavering love and loyalty – he feels just as important as any MMC in this series. He is hope when everything else feels so hopeless.
The way Adeline writes pain should honestly be studied. You don’t read these books – you endure them. You breathe every ounce of loss, rage, desperation, grief, and emptieness right alongside the characters until you feel emotionally hollowed out yourself.
And somehow... despite all of that devastation ... you still keep turning the pages hoping there’s something left worth saving in the wreckage.
This book isn’t just dark, It’s psychologically devastating in a way that crawls under your skin and settles into your bones. The kind of story that consumes you so completely you stop reading it and start living it.
Book 2 hurts.
Not in a dramatic, surface-level way. In a soul-deep, suffocating, emotionally violent way that leaves you sitting there staring at the wall trying to process what you just read ... while simultaneously not wanting to process it because every page feels like the exact opposite of what your heart is begging for.
Jude ... God, Jude.
He’s still trapped, but the prison has evolved into something even darker. More psychological. More calculated. He isn’t being punished anymore – he’s being remolded. Refined. Trained into becoming a weapon for someone else to weild.
One hit.
One needle.
One command.
One shattered piece of himself at a time.
Watching him lose pieces of his humanity while desperately trying to hold onto the last fragile threads of who he used to be is absolutely brutal. Fear. Desperation. Emptiness. Numbness. He is becoming a shell of himself, and Adeline doesn’t let you look away from it for even a second.
And Emma ...
Emma has always been the light in the darkness, but now she’s being forced to step into the dark herself. To embrace it. To become whatever she needs to become to survive and to save him – even if it destroys her in the process.
Because what happens when love isnt enough anymore?
What happens when rage becomes the thing keeping you alive?
When hate consumes every ounce of who you are because grief has nowhere else to go?
And then there’s Heather and Micah ... the ride-or-die friendships that somehow manage to hold together the shattered remains of everyone else.
Micah (Meekah) especially ... gah!
That man owns a piece of my soul too. His heart, his faith, his unwavering love and loyalty – he feels just as important as any MMC in this series. He is hope when everything else feels so hopeless.
The way Adeline writes pain should honestly be studied. You don’t read these books – you endure them. You breathe every ounce of loss, rage, desperation, grief, and emptieness right alongside the characters until you feel emotionally hollowed out yourself.
And somehow... despite all of that devastation ... you still keep turning the pages hoping there’s something left worth saving in the wreckage.
May 9, 2026
Well… this wrecked me for a minute. This book was significantly darker than I expected, and I genuinely was not prepared for the depths it descended into. But honestly? That darkness is also what made the story hit so hard. There were moments that genuinely twisted my guts.
This series officially has me in a chokehold at this point, but I’m going to need emotional compensation in book three because WHAT WAS THAT (😭). You cannot drag me through all of this and not make it worth it in the end.
Fair warning: book two is a much heavier, darker, and more emotionally brutal read than book one. This is absolutely not a light series, especially once you get deeper into the story. The author writes in a way that makes the emotions, trauma, and tension feel uncomfortably real at times. As my friend warned me—because she knows my emotional ass likes her warnings—“you’re gonna be mad off and on… like raging angry.”
She. Was. Correct.
This series continues to prove that it isn’t just trying to shock the reader—it’s trying to psychologically unravel them. It slowly drags you into the characters’ emotional and mental state until you start feeling the weight of it alongside them. And for me, that’s where Resonance really stood out. Beneath the darkness, violence, obsession, and emotional chaos, there’s actually a layered exploration of identity, conditioning, trauma, loyalty, and what happens when someone is turned into a weapon before they ever had the chance to become a person.
What I appreciated most is that this book understands emotional damage is rarely loud or straightforward. It’s contradictory. It’s messy. It rewires people. The characters don’t always react in ways that are healthy, but they react in ways that feel believable for the lives they’ve lived. That distinction matters to me. I don’t need morally perfect characters—I need internally consistent ones. I need to understand why they are the way they are, even when they frustrate me, and this book did a solid job building that psychological framework.
The emotional tension throughout the story felt even heavier this time around. Everything has weight behind it now—fear, dependency, trauma bonds, control, vulnerability, instinct, and survival. There’s this constant push and pull between connection and destruction, and the book leans into the uncomfortable reality that trauma and psychological conditioning can blur the lines between care, attachment, survival, emotional dependency, genuine emotion, and more until they become so intertwined that the characters themselves can no longer distinguish one from the other.
The human brain is honestly a fascinating and terrifying thing because prolonged trauma, fear, conditioning, and emotional manipulation can literally reshape the way a person processes attachment, safety, connection, and survival. Psychologically, people can become conditioned to associate comfort with pain, attachment with fear, or protection with the very thing harming them. But for some, the opposite can happen too—where the brain almost shuts down emotionally as a form of survival, leaving someone numb, detached, hollowed out, or unable to fully process emotion the way they once could. And what makes trauma especially complex is that these responses are not always separate; they can often coexist together, especially in environments built around prolonged psychological abuse, conditioning, fear, isolation, and control. The book really leans into that reality and explores how repeated exposure, dependency, and psychological warfare can slowly blur emotional boundaries until the characters themselves no longer fully understand what they’re feeling—or even themselves.
I also think the atmosphere deserves a lot of credit because this book feels oppressive in a very intentional way. There’s a lingering sense of dread underneath almost every interaction, like something is always slightly off balance. Even during quieter moments, the tension never fully disappears. It creates this feeling that the characters are trapped inside systems, memories, and emotional patterns bigger than themselves, which fits the themes of the story incredibly well. Again: framework and structure. This author handled that exceptionally well throughout both books.
One thing I keep thinking about after finishing is how much this story revolves around resonance in both the literal and metaphorical sense—how pain echoes, how trauma transfers, how violence creates ripple effects inside people, and how certain connections can fundamentally alter someone’s internal frequency for better or worse. The title honestly fits the emotional architecture of the story perfectly.
Overall, this wasn’t just a book I “read.” It was a book I actively processed while reading it, and those are usually the stories that stay with me the longest. That said, I do think this is the kind of series that will heavily depend on the reader’s tolerance for emotional intensity, psychological warfare, and darker relational dynamics. This is not a casual read, and it’s definitely not a romance where things are softened or emotionally sanitized for the audience’s comfort.
I think this series is meant to make you feel everything, but specifically, this book leans much heavier into the darker, more emotionally unbalanced side of that scale. Still, I genuinely believe book three is being positioned to emotionally compensate for a lot of what book two puts both the characters and the reader through. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
I also think this book will hit especially hard for people who have personally experienced psychological manipulation, emotional conditioning, toxic attachment dynamics, or prolonged emotional warfare. There’s something deeply unsettling about watching characters slowly become psychologically reshaped by fear, dependency, trauma, and survival. And for anyone who has ever felt emotionally hollowed out by life and then had to slowly learn how to rebuild themselves afterward, parts of this book may resonate on a very uncomfortable level.
Obviously, this is just my personal interpretation, but one thing I think this author does exceptionally well is write emotional and psychological damage in a way that feels disturbingly authentic and emotionally believable.
This series officially has me in a chokehold at this point, but I’m going to need emotional compensation in book three because WHAT WAS THAT (😭). You cannot drag me through all of this and not make it worth it in the end.
Fair warning: book two is a much heavier, darker, and more emotionally brutal read than book one. This is absolutely not a light series, especially once you get deeper into the story. The author writes in a way that makes the emotions, trauma, and tension feel uncomfortably real at times. As my friend warned me—because she knows my emotional ass likes her warnings—“you’re gonna be mad off and on… like raging angry.”
She. Was. Correct.
This series continues to prove that it isn’t just trying to shock the reader—it’s trying to psychologically unravel them. It slowly drags you into the characters’ emotional and mental state until you start feeling the weight of it alongside them. And for me, that’s where Resonance really stood out. Beneath the darkness, violence, obsession, and emotional chaos, there’s actually a layered exploration of identity, conditioning, trauma, loyalty, and what happens when someone is turned into a weapon before they ever had the chance to become a person.
What I appreciated most is that this book understands emotional damage is rarely loud or straightforward. It’s contradictory. It’s messy. It rewires people. The characters don’t always react in ways that are healthy, but they react in ways that feel believable for the lives they’ve lived. That distinction matters to me. I don’t need morally perfect characters—I need internally consistent ones. I need to understand why they are the way they are, even when they frustrate me, and this book did a solid job building that psychological framework.
The emotional tension throughout the story felt even heavier this time around. Everything has weight behind it now—fear, dependency, trauma bonds, control, vulnerability, instinct, and survival. There’s this constant push and pull between connection and destruction, and the book leans into the uncomfortable reality that trauma and psychological conditioning can blur the lines between care, attachment, survival, emotional dependency, genuine emotion, and more until they become so intertwined that the characters themselves can no longer distinguish one from the other.
The human brain is honestly a fascinating and terrifying thing because prolonged trauma, fear, conditioning, and emotional manipulation can literally reshape the way a person processes attachment, safety, connection, and survival. Psychologically, people can become conditioned to associate comfort with pain, attachment with fear, or protection with the very thing harming them. But for some, the opposite can happen too—where the brain almost shuts down emotionally as a form of survival, leaving someone numb, detached, hollowed out, or unable to fully process emotion the way they once could. And what makes trauma especially complex is that these responses are not always separate; they can often coexist together, especially in environments built around prolonged psychological abuse, conditioning, fear, isolation, and control. The book really leans into that reality and explores how repeated exposure, dependency, and psychological warfare can slowly blur emotional boundaries until the characters themselves no longer fully understand what they’re feeling—or even themselves.
I also think the atmosphere deserves a lot of credit because this book feels oppressive in a very intentional way. There’s a lingering sense of dread underneath almost every interaction, like something is always slightly off balance. Even during quieter moments, the tension never fully disappears. It creates this feeling that the characters are trapped inside systems, memories, and emotional patterns bigger than themselves, which fits the themes of the story incredibly well. Again: framework and structure. This author handled that exceptionally well throughout both books.
One thing I keep thinking about after finishing is how much this story revolves around resonance in both the literal and metaphorical sense—how pain echoes, how trauma transfers, how violence creates ripple effects inside people, and how certain connections can fundamentally alter someone’s internal frequency for better or worse. The title honestly fits the emotional architecture of the story perfectly.
Overall, this wasn’t just a book I “read.” It was a book I actively processed while reading it, and those are usually the stories that stay with me the longest. That said, I do think this is the kind of series that will heavily depend on the reader’s tolerance for emotional intensity, psychological warfare, and darker relational dynamics. This is not a casual read, and it’s definitely not a romance where things are softened or emotionally sanitized for the audience’s comfort.
I think this series is meant to make you feel everything, but specifically, this book leans much heavier into the darker, more emotionally unbalanced side of that scale. Still, I genuinely believe book three is being positioned to emotionally compensate for a lot of what book two puts both the characters and the reader through. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
I also think this book will hit especially hard for people who have personally experienced psychological manipulation, emotional conditioning, toxic attachment dynamics, or prolonged emotional warfare. There’s something deeply unsettling about watching characters slowly become psychologically reshaped by fear, dependency, trauma, and survival. And for anyone who has ever felt emotionally hollowed out by life and then had to slowly learn how to rebuild themselves afterward, parts of this book may resonate on a very uncomfortable level.
Obviously, this is just my personal interpretation, but one thing I think this author does exceptionally well is write emotional and psychological damage in a way that feels disturbingly authentic and emotionally believable.
April 29, 2026
Dissonance was an easy read compared to this heartbreakingly damaging story. This book completely wrecked me, I cried at least ten times while reading it.
Like, come on, Adeline...my heart could barely take it.
Jude had me hooked before I even started this ARC, and he did not disappoint. I loved his rockstar personality, the confidence, the sexy words, and the chaos within him. But at the same time, it was devastating to see how empty and painful his life in fame really was. His struggles with abuse, SA, and drug addiction, combined with being torn away from the one person who could have saved him, made this second book so heavy. Watching him slowly lose himself, and even worse, believe he was a monster only to become one, was incredibly hard to read. The moment that truly broke me was when he said that the mask and him are the same. Such a bold line, but absolutely gut-wrenching. I honestly wanted to go after everyone who hurt him, except Adriana, who I've come to forgive. Her story was heartbreaking in its own way. She was just trying to become an actress and instead ended up being abused, drugged, and manipulated by that awful manager, Nolan. I won't lie, I was glad he died. It was long overdue lol. And while I don't agree with how Adriana coped with her trauma, especially when it came to Jude, I can understand the pain that drove her there. One of the few bright spots in this emotional rollercoaster was RAFE FUCKING VAUGHAN. I missed him so much, and I loved seeing him show up again as that big, intimidating protector for Emma! And I loved seeing Adela too. She's always a badass, and I'll never get tired of that. It was also really nice to see Heather and Micah growing closer. Knowing that Micah is doing better gave me some hope. Addiction is such a difficult battle, but I'm rooting for both of them. I can't wait for this HEA in book three! If you like dark romance then add this!!
Like, come on, Adeline...my heart could barely take it.
Jude had me hooked before I even started this ARC, and he did not disappoint. I loved his rockstar personality, the confidence, the sexy words, and the chaos within him. But at the same time, it was devastating to see how empty and painful his life in fame really was. His struggles with abuse, SA, and drug addiction, combined with being torn away from the one person who could have saved him, made this second book so heavy. Watching him slowly lose himself, and even worse, believe he was a monster only to become one, was incredibly hard to read. The moment that truly broke me was when he said that the mask and him are the same. Such a bold line, but absolutely gut-wrenching. I honestly wanted to go after everyone who hurt him, except Adriana, who I've come to forgive. Her story was heartbreaking in its own way. She was just trying to become an actress and instead ended up being abused, drugged, and manipulated by that awful manager, Nolan. I won't lie, I was glad he died. It was long overdue lol. And while I don't agree with how Adriana coped with her trauma, especially when it came to Jude, I can understand the pain that drove her there. One of the few bright spots in this emotional rollercoaster was RAFE FUCKING VAUGHAN. I missed him so much, and I loved seeing him show up again as that big, intimidating protector for Emma! And I loved seeing Adela too. She's always a badass, and I'll never get tired of that. It was also really nice to see Heather and Micah growing closer. Knowing that Micah is doing better gave me some hope. Addiction is such a difficult battle, but I'm rooting for both of them. I can't wait for this HEA in book three! If you like dark romance then add this!!
May 21, 2026
Resonance is book two in the Falling Star trilogy. In this book, we find both main characters in a bad place. Jude is now under Alexei's control and is in Russia with Nolan and Adriana. Jude is dealing with monsters on a level he hasn't before. Quickly, Jude realizes that he is viewed as a tool and a weapon with no way out. Alexei subjects Jude to different forms of torture to build the killer he desires for his empire. Some of the most damaging forms of torture include a combination of mental and physical damage where Alexei uses Emma's image to train Jude's brain to associate her with pain and himself with relief.
Micah, Emma and Heather have bonded together and are determined to get Jude back. Emma experiences severe physical reactions to the loss of Jude and the anxiety associated with wondering what he is going through. Emma is still able to persevere and jumps into a dangerous world in order to save Jude. Emma becomes aligned with Rafe and Adela who have an organization strong enough to take on Alexei. Rafe and Adela are new side characters to this story but are the main characters of the Crowned Monsters duet. Micah and Heather remain prominent side characters. Some chapters are in Micah's perspective, which gives the reader insight into his character on a deeper level. The relationship between Heather and Micah is definitely a light in this dark story.
Another side character we get perspective from is Adriana. The reader learns more about her backstory which reveals the abuse Adriana suffered starting as a teen. While this doesn't excuse the abuse she has subjected Jude to, it does give the reader more insight into her actions. The story does highlight the change in her and Jude's relationship. While he may not love her, they do become trauma bonded through the terrible life at Alexei's compound.
This book is dark from start to finish. The chapters in Jude's perspective show his deterioration mentally and how he becomes less human to deal with the daily abuse. Emma's struggles with anxiety are given proper representation but also highlight her tenacity and determination to rise above her struggles for Jude. The book ends leaving the reader wanting more. I cannot wait to see the how the story ends. I definitely have a lot of feelings about Adriana and am curious how her story will play out. I highly recommend this trilogy, but encourage you to read the trigger warnings before because these books tackle very dark themes.
Micah, Emma and Heather have bonded together and are determined to get Jude back. Emma experiences severe physical reactions to the loss of Jude and the anxiety associated with wondering what he is going through. Emma is still able to persevere and jumps into a dangerous world in order to save Jude. Emma becomes aligned with Rafe and Adela who have an organization strong enough to take on Alexei. Rafe and Adela are new side characters to this story but are the main characters of the Crowned Monsters duet. Micah and Heather remain prominent side characters. Some chapters are in Micah's perspective, which gives the reader insight into his character on a deeper level. The relationship between Heather and Micah is definitely a light in this dark story.
Another side character we get perspective from is Adriana. The reader learns more about her backstory which reveals the abuse Adriana suffered starting as a teen. While this doesn't excuse the abuse she has subjected Jude to, it does give the reader more insight into her actions. The story does highlight the change in her and Jude's relationship. While he may not love her, they do become trauma bonded through the terrible life at Alexei's compound.
This book is dark from start to finish. The chapters in Jude's perspective show his deterioration mentally and how he becomes less human to deal with the daily abuse. Emma's struggles with anxiety are given proper representation but also highlight her tenacity and determination to rise above her struggles for Jude. The book ends leaving the reader wanting more. I cannot wait to see the how the story ends. I definitely have a lot of feelings about Adriana and am curious how her story will play out. I highly recommend this trilogy, but encourage you to read the trigger warnings before because these books tackle very dark themes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2026
oh my god, this book was incredible, the writing, the emotions, it’s like you felt them with the characters
oh my poor Jude, everything they did to him was sick and twisted, i feel disgusted as how people keep using him and using him again, breaking his mind, body and soul, Alexei tortured him so fucking bad that he finds comfort in the woman who abused him before, like that is sick and twisted, and that he didn’t even mention Emma in his head once because he wanted to forget her to protect her, Alexei is shows him a picture of her and in that moment he makes his man beat him up, hurt him in any way, so he associates her with pain, so now he barely recognizes her, and their friends, they broke him so much that he was close to killing them, he didn’t want to but his mind is broken, he can’t function properly, i hate Alexei so bad, and even if they rescued Jude from him, bringing him back to his old self is going to be hard
i’m also conflicted about Adriana, because i do feel sorry about her, like her story is crazy and twisted but, i find it hard to sympathize with her after what he did to Jude, yes, i understand she was hurting too, but so was Jude and he never @bused anyone to feel better himself
Emma is so fucking strong, there aren’t many people who would fight like she does for Jude, is admirable, because even knowing she could loose herself she still chose to do it, i love her
And Rafe and Adela? I loved their characters. Maybe i should read their story
Micah and Heather too, their determination to save Jude, to do all that they did is incredible, not all friends would do what they did. And their relationship is so cute, i hope to see more of it in the next book, and maybe a Heather’s POV
I’m definitely continuing with the next book, i need Jude to be okay, i need him to be happy. Is going to be hard, but he will be okay..i hope
oh my poor Jude, everything they did to him was sick and twisted, i feel disgusted as how people keep using him and using him again, breaking his mind, body and soul, Alexei tortured him so fucking bad that he finds comfort in the woman who abused him before, like that is sick and twisted, and that he didn’t even mention Emma in his head once because he wanted to forget her to protect her, Alexei is shows him a picture of her and in that moment he makes his man beat him up, hurt him in any way, so he associates her with pain, so now he barely recognizes her, and their friends, they broke him so much that he was close to killing them, he didn’t want to but his mind is broken, he can’t function properly, i hate Alexei so bad, and even if they rescued Jude from him, bringing him back to his old self is going to be hard
i’m also conflicted about Adriana, because i do feel sorry about her, like her story is crazy and twisted but, i find it hard to sympathize with her after what he did to Jude, yes, i understand she was hurting too, but so was Jude and he never @bused anyone to feel better himself
Emma is so fucking strong, there aren’t many people who would fight like she does for Jude, is admirable, because even knowing she could loose herself she still chose to do it, i love her
And Rafe and Adela? I loved their characters. Maybe i should read their story
Micah and Heather too, their determination to save Jude, to do all that they did is incredible, not all friends would do what they did. And their relationship is so cute, i hope to see more of it in the next book, and maybe a Heather’s POV
I’m definitely continuing with the next book, i need Jude to be okay, i need him to be happy. Is going to be hard, but he will be okay..i hope
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2026
4⭐️
Emma & Jude
OK, it may have taken me a while, but now I am fully invested in this story. I am not sure I would go as far to say that it is in line with the edge of darkness because that trilogy is amazing but, this is definitely a very fun read and super adventurous.
Oof. I hate the role that Adriana has (12 chapters) in this story. She’s terrible and the fact that Jude has almost been reprogrammed to find comfort in her is gross…because she sucks. This book was heavy! Very interesting the mental warfare being played between Nolan/alexi and Jude. The fact that he can’t even kill himself to get out of this mess because they will kill Emma is wild. The drugs. The abuse. The murdering. So much happening and he’s so stuck on the situation. Still a bit baffled by how easily he got himself into this mess, but alas, he’s in it and he’s in it deep.
The scene towards the end where he has bought by Heinrich was truly heartbreaking and I absolutely hate that he is completely broken now. Still absolutely loathe Adriana and even though she’s trying to do, what’s right, she’s just a completely horrible terrible person. I hate that she and Emma even have to be together because Emma is perfect and Adriana is not. Even when I feel like there’s a glimpse of good in her I shut it down because I know she is garbage trash. Like Heather‘s story is giving me life since we can’t have anything good between Emma and Jude now and with the cliffhanger being what it was, I know that we will have some redemption between them this last book.
The psychological warfare taking place in this book is fascinating. It’s amazing how your mind can be so strong, but also be broken overtime and condition to believe and think a certain way under the right, or in this case, wrong circumstances
Emma & Jude
OK, it may have taken me a while, but now I am fully invested in this story. I am not sure I would go as far to say that it is in line with the edge of darkness because that trilogy is amazing but, this is definitely a very fun read and super adventurous.
Oof. I hate the role that Adriana has (12 chapters) in this story. She’s terrible and the fact that Jude has almost been reprogrammed to find comfort in her is gross…because she sucks. This book was heavy! Very interesting the mental warfare being played between Nolan/alexi and Jude. The fact that he can’t even kill himself to get out of this mess because they will kill Emma is wild. The drugs. The abuse. The murdering. So much happening and he’s so stuck on the situation. Still a bit baffled by how easily he got himself into this mess, but alas, he’s in it and he’s in it deep.
The scene towards the end where he has bought by Heinrich was truly heartbreaking and I absolutely hate that he is completely broken now. Still absolutely loathe Adriana and even though she’s trying to do, what’s right, she’s just a completely horrible terrible person. I hate that she and Emma even have to be together because Emma is perfect and Adriana is not. Even when I feel like there’s a glimpse of good in her I shut it down because I know she is garbage trash. Like Heather‘s story is giving me life since we can’t have anything good between Emma and Jude now and with the cliffhanger being what it was, I know that we will have some redemption between them this last book.
The psychological warfare taking place in this book is fascinating. It’s amazing how your mind can be so strong, but also be broken overtime and condition to believe and think a certain way under the right, or in this case, wrong circumstances
July 13, 2026
5⭐️|2🌶️
Spicy Chapters: 5, 7, 13, 18, 22, 29
OMFG WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS HAPPENING?! I am NOT okay!! 😭😭💔 that last 5% was absolute CHAOS!!
Jude is being tortured, blackmailed, and broken down until he’s nothing more than an obedient slave. Every choice is a lose-lose situation. If he fights back, the people he loves suffer. If he obeys, he loses every piece of himself. To make it even more twisted, they’re conditioning him. They’re literally weaponizing his love against him. It’s sick. It’s cruel. And it’s absolutely heartbreaking to watch.
And then there’s Adriana…
God, I fucking hate her. She’s an abuser. But somehow… she’s also the lesser of two evils. Jude has been so horrifically abused, however he begins finding comfort in the very person who helped destroy him. It’s psychological warfare at its finest, and it’s such a complete mindfuck.
I have to give the author credit because somehow they pulled off the impossible. There were moments where I actually felt sorry for Adriana. Sorry. For. Adriana. What the hell?! That sympathy lasted all of five minutes before I hated her again… then somehow found myself appreciating her character. I was getting emotional whiplash.
Watching Jude lose himself was devastating. They strip away every ounce of his humanity until the man we knew is barely recognizable. He’s hanging onto the last thread of his sanity, but by the end he’s almost welcoming the consequences. Every time he pushes back, you’re screaming at him to stop because you know they’re going to make him pay for it…
And they do.
You’re left questioning if help will ever come? And if it does… will there even be enough of Jude left to save?
Also, the playlist on this one was another banger. Really puts you into the vibe. 🎵🤘
Diving straight into book 3, because let’s be honest, I’d be an idiot not to.
Spicy Chapters: 5, 7, 13, 18, 22, 29
OMFG WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS HAPPENING?! I am NOT okay!! 😭😭💔 that last 5% was absolute CHAOS!!
Jude is being tortured, blackmailed, and broken down until he’s nothing more than an obedient slave. Every choice is a lose-lose situation. If he fights back, the people he loves suffer. If he obeys, he loses every piece of himself. To make it even more twisted, they’re conditioning him. They’re literally weaponizing his love against him. It’s sick. It’s cruel. And it’s absolutely heartbreaking to watch.
And then there’s Adriana…
God, I fucking hate her. She’s an abuser. But somehow… she’s also the lesser of two evils. Jude has been so horrifically abused, however he begins finding comfort in the very person who helped destroy him. It’s psychological warfare at its finest, and it’s such a complete mindfuck.
I have to give the author credit because somehow they pulled off the impossible. There were moments where I actually felt sorry for Adriana. Sorry. For. Adriana. What the hell?! That sympathy lasted all of five minutes before I hated her again… then somehow found myself appreciating her character. I was getting emotional whiplash.
Watching Jude lose himself was devastating. They strip away every ounce of his humanity until the man we knew is barely recognizable. He’s hanging onto the last thread of his sanity, but by the end he’s almost welcoming the consequences. Every time he pushes back, you’re screaming at him to stop because you know they’re going to make him pay for it…
And they do.
You’re left questioning if help will ever come? And if it does… will there even be enough of Jude left to save?
Also, the playlist on this one was another banger. Really puts you into the vibe. 🎵🤘
Diving straight into book 3, because let’s be honest, I’d be an idiot not to.
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