3.25 could’ve-been-more-detailed stars
I was loving so many aspects. But I didn’t care for the quick-scene changes and the plot holes. I found myself scratching my head or rereading scenes to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It could’ve used some angst.
Rhiannon and Xavier have been best friends since they were 8 and 10, respectively. His mom works for her family, which means he’s considered “low class.” I actually liked the chapters when they’re kids. We get chapters of when Rhiannon is 8, 12, 14, then 17 ish before they’re separated. During these years, we see the connection they had, the genuine love and friendship they shared❤️, even the abuse they endured because of her father🥺. I wasn’t too concerned about how fast these chapters moved (I wouldn’t have minded details though).
When she’s 17 she goes to prom, with another guy, but she just keeps thinking about Xavier. He’s always been able to get into her room, and he’s there when she gets home. They share their first kiss and he messes it up by being mean🤬. She tells him to leave and he goes home to find his life has changed. Then he disappears from her life.
Luckily, she enjoys her life. She goes to college, loses her v to a man (she only does it twice) and then it’s 10
years later. (She’s 27 ish and he’s 29 ish).
She’s supposed to get married to another man, but she doesn’t want to. She doesn’t wanna live the mafia/corrupt life. So as she’s running away, Xavier crosses her path and abducts her.
Now. I’m all for abducting the woman you want😈💅. At this point, I was enjoying myself, hoping we got information about why he’s been gone for ten years and what he’s been doing, why he treated her like ish when they kissed. And, in Rhi’s defense, she’s always had affection for Xavier. Sure. He’s been keeping tabs on her for years, but he needed to act quicker. But she’s angry at him for never keeping in touch. But I expected more.
She says she’s going to give him a hard time and then she gives in too easily. Like. Every. Single. Time. This guy left your life for ten years and everything’s okay and fine and dandy?? Nahhh… demand answers girl 👏🏻🙈. Plus, the scenes kept changing, chapters ending quickly, then suddenly we’re somewhere else. The whiplash was real here 😐.
I appreciated his dirty mouth though 🥵🔥. When he ties her up in the kitchen and asks her what do you do in a kitchen (she says cook) and he clarifies that you eat… well, he sure does 😅💦. They finally have smexxx at about 65%. It was 🔥🥵. But also cold since he basically tells her to get dressed after.
And it continuous this way. Short chapters with not too many details. Which means that there were plot holes I wish were filled in. And the climax scene happens, I didn’t see it coming. I felt betrayed. And even when everything is kind of explained to her, it didn’t account for a lot of things.
Listen. I can suspend belief while I’m reading books, but not to the extent that I’m wondering how we went from A to B 🤔or the lack of explanations given to allow things to make sense. Even when she asks Xavier for explanations, he doesn’t always provide them. I didn’t like that.
Many things felt rush. It could’ve been better with some angst 🤷🏻♀️.
There were a lot of things I liked, but many things that I wish it had. Even though it’s mafia ish, I don’t consider it dark.
⚠️ safety squad ⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd
-abusive father/child abuse
-spanking/spying/loves watching her sleep/tying up
-condoms/then none- she’s on the pill
-h is engaged to OM. She’s never slept with him. H makes sure OM is out of the picture 💅
-there’s a 10 year separation from their first kiss. She lost her v to OM. She’s had sex twice. It’s unclear if the H was a manwhore, but there’s a line that makes me think he might have been celibate? He says he’s been loyal to her (but it could’ve just been about him looking out for her?)