This story became tedious as this couple now begins to navigate their feelings and relationship. It picks up with Hayden in a coma and Sarah anxiously waiting him to wake up. Even while he is in a coma, she is clearly a doormat as she makes conscious efforts not to upset him or trigger him with her words and being far away. She's given up her autonomy and constantly wants to be with him (even in a coma), skipping school, ignoring her friends, abandoning Mateo etc.
I enjoy a mysterious, dark, alphahole and in the first story Hayden fit this profile. But as the series progresses, we get more insight into Hayden and he no longer comes across as strong or alpha. He has many weaknesses and his revelation of his insecurities, lack of confidence and plain self-pity becomes tiresome and un-sexy. In plain he goes from an alpha man to literally a crying boy. Top that with the continued lack of smexy times, this story just fell apart for me. It was just one big whining, pity party and toxic affirmations. I'm 50% through and I want to DNF. I don't think I can take the needless drama anymore!
Ok, I stuck with it because after 3 stories, I was invested. But it honestly just dragged with one sappy soliloquy after another. All their toxic positivity made me want to puke.....so far from reality. Then to top it off, some random kids decide to apologize to Sarah for their part in supporting the bullying ...they weren't even the bullies, so it had little impact. It just solidified that this story could be made into some sappy movie that would be aired on some religious channel...that's how saccharine it was. Yuck.
Furthermore, I found it ironic that Sarah went to great lengths to learn about BPD and bent over backwards to please and support Hayden but couldn't do the same for her own mother who was clearly suffering from some form of mental disease herself. There are many parallels between Patricia and Hayden's treatment of Sarah, but she chose to save one while ignoring her own flesh and blood. Sarah made very little attempt to understand or help her mother and justified it because she felt butt-hurt instead of putting even 1/10th the efforts she put into Hayden. It's ironic.
So I'll say it again:
I don't know how much drama this couple has gone through already with attacks from Natalie n Josh, Christine n Maya, Brad, 2 huge car accidents....their whole town seems to be full of sociopaths and bad drivers! Then there's the bullying from Blake and Masen as well. It's really far-fetched. The MC's relationship is also very triggering and anxiety-inducing. I feel extremely anxious for Sarah who has to walk on egg-shells around Hayden for fear of triggering a negative reaction at the drop of a pin. She has to watch what she says and how she acts. She had to be outright rude to poor Mateo and send him away, telling him they can't be friends for fear of provoking Hayden. She's basically caught even more in Hayden's trap and she idiotically smiles through it all and feels justified and reinforced when he gives her crumbs - like a smile, a hug or a small compliment....to her this is lifechanging and worth all the drama. This relationship is TOXIC disguised as the mental health issue of BPD. Normally, I'd ignore this fact because I'm all about fictitious toxic relationships but I have huge reservations because this story seems to idealize and romanticize it and make it seem manageable and realistic when it's not. This couple is going to have huge, lifelong problems and Sarah will have smile and to bear the brunt of it all.