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fast

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fast
adj .
1. A girl or guy who is quick to engage in sexual activities.
--Oftentimes used to shame. Oftentimes used to blame victims for their own abuse.  After the untimely death of her mother,  Caprice Latimore  has to move in with her grandmother. At eight years old, life as she knows it is turned upside down. The trauma of losing her mother is made worse with the introduction of Marcel, her grandmother's adult son who still lives in the home.  Her uncle Marcel takes an inappropriate interest in her that ultimately results in a tragic breaking point for the child. The only silver lining is that shortly after what Caprice calls "that night", Marcel is booked by local police with a drug possession charge. He's sentenced to prison for twelve years.  Seven years later, however, Marcel is released on good behavior.  Caprice is now sixteen, still dealing with the emotional scars of the past. But things aren't like they were before.  Because now she has  Shaun Taylor , the boy across the street who will do whatever it takes to make sure no one ever hurts Caprice again. fast  is a standalone that spans twenty years. Separated into three acts, we watch Caprice grow from eight years old to sixteen years old to twenty-eight years old. She gets hurt, she falls in love, she grows, and she just might overcome.  fast  is a story written about victims who were made to feel like their abuse was their own fault. TRIGGER WARNINGS : Child abuse, assault in prisons, mental instability, etc.
Some themes touched upon in this story may trigger you. Please protect your mental health.

362 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2020

1867 people are currently reading
13799 people want to read

About the author

Millie Belizaire

16 books554 followers
Forever a South Florida girl, Millie Belizaire has a thrill for the exciting (and a little of the weird), unnecessarily sped up music, and painting. Most of the time, however, she can be found tucked in her cozy lair typing away at her laptop. A storyteller to the bone, she finds no greater joy than sharing her tales of love, of action, of pain, and of life.

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5 stars
7,168 (79%)
4 stars
1,469 (16%)
3 stars
319 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,654 reviews
Profile Image for BookishByTammi.
337 reviews3,000 followers
December 22, 2023
6 Star Read!
This book deserves all the accolades!
It was traumatic and heartbreaking but healing and inspiring at the same time. Not to mention the childhood friends to lovers story line
Caprice and Shaun have my heart! True soulmates

This may be the first book where I love the FMC slightly more than the MMC. They’re both amazing but Caprice really shines in this story.

I love how it was told in 3 parts, from kids to teenagers and then adults it was perfectly paced to allow us to get to know the characters at each stage. Tears were shed and this is definitely a story that will stay with me

Highly recommended reading it!
Profile Image for Shawnaci Schroeder.
519 reviews4,390 followers
August 14, 2023
4.5/5

- This is one of the best friends to lovers stories I’ve ever read!! It’s also one of the most heart breaking stories you’ll ever read because it’ll break you and put you back together again. I love how this book was written in dual pov and the timeline was over such a long period of time. I feel like I was really able to get a grasp on Caprice entire life.
- There are so many layers to this story and the love between the two main characters was so deep that you could literally feel it through the pages. Found myself smiling at their banter and getting in my feels during their pain.
- The character growth in this book was incredible! I truly didn’t want to put it down. This is one of the rare books I would stay up late and wake up super early to read because I couldn’t get enough of it! Literally finished it in 24 hours. This will definitely be one of my top reads for the year!!
Profile Image for Qiana Groves.
350 reviews64 followers
July 10, 2020
I would have never imagined a story with so much trauma and so many triggers could be so good! Let me start of by saying this story touches on rape, child abuse, prison assault and mental instability. These are some very heavy topics to touch on, but the details aren't graphic, so it was wasn't too draining for me to read. This was my first read by this author and I was pleasantly pleased, this story captured my attention from the very first page. This story is split up in to three acts, Shaun and Caprice's younger years, their teen years and then when they reach full-fledged adulthood.

The passing of Carprice Latimore's mother forces her to leave Alabama and move to Parramore, Florida. When Caprice initially meets her grandmother, Gracie, she thinks her new life won't be so bad. Her eight-year-old self had it all wrong. Caprice's uncle, Marcel, lives with Gracie and his eagerness to build a relationship with his niece seems innocent at first and quickly turns inappropriate. At first Gracie believes Caprice's claims, but when Gracie calls the police to remove Marcel from her house, the police finds drugs and Marcel ends up getting sentenced to twelve years in prison. This occurrence causes a shift in Gracie and she turns in to the grandma from hell. "People aren't like numbers-they aren't predictable."

Shaun Taylor is a little kid with a big heart. At the age of ten he doesn't understand the concept of love, but he does understand that Caprice has a hold on him. Shaun is smitten with Caprice, but her trauma prevents her from grasping what's going. "In life, there are certain things that you just need. I needed food to eat. I needed air to breathe. I needed water to drink. And I needed Caprice." Once Shaun realizes how vulnerable Caprice is his main priority becomes protecting her from the entire world. "I couldn't fix the past, but I could promise her a happier future. And I could promise her a love that would last a lifetime. Starting at this very moment."

In their last year of high school something life altering happens and the two friends are torn apart. They don't have any contact with each other. Caprice is on the west coast rebuilding and healing and Shaun is left in Florida wondering if she is dead or alive. "Time doesn't heal most wounds. If you're lucky, time distracts you long enough so that you can forget." But as kismet would have it, these two meet again. "With time came realistic expectations. With experience came strength and preparedness for any outcome."

The love Shaun and Caprice share is admirable and legendary. The roller coaster rides of emotions invoked in this story was epic. I couldn't read fast enough. When I realized what sparked the title of the I was impressed. I love when authors leave gems throughout their story. I am excited for this author's upcoming work and will definitely be going back to familiarize myself with her catalog.
Profile Image for Steph Anya.
217 reviews279 followers
January 20, 2025
Wow

How are more people not talking about this book? This was so thorough and fulfilling. Millie Belizaire didn't waste a single page. I’m obsessed with Shaun. I'll be thinking about this book for a really long time. Make sure you pay attention to all of the trigger warnings if you want to read this for yourself!
Profile Image for Demetrius.
425 reviews43 followers
August 21, 2024
MY HEART!

"Fast" by Millie Belizaire is an incredibly powerful book that left a lasting impact on me. It's the kind of story that hits you right in the heart and makes you feel like you're right there in the middle of it all. While the emotional journey of "Fast" was quite intense, the way it all came together at the end made it all worthwhile. The characters Caprice and Shaun have left an indelible mark on my heart, and their story will always stay with me.

“I will always choose you.”

♾️⭐️
Profile Image for Lindaisa.
543 reviews61 followers
December 29, 2020
After 6 months, I finally took the plunge and picked up this book. fast came out June 2020. In June 2020 I was a mental and emotional mess. From adjusting to the constant fear of getting COVID, isolation from friends and family, continuous open season on Black and Brown bodies at the hands of the police even in the midst of a pandemic...Because of a few of my own personal traumas, even without all of that going on at the time, this book would have been triggering for me. So as excited as I was that Millie was releasing another book, when I saw that it had a HARD trigger warning, I knew I absolutely could not read it yet. And it took me 6 months of healing and building up of my mental fortitude to finally get to a place where I could pick it up. And GODDAMN it the wait was worth it.

I have SO many feelings. I'm not going to lie, 50% of this book was torture for me to read. Witnessing the kind of trauma that 8-year-old Caprice endured, from her innocent little perspective, through her very eyes, and in her own voice. And then witnessing her doubt and blame herself...talk about GUTTED. But then to see her cope, survive, and find the strength to fight for herself with the help of and love from her best friend Shaun. Watching their entire journey together was terrifying, infuriating, demoralizing, and at times hopeless, but it was also inspiring, endearing, funny, and exhilarating. Especially after the 50% mark when I was able to read without feeling like I was going to have a heart attack.

As painful as it was to read at times, I loved getting to see Shaun and Caprice's friendship and love for each other develop, grow, fracture, and then flourish over the course of 20 years. The way Millie is able to write and depict what feels like such a love-filled and intimate relationship between two characters, with barely any scenes of them actually being intimate... it's exactly the type of feels I CRAVE. That real, raw, and authentic relationship development between two characters that just permeates off the page and makes you root for them, that makes you want them to win, that makes you sad when they're sad, hurt when they're hurt, and happy when they're happy. I just wanted them to WIN. They both went through so much, I just wanted them to find happiness.

There's really so much I want to say, but this is one of those books that I really believe that the less you know going into it, the more you'll enjoy it so I don't want to say too much. But what I do want to make sure comes across in this review, is that this book is amazing. Millie makes it a point to emphasize that thankfully the events in this book aren't based on any real person's life. But you can tell that she really did her research and put care into writing this book. You feel every feeling, emotion, fear, triumph, and doubt the characters feel.

The way these characters are written and the story is woven together, made it feel like I wasn't reading a book but like I was actually witnessing the events on the page, in person. I was uncomfortable and scared right along with Caprice. I felt protective and enraged right along with Shaun. I deadass wanted to FIGHT while I was reading this book. And I also wanted to cry, scream, cheer, and celebrate. ALL OF THE THINGS. This book made me feel all of the things. And while it took me a while to get to a point where I could read this story and actually enjoy it, just like with the other books that Millie has blessed us with, fast is a masterpiece and is without a doubt, being added to my list of all-time favorites.

I say all of that to say...read the trigger warnings, take care of your mental before picking up this book, but definitely pick up the book.
Profile Image for Kameel.
1,058 reviews291 followers
October 20, 2023
Damn….

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Star

This was my first read from this author….I’ve seen this book up and down my timeline for quite a while….WHAT ON EARTH TOOK ME SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK…Heartbreaking and Heartwarming At The Same Time.
Profile Image for Rashawnda.
1,391 reviews1,113 followers
March 29, 2022
This book took me apart and out me back together again. I had to take my time reading this because I didn’t want it to end.😭 This book had my emotions raging full force in the best way possible. My soul was literally set on 🔥 I cried and FELT each word told regarding the story of Shaun and Caprice. The love oozed from the pages!! I mean I could feel and hear my heart beating through every word. This is a story like no other and has easily shot to THE BEST book I’ve ever read. This story will stick with me for a long time……. A very long time and is one I’ll be rereading. Shaun was EVERYTHING. Just WOW!!! 🥰🥰🥰
Profile Image for Kris Book Reads.
159 reviews153 followers
November 26, 2024
6⭐️ - The little girl in me is smiling. I did not know going into this book I would gain some healing from Caprice's story. This book beautifully describes the perspective of someone who experiences a traumatic event. I feel SEEN. You know a story is a good read when you finish in one sitting. I was captivated from the beginning to the end. This book will always have a place in my heart and I highly recommend anyone to read it. Thank you!
Profile Image for Erika Braga.
487 reviews1,821 followers
July 6, 2025
3.5⭐️

Sigh ……….

This book is highly rated and most people love it. I did love many things but also hate many….

Where should I start ?
There are many things I really liked about this book and some things I really didn’t! Let’s talk first about the things I liked because there are many.
First of all I really liked how the book was written, it was divided in 3 different parts, their childhood, teenage years and adulthood. It was beautifully written and I found myself thinking that I want to read more from this author and I WILL !
I really really like the female character Caprice even though I also hated her and no matter how much I admire her at the same time she infuriated me to no end…. Take that with a grain of salt because I will explain my feelings about her.
The male character, Shaun was EVERYTHING. I think the only way I can kinda compare him but not entirely was with Noah Riley from Say you Swear, he gave me those vibes the whole time, he had the same kindness about him and the same unconditional love.
Now to the book it self, it’s painful but a healing story and if I have read it focusing on the mental health aspects of the story and on the emotional healing and overcoming of a terrible life, I would’ve probably rated 5⭐️ because this part is flawless. The problem is I got the book thinking about the romance based on reviews I’ve read it, and the romance part was what I had issues.
So these 2 characters meet when Caprice’s mother dies and she moved from Alabama to Florida to be with her only living relatives her grandmother Gracie and uncle Marcel. She was 8 years old at the time, the neighborhood she moves it to is very poor. Her grandma gives her a warm reception and she feels welcomed, her uncle was really nice to her and kept trying his best to make her like him, he was good to her till he wasn’t …….
He starts touching her and doing things she doesn’t understand and doesn’t like it but he is always “so nice” to her….. she starts to react in a very telling way, she stops eating, she’s jumpy and afraid of her own shadow, she starts crying out of nowhere and she starts to take as many showers she can because she feels dirty. Also she has OCD and that was before Marcel the uncle from hell, but it was exacerbated by this situation. The grandma notices something isn’t right and takes her to a doctor but the doctor is a big guy like her uncle and she starts screaming and crying. The doctor had all intentions to help her but she doesn’t talk to him, mind you she is 8 years old and already getting traumatized so talking to him or anyone wasn’t going to be easy. He tells the grandma to put her in the library summer camp and she does. That’s when she meets her teacher M.Kelly and also she sees Shaun for the first time at the public basketball court, he was 9 turning to 10 soon and he was the smallest youngest one in the court playing with a bunch of high schoolers and basically schooling them. He was phenomenal. She gets fascinated by him and so are all the little girls watching and cheering for him. She doesn’t cheer and barely watches because she’s so shy, she keeps reading her book. Shaun on the other hand one day goes ahead and talks to her, he was also fascinated by her from the moment he saw her, he kept trying to score to catch her attention. He knows she lives in the pink house literally across the street from him, he saw her before. He is THE CUTEST MOST GENTLE little boy, he is soooooo smitten with her that the next day he wakes up “extra early” so he can walk with her to school, and buy extra early I mean at 4am 😂😂😂 his mom wakes up and he is ready and eating his cereal in the kitchen, she knows something is up and he begrudgingly tells her he wants to walk with Caprice to school, his mom is the absolute best and kept giving him points but also teasing him. It’s the cutest puppy love ever. They walk together to school and back and she really liked him. She was so happy when she gets home. That’s when a tragedy happens and her uncle from hell “violently grapes” her and leaves her bloody and barely conscious on the bathroom floor. Long story short her uncle ends up in jail for something else and the grandma turns her rage on Caprice and she starts to abuse her. Despite that she has Shaun, always Shaun and he is her support throughout her entire childhood and teenage years. A lot things happens and long story short again after leaving prison Marcel almost kills Shaun and he is taken to the hospital barely alive. M. Kelly the teacher goes to Caprice’s house after 3 days she’s wasn’t in school and learns what happened so she takes her. And that’s when my issues with the story begins because first Caprice doesn’t even go to the hospital to see how Shaun is , doesn’t ask or talk to his mother either, not a single phone call. I get it that she is traumatized but the boy almost died to protect her. Then she moves to freaking Beverly Hills to be with M. Kelly’s mother and she receives the deserved treatment because she is a renowned psychiatrist and she flourishes. But she LITERALLY NEVER, and I mean NEVER EVER calls Shaun nor his mother. She completely ghosts him. He wakes up in the hospital and the first thing out of his mouth is how’s Caprice and his mom tells him she’s gone and he wants to die. For 3 years she is all he can think about it. He goes to College to play for DUKE he is a star, and he finally one day finds her and she is there in the middle of a pool party in school laughing and living her best life with money, a cell phone in hand and happy. And poor Shaun was this entire time thinking she was dead or something really bad happened to her because why she would drop him like that? He was so good to her and he doesn’t understand, he is SO hurt it broke my heart and made me even more angry at her. And I HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS because she doesn’t have any good excuse, she literally just never calls or cared enough about him. She ghosts him and even though she follows his career and wants to call him, she just NEVER does. He decides then and there to live his life but he was NEVER happy, he waits for her for 7 years…. and she is the happiest she’d ever been. It’s SO UNFAIR AND INFURIATING! 12 fucking years passed and by a hand of destiny the meet face to face and he is about to be engaged, he doesn’t love the woman, he can’t love anyone but undeserving Caprice, but he is 30 now and he feels like having a family. Needless to say he breaks up the engagement and with his fiancée immediately. But Caprice fucking Caprice doesn’t call him and OMG I WANT TO KILL HER. What a fucking bitch ! She is great don’t get me wrong but she is also the worst , she is a great doctor and she has a non profit that helps kids. One of her little patients is an 11 years old S.A survivor with DID, and I wish that side of the book was more explored, it was perfect. By the time her and Shaun are finally face to face to talk I was screaming at him to give it to her, to make her feel as bad as he felt for 12 years, but he is Shaun and he is TOO GOOD and SHE DOES NOT deserve him and I will die on this hill. It’s true that she never ever dated anyone and the only person she ever kissed, touched or have anything with was Shaun when she was 16, but it was more because she was afraid of man and not because she was so in love with him. 😡😡😡😡
They end up together but I felt robbed, I felt angry and it wasn’t fair. They only spent the last 20% of the book together and the relationship wasn’t deeply explored. I was under the impression that I was going to read this epic love story like US AGAINST THE WORLD type of thing and it wasn’t at all like that. I was mostly angry and sad about Shaun. Caprice even though she is a great character she irritated me to no end. She was selfish and even the child treatment was first due to guilt because she did not want to treat him because she was selfish. And that is why this book is 3⭐️ for me. And NOTHING, I mean NOTHING absolutely NOTHING negates the fact that SHE ABANDONED HIM IN HIS WORST TIME and she wouldn’t never even contact him if wasn’t for “destine” (that bitch). So yeah I hated this part of the book and hated her for this too even though I really like her other side.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sharon Alexander.
76 reviews13 followers
January 20, 2024
I can’t even formulate the words to describe how beautifully written this book is.

Caprice sadly went through abuse that left her traumatized, emotionally terrified and timid. Thank God for Shaun. He was gentle with her and her feelings and had so much patience then and even after so many years of being apart. Such a great man!

Forever grateful for teachers like Ms.Kelly who observes and cares for their students. I loved that she introduced and set her up to live with her mom.

Glad Caprice was able to find the happiness she deserved. & loved that she used her experience to pay it forward with Kahfi. I didn’t cry the whole book until that Christmas moment.
Profile Image for Sybrenna.
228 reviews204 followers
February 5, 2025
If I could give this book 6 stars I absolutely would. OMFG, my heart😫🥹 The way this book had my heart in my ass, like i went from being triggered to giggling and kicking my feet, to being on the edge of my seat, then blushing, then getting tears in my eyes… this was such a GOOD read. This was traumatic and heartbreaking but also blush worthy, it just gave me all the feels with it being friends to lovers and it being DONE RIGHT. I went into this book blind only knowing one thing… that all of my mutuals RAVE about this book. This deserves all the hype it gets and then some. Caprice and Shaun have my ENTIRE heart, like i did not want to put this down, like when i went to sleep early this morning, i was excited to wake back up because I knew I could pick this book back up. LITERALLY. My heart broke for Caprice time and time again, and Shaun? Sir, the KING that you are. Ugh, if you want something emotional, traumatic, yet romantic and healing, with phenomenal writing that will not have you skipping a word?? BABY PICK THIS UP but please check your trigger warnings!. 6⭐️… i will think about this book FOREVER.

Here’s some of my favorite highlights :

“In life, there are certain things that you just need. I needed food to eat. I needed air to breathe. I needed water to drink. And I needed Caprice.”

“So, if I was your girlfriend, would you keep choosing me?” Shaun kissed the sensitive skin behind my left ear, and then in it he whispered, “I will always choose you.”

‘Cause when you feel bad…” A single tear rolled down his cheek. “…I feel bad with you.”

“Go ahead, Caprice,” he whispered softly against my lips. “Ask me to choose.”

“We really are soulmates,”

UGH MY HEARTTTTT
Profile Image for Britt.
101 reviews30 followers
May 2, 2024
After reading this I had to take a minute to sit in the gravity of its entirety. Like so many things in life trauma often isn’t understood until you experience it or someone close to you. Abuse of any kind is horrific but SA is a different kind of monster. Millie Belizaire this is my first book I’ve read by you and I must say it was so well written and had me glued to each page. Caprice is a survivor that came out victorious! Shaun never gave up on what he wanted and who he wanted even when it seemed Caprice gave up on him. I do believe that you can love someone intensely as a child, even when you don’t truly understand the emotion. I met one of the greatest loves of my life at 10 so that part of their story resonated with me so much. If you are on a healing journey of any kind this book can help with keeping you encouraged. We truly can make it through anything. Even the things that seemed destined to destroy us. If you are easily triggered by SA depictions this is not for you.
Profile Image for Shanice.
45 reviews3 followers
July 13, 2024
My New Favorite Book and Author

WOW! 5 ⭐️ There is so much I could say about this stunning book. We journey with Caprice through the atrocities of her youth and into adulthood. Over the years she lives through the crippling impacts of her trauma, but perseveres to experience true care, love, and healing through her friends and chosen family. Fast will take you on an emotional roller coaster — like shock, anger, excitement, optimism, and joy! If you liked Seven Days in June, I think you’d like this read. I appreciate the author’s level of detail and the amount of closure we get towards the ending of the book. I can’t wait to read more from Millie Belizaire
Please review the trigger warnings and care for yourself as needed 🤍
Profile Image for Wind.
322 reviews4 followers
April 18, 2025
Check your trigger warnings at the door because OMG the way I had to keep pausing…no one should go through this hell let alone a child.
That being said, I throughly enjoyed reading Fast. A coming of age story and finding love at the age of 8 & 10 without knowing it.
The first two parts of this book broke me but part three lifted my spirits so much.
Caprice fought for her life, she dealt with two monsters that tried to take everything from her but she pushed through with help from her best friend Shaun. Such a terrifying experience but the love between the two was everything.
Profile Image for Breeee Ranae⚜️.
278 reviews71 followers
June 6, 2023
Absolutely AMAZING‼️‼️‼️
Miss. Millie Belizaire OK GURLLLLLL
Caprice and Shaun broke me down so bad but put me back together so beautifully. 🥹SHAUN IS THE STANDARD PERIODT.
Although this book had many triggering things it was handled so beautifully. Even as the story was turning around for the better that hurt was still there for them I Literally was trying to read this book at the red light & I didn’t want it to end.

THE BOAT 🥹💕

I think I can confidently say this is my Favorite book EVERRRR.
Profile Image for Jacinta Howard.
Author 21 books497 followers
July 10, 2020
This is the first book that I've read by Millie Belizaire, and I sped through it in one sitting. For me, 'fast' easily establishes Belizaire as a standout talent in an increasingly busy genre.

Belizaire's ability to convey complex emotion, command of dialogue, and character development are especially notable. This is a writer who clearly knows what she wants to say and knows her voice– that's important for me as a reader.

I'm excited about reading more of her work.
Profile Image for Mea Lawrence.
120 reviews2 followers
December 17, 2024
This book took me 3 months to read because it was such a heavy and triggering read for me. I read the first 3 chapters and literally had to close the book and cry for an hour while my fiancé held me. This book restarted made me reconsider who I felt dealing with my own similar experience and what things were going through my brain, what habits I picked up and what I began to shy away from because of it. I just wanted to hug caprice or hold her hand through this whole story because that’s what I needed when I was her. Thank God for the Shaun’s, Miss Sylvia’s, and the Johnson’s of the world. The ones who see something and do something. The ones who aren’t afraid to help first and ask questions later. We need more of you! There’s so many things I could say about this book but I’ll leave it at this… Millie thank you for letting the Caprice’s of the world feel seen and her. No matter how bad your situation was, no one deserves to go through that and have to go through life feeling broken or damaged. You are perfect. 🫶🏾
Profile Image for *Ebony I*.
1,404 reviews157 followers
January 9, 2023
Painful Love

Heart wrenching you hear me!! I found myself wondering what type of love story this was, because for the first thirty percent of the book nothing felt like love...literally nothing. It was nightmarish watching this baby's life...her innocence, her trust in the ones that are supposed to love and protect her stripped bare. My heart broke for 8 year old Caprice, because after losing her mother she endured unimaginable loss. It was so hard for me to keep reading.
It was completely selfish of me to wonder where the love was, because real love has all types of peaks and valleys and often a journey to get there. In the midst of the unbearable pain a sweet love was slowly being built. Caprice and Shaun were childhood friends and he was sweet on her since he was 10. By the time they were in high school they had built what they thought was an unbreakable bond. Sweet Shaun vowed to always love and protect Caprice and he meant it. When evil returns and he truly understands why his friend was so different he decides to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately that leads to them living very separate lives for over a decade. While they both flourished professionally it was clear that Caprice found a semblance of normalcy, family, and happiness while Shaun's star rose but his heart remained broken. The craziest situation brings them back together again and both of their axes are rocked. Once they are able to move past the hurt they realize the love remained.

There is soooo much that was covered, but Marcel got everything he deserved and I couldn't understand HOW he still felt entitled to her after his own horrific experience. Gracie shame on her, willingly ignoring all the signs that were glaring in her face. Ms. Sylvia and Ms. Johnson were God sends, they really looked out for Caprice. Kahfi....gosh another heartbreaking situation but he was a beacon of light and I predicted how that would end.

Overall, this story was well worth the journey. I will say I wanted to experience more of the highs WITH Caprice and Shaun. It felt like many of the good moments we were just told about, and with all the terribleness that occurred I feel like there could have been a better balance.
Profile Image for riahreads.
99 reviews31 followers
March 22, 2025
6 ⭐️ READ OMG
This was such an amazing read. I knew halfway through that this would be a 6star read for me. this was super deep and had me sobbing at some points but it was truly one of the best books I’ve read. It was written beautifully! My heart truly broke for caprice & then was put back together again (almost) 🥲
DONT HESITATE TO PICK THIS UP
(But also read trigger warnings) 🫶🏽
Profile Image for Takeyrah .
86 reviews4 followers
July 13, 2025
Words I'd use to describe this book:
Moving, HEAVY, gut-wrenching, unfair, true love, redemption

This book had me in my room rethinking life. Lol it was fast-paced and HEAVYYYY. I haven't had this kind of visceral reaction to a book in quite some time. There were parts I felt like I couldn't keep reading but im glad I did. Would I recommend this book.. ehhh.. yes BUT I would say there's a certain reader its for.. idk if everyone would be able to handle this.
Profile Image for Torri (BlackRomanceConnoisseur).
176 reviews312 followers
December 28, 2021
A Love Like No Other

This. This is a LOVE Story. Though, there are so many layers in this art piece— The love between Shaun Taylor and Caprice Latimore is outer worldly. Shaun is the blueprint for what a man, lover, best friend should be. The love started young but it wasn’t superficial, honestly it was deeper than most people will ever experience deep into adulthood. I’ll probably read this book every year and add to the review every time because it is just that good.

This book has a trigger warning⚠️ but the author did not just give us the heavy heartbreaking trauma, she also gave us recovery and healing.

So many elements that speak to me personally. This book had tragic elements, true friendship, LOVE, healing, honesty & the author executed it flawlessly. I really can’t put into words how great this book is!

I am sure it was challenging to write about black kids in poverty who experience deep trauma. How we are vulnerable to untreated mental health Issues: negative self-image, depression, anxiety, etc. and the vulnerability to verbal, sexual, and physical abuse/violence.

Shaun and Caprice’s friendship & love— they are best friends, soulmates. This wasn’t a puppy love, even when they were teenagers. I truly believe Shaun loves Caprice to death and beyond. There’s nothing that he won’t do for her. Shaun will always be my favorite hero of all time!! He had no formal training but he saw her and instantly wanted to do all he could to love and protect her. & Kahfi— I can’t spoil this, you have to read this book.

The love they share is selfless, timeless.
This quote was everything:
“You can never win against someone if you don’t ever want to see them lose.”


This is the type of 5 star read that stays with you forever, not only because it’s unforgettable but because it’s so amazing you don’t want to let it go.
This is my forever favorite.
So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this story.💜
Profile Image for Kirethia.
44 reviews16 followers
August 23, 2023
I haven’t experienced this kind of love. I don’t know if I ever will experience this kind of love. The only thing I do know is that Caprice and Shaun are so deserving of one another. I LOVED THIS STORY. I love them. I needed them probably more than they needed each other. I’ll always find my way back to them.

Simply Beautiful!
Profile Image for Rozalyn Alyse.
11 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2025
I really don’t have the words.
First of all, I read this front to back in 24 hours. So there’s that.

The writing flowed so well.

I am Caprice, and her story felt like mine

I love stories that remind us of ourselves.

I laughed. I cried. I was angry, elated, and drained… all in one day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for BookmarkedByAlia.
263 reviews230 followers
February 19, 2024
I can’t even properly write a review…this was sooo good. Childhood friends to lovers with an intense amount of trauma for Caprice… please check TW prior to reading… the first half is definitely HEAVY…😭💔
A must read. I want to immediately read this again🩷

Update (the morning after):

I went to sleep last night and woke up with these characters still on my mind. When that happens I know my 5 ⭐️ rating is justified. I love Shaun and Caprice’s relationship development. It’s truly a “right person wrong time” type of love story. The bond they formed was so strong mothing could break it-NOTHING. If that’s not a definition for what one true love means, I don’t know what else is.
When I take myself out of the story and really think about it, there are unfortunately SO many women like Caprice in reality and my heart literally breaks for them. The struggles that she had to overcome are just unreal. The way she blossomed and found love in every form from family, to friends to lover is just chef’s kiss… I’m definitely going to sink my teeth in more of Millie Belizaire’s work in the future. 🩷
Profile Image for Brianna.
23 reviews4 followers
July 9, 2025
Broke my heart, put it back together
Definitely recommend!
Check trigger warnings!
Profile Image for Jahda.
1,051 reviews310 followers
October 21, 2023
After reading this beautiful and heartfelt story, all I wanted for Caprice was a happy ending regarding her journey. I was hoping for a little more time with Shaun and Caprice in the third part. Caprice and Shaun's devotion to one another was unselfish and unbreakable. To be quite honest, I have no idea how to review this book thoroughly, but it was a pleasure.
Profile Image for JBucky.
452 reviews32 followers
January 1, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ If you want a book that rips you apart and puts you back together, then this is for you!

Wheewww, the heaviness of it all 😩🫣!

This story was written so well, & the characters 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾! Standing OVATION, Millie Belizaire did her GOOD writing on this one!
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