3.5 Stars
Here's my disclaimer, in case you're concerned by the rating: I enjoyed this book. There, that should do it. However, there are some aspects that I would have like to see cleaned up.
This is a story about two people who are hugely impacted by previous events in their lives. They are broken in some very serious ways. They both struggle with feelings of loss and abandonment. They both struggle to find their place in the world. I love an angsty book if it's done well, and, for the most part, this is.
We meet Rae as she's escaping yet another relationship with a man who's dared to fall in love with her. See, that's her one rule: no attachments. What we don't learn about, yet is hinted to often, is why she arrives in the small town of Ember. Yours truly, however, figured out the big secret almost immediately. Don't worry, that didn't detract from the story whatsoever, which begs the question: why did the author wait so long for the reveal?
Moving on, so these two have instant chemistry and the attraction is palpable, even through the biting banter. I did enjoy watching their romance evolve, it was a slow, simmering burn with lots of sexual tension and spice. I enjoyed watching their friendship blossom as well.
Yet, I felt like there were a lot of aspects to this novel which weren't fully realized. For instance, the reason Rae is in Ember to begin with. We get our big reveal but there's no resolution to it. It's just sort of left to sit there. Yes, I expect that the author will pick it up again later in the series but I don't want to have to wait or guess. I earned the right to know.
Also, there's constant talk of Sawyer's ex but never once does he truly divulge to Rae what happened. Huh? He pretty much demands answers from her but he never once offers his own. No thanks. This part of the plot felt unrealized. I expected we would learn more. I expected Sawyer to confide, to own his part of their struggles to be a couple, but he doesn't. Which makes his reaction to Rae's truth that much more annoying. When we get the big reveal toward the end, he turns his back on her. Excuse me? For someone who's endured the loss and heartache he's suffered, this didn't feel like a natural reaction to me. Coupled with the fact that he never shared his own truths, I felt wholly unsatisfied by this part of the novel.
I also wanted more of the family dynamics, especially to understand the rift between the Dixon boys, but I expect the author plans to unveil that throughout the series. I just wished she'd given me more.
Altogether, though, this was a good book and I did enjoy reading it, I just wanted a smidgen more from it.