This book is 3.5/5 stars for me but since you can't give half ratings on Goodreads, I had to put it as a 3 as it is closer to that than a 4.
TW: human trafficking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, kidnapping
This was a cute, thrilling book. First of all, I love Beau. We love a trauma informed, consenting, gentle king. But one thing confused me. How the hell old are they?
Beau gives me late twenties to early thirties vibes, but Emma makes me feel like she is 16/17. Throughout the book we learn that Emma has been sheltered and abused her whole life by her father. It is safe to say that alot of people in that situation may not act their age due to not being able to actually grow mentally and be around others their age in society. She was always isolated. Never watched tv, never had Mexican/Chinese food, never did normal things we all take for granted.
Emma and Beau meet after he saves her from a human trafficking ring, and then he hides her out while trying to find/kill her kidnappers. But throughout the book, there were so many cringe moments about her sheltered life that made her feel like a child. For example, she asked him what a condom was during their first time having sex. He had to teach her how to give a blow/handjob. The cringe part isn't that he had to teach her these things, because she really didn't know, but the cringe was just how she behaved in those scenarios or her words of choice. It literally felt like he was being intimate with a teenager or 14 year old.
She spends 65% of the book curled on the couch, reading a book or watching reality tv. However Beau is full of action and protection mode, and really, the book should be mainly focused on him and his journey to crack a human trafficking ring. I feel Emma was an added bonus but could have been excluded. Maybe we could have just had the book be focused on Bo getting revenge for his ex Sophia since the human trafficking ring had killed her.
Overall, it's a cute story. Again without knowing their exact ages, some scenes weird me out but again I also understand that trauma knows no bounds and everyone responds differently. Emma seems like a sweet character but really had no development, other than letting her guard down a bit. I would have liked to see her get tougher, stronger, fight back, etc. But Beau is awesome. I love him.