Play Book Tag discussion

This was quite a roller coaster reading experience. Fortunately not my first book from this author because I'm not sure what I'd think if this was all I had to judge her on.

>Prologue from "12 years ago": I was instantly invested in these two as a couple and all-in on their eventual romance. And then my enjoyment plummeted immediately in Chapter One.

>At 20%: I do not like the MC very much...

>At 40%: I started trawling through reviews trying to assure myself this was not really going the way it seemed to be going. There was one plot point specifically that was going to make or break my ability to care about this, and I wanted to know which direction it would go. In case anyone's wondering the same, never fear: (view spoiler)[Lucas absolutely does remember Georgina. He's pretending he doesn't to protect himself. (hide spoiler)] Unfortunately I read TWO reviews that said the opposite -- what the heck??? LIES!!! If I hadn't been reading this for a challenge, I would have DNF'd. I'm glad I didn't.

>At 46%: I was laughing so hard I had to put the book down and collect myself.

>At 86%: I had tears pouring down my face, and I'm not even mad about it.

What a ride! It does all come together in the end. Even not liking the MC all that much for a good chunk of the story:

"I have, in some ways, been hating myself ever since that night. I never admitted it, so there couldn't be any forgiveness."

In the end, it's about the power of words. Of speaking your truth. Of the harmful distance that's created when we keep secrets from those we love, even if we think we're doing it to protect them. It just took a minute to get there.

I just added three more of this author's books to my TBR, but maybe don't start with this one if you're an MM newbie.