My favorite part of this novel is that it tackles an issue too often dismissed in real life, in that it is absolutely possible for a woman to be the abuser in a relationship. The authors highlight this so well, in fact, that I encourage readers for which an abusive relationship might trigger an adverse response give this book a pass. Even though the story starts with Logan “leaving” the relationship, the effects echo through the text in the reactions of his family and even his visceral responses that show the depth of his trauma.
Luckily, when things are at their worst for Logan, things could not be better for Jake and Declan, who are basically the perfect couple celebrating a wedding anniversary. They have a comfortable life together, which is what inspires Declan to search out pretty much the craziest gift ever. This brings Logan into their life, and what starts out as a bit of kinky fun quickly develops into something quite more. Jake and Dec have such big hearts that it’s easy to follow how they have room for more. It verges pretty close to insta-love, but considering how much angst this book involves for its external plot, I’m not exactly mad that the romance itself is relatively sweet and low-key (and also incredibly hot).
It’s obvious that this book fits in with the authors’ greater shared world of books, but this was easy enough to read as a stand-alone title. The ending wraps up a bit quickly for my taste, but it is satisfying nonetheless. I wouldn’t mind another peek into these characters’ lives further down the line.
Rating: 4 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.