Leigh usually rips my heart out with her writing, and this book more than lived up to that expectation. I first met these heroes as side characters in another series by Leigh and immediately knew I needed to learn more about them. This story is half about the unexpected connection and subsequent romance shared by Seb and Dex, but also very much a story about Dex’s life. It is obvious from the first moments we see him from Seb’s perspective that he does not have an easy journey, but potential readers should also heed that things are even darker than Seb could have imagined once we’re dropped into Dex’s point of view.
At times, I even forgot that technically I was reading a romance novel. Dex sucked me into his world, and I genuinely cared for him as a character when it came to his growth and finding his freedom. That his road leads him back to Seb is fortuitous, but I adored his narrative arc and him finding his happily ever after even outside of the romance element. Leigh deftly balances the darker aspects of this book with quiet moments of Dex experiencing joy and success.
I’m glad that I already got to see more of Dex’s future because he’s the type of character who works his way into your heart and doesn’t let go (much like Dex in a cozy bed). This book is an amazing stand-alone novel that I highly recommend to readers willing to experience characters’ lives beyond their love stories.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.