I can probably count on one hand the number of romances with the amnesia trope I’ve finished. The concept can feel incredibly contrived if not handled well. Obviously, writing a review means I did finish this book. Raine puts an intriguing paranormal twist on the amnesia trope, then proceeds to deliver a story that remains solidly rooted as a contemporary romance for 99% of the story.
Raine doesn’t stint on showing, rather than telling, how awful Dawson’s situation is at the beginning of this story. More than a few truly heartbreaking moments occur amid Dawson’s general baseline of distress that are difficult to read. Importantly, however, Raine threads the difficult needle of giving readers something in Dawson’s life to cheer for while also showing how easy it for survivors of abuse to remain trapped in an endless cycle instead of attempting to leave, for reasons spanning from emotional to financial, even when they have an external support system. This setup for his character is especially important so that Dawson staying by his husband’s side after his accident remains believable.
Dawson’s dread throughout this book is so visceral that it’s practically a character in its own right. I was genuinely surprised by a direction that Raine takes this book after Cal wakes up after his car accident with no memories. The author doesn’t lean into the paranormal elements in the way I expected, instead giving Dawson and Cal a truly unique “second chance” at romance that had me on the edge of my seat. Not only did I experience Dawson’s dread at how the bubble might pop, but I also had no idea what Not-Cal’s motivation was for giving himself such limitations. The events in the middle section of this book are important in the greater scheme of the story, but I did feel like it dragged at times specifically because I was so distracted by waiting for an entire closet worth of other shoes to drop.
Multiple revelations give the romance arc multiple “third act breakup” moments that are heart wrenching each time. Raine never does give us too many answers when it comes to the paranormal aspect of this world, so I definitely encourage readers who don’t often check out this subgenre to give this story a shot. The book also has a solid, more than satisfying ending that allows it to stand well on its own. However, I’m intrigued enough by certain secondary characters (and everything Raine also does not reveal about them) to look forward to the next book in this series.