Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Love: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Dark: 😈😈😈😈😈

Suspense: 🙈🙈🙈

Tears: 💧💧💧

Predictability: 🎱🎱

Spice quantity: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Spice quality: 🥵🥵🥵🥵

*WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD*

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Morgan and her little sister Lucy are living out of a hotel room with their neglectful mother. 

Side-note: is ‘wouldn’t say boo to a ghost’ a real expression? I’ve heard ‘wouldn’t say boo to a goose’ but surely ghost makes no sense.

Why would you say boo to them? 

Despite a brief encounter two weeks before Hayes and Morgan do not hit it off on her first day of school. Hayes seems to hate her because of what she saw that night. 

Morgan meets Salem she seems really lovely but judging by the rest of the students it might not last. 

After a very uncomfortable encounter with Hayes at school, Morgan arrives back to the hotel to be told by her mum that they are moving in with her new fiancé there and then. Having never met him, Morgan is less than thrilled. 

Morgan’s mother is not only neglectful, she is a grade A ditch! 

The relationship between Morgan and Hayes is rocky at best. Hayes is furious that she knows his secret and is angry at the world because of what he is going through. Morgan just wants to help Hayes but he is making her pay for her kindness. 

Sad, but it seems Salem is not the friend I was hoping she was. 

I do wish we got a bit of insight into what Hayes is thinking during his interactions with Morgan. I’m a huge dual POV fan but totally get why we aren’t in Hayes’ head. 

This is a really hard read. Despite knowing what Hayes is going through, it’s hard not to hate him for what he does to Morgan. Joe does he not realise that he is just as bad as his own abuser. 

The first half of this book is HEAVY on the non-con, not just the MMC’s but also side characters. If it’s a trigger for you, please be aware. 

I was hoping after witnessing what happened to Salem, that Hayes might realise how awful he’s been or apologise to Morgan but he almost instantly tried to push her into something again. 

Despite his actions it’s starts becoming obvious that he actually does care for Morgan.  I really hope there is a turning point for them soon. 

The diving board scene 🔥🔥🔥

Arrgh! Logan is disgusting! 

Hayes finally confesses to Morgan that something is happening to him but the moment is broken and he goes right back to being a hick dead.

Thankfully Logan gets exactly what he deserves. 

I didn’t see the twist until about 10-15 pages before it happened and to be honest if I don’t know there was a twist I don’t think I would have seen it at all! Truly ducking awful! I’m honestly so angry for him. 

So emotionally heavy! I absolutely adore Mr. Ambrose for his response, no hesitation whatsoever. 

It all works out for them in the end. I would have loved a longer epilogue or one further in the future.

I’m not really sure how I feel about the book. It’s so emotional and I can understand Hayes but I do feel like what he did to Morgan was glossed over. Not even an apology or anything. 

Before you read please be aware the subject matter incudes CSA and graphic rape. There are no trigger warnings included. 

F(r)anny G. 

#Hea #stepbrother #bully #emotional #schoolsetting