This was much better than book 1
The characters are more complex and the storyline is somehow more believable (some parts)

⚜ rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟
⚜Genre: Contemporary Romance
⚜Theme: Single Dad Romance
⚜Targeted audience: Adults
⚜Characters: Mason, Piper
⚜Representation: mental health
⚜Pace: medium
⚜TW: BIG ONE for on-page rape, DUI,
⚜ tropes: single dad, dislike to love (although it is promoted as Enemies to Lovers!!! really???!!), OW drama
⚜ POV: multiple first-person
⚜ spice 🌶🌶
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
⚜Book read: KU

Piper and Mason are perfect for each other
each hail from a broken past
each tried to cope with how it suited them

their story is heartbreaking
their understanding of each other is something every couple aspires for

I especially loved Mason's perseverance in convincing Piper that they were meant for each other even after knowing that he, somehow, played a part in what happened to her.
"We all see ourselves differently from others." he says/"We see the worst. In my eyes, I'm a murderer. I don't yet know what you think is the worst version of yourself. But this I'm sure of - nobody else sees you that way. Least of all me."

Here are the things I did not like

1- I do not like how many books show that the Man prevailed after his ordeal and made something out of his life while the woman shuts down and achieves nothing.

2- I DO NOT LIKE family interference in "we know better and thus we are doing it for your own good"

3- I did not understand why both had to be 22. So young!

4- The child replacement trope. She lost a child? here! he has one you could take.

5- I did not like how non of the rapist were brought to justice. Mason knew some of them. He could have confronted them at least.


PS: I did not read book 2 and do not plan on, just from the blurb I knew exactly where it was heading and hated the plot.