★★★★★ 4
Romance with a side of Thrill
Format: Kindle
4.25 stars!
I was immediately engrossed in this debut novel, with the thrilling beginning and obvious future romance between Lou and Ava. I thought the setting of the town was wonderful, full of small charm and supportive characters. The little nods towards the continuing threat to Ava’s life were good. The budding romance was great, too! I think the intimacy scenes were soft and perfect.
The main reason this didn’t reach 4.5 stars for me (thus would’ve rounded it to 5 instead of down to 4), is because of the POV switches during chapters. They’re a bit jumbled in; the reader is suddenly seeing or hearing things from Lou when it started with Ava, but then it quickly switches back to Ava. It’s not my favorite way for a story to be shared.
I also lost a little steam towards the middle-end, right before the big finale. I’m not sure if my other hobby distracted me or if the story hit a slow spot. It’s possible I was hoping for a little more excitement. This story had more romance than thrill.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2025