Love in the Scottish Fall Forest by Beatrice Bradshaw Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Single dad

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Age gap

Synopsis

Gennie Rivers lives for the thrill, both on and off set. Her wildest stunt yet is a gig on a film set in Scotland. Nathan, hiding from a scandalous past as a pop star, is determined to protect his little daughter Abby from the spotlight at all costs. When financial troubles force the protective single dad to rent out his land, the last thing he needs is a daredevil disrupting his carefully constructed peace. Forced into close proximity at his rural estate, the grumpy Scot and the free spirit from LA can’t resist their magnetic attraction. With the ghosts of past hurt and betrayal lingering, they must decide if they’ll take the greatest leap of all – trusting each other. 

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

There were nice levels of inclusion of LGBTQ+ side characters. They are naturally woven into the story and being queer is a normal part of their identity just as any other trait would be. 

My Thoughts

This was definitely my favorite of the series. You can tell how Bradshaw has been honing her craft through the series and this is the beautiful result. It was a well-balanced story with enchanting characters. I quite enjoyed my time with it.

The one part of the book that wasn't my favorite is that there were almost too many beautiful descriptions. At times it felt a bit over-narrated. I'd love to see more moments of dialogue that are just purely the dialogue. 

I really appreciated how self-aware Gennie was throughout, especially at the beginning. It was refreshing to see a character who knows she needs character growth and knows how she feels in a clear way. Nathan is also pretty self-aware but not as strongly as she is. Also just having a strong FMC in general is something I will always appreciate. 

Speaking of lovely characters, this book definitely awakened a phase in me of enjoying funny/sweet children in books. Abby was such a delight and her unbridled optimism helped propel the plot when needed. Now I just want to read all of the single parent books I have (don't worry I am already getting this desire fulfilled). 

I want to applaud Bradshaw once again for including queer side characters in her stories. It is nice to see and is done in an artfully subtle way. As she mentioned to me, she doesn't want to appropriate stories but knows.

As always, the scenery throughout is so aptly described. It felt like I was there with the autumn leaves along with the characters (if only it were actually fall weather outside). This series has definitely made me want to plan a trip to Scotland to see the beauty for myself. 

Oh my gosh, the tension in this one was unmatched by the rest of the series. It had me absolutely eating it up! It was the perfect balance of will they won't they combined with moments of non-romantic bonding. 

I will keep this part brief to avoid spoilers but I need to note my favorite scene was by far when Gennie gave Daniel a piece of her mind. It was peak entertainment and wholeheartedly well-deserved. 

There is spice in this story so if that is not your thing, this is not the series for you. That said, the spice is much more artfully done than a lot of spice in romance books.  

I received this book as an arc from the author. My review is honest and voluntary

Hooked by Emily McIntire Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemy's daughter

➮ Fairytale retelling

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Off limits

➮ Mistaken identity

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Dual POV

➮ Kidnapping

➮ Instalust

➮ Forbidden

➮ Mafia romance

Synopsis

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter. When Peter’s daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy was hidden away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows, she learns more about the world he moves in, and she's unsure if she’s falling for James or Hook.

Best Quote From the Book

“Darling if I'm the dark, you're the stars."

My Thoughts

It took me a bit to really wrap up all of my thoughts and figure out a way to put them into words. For how dark this one was I am a bit surprised it is a five star but I truly cannot stop thinking about it and really want to continue the series. There is something about the pacing and nuggets of excitement in her writing that makes it really addictive. 

I also have to applaud the narrators for speaking with actual emotion and conviction when appropriate. Recently I've been listening to more audiobooks and wow there are a lot of lackluster narrators out there. The depth of emotion they can convey makes it quite engaging the whole time.

This twist on the original Peter Pan tale felt absolutely perfect. The modern setting with just enough nods to the original kept a lovely balance. I am also super happy to read a fairytale retelling that isn't fantasy. So so many retellings are fantasy and I don't like fantasy so I've always felt left out of an amazing concept. So thank you McIntire for letting us romance fans have a chance to experience it too!

I knew this was a dark romance booked but I was shocked by how quickly things took a very dark and violent turn. James' character is incredibly intense but it makes total sense. It fits really well into a modern-day villain. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I applaud McIntire for creating a multi-faceted villain character. Nobody is all good or all bad, we are all complex creatures. Wendy, James, and Peter strike an excellent balance between the good and bad elements of each of them. Their backstories are also fantastically deep without being overly confusing. 

It felt like the number of characters in total was quite well-balanced. There were a limited number of main characters but enough side characters to make the world feel full. That said, we aren't overintroduced to characters that play no part in the narrative. 

I will admit, the plot twist at the end originally made me a bit uncomfortable. I won't be explaining why to avoid spoilers but just know it isn't my favorite to be sure. For a spell, it was going to drag this star rating down just because of how much it initially made my skin crawl. After sitting with it for a while, I am happy to report that even with my distaste for it, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book as a whole in a notable way. Just be prepared for some questionable moral decisions and shocking reveals. 

Please please please look up trigger warnings before reading as there are a lot. Personally, I know I wouldn't be able to stand this one if not for the sped-up audiobook due to the graphic and heavy nature of a lot of the subject matter. This book has some very spicy spice scenes so do not read if that isn't your thing. 

Overall, the writing as a whole is so well-done which is what sold me on this one being a five star for me. McIntire writes balanced worlds with flawed characters with emotional depth and the perfect balance of harking back to the original story. If I had to summarize this story simply, I would call it a beautiful nightmare. 

So Not My Romantic Getaway by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Coworkers to lovers

➮ Fake dating

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Off limits

➮ Mistaken identity

➮ HEA

➮ Meddling friends/family

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

I am stuck at a Hawaiian resort with my rival coworker… He’s terrible to work with but way too good at playing fake-boyfriend.

My Thoughts

One of Evie's best-written stories so far! It is super obvious that over the past year, she has greatly refined her writing style. This improvement has been very fascinating to see. I look forward to seeing it get even better in the future. 

In addition, this was the earliest in the story that I remember Evie's characters ever kissing. I'm used to her pacing being similar to a romance anime where the characters only kiss at the very end of a will-they-won't-they situation. It also felt steamier than before. This is a welcome change in my opinion. The steam made the tension higher which made the story more hard-hitting as a whole. 

There were a lot of smile-worthy moments. From adorable times with Jack's family (particularly his nieces). The animals involved also made me smile a lot. I think we would all benefit from a sea turtle as a therapist. The gorgeous setting of a Hawaiian island helped massively with this. Evie really made the setting part of the story without it taking over too much. 

The one part of the story I wasn't as in love with was how held back Hazel was by her overthinking. It felt like it took a very long time relative to the length of the book for Jack's free spirit to rub off on her at all. I really just wanted to shove them together and see her relax a bit more earlier on. 

Jack's character as a whole is super adorable. From him being a certified Swiftie, to his baby fever. I appreciate that while he is a daredevil masculine man, he also isn't afraid to like stereotypically girly things. His well-roundedness is so refreshing to see. I definitely wanted more of his perspective. 

I also really liked the way this book wrapped up. I will not spoil anything but I will say it is very fitting to who both Hazel and Jack have become by the end. 

Overall, this is definitely a top contender for my favorite book by Evie Sterling. The increased steaminess, beautiful setting, and well-written MMC caused me to smile a ton while reading. If are looking for a light-hearted summery romance to read while summer is still upon us, I recommend this one. 

I received this book as part of the haylingbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

Protective Billionaire Boss by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Instalove

➮ Surprise pregnancy

➮ Love after death

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Warren DuPont sets off alarms I never knew existed. After my husband’s death, I wasn't expecting love. “Love has a way of finding us when we least expect it.” Turns out, it’s true. I also was not expecting to be pregnant. Unmistakably handsome and protective, Warren gives me a sense of comfort that is surprisingly intoxicating. Each encounter brings our relationship to heightened levels of connection. As our bond deepens, Warren might understand the pregnancy. But will he forgive me when he finds out I am not who I pretended to be?

Best Quote From the Book

“Emily's jaw drops. I didn't realize that was something that happened in real life. I thought that was only for movies. 'You have your own private elevator?'"

My Thoughts

While some of these tropes are very much not my thing, I will always give Evie a chance. Her short and sweet clean romances have become a staple of my reading this year. I was pleasantly surprised how a story that would typically not be for me turned out pretty good. I will say the provided synopsis is basically the entire plot so you know exactly what to expect going in. The story as a whole just flew by. I would sit down for a few minutes with it and suddenly I was 10% further in the book. 

Both Warren and Emily are grieving when they meet. Their different approaches to handling grief are both quite realistic. Many people will just try to push on like Warren. Many people struggle with what is and isn't allowed when a significant person is in your life like Emily. I would've loved to see more of both of them helping each other navigate that to help the instalove aspects seem less jarring. 

It was genuinely amusing to see Emily's reactions to the rich lifestyle. Especially her worries about taking Warren to Target. I have definitely felt that fish out of water experience before when in a situation where I was among a higher status. As dumb as it may sound, I did not know how to act or not feel bad when other people did things for me to that level just like Emily. Warren's "it's the least I can do" adage also adds to the humor of their dynamic. Bro will causally buy you a house at the minimum if he is fond of you. 

The glee I felt when Warren started interacting with his hobbies and just having a more well-rounded life was unmatched. I was so happy for him to get the happy ending he deserved. Emily also has a fitting ending for her character that gives her all she hoped for given the current circumstances. 

I also want to give Evie props for briefly noting that just trauma dumping on someone is pretty uncool without consent. Warren's cousin is pretty cool for that. 

There is one thing that irked me about the story that just kept coming up and definitely detracted from my enjoyment. There are constant "hint" drops about Emily's pregnancy. How on earth it didn't occur to her that she might get pregnant when she was trying with her late husband Caleb is totally beyond me. Every third page she is nauseous and not fitting her clothes again. It was so tremendously obvious it completely detracted from the story.

Overall while there were certain elements to this story that were not my favorite, I had way more enjoyment than I was expecting. I will be happy to continue reading the stories in this series. I think the best way to explain it is that Evie's writing is now further improved.

I received this book as part of the haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

So Not My Boss Crush by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Office romance

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Reformed playboy MMC

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

For six years, Brock Benson was the monster I worked for. The gorgeous monster—who never even said hello. Then one morning, everything changed. When Brock’s assistant quit, I had no choice. Brock approved, and gave me a promotion I didn’t want… Now I’m fielding calls from his ex, managing his schedule, and caring for his sister's dogs. I’m intertwined with Brock’s life and it’s not terrible. When he gives me a house key, my heart skips a beat. Our texts are getting more flirty by the day. Our usual morning has been replaced by stolen kisses in the break room. But Brock's go-go, and I like to stop and smell the roses. Crushing on my boss is bad enough. Falling in love with him is completely out of the question. This relationship should come with one of those coffee-cup warnings: ‘CAUTION: CONTENTS HOT.’  We have to cool it off, or else one of us will get burned

Best Quote From the Book

“Brock Benson's Sizzling, Scandalous Dating Life"

My Thoughts

I will admit at first I was nervous about how quickly Gwen and Brock began to fall for each other. It felt like a bit of a breakneck pace for people who barely interacted previously. That said. the longer it went on, the more realistic it felt. At first, it was like okay he's hot and actually talking to you now but he is incredibly belligerent. Eventually, it became more like, wow that is a genuine connection. I have seen such an instant connection in my own life before, so it was just an oddly portrayed version of that. Granted Brock isn't any better, he was head over heels just because she was pretty and genuinely nice. 

Brock is so tone-deaf about how he comes off. How did he not notice how much of a jerk he sounded when talking to most people? It felt more like a caricature than an actual person when we first met him. It was like Gwen reminded him to act like a decent human being. 

There are so many wonderful meddling characters in this book. Among them are Brock's sister, Gwen's best friend, and even Gwen's mother. Knowing all of them were rooting for the duo made the book have a nice and comfy vibe. They were all also an excellent source of giggles. 

The part of the book that really surprised me was the plot twist. It truly felt like it suddenly came out of left field. I would've loved to have seen a few foreshadowing moments leading up to the climax of the story. 

The part about the castle room was truly beautiful. I loved seeing Gwen's spirits become lifted as she remembers her grandmother's legacy. I wish I could've had an experience like that of my own. This entire series is really making me want to visit that castle if I am honest.

Overall, this story is a pretty lighthearted romance. There are some instalovey vibes but I do suggest you give it a chance. The side characters are what really made this story shine. Their meddling and genuine nature was a refreshing element to the story. 

I received this book as an arc and am part of the haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

Fake Dating and Matchmaking 101 by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Frenemies to lovers

➮ Brother's best friend

➮ Second chance

➮ Fake dating

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Fake dating my frenemy to save a wedding? Not my most brilliant scheme because now I’m starting to want real kisses instead of fake. My brother’s best friend, Cole, has always been majorly annoying. He’s my opposite in every way, and we’re better at bickering than getting along. So, it’s super awkward when we have to fake date at a couples' yoga retreat. It’s the only plan I can come up with to save my brother’s wedding. Cole and I get on each other’s nerves and now we’re forced to do couples’ activities for hours a day! He can’t wait until the charade is over. When we rescue a baby goat together, I see his softer side. Add fake kisses to the mix, and I’m basically seeing stars. This insane chemistry is a fluke… right? He asked me out over a decade ago, and that was a total disaster. Should we give this a second shot? 

Best Quote From the Book

“Even out here in the middle of nowhere, with the sun sinking lower each passing minute, I feel completely safe."

My Thoughts

I loved the little feature of Gemma in a podcast episode. It reminded me of my time reading Game, Set, Matchmaker. This little nod is just the right level of callback to show that the books are set in the same universe but the characters do not have to know each other personally. It is a nice thing to see done right. 

I truly cannot believe I am reading another book prominently featuring yurts in such a short time period. The Trouble with Love and Ink also includes yurts as a major propellant of the plot. Are they trendier than I realize? Dear reader, have you ever heard of a yurt? 

The best part of this book by far is the goat. This adorable creature is named Blue. In the same way he snuck into all of the characters' hearts, he snuck into mine. Blue is a large part of the many funny moments in this book. A baby goat can cause a surprising amount of comical hijinks. This is my official petition for more authors to include baby goats in their work. 

I really like how the characters are written about in this book. Oliva is a curvy girl full of determination. Cole is much more reserved and is much less in tune with his feelings. Each of them has notable flaws that help add realism to the story. They aren't just perfect cookie-cutter characters. These flaws are a major component and are not ignored throughout the story. They also help ground both of them as they have to tackle their flaws head-on. 

I love how even though Cole is not the best communicator, he demonstrates his feelings through actions. He goes totally above and beyond for Oliva and Blue. I will not give specifics to avoid spoilers, but let's just say we would all be lucky to have a Cole take an interest in us. 

The one thing I thought was really missing was Oliva's brother Trent's reaction to them getting together officially and admitting their feelings. There is a lot of hype up throughout the book about his obliviousness for it not to be resolved. The perfect time to reveal it all is cut short and the book proceeds to the epilogue. I would've also adored to see Blue's further hijinks at the wedding as the ring bearer. Evie, girl, you held out on us which I am upset by. 

Overall if you are looking for a clean romance with a cute goat and characters with flaws, this is definitely a book to check out. I would've loved a few more moments described above but even without them, the story is endearing. 

I received this book as an arc and am part of the haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

Crushing on the Grumpy Best Man by Lila Marlow

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

In an attempt to make peace, Max Waltons invites Jessa on a cruise back to Europe after her best friend and his brother's wedding. At the wedding, they butt heads a lot. Now that they are stuck on a cruise together, will they be able to play house and get along?

My Thoughts

This book is pretty much the definition of short and sweet. It is naturally very fast-paced. I enjoyed a fun vacationy read to get me in the warm weather mood. I would've loved to see the book slow down the pace a bit. 

It really felt like the characters barely knew each other and were suddenly in love. Readers don't get to know the characters all that much beyond their attraction. Particularly, I would've liked to see more of them before the wedding. Perhaps the other books in the series would help with that.

My favorite part of this book by far is all of the scenes where they have to play house with Emil. The little one is just so cute and sweet. He propelled the plot a lot simply by existing. 

I am a bit sad that the ruined vacation trope happened again in this book. This is really just my request for people to be able to have a nice vacation in a book. That said, I will forgive it this time because this book did need the conflict. I liked how the conflict was handled. 

Overall if you want a short, sweet, lighthearted, and vacationy read, this book is for you. It is a spice-free enemies-to-lovers story. I would've liked to see it be a tad bit longer but I appreciate that it trims out unnecessary parts of the story. 

I received this book as part of a haylingsbookstorm arc team. My review is honest and voluntary

Game, Set, Matchmaker by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Matchmaker

➮ Best friend's brother

➮ Second chance

➮ Dual POV

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Small town

Synopsis

Game, Set, Matchmaker is a second-chance, opposites-attract, clean romance featuring a perfectionist heroine and her bad-boy ex who's actually super sweet. This book follows their happily ever after including a basket of kittens, leaf peeping, and the swoony feeling of falling in love with a perfect match.

Best Quote From the Book

“How do you leave a postcard-worthy town, Parker Manning, apple pie, and kittens? Not easily. Not happily."

My Thoughts

I was surprised that, unlike The Anatomy of Matchmaking, this book actually includes evidence that Gemma has matchmaking skills. I liked that this book showed her passion for matchmaking instead of just telling about it and not actually including much of it at all. 

The concept for the book is very similar to The Soulmate Equation and a few other science romances. It's all about how love can be boiled down into an equation or a formula. Thankfully as this book goes on, it is shown that love is more than that. 

I would say the style of this book is more like The Anatomy of Matchmaking than Digging Up Love With the Sheriff. With a strong small-town vibe and a greater focus on other characters in the story helping to push forward the plot. 

The setting for this book was absolutely immaculate. The small-town vibe felt very realistic and connected. As a person currently living in a small town, I can confirm that once you are connected to the town you know a lot of the people in it, or at least know somebody who knows somebody. The other people in the town had just the right amount of meddling and honesty to help push Gemma and Parker together without forcing anything. 

My biggest complaint is that for a good portion of the book, the majority of Gemma's personality is her obsession with her Perfect Match program and looking exclusively at the numbers. I would've loved to see more about her other passions, interests, or even just varied facets of her personality. 

I absolutely love Gemma and Parker's dynamic. Parker's character is an excellent laid-back contrast to Gemma's uptight nature. They balance each other out and play well together. I love seeing Parker tease her and get her to come out of her shell and let loose.

I would've loved to have seen the last portion of the book be expanded a bit. From the beginning, the book has a relatively slow pace. The last 15% of the book feels very packed together and lacks depth. That 15% includes the majority of the plot and action of the book so I wish there was more detail about it. 

As is the case with all of Evie Sterling's romances, there is absolutely no spice.

In sum, I recommend this book to fans of small-town, second-chance romances with no spice. The characters are interesting, the plot is entertaining, and the relationship dynamics make the reader feel like they are watching it all unfold in front of their eyes.

I received this book as part of a release team. My review is honest and voluntary.

Digging Up Love With the Sheriff by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Opposites Attract

➮ Small-town romance

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

The new sheriff in town Rory McEvoy ends up meeting the town historian Constance Chaplain because a set of deer bones in Constance's museum go missing. These bones end up mixed together with a human skeleton. This quickly makes Constance a top suspect. Constance has to earn the trust of Rory to try to get her bones back. While they cross paths, they realize they act differently around each other than anyone else.

Best Quote From the Book

“Her eyes alight and... is that a smile on her face? Couldn't be. I must be imagining the upturned corners of her mouth. But to be honest, I like the thought of making her smile way more than I should."

My Thoughts

I will admit this review will probably be a bit on the shorter side for my blog because this book was such a quick and easy read. It is less than 200 pages in total so not too much happens in it. 

This book uses a lot of language that really gives it a happy quirky vibe. Some of my favorites of these words include kerfuffled, chutzpah, and chargin. That coupled with such a wacky mystery to unsolve, it was an easy read that made me laugh and smile. It gave me that comforting mystery vibe of watching Scooby Doo when I was a kid.

If any of you have watched the TV series Bones, I can say that Constance highly reminds me of Temperance Brennan from that series. They are both quite straightforward and value their jobs over most other things. I absolutely adore that show and that character so I especially admire Constance for that reason. 

If you have seen my review of Evie Sterling's other recent release Anatomy of Matchmaking, I will note this book has a very different tone, vibe, and even writing style. I have to applaud Evie Sterling for her ability to write such varied but good clean romance stories that are engaging, fast-paced, and fun to read. 

I received this book as part of Evie Sterling's street team and got access to it as an arc. My review is honest and voluntary.

A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Dual pov

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Cat lover and dog lover

Synopsis

Kitty Hart is a popular cat-sitter known as the Kitty Whisperer. Recently she has found her life to be lacking excitement and she hopes the new client will bring back some excitement. Miles Thorn is a dog person who has his mother's cat Prince Francis thrust upon him. When he desperately needs Kitty's help, they get off to a clumsy start. This book follows their hilariously wacky story. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Losing someone you're close to is... like having a piece of your soul go missing that you can't ever get back."

My Thoughts

When I first saw there was a book with both cats and hockey I was like "sign me up!" The cat content in this book was hilarious and adorable the entire time. I think romance may be considered a subplot. It's almost entirely about trauma and Prince Francis, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Speaking of trauma, it felt a bit like their relationship was built on trauma bonding which just isn't healthy. Perhaps this is my psychology brain kicking in, but how much of their connection is just them wallowing in both losing a loved one? I am not sure what else other than that they even had in common. If they had more to bond over, the relationship would've been much healthier. 

I will also say if you do decide to read this book, keep an eye out for the Telsa key scene. It genuinely had me laughing out loud. It showed the complete bumbling clumsiness Kitty and Miles both have. As a clumsy person myself, I relate to how often they accidentally end up in various situations. 

This book does have some spicy scenes. When these spicy scenes are read out loud (as per the audiobook), they are rather dorky and a bit cringy to witness. It probably would've been better if I were reading the physical book.  If you are looking for good spice this isn't the book.

Overall this book was good for a romcom. It had me laughing often and I liked seeing what hijinks Kitty and Miles will get themselves into next. The spicy scenes were a bit awkward to listen to so I would recommend the physical version of the book. I don't think this book did anything special or was particularly memorable. Even so, it was a nice read. Lastly, I would've liked to see more bonding that isn't related to their trauma.