A 4.5, perhaps! I didn't know what to expect, trying an author I hadn't heard of. This book was poignant and well-written. The MMC had horrific abuse in his background, and the FMC's discovery and treatment of it was lovely. I enjoyed both of them and their growth together. They got to know each other through long conversations, and he always wanted her to make her own choices and preserve her independence. He never doubted her, only himself. Beautiful.