Giving 1 ⭐️ for the prose, which is genuinely beautiful and lovely to read. However, this book is … bad.

This book is squarely what I would call "white woman dark romance" and I mean that in a very negative way. While I love dark themes in books, this novel trivializes them and pushes them to near-parodic levels. Molly's trauma isn't a facet of her character but rather a plot device that is poorly used to give her the mysterious, tragic waif vibe. While I can appreciate a character who is hardened by the abuse she's endured and the steps she takes to survive (in fact, messy female characters are my favourite to read and write), it just gives me "white person's fanfiction foray into sexual reclamation" … and it's not well done. It's downright disrespectful at times.

The worst part and what cemented me into this opinion was the casual mention that Molly's father raped her. This gets about half a page of exposition, and then is sidelined as just another assault in a long line of sexual abuse and trauma she's faced before she even became an adult. I don't think these topics have to be treaded upon lightly, nor should I think we have to look away from the stark reality they present, but I also don't think we can convert these issues into tropes that we toss aside either.

I don't know. It just gives me the ick. I was thoroughly uncomfortable every step of the way to the end. 

My last complaint is with Cage. He sucks. He brings nothing to the narrative, and I don't even think he meshes well with Molly's character either. He's just there to be the obligatory sexy love interest, and offers nothing with the plot. There are also times when he exudes the "You're verbally saying no but I know you want it" energy (or outright says it aloud), which adds even more to how insensitively I think the author tackled the concept of a pedophilia and rape survivor who's slowly learning to enjoy sex and delve into intimacy again. Sorry, I'm just not the kind of person who can read this sort of fiction and not feel gross about it in some way.