valencia Writes

I love romance novels. I truly adore them, however I’m a very impatient reader – to my own detriment. When I started this book, I had a hard time getting through the first three or four chapters. This is NOT the fault of the author. The author does a wonderful job, It’s well written. it’s just that this story involves a slow burn romance and I’m impatient. The author does a great job of building up the chemistry between Khalil and Vanessa. It’s wonderful and sexy.The anticipation – be still my heart. If you love the slow burn, this is for you. Also, the payoff is AMAZING!!! Let me say that again: AMAZING!!! That first kiss: OH MY GOD!!!! I highlighted it and reread it over and over again. Wonderful. Most of the novel seems to be told from Khalil’s perspective, although the novel does switch point of view so you can get both sides of the story. *Spoiler: Khalil suffers from a mood disorder that escalates as we go through the narrative. He knows it’s coming, but he feels powerless to stop it. He is going to therapy and taking medication to address his condition, but he’s also keeping his treatment from the people that love him. The author does a great job of detailing what it’s like to live with depression. She is great at showing the loneliness, the guilt, the challenges, and the impact of depression on the individual and those around him/her. As someone who studied psychology in college and worked in the mental health field for almost 20 years, this is a realistic portrayal. I loved that there were ups and downs because life isn’t always a fairytale. It’s a great novel and a great story. I highly recommend this book.