My brother watches us like we’re the dullest animals in a zoo. Now I recognize the emptiness in his gaze. It’s complete and utter apathy as if being alive is the most boring thing he’s ever had to do.” spent all of her money to feed her brother his favorite food, which meant she didn't have anything to eat herself? ✔️ Let's also talk about that infamous night, the one where everyone thinks Nicole raped Daniel? Hi clowns 🤡 how does it feel to be WRONG?

Rina managed to convey so heartbreakingly and potently the pain, the despair and the shattering loneliness Nicole had to experience on her own after Christopher (OM) had raped her. Finally Rina made a conscious effort to not only describe the tension-filled and gloomy events but also cause a sensation of living through them with her characters in a reader. The way his green eyes hold the calm of Buddha, the wisdom of Confucius, and the kindness of Mother Theresa. I will say though whilst Nicole may have been celibate for 11 years, Daniel never kissed another woman on the lips since Nicole 🥺

Daniel's erroneous assumptions (both in the past and in the present) turned his each and every interaction with Nicole into such an intense and emotional battle of wills between the almighty queen and the dirt on her shoes that my eyes were literally obsessed with watching them both come up with toxic insults for each other. She's known to write unapologetic anti-heroes and villains because she often fell in love with men no one roots for. Her books are sprinkled with a touch of darkness, a pinch of angst, and an unhealthy dose of intensity. Whoring around" or staying celibate, as long as it's a woman's choice made in accordance with her own preferences and life circumstances, is perfectly normal. The side characters truly stole the show of the book though. I couldn’t get enough of the quiet reserved speaks only when he feels like it Aidan, and of course the BFF to Astrid - Dan. Such an enigma and I’m hoping to find out more of their stories later on. I’m disoriented by the time his thumb wipes beneath my eye. Then he rubs them, his thumb and my tears, against his forefinger. But it’s not the gesture that makes me pause. It’s the fascination in his gaze, the way he looks like a researcher who just made a discovery.

I had to switch languages Yes, she stayed celibate for 11 years, but those who have been sexually assaulted react in different ways. Some become hypersexual, form trauma kinks, whilst others become sexually repressed, or have loss of libido. For Nicole when it gets down to business, she relives her trauma. She trusted only 1 person with her body and that was Daniel. For her to be violated by someone when she already can't stand other guys' touch? Her staying celibate was completely believable. Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy New Adult Romances with the bully and hate-to-love/enemies-to-lovers tropes, this book/series may be for you. Before riding off into the sunset, I'd also like to comment on the topic of Double Standars that has been actively and animatedly (🤡😂) discussed by many readers of this book. So... how was I supposed to resist the allure of that deliciously daft, effortlessly simp energy, huh? 😭🤚🏻Today, women are supposed to explore their sexuality freely, but somehow I often come across female readers who despise "dumb virgins" in books (as if intellect had any correlation to the state of a woman's vagina 🤡) and even expect women to behave like fictional mamwhores (it's a valid preference but no so much valid a demand). Also, I happen to have read quite a few books where virgins are obsessed with "getting rid of it" (my least fav trope too) not because they feel like the time has come and they actually want a new experience but rather because they experience peer pressure and believe that they are already "too old" and keeping their v-cards somehow equates to being pathetic losers. So I'm not quite sure what got people's panties in a twist since so many readers have double standards (me included 🤡) of their own. ✊🏻 I really can’t wait to continue reading this series. I was falling behind on my reading goal but it looks like I’ll be exploring this entire world for the next few days…weeks…months…who knows?!?