SMR

This book explored some compelling themes and had strong potential for deep, meaningful story development. I was especially intrigued by the concept of the sisters living vastly different lives due to their racial identities, which was a powerful setup with a lot of promise. However, the execution didn't quite deliver for me. The narrative often dragged with excessive detail, yet lacked the plot twists or emotional highs that could have made it truly engaging. I kept reading in hopes that something significant would happen, but the story remained flat throughout. I was particularly disappointed that Stella never truly faced consequences for her choices: deceiving her husband, her daughter, her community, and ultimately abandoning her mother and sister. There was so much opportunity for the story to take bold turns or dig deeper into the emotional impact of those decisions. In the end, while the premise was strong, the book didn't captivate me as I had hoped. It felt like a missed opportunity to explore its themes in a more dynamic and resonant way.

This was a good audiobook listen. I enjoyed the narration, especially with the back-and-forth timeline between past and present. It's definitely a slow burn, and it took a while to get to the climax and resolution but the ending was satisfying and actually made me bump my rating up by a full star. I'm not sure I would've stuck with it as a physical book, but as an audio listen, it was worth it.

I mostly enjoyed this book, though it had a rocky start for me, mainly because of Morgan. Her attitude came off a bit bratty at first, and it reminded me a lot of when Raven was pursuing Ethic. I'm not a big fan of storylines where young girls get involved with much older men, but I understand that it's a reflection of the reality in the world the author portrays. I did appreciate that Morgan went off to school. I'm hopeful that this will bring a positive direction to the series. I also really hope her future isn't derailed by pregnancy or by Messiah's influence. Ethic continues to be one of my favorite characters. I admire his strength, his values, and especially the way he shows up as a father. I like him with Alani, though not necessarily under these circumstances. It'll be interesting to see how everything unfolds in the rest of the series.

I normally rate Frieda's books highly, but I couldn't with this one.
The story started off really strong. I was genuinely enjoying it and was eager to find out what would happen after Tegan refused to sign Simon's NDA. I became even more intrigued after the crash and when she ended up at Hank and Polly's cabin. At that point, I was expecting to give this book a solid 4 stars, but then things started to unravel. Once Hank began going along with Polly's nonsense, the story lost momentum for me. By the end, the conclusion felt flat and anticlimactic. It completely lost me. I didn't feel like justice was truly served, and the character arcs didn't feel consistent or believable.

Tegan was a confusing protagonist. Her delaying conversations with her brother about being raped and kidnapped just didn't make sense. Her reactions, especially in the hospital scene with her brother, lacked believability. Even her emotional response after discovering Dennis's betrayal felt underwhelming. For someone pregnant and traumatized, she was oddly calm and accepting of everything.

Dennis turned out to be a terrible brother, which could be realistic, but he was initially painted as a doting brother that was even willing to give foot massages (so realistic). Suddenly making him a villain felt jarring. There were no real hints of resentment or selfishness earlier, which made his turn feel unearned. That said, asking Tegan to drive in bad weather at eight months pregnant? Diabolical.

Polly was deeply annoying and clearly unstable. Her actions should have had consequences. She kidnapped someone and still ended up being allowed to adopt Sadie? I understand her pain from infertility and losing her mother, but that doesn't entitle her to someone else's child or excuse her crimes.

Hank was set up to be a strong, protective man, but his blind loyalty to Polly, even supporting her in crime, felt completely at odds with the character we'd been introduced to.
Simon was sadly very believable as a typical narcissistic, predatory villain. No issues there. He was detestable, as he should've been.

Jackson was the one bright spot. He was supportive, kind, and exactly what Tegan needed. But if he really persuaded Simon to give Tegan money, why so little? He should've made sure she and the baby were set for life.

Overall, this one just didn't land for me. The early momentum fizzled out, the character development felt inconsistent, and the ending lacked the punch I usually expect from Frieda.

While I can appreciate the depth of the story and the complexity of the characters, it felt like the pacing dragged on too long without a satisfying climax or resolution. The idea that two people could fall in love while actively hating each other and doing truly treacherous things to one another is certainly intriguing, though it also felt a bit unrealistic at times. I suppose that's part of the magic (and license) of fiction. Ultimately, I've decided not to continue with the series, as I'm more interested in exploring something new.