I started this with some trepidation, because of unpleasant spoilers I'd read. In the end though, I decided it worked about as well as Deeper -- which is to say mostly, but in a slightly lopsided way.

In Deeper, I thought Caroline's journey was very well done, but West didn't make a lot of sense to me. Here it was the other way around. West's portrayal as someone who hasn't been able to hope for anything for himself since he was ten years old, who's been used and abused by everyone with power over him, was very strong. And I was really happy with how he started to find what was important to him and work for it.

Caroline was more oblique to me, perhaps because I didn't really agree with her justifications for her decisions about West -- her decisions about how she wants to deal with her past and the rest of her life are much clearer -- and because I found her behavior towards West invasive and even violent. I was surprised at how much West let her get away with and wondered if he just didn't really notice because he's so used to being treated badly.

I found the end something of a letdown because although both are taken in a very good direction, there seems to be a lot from West's past that hasn't really been addressed. I dislike the idea of a third book so I'd just as soon let it go, but it felt incomplete.

On balance, I don't think it was as good as Deeper, but still very worth reading, and with a notably different happy ending.

book trigger warning: heroine was raped

This was one of the first Harlequin Presents I read when I started up again after a 30 year hiatus. I hated it, but recently felt like rereading it and seeing what I think now.
 
Joel: [Is typical sexist horrible HP hero.]
Darcy: "I hate you I hate you I hate you."
[forced marriage, followed by forced seduction sexytimes]
Darcy: "That was awesome! TOO awesome. Get away from me you disgusting pervert!"
Joel: "I feel terrible about having been a typical sexist horrible HP hero, so will now respect your oft-stated desire to have nothing to do with me."
Darcy, to self: "He loves someone else! He was just using me for sex!"
Joel: "Please spend platonic time with me because I'm so crazy about you."
Darcy: "Get away from me you disgusting pervert!"
[initiated by Darcy sexytimes]
Joel: "I love you I love you I love you."
Darcy: "He loves someone else! He was just using me for sex! Get away from me you disgusting pervert!"
Joel: "I was only a typical sexist horrible HP hero because I fell in love with you at first sight."
Me: "Oh fuck off, the both of you!"