“You didn’t beat your way through the layers of defenses,” Hunter went on. “You washed them away, massaged them away, gave me some kind of life energy you seem to exude from your pores. And it was too much, too fucking much. But you’re goddamned relentless. You wouldn’t stop until it all sloughed off and I was left raw and exposed. It was terrifying. And wonderful."

All relationship development with this one and I loved every single moment.  

Hunter decided heaven was being eternally in the moment of waking naturally next to someone you wanted to see when you opened your eyes.

Phew.

Love it when the relationship and the mystery are done in a way they work together. Nothing drives me more crazy than a mystery that almost acts as a page filler. I find myself either bored with the mystery or bored with the couple. Here they worked unbelievably well as a cohesive story. Absolutely loving the development of these characters and how different they are from every other couple I have ever read about.

Well I realized once I had finished my reread that I had never written a review. And that is rather irritating considering this landed in my Best of 2017 list.  Bottom line…it’s wonderful and extremely sexy.

I think originally I indicated that this is likely my second favorite of Riley’s after “Broken Pieces”. And even after a reread, that holds true.  I adored this couple, their history and their ability to put the past aside and see the person standing before them today.  Van is filled with such regret that at times it is quite painful to hear and yet at the same time the past is equally painful for Shane. 

“You think I haven’t regretted that every goddamn day of my life since then? That I haven’t hated myself for it? That I haven’t thought of a million ways I could try to make it up to you? Because I have, and no, I know that doesn’t make it better. I know what I did, Shane. I live with it every fucking day of my life, the same way I’m sure you do. No matter how much we try to forget our pasts, they’re always fucking there.”

It definitely takes a special man to come to see Van as something different.  Shane was nurturing, devoted and strong and yet he is trapped. His relationship with his mother is quite beautiful and yet equally heartbreaking.  It is not until Van that Shane can truly be free in every sense of the word.

The photography aspects of this are what truly shined for me.  Van drawing Shane out little by little to see what he sees.  The truth, the passion, the man.  It is beautiful.

*Highly Recommended*

(Thanks again to Cinna for the beautiful images)

He could never leave, and Van would never want to stay.

But Christ, his mom was there. In his house and she was laughing and dancing and…happy. Her eyes glowed from it. It was like air to his lungs. Like for a little while, he could breathe easily. “Did you save me a dance, Ma?” he asked and her smile grew.

“Always.”

Gaaahhh

“You think I haven’t regretted that every goddamn day of my life since then? That I haven’t hated myself for it? That I haven’t thought of a million ways I could try to make it up to you? Because I have, and no, I know that doesn’t make it better. I know what I did, Shane. I live with it every fucking day of my life, the same way I’m sure you do. No matter how much we try to forget our pasts, they’re always fucking there.”

Gaaahhhh.  This book is so damn good.