He harbors a chilling past.
It's safer if they keep their distance...
But, the echoes that linger connect them.
Returning to Hidden Pines is the last thing Allie Collins wants to do during her final summer before college. For her, the family cabin she spent her youthful summers in, now holds a dark memory that has haunted her every day for the last year.
While struggling to forget her past, Allie runs into Damien, a local rebel with secrets of his own. He's dark, dangerous and he keeps showing up when Allie least expects him to. She has every reason not to trust him. So why does she find herself opening up to him in a way she hasn't been able to with anyone?
As pieces of Damien’s identity emerge, answers to a rumored mystery begin to unfold. By the time Allie unearths the secrets of Damien’s past, she realizes just how intricately they are connected. Now she is caught in a dangerous battle that threatens her life and those she loves.
My Thoughts:
"Your past returns, an emergence you must face! Do not shy away from it, for it will fight to consume you if not conquered."
30% in and I'm almost ready to give up. The main character Allie is messing with my head... I can't find anything I like about her at all.
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Review: Well, as you can see from my Goodreads update, I was ready to give up on this book at the 30 percent mark. But I decided to keep going for a little bit longer and see if things improved any. I have to say that not long after that the story did pick up a bit in it's intensity, so I kept reading until the end. But I don't know that I ever really felt any great connection to the characters, even by the time that I got to the end of the book.
The story turned out to be quite interesting once Damien's past was revealed. But his actions of the past didn't make for a really likeable person. I couldn't really sympathise with him over the choices that he made. And those choices led to some devastating, life altering results. The choices here between what was right and what was wrong were so obvious, no matter if he was acting out or trying to fit in.
And then there was Allie. I was so torn with her. I was so sad over what she had experienced. The tragedy, the loss, and the guilt. But she was just so short, defensive and snappy with everyone. She did settle down a little be as the book went on but just not enough for me to like her a great deal.
Then there was the romance between Damien and Allie. I didn't feel it. I couldn't understand Damien's attraction to this person that to me seemed so wrapped up in herself. And then once Allie knew some of what happened in Damien's past, I couldn't understand why she would still be so interested in him. In the last few chapters of the book, I could see the attraction a little bit more, but by that stage I just couldn't jump on board.
One of the stand outs throughout the book was Aaron. He was just so sweet and caring. Always there at every turn to help Allie out. I felt that these two had the much greater connection and I was really wanting the romance to go in that direction.
As for the writing, there was nothing that I could find fault with. My reading experience comes down to my connection with the characters, and I just didn't have any with the main ones of this story unfortunately.
2.75/5 Stars
Copy received via NetGalley for an honest review.
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