I really enjoyed Abigail Dean’s writing style, it felt natural and accessible, and I found it easy to connect with the characters from the start. She writes people in a very human way, and I genuinely felt what they were going through. Even though thankfully i have never been in a situation like Edward and Isabel.
The book is incredibly engaging and easy to read. I moved through it quickly because it’s the kind of story that pulls you in. You don’t really want to put it down. Even though the narrative moves across different points in time, it never felt confusing. Each chapter clearly indicates the year, which makes the shifts easy to follow and keeps the story flowing smoothly.
At its core, the novel explores a deeply traumatic event that happens to a couple and, more importantly, how they deal with its aftermath. It’s an intense and emotional read, and it’s worth noting that it includes scenes of sexual violence, so a trigger warning is definitely appropriate.
Although the book is often described as a thriller, it didn’t feel like one to me in the traditional sense. Instead of focusing on suspense or plot twists, it reads more like a thoughtful and intimate study of a relationship under extreme strain. That’s what made it stand out to me: the emotional depth and the way it examines how people cope, individually and together, after something devastating.
Overall, I found it compelling, emotionally resonant, and very well written.
