That prologue was honestly so difficult to read through, and I was so heartbroken for Thea. She was honestly so bloody strong-willed even after all that she'd experienced. It was a slow process for her to let go of the control she held on to so desperately because it had been ripped from her in the most cruel way before. I could understand where she was coming from and felt for her. The fear, anxiety, and helplessness she felt whenever someone tried to look too closely. The constant uncertainty and trust issues had led her to live isolated and feel lonely, but she couldn't see a way out of it.

Shep is a protector, a fixer, the one who needed to take care of everyone around him. Guilt for what went down with Rhodes was eating up at him, but he refused to let anyone in because he wasn't good with asking for help. His own issues with being abandoned by his parents when he was mere months old had left a deep impact even though he was taken in by the Colsons. This led to him trying to be perfect and put together all the time so no one else had a reason to abandon him. 

Shep and Thea were honestly so wonderful together and exactly what the other needed. Right from the way Shep slowly eases Thea into feeling comfortable in his presence, never getting annoyed or pushing her, but letting her set the pace, letting her make the decisions, and constantly assuring her that she always had the option of saying no. He was a steady and patient presence in her life, and he slowly gave her the sense of control that she needed. With time, she slowly starts allowing Shep into her life and to see more of her, that she'd kept hidden for far too long. Shep helped her deal with her demons, and his words and actions were the push she needed to stop the voices in her head from berating her and start living again.

Thea was also so mindful and careful with Shep. He tried his best to only show his most perfect side to everyone out of fear of abandonment, keeping a tight leash on his inner turmoil and emotions. As he spends time with Thea, she makes him understand that he is allowed to express himself, allowed to show the not-so-perfect side of him. She reassured him with her words and actions that she loved all the parts of him, not just the pretty ones but even the dark and chaotic, because it only showed how deeply he cared for others. It was a gift for Shep, to be seen completely for who he was and still be accepted and loved by her.

The Colsons are truly the best. I love how even though they all aren't blood-related, they are more of a real family than many other families in town. The way they loved and would drop anything to be there for the others was so heartwarming. I loved how they got Thea into their fold slowly. She was so unsure and nervous about how she might not be good enough for them given her own past struggles with her family, but they made her feel welcomed from the start and gave her the family she'd always craved.

Lolli was an absolute delight as always with zero filter. Her "art" and "cooking skills" and "sex is natural" lectures were hilarious af, especially with how uncomfortable it made everyone else, and I adored her so much for the way she was so unapologetic and fun.

I loved Shep and Anson's friendship so much. Especially watching how much lighter and happier Anson was now that he was with Rhodes. He was actually so funny and cracked me up. I also love how smart he is and how much Shep's friendship meant to him for him to get back into profiling for his sake even with his past.

How does Catherine Cowles do it??? I was sooo sure that I knew who was behind the threats, and I was feeling a bit smug that I might be right for once, but What. The. Actual. Fuck? I did not see that coming. At all. And Catherine continues to leave me speechless with her plot twists and reveals. I loved the way things unraveled. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, as always.