Graham Sadler has my whole damn heart. As someone who is also an introvert and struggles to start conversations with new people, I could relate to his character and struggles so much. All that overthinking or coming off as uninterested when in truth he was just trying to figure out how to keep the conversation going. The way he was treated by his ex and the way their relationship ended had left a deep impact on Graham, which made him question everything about himself. Watching him constantly feel like he wasn't good enough for someone like Quinn broke my heart.

After being in such a toxic environment for years with her abusive mom, Quinn never had anyone in her corner. She'd done her best to come out of the shitty situation she was in and work on herself and her dreams. After being on the move for close to a decade, Sutton Bay felt like the place where she could finally find a sense of belonging. But there were times when the doubts would creep in, and she didn't have anyone to lean on. Despite being belittled for her appearances for so long, Quinn had taken years to learn to love her body the way it was, which was so admirable.

I truly loved the growth in Graham and Quinn's relationship from being fake to turning very real. Graham was a man of few words, but he said the sweetest things. Also, his actions. The flowers he got her, the date he planned, the birthday party, and every thoughtful little thing he did for her made me love him even more. Graham became her constant, her home, her rock. His words, actions, steady presence, and never-ending faith in her were the push she needed to take a chance on herself to dream bigger.

I loved how patient Quinn was with Graham, never rushing him, knowing that he sometimes needed his time to collect his thoughts before expressing himself. She gave him the space to slowly start being himself again without judgment or feeling like he was weird. This helped Graham start finding his confidence and hope again. The way Quinn was quick to defend and put people in their place for being bitchy to him was so satisfying to read. Quinn just knew exactly what Graham needed, even when he wasn't able to express it sometimes.

There was great growth in both characters as individuals, which was reflected in their relationship. They supported each other through everything but were also aware that they can't fix certain issues for the other, but that's a journey they'd have to be willing to take to figure out on their own. I liked that they had the conversation and took the difficult step so they could work on themselves and their trauma so they could do right by each other.

There's something about the quiet ones taking control in bed. 'Cause boy did Graham take control. Being with each other brought out something new and feral in Graham that he hadn't even realized he was into, spurred on by how responsive Quinn was. I liked that they both encouraged each other through some insecurities even when it came to intimacy.

The side characters were amazing, and watching the family get together was truly heartwarming. The way they also brought Quinn into their fold so seamlessly was so endearing, especially knowing how much that meant to her. I'm looking forward to the other siblings' books now.

Thank you to Ronnie Mathews and Love Notes PR for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review💗