​I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Anne Malcom!

Where do I start... This book had me in tears only 2% in. TWO PERCENT. That's not a lot of time for the author to take you in their grasp and make you feel emotion. It takes great skill to do that, and Malcom has that skill. She is a true wordsmith, and this is her proof (and there are many more proofs).

Firstly, I want to tackle the subject of fear. It is the underlying constant in this whole entire book. Each character goes through so much, terrified of what the future holds. Terrified that they are the cause for so much pain. Malcom manages to make this fear, their insecurities, feel so REAL. So tangible. 

Now, just because there was an underlying tone of fear, it does not mean there there was no bravery and courage. There was some at every page. Bravery isn't grand gestures. It's facing the day and the unknown every morning. It's fighting for your loved ones. It's finding the strength to move forward when it feels like everything is pulling you back. 

Tangent over. Apparently I ramble as much as Elena.

The chemistry between the characters just jumped right off the pages. The tension the emotions were all so real, I still feel the remnants of their effects hours after finishing the book. Elena and Lance were perfection in their own form of chaos. And in true Malcom fashion, I cried 2% from the end. Talk about bookending with tears. There are just so many touching and precious moments in this book, and I cannot recommend it enough. 

​This is a whole new side to Anne Malcom and I loved it. This unique story just pulls you in and intrigues you. It has this whole Noir vibe to it and I totally dig it! 

What does truly make it an Anne Malcom book? A kick-ass strong and indépendant heroine. Wow, Charlotte is one power house. She is the personification of Power (yes the capital IS necessary) and epitome of Composure. She is also a very intriguing character. She has this inhuman aspect to her that peaks your interest. As you read though, you get to find out what is behind that carrera marble facade of hers. 

The plot twists in this book blew my mind! I did NOT see those coming! Malcom took me by surprise and made my head spin. Gosh those are fun reads.

The two words that come to mind when I want to describe this book are Dark and Sophisticated. The darkness was handled with maturity and class, the pain in this book was real and represented respectfully. That doesn’t mean it was pretty, on the contrary, it wasn’t sugar-coated. It was as real as it gets, uncomfortably so, and THAT’s what makes this book special. 

THIS is why Anne Malcom is a Queen. This book. No words. Whiplashing emotion at every turn of the page, nostalgia embedded between the lines, and thought put into every word. It was poised, well written and just so soul-touching. 

The characters reverberated off the pages. Their histories, their demons felt real enough to touch. Their tension, their raw emotional state was so REAL, I wanted to comfort them. This story will absorb ever inch of your being. It will suck you in and hold you captive until you realize you’ve been there of your own volition all along. 

I have yet to come across an Anne Malcom book I didn’t enjoy, and that is saying a lot about the quality of the genre-spanning author. There is an authenticity to her stories. A certain genuine aspect to them. It’s like every story os a piece of her. Kind of like horcruxes. With every book she writes she becomes immortal because her words will keep her essence alive forever. Don’t know if that’s dorky or morbid, but Harry Potter is universally cool *shrug* 

Deadline to Damnation was one of my favourite SOT books. It had great complexity of plot - not complicated, but layered and basking in the grey area of life, and that was beautiful. Definitely make sure you read this one! ​

​I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Anne Malcom!

One word: WOW. This book was written with heart. It was written with purpose, conviction and meaning. Every word had its place. Every metaphor was beautiful. Every passage was expertly crafted. Without a doubt, Malcom’s best writing yet.

It took me awhile to read this book. Amidst the chaos of my own life, I found peace reading this book. For the moments I dove into the pages, I lived in my fantasy, just like Polly did. I didn’t particularly relate to Polly much, but that didn’t stop me from falling in love with her as a character, connecting with her story and thoroughly enjoying the book. 

This book was full of beauty. Of treasured moments. Of light, and hope. It has a peaceful chaos to it all. Malcom stated that Polly and Heath were complicated. Understatement of the year, but complicated is not impossible, and complicated makes the most rewarding stories. It makes them layered, gives them depth.

Malcom tackles many difficult subjects in this book. Many important subjects that need to be talked about; domestic abuse, rape, human trafficking, homelessness, all the ugly in the world. I’m so proud of Malcom for writing this book. For pushing herself as an author and putting so much into the page. 

This book is definitely a must read and one of my favourite reads of the year.

​I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Anne Malcom!

What a book, what a ride... My emotions are still attempting to recover after nearly 24 hours since I’ve finished the book. Oh man, the roller coaster of emotions this will put you through. 

Anne Malcom has the gift of being able to insert subtleties into her books. Subtle emotional triggers, those little pangs to the chest, some subtle references you will only get if you look closely, the little details of every day life. She takes her time to not only describe it to us, but make us experience it. She teleports us to her world and holds us captive. 

But Malcom can also pack a punch. She sometimes foreshadows them too much, but they definitely do not lack impact. Even when you know what’s coming, you can’t help your heart nearly jumping out of your chest. 

Gage and Lauren are different. They are not your flowers and hearts, fairy-tale-like story. They are raw and real. They are flawed, they fight for what they have, and live in the ephemeral. This story brings forth the dilemma we humans face; live safe and comfortable in our bubble we constructed, or, step out and be daring. Follow our hearts rather than our brain. It’s about taking our walls, our facades, down, even of it’s one brick at a time, to let the light into our lives, and accept and acknowledge who we truly are.

I think the literary devices could have been pushed more, but Anne Malcom truly is a goddess with words. There is no denying it.