✨Im Literary Anxious✨

𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲🕒: 3 minutes

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Caitlin Moss✍🏻 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 370

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

🪦Loath to Love
🍺Small Town Romance
🪦Meddling Ghost
🍺Dissociative Amnesia
🪦Slow Burn
🍺Grumpy x Quirky
🪦Dark Humor

This one was such a pleasant surprise! From the blurb, I expected to enjoy it, but what I didn’t anticipate was how much emotional depth was tucked into the humor and quirkiness. It’s light, witty, and easy to read—yet it still dives into grief and heavier emotions in a way that sneaks up on you.
 

It’s really a study on grief in all its forms. Dominic is mourning his mom, while Vada is caught in a different kind of grief—grieving the mother she can’t remember because of her amnesia. Even sadder, she’s quietly resigned to it, as if this is just the way her life will always be.
 

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙨: 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜.”

What I loved was that Dominic and Vada’s first encounter wasn’t a hot-and-heavy hookup. It stood out because it turned into something more heartfelt. When Vada had an emotional breakdown mid-makeout, Dominic—who had literally just met her—didn’t bail. He stayed. He consoled her. It was messy and awkward, but also deeply touching.
 

Vada’s dark humor? 100% my vibe. The author’s choice to filter grief through Vada’s work gave death a different lens—less tragedy, more humanity. Through her, the deceased feel like characters themselves, with voices, stories, and personalities you actually connect with.
 

No shade to the MCs, but Annabelle absolutely stole the show. From Vada’s first meeting with her, I was hooked. If the ghost in a story isn’t cryptic and meddlesome moving forward, I don’t want it. If I have to be haunted, it’s Annabelle Dunne or bust.

“𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙚? 𝙈𝙮 𝙂𝙤𝙙, 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧-𝙞𝙣-𝙡𝙖𝙬?”

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵.”

Connor was sweet, though I think his character could’ve been fleshed out more. Honestly? I wouldn’t be mad if he got his own happily-ever-after (Hawaiian shirts, socks-and-Birkenstocks combo and all).

Also, I have to side with Vada—there is nothing sexy about horseback riding. Bruised in places no one should ever be bruised. 🫤 Unless, of course, it’s a romantasy and I’m riding in front of a 6’0”, morally grey fae. Then sure, saddle me up. But Con, sweetie, making her ride behind you? Rookie move.
 

Same goes for Eli and Lucy—I would’ve loved more page time with them, especially Dominic and Eli’s friendship after his dad’s passing. There was so much potential there.
 

The ending hit perfectly, though. I was bracing myself for Dominic not to get closure, so the fact that he did—and that his final moment with Annabelle happened—was such a satisfying, emotional payoff.
 

Anyway. 10/10 recommend. It’s funny, heartfelt, and while the story itself may not be realistic, the emotions absolutely are.
 

It’s out tomorrow on Kindle Unlimited. You know what to do!