The first 75% of this felt like it was perfectly crafted with every one of my favorite romance microtropes. I was effervescent. Then the final quarter happened and I rage spiraled. You can see the conflict coming from 5000 miles away, and it's a testament to Peckham that it still felt like a gut punch. This man's knees aren't nearly bloody enough by the end, and god I wanted a longer epilogue for Thais (that Rakess epilogue was just so stunning and I needed that level of assurance for our girl). But alas.