Ouch.
Established couple + marriage in crisis will usually have me screaming and running in the other direction, but a trusted friend said I could handle it, and Roan’s writing is hard to resist.

This book was beautiful, real, painful and somehow felt healing. When I finally started crying, I cried hard. Matty’s anxiety and fear of abandonment was palpable, and even when you’ll want to shake him and tell him that Rhys loves him and that he has nothing to worry about, you understand so well why he constantly feels like everything good will be torn away any moment.

Rhys isn’t perfect, he definitely has a bit of a hero complex and he’s a bit naive, but he is so good. He has a lot of patience and understanding, which is exactly what Matty needed. Seeing these two work through things and save + strengthen their marriage was so lovely — even though I kept blubbering.

It was also intensely romantic and erotic. Full of intimacy and possessiveness — in a ‘you belong’ kinda way — and I don’t know what kind of magic got sprinkled into these sex scenes, but oh my, it worked. There’s also a scene with virgin role play (‘I wish you were my first and only’ — dear lord), and I’ll tell you, I’m more into that than I ever thought I’d be.

I’m really sad I can’t add any quotes because, as per usual, Roan’s writing is incredible. Alas, no quotes as I listened to the audio and it’s not in KU. Greg Boudreaux did a great job narrating this. He made me feel all the feels.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Established married couple
Marriage in crisis
Past trauma
Size difference
Musician MC
Hurt/comfort
Grumpy/sunshine
‘Mine’ kink
Possessive
Somnophilia
Video call sex
Intimate & romantic
Edging
Sex toy use
Virgin role play
Hands-free orgasm
Cockwarming
Assumed small age gap

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Alcohol consumption (on-page intoxication)
Explicit sexual content
Somnophilia
Fear of abandonment
Vomiting
Disordered eating (because of anxiety)
Details of MC being bullied (past)
MC physically assaulted and injured (past)
Themes of abandonment
Themes of financial insecurity
Mention of MC’s ex/friend being a drug addict (sober during the story)
Anxiety and panic

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, single
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 25 and early to mid 30s
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 249
Happy ending: Yes