I have to say, for a thriller book written by a romance writer, I did not expect this book to be as good and as well constructed as it was. Bravo to Alyssa Cole in her ability to completely shift genres, that's some serious writing chops. The writing is smart and clipped in a way that gives a fantastic no nonsense feel and the story just moved effortlessly. I really liked her approach.

This novel is a fantastic exploration of gentrification and systemic racism. It is blunt and aggressively honest in every situation, making for some uncomfortable moments that just add to the tension of the plot. There are some pieces included in the narrative that absolutely destroyed me by demonstrating the powerlessness that can come from a racist situation. There was a lot of introspection as I read and it made my gut ache.

Having historically been a romance writer, Cole does include a fairly graphic sex scene in the narrative. While this kind of thing isn't my cup of tea, it also isn't something that typically bothers me in books. However, this time it felt completely out of place for the novel and probably should have been toned down to blend with the overall feeling of the rest of the narrative. As it was, I was somewhat jolted out of the story.

There have been a lot of comments about the ending. I agree that it felt far too fast-paced and rushed in a wrap up, but I did like the direction it went. It definitely could have been played out in more detail and I would have ate it all up. I'm impressed and I will definitely keep my eye out if Alyssa Cole decides that writing thrillers is the place she wants to be.