Kennedy Ryan stuns me with her writing every time. I always think I'll be able to get through one of her books without crying my heart out, and feeling the warmth of the love she offers every word. Kai and Rhyson are no different.
“I felt you, Rhyson. Even when I ran and resisted and said we could only be friends, I felt you. For the first time since that day at Grady’s, I don’t feel you."
Rhyson and Kai are trying to build a relationship when neither of them has ever had a real example of what a healthy relationship should look like. Rhyson, thinking he knew better than Kai, made a decision for her and took away her ability to see something through thereby hurting her so badly she leaves. She may not have much experience, but she knows she needs to do this on her own.
As she shuts Rhyson out, Kai makes herself vulnerable to all the evil manipulation Rhys saw possible, and when Kai figures out exactly how bad it is she knows she has to keep Rhyson from ever learning about it.
Both of them have tried loving each other the only way they ever saw or received love as they grew up, through deception and control. Now they have to learn to navigate their relationship, and their love, from a place of complete vulnerability and honesty. And when Kai can't bring herself to be honest with Rhys, out of a completely natural fear, she may have ruined what they just got back before it even starts.
“Don’t just act out of what you think is best for her." Because none of us are perfect or live forever. We’re just human beings who make mistakes and die eventually. When you love someone like that, so completely, they can hurt you without even meaning to."
When Kai is surprised at home in Georgia by someone whose apology may never he enough, she realizes she's been trying to love Rhys without sharing her deepest secrets, her fears, without truly trusting him. She must make it right, but in doing so will Rhys ever trust her again?
Rhys learns very quickly that he's done exactly what her Aunt Ruthie warned him against. He's loved Kai with a set of expectations that made her slip from the pedestal he placed her on almost intolerable. And as he seeks to fix the last lie and pothole in front of their forever, Rhys learns finally, he's not fixing it for himself. He's fixing it for Kai, because she is worth everything. Because Kai is the one person that knows Rhys down to the bone.
And at the end both know "we are completely known. Completely loved down to our very souls." The way it should always be.
This book is worth all the stars I can give it, and deserves 10 more after that! I can't wait to see Ms. Ryan's final opus for Kai and Rhys in Refrain!
“I felt you, Rhyson. Even when I ran and resisted and said we could only be friends, I felt you. For the first time since that day at Grady’s, I don’t feel you."
Rhyson and Kai are trying to build a relationship when neither of them has ever had a real example of what a healthy relationship should look like. Rhyson, thinking he knew better than Kai, made a decision for her and took away her ability to see something through thereby hurting her so badly she leaves. She may not have much experience, but she knows she needs to do this on her own.
As she shuts Rhyson out, Kai makes herself vulnerable to all the evil manipulation Rhys saw possible, and when Kai figures out exactly how bad it is she knows she has to keep Rhyson from ever learning about it.
Both of them have tried loving each other the only way they ever saw or received love as they grew up, through deception and control. Now they have to learn to navigate their relationship, and their love, from a place of complete vulnerability and honesty. And when Kai can't bring herself to be honest with Rhys, out of a completely natural fear, she may have ruined what they just got back before it even starts.
“Don’t just act out of what you think is best for her." Because none of us are perfect or live forever. We’re just human beings who make mistakes and die eventually. When you love someone like that, so completely, they can hurt you without even meaning to."
When Kai is surprised at home in Georgia by someone whose apology may never he enough, she realizes she's been trying to love Rhys without sharing her deepest secrets, her fears, without truly trusting him. She must make it right, but in doing so will Rhys ever trust her again?
Rhys learns very quickly that he's done exactly what her Aunt Ruthie warned him against. He's loved Kai with a set of expectations that made her slip from the pedestal he placed her on almost intolerable. And as he seeks to fix the last lie and pothole in front of their forever, Rhys learns finally, he's not fixing it for himself. He's fixing it for Kai, because she is worth everything. Because Kai is the one person that knows Rhys down to the bone.
And at the end both know "we are completely known. Completely loved down to our very souls." The way it should always be.
This book is worth all the stars I can give it, and deserves 10 more after that! I can't wait to see Ms. Ryan's final opus for Kai and Rhys in Refrain!
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