By Rhea Sharma (25S06A)
Rating: 4/5
What can possibly go wrong when two enemies with a grief-stricken past are forced back into each other’s lives?
As a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, this book tugged on my heartstrings, captured my attention, and brought me through a journey of how the most unlikely of people can be the cure of grievances and heartbreaks.
The path to love was treacherous for the protagonists, with obstacles and lines not to be crossed at every chapter. Every interaction was charged with equal amounts of passion and tension- keeping me hooked and completely invested in their story. With each page, I found myself rooting more and more for the protagonists, as their characters blossomed and became more complex.
“I’d rather have a fraction of you than all of someone else”
The story follows Helen, now a woman in her 30s, who never fully healed from her sister’s death 13 years ago. Her sister had intentionally walked in front of a car, and that very moment shaped Helen into the character she is depicted as. At the beginning, I was not a fan of Helen’s pessimistic character – her perception of the world had turned colourless, no longer finding joy in anything.
However, as the story progresses, so does Helen, as she finally fills her life with colour. She has thrown herself into her career, and has become a bestselling author with her recent book becoming a TV series. Life finally seems to fall back into place, until Helen walks into the meeting room and sees Grant.
Grant Shepard, her sister’s murderer – the one who was driving the car her sister crashed into. Grant makes every effort to apologise and make amends with Helen from the very start, but she has no interest in getting to know him better.
That is, until she realises their lives are inevitably tied back together when they are forced to work together for 20 weeks. Their interactions are laced with forced proximity, witty bantering and emotional intimacies.
I fell in love with the characters as they shifted from adversaries, to reluctant co-workers, to intimate friends and finally to lovers. Although the build-up was nothing short of a slow-burn, there were many moments that left me smiling, laughing, or heartbroken even.
As they work through their issues together, the characters become more complex, revealing hidden emotions and how both of them were broken in their own ways. Both characters grew on me as they healed each other by confiding about their personal lives.
Helen starts to view life with colour, adding vibrancy to her character which complemented her budding relationship with Grant. Soon, lines start to blur and their friendship turns into steamy, intimate moments due to their undeniable attraction.
Reading this book made me think about the Japanese art of Kintsugi. Kintsugi, the art of fixing broken pottery with lacquer resin, dusted or mixed with powdered gold.
Both Helen and Grant are broken from the incident that inevitably tied their lives together. When their broken pieces first come into contact, they cut each other. Old wounds are reopened, and all their hurt bleeds out. But eventually, once the wounds patch up, they mend each other.
Grant’s colourful lifestyle and personality acts as the gold, patching up Helen’s scars. However, she realises how no one, not even him, is perfect. She learns that even though he is deeply sorrowful, he merely puts on a smile to give both of them the strength to move forward.
They patch each other up, their shared grief blossoming into a romance story even I hope to experience. From finding comfort together in their grief-stricken pasts, wiping each other’s tears and finding love in the most unexpected way, this book was a whirlwind of emotions.
Despite the monotonous start, the story unfolded and my love for the plot grew greater with every chapter. Their desire for each other melts into need and their craving tugs on my heartstrings every time.
Keeping Grant in her life in any way would be tantamount to setting fire to a tapestry she’s spent the better part of the last thirteen years carefully weaving. But as the lines blur, Helen’s just as sure she can’t end it yet.
Through the romance, the author weaves in discussion of serious topics such as how to deal with grief and suicide – making it a heavier read. But nonetheless, this book definitely tugged on my heartstrings, drawing me with every twist and turn that was thrown at the characters.
Overall, this book is definitely one for fans of enemies to lovers, forced proximity and second chances. The character development pulls you in, making you fall in love with them with every page. I got to learn about the pains of dealing with loss, and how sometimes, it can be the most unexpected people who teach you how to heal.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a heart-tugging romance story that’s filled with spicy and passionate moments, and yet an equal share of emotional connections.