This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨

First Impressions
Everything I Left Unsaid is the first book in the "Everything I Left Unsaid" series and this is the first of two books which involved our couple and this is also my first book from this author and I absolutely adored the writing style. For fans of edgier contemporary or dark romance, I can't recommend this one enough. I was so hooked into this story and the narration was so brilliant, I just didn't want to put it down. The romance that develops was so UNIQUE and I loved the development that grows between our couple here.

First Line
Escape smelled like a thick layer of Febreeze over stale cigarette smoke.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Dylan
Works in the background
Ex Racer and Gambler
Alphamellow + Bad Boy

The Heroine: Annie
On the run from her abusive husband
Reserved and Shy

Summary
Annie realizing that her husband wouldn't be keeping her alive for much longer, abandons her life and goes on the run. She knows that he needs her to sell her farm, but she refuses to sell it. Annie goes on the run and settles into one of the smallest communities she could find and starts living in a trailer park, working as a landscaper in North Carolina. When she finds a phone and starts talking to a stranger, they start exchanging texts and phone calls that with each call starts to really build the tension and connection between them. Both Dylan and Annie have secrets and its obvious that there is more happening in Annie's trailer park than meets the eye but their fates are intertwined if they only trust in the love that is growing between them.

What I Loved
This book just left me breathless and anticipating all the delicious tension that grows between Annie and Dylan. Both characters have so many secrets and seeing them slowly dig into each other was so intriguing. I really adored the moments between this couple and seeing them find their way that was so different than I expected it to happen. Dylan was such a bad boy secretive hero and I just wanted to peel his heart like an onion and the author really reveals him so slowly that I have to admire her writing talent within this story and if her other books are ANYTHING like this one, I have to say that I will be paying close attention to her backlist.

Then we have Annie. Annie isn't quite your typical heroine on the run from an abusive husband. She keeps her secrets close, and she isn't perfect. But I really admired her strengths that we see come into this book. We can see how the abuse have treated her and damaged her strong spirit. We see slowly her rediscovering her life and realizing her own power and what she is capable of. I love how explorative she becomes and how creative Dylan becomes with her and her "bucket list". The plot was so intricately laid out within this story and leaves you with such a ending that will have you jumping right into the second one!

What I Struggled With
There wasn't anything I truly struggled with, no a fan of the cliffhanger but since I was able to jump easily into the second book, I can't complain that much when the romance was so well developed.

Narration
The narration was incredible. There was so much deep emotion but also their tones really built up the chemistry just right between the couple that you could feel the actual tension building.

Overall View
I found this gem to be an incredible find, a TBR read that I am glad I picked up. Its a story of self discovering, slow burn that is a mix of salty and sweet and a romance to curl your toes and leave you with high expectation....

Favorite Quote(s)
"No one missed me. Or worried. Or wondered. I'd vanished and the world just kept spinning."

"Carefully, as if he were a live bomb, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I was struck with the very real fear that nothing was going to be enough with him. Not ever."

He'd learned the hard way to keep his wants and desires on a short list. Wanting too much, either one thing or a million, only meant he wouldn't get it. He was clumsy with fragile things- always trying to hold onto them so hard they broke.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Erotic Romance
Character Types: Bad Boy, Alphamellow, Shy Heroine
Themes: Small Town, Danger Elements, Slow Burn, Hot Smexy Times, Voyeurism
Tropes: Friends to Lovers

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A Mix

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Jay Crownover
Katy Evans
Beth Kery

Song This Book Inspires
Snooze SZA-SOS

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes I do recommend reading this series in order. The characters are all interconnected.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

Narrators:
Joe Arden
Maxine Mitchell ( )

When I read something I think is a romance, I expect the HEA, the happily ever after (in one form or another). So while this story is, and I'm going to yell it, ready? COMPELLING!!!, you want to buy The Truth About Him at the same time, because this damn thing ends with you NEEDING the next book.

Not joking. And It's five stars, too. I consider these one book, and I resent whoever decided they had to be separate.

Some characters stay with you. ( )

G-D cliffhanger. ( )

4.5 stars

Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O'Keefe is a scorching hot journey of healing and sexual awakening for lead protagonist Annie McKay. This first book in a two part series is a poignant and heartwarming romance that is quite captivating and will leave readers impatiently awaiting the release of the final book in the series.

Fearing for her safety, Annie flees from her Oklahoma farm and makes a new life for herself in a rundown trailer park in North Carolina. Almost immediately upon her arrival, she answers a cell phone left by the previous occupant and she is instantly enthralled by the voice on the other end. Their flirtatious conversations quickly turn erotic and with Dylan's encouragement, Annie begins to explore her newly awakened sexuality.

Annie's sheltered upbringing left her vulnerable and lacking confidence. She made a decision she soon came to regret but seeing no way out, she slowly but surely gave up pieces of herself in order to keep the peace. When things finally come to a head and she truly believes her life is in imminent danger, Annie works up the courage to leave. With no real plan in mind for her future, she is content to remain at the trailer park where she not only feels safe, but tentatively forms the first friendships of her life with her neighbors.

Dylan is quite enigmatic and his life remains shrouded in mystery. He enters Annie's life at a time when she is ripe for change and although some of his requests are clearly out of her comfort zone, she refuses to let her unease stop her from acquiescing to his demands. Annie's explorations of her sexuality are the impetus for changes in all areas of her life while the growth of Dylan's character remains rather limited due to the narrow scope of their relationship.

Dylan and Annie's relationship is very unusual and for much of the novel, it remains rather superficial since neither of them is willing to reveal their secrets to one another. There is no denying the sexual chemistry between them and the sex scenes are blistering hot. However, their relationship lacks an emotional depth since neither Dylan nor Annie reveals anything of importance until nearly the end of the novel.

Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O'Keefe is a sexually charged novel of self-discovery and it is quite fascinating watching Annie gain confidence and become more comfortable in her own skin. The overall storyline is refreshingly unique and the characters are multi-dimensional and quite appealing. The novel comes to a rather dramatic conclusion that will leave readers anxiously awaiting The Truth about Him, the final installment of the two book series. ( )

Three and a half stars. Massive trigger warning for domestic abuse, obviously, but speaking as someone who hasn't experienced domestic abuse firsthand I thought the book dealt with the implications of it (child and spousal) in a mature and realistic way. Consent was dealt with beautifully--it was always asked for, it was enthusiastically given, and it was so unobtrusive that I barely even noticed it. (And I was looking for it!) ( )