The continuation of Cole and Mara’s story is one that I wanted to know where they go from book one and needing to see how it plays out. This story is more of Cole and Mara together as a couple getting to know each other better, bringing out more in each other, and just spending so much time together. Cole is not only overprotective of Mara but he wants to bring out so much in her and show her the darkest desires that can be found. Mara isn’t sure if she can be like Cole, accept things the way they are, or in reality does she have her own darkness lurking? Cole just wants to provide for Mara and give her a sense of belonging, he isn’t looking to change her just show her she is cared for and bring out what lies beneath. As they spend more time together bringing the best and worst out of each other they also have another problem that needs to be handled. Can they work together to keep themselves safe or will they be doomed to fail? I loved this wild ride with all its twists and turns some you see coming while others jump out and surprise you. I do wish we got more into Mara’s mom and the whys, more information, and prolonged torture. I liked how they try to keep true to themselves yet help each other see their is more potential. Mara came into her own becoming stronger and knowing Cole was by her side made her acknowledge her feelings and face her fears, yet at times I felt as if something was missing or off on Mara that I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but still loved her strength she found. Cole started to come to realize in ways he is still unfeeling but when it comes to Mara things start to change and I loved how he cared for her but I was overly excited when the old Cole came out to play because he is the one I devoured in book one. Overall a great twisted duet that shows the darker sides of humanity and the sweeter side of the darkness.
“Our madness aligns in all the right ways.”
“Everyone is a mix of good and bad. Can the good cancel out the bad? I don’t know. I’m not even sure I care. If there’s no objective measure, then all that matters is how I feel. Cole is a shade of gray I can accept.” ( )

I usually avoid true crime inspired content, and almost didn’t get this book. However, Sophie Lark is one of my guilty pleasures, so I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised with this book and loved the art world it operated in. I’m still not sold on serial killer dramas, but still enjoyed it. The book would have been a 3 out of 5 star rating, but the playlist for this book was absolutely perfect. It did a perfect job matching the tone of the book. Since I can’t give the playlist a 5 out of 5 star ranking, I’ve given the book an additional star. ( )

4 stars

This conclusion was different than I was expecting. That isn't a bad thing, it was just different. I still enjoyed the push/pull between the characters but it felt anticlimactic in regards to Shaw. ( )