"I think the world hurts us in a lot of different ways," he says, his words a breath along my ear. "But I also think the antidotes can be enough to make you forget there was poison in the first place."

In July of 2021, I picked up Amelia Unabridged with little-to-no knowledge of the synopsis. I hadn't read reviews and I was completely unaware that it would quickly become one of my favorite books of all time. The writing, the story, the literal vibe - for lack of a better word - was just brilliant.

It was so exciting when I found out that Ashley was releasing another book in 2022. I immediately hopped onto NetGalley and requested an ARC. Laugh all you want, but I literally shrieked with delight when I saw that I was approved. And planned monthly TBR be damned, I started the book that night.

From the get-go, I knew I would enjoy it. It had the same kind of whimsical writing as her last book and this time it was heavier on the romance. The dual perspectives gave a really well-rounded story that allowed me to understand everything that was going on, which I appreciated. It wasn't filled with monstrous miscommunications, thank goodness! There was a pretty heavy dose of insta-love and I'll admit that Weston's POV was a little cheesy at times because really, what teenage boy actually thinks like that (most of the time)? But it gave me Augustus Waters flashbacks, which I absolutely loved.

Anna wasn't my favorite character at the beginning. I wasn't sure if I would even like her at all, but as the story went on, her development was super strong. I especially loved her towards the very end. I was incredibly emotional as she walked through hardships and fought to get to a better place. The way she didn't give up but instead turned to her friends and family brought so much light to the final chapters.

When I finished this book, I sat and had a good cry. Truthfully, I was crying throughout the last quarter of the book, but it felt good to just let it all out and feel my feelings - which there were plenty of. It took a hug from my husband, letting the tears run until there were no more, and then reading the last couple of chapters a few more times to finally cope with it all. Now, this might sound negative, but I mean it in a good way. When a book can make me cry that hard, I know it did something right. And truthfully, the whole book was done right.

Thank you, Ashley, for bringing such bittersweet beauty into my life. I honestly can't wait to read this book again and again as the years go by.