Someone reviewed this ten months ago with the same character details and “plot” in these 87 PDF pages, so the author has obviously had other versions of this out there—which would be fine, if they had taken even just the single detailed review on Goodreads into account and used the thoughts to better the story.

The other person mentions a murdered boyfriend background that was obviously cut from this version—and for what? Otto had no soul—literally no emotions or true care for Myers or his feelings. Blaming Myers multiple times for someone else’s actions, but writing it so the vulnerable 20yo brushes that insult off and gets irritated at something else? Continuing to “punish” Myers. (Abuse, really, because where was the actual communication between them? Myers decided “I need it” and… that’s it.) He has no loving thoughts about Myers until the literal end.

Another thing that got me? We had the “plot” being about Kevin the entire time—the suspicions, Myers’ knowledge, the betrayal—then he admitted to the thing Otto was suspicious about, and there was no reaction beyond “dang, this other agent is gonna do this by the book”? Otto is inexplicably angrier at the (frankly, ridiculous) threat to Myers. (A ripped chair leg? Why does a man who wanted to be involved with the “mafia” not have a gun hidden somewhere, even in WITSEC?) And how tf did what happened to Hal happen because we have an admission of betrayal, but no explanation.

Finally, I feel angriest about this: Spit is all that’s required! Lube? We don’t know her. A 20yo skipping lube in his inexperience is believable—probably regrettable, but believable. I forget how much older Otto is, but it’s by over a decade, so we have a man in his thirties just out here raw-dogging it in every way, with Myers thinking about how much sex hurts until the pain eventually ebbs.

I won’t be recommending this to anyone.

(I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.)