What a terrible way of writing a character

Ah, Instagram… the land of aesthetic book stacks, matcha lattes, and debut novels by random influencers you want to root for. So, I thought, why not? Let’s support the dreams of a fellow human. Turns out, I’ve never wanted a refund on my emotional investment more. 🤡

This book isn’t so much a romance as it is a masterclass in "How to Ignore Every Red Flag Ever." The plot (if we’re feeling generous enough to call it that) follows Theo and Magdalen, two people who alternate between emotionally wounding each other and randomly having sex. It’s like a toxic relationship highlight reel, but with less charm and more wtf moments.

Theo? Walking, talking red flag. Magdalen? Apparently running a marathon through every flag factory without a second thought. Every time he does something that would send any self-respecting person packing, she not only forgives him but doubles down on the bad choices. Like, girl, we get that you’re lonely, but have you heard of therapy? A hobby? A goldfish?

The lack of character development is staggering. Magdalen’s big arc seems to be… confessing her trauma to Theo and then forgiving him for everything, because, why not? Meanwhile, Theo confesses some backstory too, but instead of growth, we just get more reasons why he’s the last person anyone should be around.

Reading this felt like screaming into the void, hoping someone, ANYONE would get Magdalen some self-worth. I kept waiting for her to realize she deserves better, but nope. The resolution was as satisfying as watching someone microwave fish in an office kitchen: just a big mess.

In conclusion, supporting random Instagram authors might seem fun, but proceed with caution unless you enjoy yelling “WHY” at your Kindle every five minutes.

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