“Dance with me,” he whispers. My heart swells and I rest my head against his chest. “There’s no music,” I say, even thought it doesn’t matter. Our bodies are already swaying together. “There’s always music. Listen to the sound of the rain drops and our heart beats.”

Was this the best taboo, age-gap romance I’ve ever read? I’m leaning towards yes. I can’t contain my excitement. This book was absolutely everything. This was my first time reading anything by Carian Cole, but now that I know that all of her books are in this same world…how can I not fall down the rabbit hole? Give me everything. 

“I’m just waiting for the one that makes me feel like forever wouldn’t be long enough.”

Alright, let’s start from the beginning. Toren is best friends with Asher and Ember. Asher and Ember have a baby when they are fifteen years old, her name is Kenzi. Kenzie grows up calling Toren her uncle and he’s basically a live-in babysitter. He is the only one who can stop her crying, she falls asleep in his arms, he makes everything better for her. Growing up, she idolized him and loved him more than anything. She even told him, when she was five, that they would get married one day. Well, now as our story begins, Kenzi is seventeen going on eighteen. She isn’t a child anymore and she definitely doesn’t look or act like a teenager. She spends all her time with Toren, cleaning his house, cooking him dinner, being his friend. One night they share a moment together that brings forward tons of romantic feelings for both of them. Kenzi takes those feelings and runs with them. She’s tried dating guys her age and she’s just not into them. None of them make her feel the way she knows she should feel…until Toren. Torn is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He is embarrassed and ashamed of seeing Kenzi as a woman. He feels like it’s wrong and it’s betraying her father. 

As our story progresses, Kenzi and Toren finally give in. They love each other so deeply. It’s insanely romantic. I’m telling you guys, this is probably one of the most romantic romance books I’ve ever read, as crazy as that sounds. Toren says things to Kenzi that are so outrageous, they could almost be laughable, but between these two it doesn’t feel that way. The things he says just feel right. 

“You still look at me the same way you did when you were a baby,” he murmurs. “How’s that?” “Like I’m just the only thing you ever want to look at.”

Their dynamic is also really interesting because Kenzi is still much younger. She doesn’t understand Toren’s fears or his hesitation in wanting to be with her. She’s self conscious of the fact that she has zero experience. I mean, she’s a virgin for crying out loud. She’s never done anything but kiss a guy and Toren takes her almost immediately after they give in to each other. Kenzi is so strong though, she stands her ground on issues and fights with Toren when she needs to. He’s a very alpha-type personality, so she has to assert herself sometimes. Kenzi fights with jealousy over Toren’s ex girlfriends. We get to experience a large range of emotions as Kenzi falls in love for the first time. First love is always the most painful, isn’t it? Toren admits at one point that this is his first time falling in love too. He’s been alone his entire life, his sole focus being Kenzi and caring for her. I know it almost sounds like Kenzi didn’t have parents, but she did! Toren was just her main caretaker because she was so attached to him from such a young age. As Toren falls in love with Kenzi, he deals with his own insecurities about his age and his fear of her father’s wrath. Asher is his best friend and he doesn’t want to lose that connection. 

When the climax hits in the last twenty percent of the books, it’s heartbreaking. Kenzi has to step up and make a big decision on her own. Toren has to face his fears and deal with the confrontation he’s been hiding from. Our couple has to try and weather the storm. It’s nearly impossible, but they are able to. As you read the book, there are little italicized romantic sayings at the beginning of each chapter. You don’t find out what they are until the very end, but it makes it all so much more romantic. Like I said before, this is probably the most romantic romance book I’ve ever read. This was truly the definition of a masterpiece. I’m in complete awe of Carian Cole’s writing. Such bravery and brilliance. I can’t wait to delve deeper into this world as I read more of her books. 5 stars!

“My love, for all the times I pushed you away my heart was trying to pull you closer.”