This is a dark and intriguing read, and, as much as you may need to keep the trigger warnings in mind, the main pairing of a tortured musician and his agent who carries out the torture is a compelling one.

The progression of Kieran’s character is shown throughout, the gain in confidence at Vane’s behest and the subsequent reshaping of himself because of Vane’s wishes; it’s an intense character choice and one that leans well with the overall plot. It’s very much a dark romance that sweeps the reader along with it, from the coercion to the Stockholm syndrome and unreliable narrator of it all. The dual POV highlights all the best bits as both characters view the world entirely differently and neither emerge fully unscathed.

For the plot, there’s a good amount of foreshadowing for the turns it takes, but the main focus is very much the relationship unfolding and the music on display. It’s not something I know a lot about so can’t speak to the accuracy, but the technical knowledge displayed was very interesting and felt natural to the story as a whole.

There’s the potential for more within this universe, but the story functions well as a standalone. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC!