My 14 year old self obsessed with the fanfiction After would’ve probably eaten this up. Unfortunately, my current self just thought this was ass.

Graydon is your typical grumpy guy that doesn’t think he needs to be liked or shown affection to and acts in a way that benefits him and that he knows people will already hate him and leave him alone, and like sure this is fine, knowing there would probably be some character development later on and you’d get to understand why he was like this. However, there’s limits. It’s one thing to be a little angry at the world and at people that wronged you, it’s another to be rude and raise your voice at everyone even if you’ve just met them, slam the door every time you leave a room, being rude to waiters for no reason?? Not only that, but he’s incredibly rude to Maple, before during and after he understands he likes her, telling her to shut up (multiple times during the book) but then wanting to punch people who aren’t super nice and bubbly to her? Raising his voice to her but growling at people that do the same?

Not to mention how childish Graydon was. There were so many moments of him being grumpy/protective of Maple and her having to reassure him and all I could think about was those parents that have to turn to their kids and say “be nice to the kind woman and say thank you. Come on now, don’t be mean and thank the nice lady” like be so fucking for real, there were so many times where Maple would act like this and have to be the mature one in the relationship because Graydon did not have an ounce of maturity in him. But I guess it’s ok since she finds comfort in this possessiveness and laughs every time Graydon is mean to someone and she has to “down boy! down!” him. He’s just protective to an absurd level that becomes violent and unreasonable.

For the majority of the book he keeps doing things for her without running it over her first and it pissed me off so much. He did whatever he felt like it, changing things in her apartment, taking away her car, making decisions for her without her knowledge, making her do things because “he wants to protect her”. At one point Maple even says “I’m about to text him back that I don’t want him to do that, but I know he won’t listen.”. I’m sorry but that’s awful. No is no and that’s a word that Graydon doesn’t listen to.

And what annoyed me even more is that I adored their sweet moments. When Graydon would smile at something Maple said and she would feel happy about it, when he would show his more vulnerable side and Maple would reassure him that she was there for him, when they were together and felt safe with each other. Unfortunately these were but rare moments.

One of my least favorite tropes in romance is the enemies-to-lovers-insta-love and low and behold that’s exactly what this book is all about. Sure, they really do hate each other, but they also barely know each other and are already thinking of each other sexually. “ugh I hate him he’s awful… but I was kinda into the way he accidentally pulled my hair and I nearly wet myself with the way his eyes narrowed” (actual things said by the fmc btw), like you literally just met him, give me a break.

As expect, this did not need to be 500 pages long. So much of the book is spent with the characters going over and over the same feelings and frustrations, the same scene being explained more than once, so much unnecessary dialogue. This could’ve easily stopped at 300 pages, there was no need to add more.

Lovely, lovely story with lovely, lovely illustrations. I was talking to moss-mylk about it, and we both decided that, despite being happy with the ending and length, we would both love if it became a series! There is so much potential with the characters, from familial development to friendship development, that it makes me want to read more and more of it. The story building also had very strong potential, and I would really love to get even a prequel or spin off just to learn more about the world. I’m a little sad at how greedily I consumed it; I knew it was short, but I whizzed through the first half until I realized how far I’d come, and then I slowed down to properly savor it.

As others have said, the twist at the end was done well and I did text moss-mylk with a very long “NOOOO” when I realized what was coming 😭 as much as what the twist would be was clear, WHO it would be related to was not clear, which is perfect for the audience, whether child or adult. In terms of audience, what I particularly appreciated was that the characters were fleshed out enough for an adult to enjoy, and it also allowed for connection.

I would absolutely read more from this author/illustrator! I am also considering buying a physical copy (if they exist) for my school’s library. I know my students would really like it!