ARC REVIEW through Pen Pinery.

The writing is very descriptive (although the ARC is seriously lacking some comma's) and while it's nice in a way, it doesn't make it an easy read. I notice myself having to reread passages a lot because the writing didn't stick. And this might be on me, but I don't really care for / about fireflies so that part of the story is kinda wasted on me.

There is a lot of exposition in this book and too little dialogue to make a real connection with the MC's. Their relation also does not really feel based..? I have too little to go on to feel their connection. The sexual scenes aren't bad, but -again, and I know I'm repeating myself here- are lacking dialogue for me to get immersed. I've truly never read a fictional book with less dialogue.

This book really isn't that long and yet it feels endless. It is marketed as a slow burn but for a slow burn you need (at least in my book) yearning. There is no yearning. And the firefly storyline? It kinda fizzles out halfway through the story and we don't really get answers on who did it, why, how, who kidnapped her and why, and what was all this for?

I gotta be honest, the only reason I finished this book is because it's an ARC, my first one ever, and I want to honour writing a review but this book unfortunately wasn't for me. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just not what I like in my books. I therefore give it a 3 star rating because I'm sure it will be up on other people's streets and I want them to find this book.