I'm very very ashamed to admit this, but even though I binged this duology last year after grabbing copies from NetGalley and loving the heck out of them, I never got around to reviewing them. I was going through a difficult time at the time and it must have slipped my mind. Anyways, I found myself re-reading bits and pieces of this one that I had loved and gahh my obsession with the series surged right back up. Instead of doing one of my typical reviews for this series, I thought I'd do a list review, because this is one of those books where I know I'll spoil readers if I ramble about it.
5 Reasons To Pick Up The Everything I Left Unsaid Duology
1. Dark & Edgy Done Right
I'm not normally one for dark and edgy romances. 98% of the time, I'll pick up a cute and fluffy read instead, but I don't know what it was about this series' summary that immediately made me want to pick it up. It's definitely very dark at times, but it's done in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming or unrealistic. There are lots of difficult themes, domestic abuse being one, tackled here and I thought M O'Keefe handled them tactfully. There are times with books like this where I feel like the romance takes over the plot and other themes, but not here. Everything was very well-balanced.
2. Engaging Characters That Will Sweep You Off Your Feet
Man, did I adore these characters. Annie, especially, was terrific, She was running away from a very difficult situation and her fear was so palpable throughout the duology. She was hardworking and brave and I had so much respect for what she wound up having to do throughout the series. She may have started off a little on the weak side in the beginning, but over the course of the book, she grew and turned out to be fierce and brilliant. Her character arc was undeniably my favorite part of the book.
Then, there was Dylan, who was just so so mysterious. We don't learn much about him until we're introduced to his POV in the second book, but boy did I fall hard for this guy. He was rough around the edges, but also so very gentle, especially when it came to Annie. I don't want to say much about him other than, get to know this guy. You won't regret it.
3. Secondary Cast That Shines As Much As The Primary Cast
This duology also has a brilliant cast of secondary characters. I love how the author slowly revealed their true personalities to readers throughout the series. I was never really sure if I should trust them or not, and that made them very engaging to me. I particularly loved Joan, Annie's trailer park neighbor, who definitely wasn't who she seemed and Dylan's father. The relationship between Dylan's father and Dylan was one of the best parts of this series.
4. Blistering Romance That Will Make You Want To Jump Into An Ice-Cold Pool
THIS.ROMANCE.
Holy smokes! Trust me when I say you're going to need a fire extinguisher after reading these books. The scenes between Annie and Dylan were so so hot. In the first book particularly, the chemistry between the two was at its peak. Most of their relationship progressed through phone calls and texting, and watching them interact that way was a blast. I thought for sure I'd be frustrated that most of their relationship in the first book was through phone calls and texts, but not at all. I thought it was really steamy and the forbidden feel it had only amplified the obvious passion between them. Fret not, they did eventually meet and it was freaking sexy and intense! That's all I'm going to say about the romance because you've got to discover the rest of the amazingness on your own. :)
Holy smokes! Trust me when I say you're going to need a fire extinguisher after reading these books. The scenes between Annie and Dylan were so so hot. In the first book particularly, the chemistry between the two was at its peak. Most of their relationship progressed through phone calls and texting, and watching them interact that way was a blast. I thought for sure I'd be frustrated that most of their relationship in the first book was through phone calls and texts, but not at all. I thought it was really steamy and the forbidden feel it had only amplified the obvious passion between them. Fret not, they did eventually meet and it was freaking sexy and intense! That's all I'm going to say about the romance because you've got to discover the rest of the amazingness on your own. :)
5. Addicting Writing That Will Make You Ditch Your Chores, Family & Friends.
There's no doubt about it. M O'Keefe CAN write like nobody's business. These two books were honestly like a drug. Nothing could prevent me from reading it. The second time around was even better, in my opinion. The air of danger, the chemistry and the smooth writing made for a story that was difficult to look away from.
So there you have it. I hope these 5 reasons are more than enough to check out this series. Read it. Become obsessed. And then wait with the rest of us as the author writes the companion books.
Have you read this duology yet?
Have you read this duology yet?
Let me know in the comments below!
