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*** Spoiler Alarm ***

“It changes nothing. You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. You’ll always be mine.”

The moment Malachi saw Nico, he knew they were meant to be. But Nico carries a lot of trauma when it comes to relationships, and he’s nowhere near ready for one. The only option left for Mal is to become Nico’s best friend. So they end up becoming besties… right? 😏😏 But what if Mal has no intention of staying just friends forever? Would Nico let him go, or would he give a relationship a chance rather than lose Mal?

This was much better than Rogue 👍👍 Codependent best friends is one of my favorite sub-tropes. I love watching two clueless idiots in love slowly realize that their attachment to their “best friend” isn’t exactly normal—and that what they feel is actually love. Mal and Nico gave me exactly that. The love, the comfort, the yearning—it was all there very clearly 🥰🥰

I’m also a sucker for chaotic sunshine characters who crave constant physical affection because of their trauma. There’s just something about them that makes me want to wrap them in a hug and never let them go. They make me want to protect them from their past and from whatever the future might throw at them ⚔️ ⚔️ So when Nico started talking about his childhood, I knew it was going to hurt. After everything he witnessed as a young child, it’s no surprise that his perception of love and relationships became so skewed. My heart broke for little Nico 😭😭

“There was only before Mal and after Mal. One was infinitely better than the other.”

Nico’s need for reassurance and cuddles reminded me a lot of myself. I’m also a very touchy-feely person. Hugging and kissing the people around me is my way of showing love and feeling loved at the same time. Reading a character with similar tendencies is always fun for me 🤩🤩 One of the things I enjoyed most was seeing Nico’s development. He overcame many of his fears about relationships and even discovered a dream he wants to pursue. He came a long way in my eyes 🥺🥺

As for Mal—Malachi was an incredible character and exactly the type of person Nico needed. Someone dominant enough to break through Nico’s walls, but also kind and loving enough to make him feel safe 💯💯 I really liked him—his weirdness, his ever-changing identities, his devotion to Nico, all of it. The way Mal took care of Nico made me swoon many times. They shared a bed, cuddled constantly, watched anime and documentaries together, and Mal even cooked for him. He took care of Nico perfectly 💕💕

The way Mal handled Nico’s traumas was amazing. His plan was simple: make himself an irreversible part of Nico’s life so Nico would never want to lose him, and eventually realize that they were meant to be together. His plan worked perfectly 😅😅 And honestly, considering the amount of trauma Nico carried, this was probably the most realistic way for their relationship to develop.

At the end of the day, Nico and Mal complemented each other perfectly. They understood and accepted each other exactly as they were. Sometimes they didn’t even need words—one glance was enough. They were completely comfortable together, and I really liked their dynamic 😍😍

Nico: Uh… neither? Both? Fuck. I don’t know. It’s all kind of a blur. I told him he wasn’t kinky enough for me. That I liked it rough and wanted someone who could just like take control. That I was looking for someone more sadistic than him.

Levi: I’m just going to repeat this back to you in the hope it might actually penetrate your thick skull this time. You told Mal— the guy who took a nail-covered baseball bat to his own brother as an elaborate ‘fun’ way to chuck him into a meat-grinder— that he wasn’t crazy and controlling enough for you? That he wasn’t sadistic enough for you? Are you insane?

…….

Nico: Stop bullying me. Where’s Ever? You’re all too mean.

Arsen: He’s in class. I’m sure he will read later. He will probably also say you are stupid. Just not to you.

Nico: Then can you guys just be nice and help me?

Seven: Help you what exactly?

Nico: Help me figure out what to do about Mal?

Levi: What’s to figure out?

Nico: He refuses to do ‘friends with benefits.’ He also said that if I fucked someone else, he’d kill them. Kill them! And he said it like it was nothing.

Arsen: *shocked face emoji*

Felix: *spits water gif*

Zane: Been there.

Noah: Yeah, that tracks.

Levi: Hey, you’re the one who told him he wasn’t psychotic enough for you.

The group chat scenes between the characters are always some of my favorite moments in these books. This one was no exception ⭐️⭐️ Nico texting the others about what he should do with Mal had me laughing out loud. Everyone around them already knew they were basically a couple, and watching them “cyberbully” Nico into realizing it was hilarious 🤣🤣

The dom/sub or BDSM aspect isn’t really something I enjoy, so Nico and Mal’s physical relationship bored me a little 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ Thankfully, the emotional side of their relationship made up for it, so it wasn’t a huge issue—but I still wasn’t very invested in those scenes. Oh and the pet names they were bad, very bad 🙄🙄

Lastly, I wish the crime plot had been more connected to one of the main characters like in the previous books. Onley James clearly tried to do something different here. Unfortunately, because of the lack of personal stakes, I still found that part a bit boring. But I do appreciate the attempt to change things up. See you in Seven and Enzo’s story 👋👋