It did take me a long time to get through the book but once I got into the rhythm and allowed the narrator to take me along I was hooked. Out of the books in the series that I have read this is my favorite. The passionate (and not so passionate) scenes were the right amount of heat allowing me to blush but want more. The characters are already developed so it also did not distract from the fullness of the characters and in fact it help fill the characters in more in color. But for me the past that pushes this book from a 3 to a 4 is the focus on women's strength. This book highlights the absolute power and weakness of trauma, love, trust, and uncertainty in a way fiction really shines. And this book shines at showing how beautiful that strength can be when it is painted throughout the pages.