Reflected in You by Sylvia Day
Genre: NA Realistic Fiction
Blurb (on back of book): Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest of pleasures. I couldn't stay away. I didn't want to. He was my addiction... my every desire... mine.
My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We’d never work. It was too hard, too painful... except when it was perfect. Those moments when the driving hunger and desperate love were the most exquisite insanity. We were bound by our need. And our passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession...
MY OPINION: ****
This book was immensely better than its predecessor and I'm so glad I decided to continue on with the series. I was debating with myself the merits of continuing since these books are so "trashy" but this one made me so interested that I just have to finish out the series.
Gideon and Eva are the epitome of a toxic relationship and I was not at all in support of it. However, seeing as the entire series is about them, I hope they can work out their problems by the end and learn how to have a healthy relationship. These books are heavily reminiscent of the After series, which I have never hidden my love for. However, both feature a very toxic relationship that should not be romanticized or glorified.
Eva was a protagonist who I did not hate or despise throughout the book. Yes, she does some stupid things but I understood where she was coming from and admired her strength and vivacity throughout the book, despite her pain and doubts when Gideon seemed to be pulling away from her. She has lived through some trauma that I hope she can learn to move past from (though of course never forget) so that she can be happy with her boyfriend. She was a complex character full of insecurities and humanity. I do wish she could learn to be less dependent on Gideon, seeing as he isn't the best of men, but seeing as I've never been in love, I understand that she feels an unbreakable bond with the man.
Gideon. I don't even know where to start. I liked him for the most part. However, I hated how possessive he was over Eva, treating her like an object when she's a real human being with emotions and feelings. He's also gone through his own set of similar trauma as Eva, though we still have yet to know the full scope of everything that happened. I think he deserves justice for the childhood trauma he lived through because that is the only way he can learn to move on and grow as a man and become a better person for Eva. I loved seeing him starting to expose more of himself to Eva throughout the book though.
The plot of the book was vaguely different from the previous one, with more serious topics throughout and a heavier tone overall. I loved the ending, despite it being slightly predictable once we found out what was going on. I can't wait to see how that is explored in the next couple of books.
One thing I disliked about this book was the way they used sex to get past their problems. I don't think it was an appropriate way to apologize for something, or punish someone for something. (Warning: the book is very graphic).
Gideon's somno-whatever-it-was-called was truly scary and I don't think I could move past that if I were Eva, especially since she is a victim of sexual abuse. I understand that it's not his fault and it's a form of coping after his own sexual assault but it was sickening to read about and I can't imagine having to live with that. I hope he finds some way to move past that because otherwise their relationship can never work.
The last half of this book was SO good. I seriously couldn't put it down and I ended up reading all of it last night. Every fight they had was tinged with such palpable emotion and hurt and frustration that I just couldn't stop reading.
Poor Cary! I also hope he can learn to move past his flaws and be with the man who truly loves him. However, I hope that Trey can learn to accept Cary for who he is because that annoyed me throughout the whole book. He's trying to discount bisexuality, which I found disgusting and wrong and I hope he learns that bisexual people are just as valid as straight or gay people.
I almost forgot about Brett! Eva's ex-boyfriend was a strange addition to the book that I felt was unnecessary. However, I hope he becomes a bigger deal in the next couple of books because I find it interesting to see how Eva and Gideon navigate through this new conflict as well as Corinne (who I absolutely despised).
I liked Eva's friends and seeing her relationships aside from Gideon.
I can't wait to read the next books in the series! I would recommend this book to mature readers looking for a basic billionaire romance.
Main Character: Eva
Sidekick(s): Gideon, Cary, etc
Villain(s): Nathan, Corinne, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.
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