“One day, Harlow Evans, you will be mine. I will wait for you.”

What a heart-wrenching, emotionally-charged story. I honestly did not expect to read what I did in To the Stars, but it definitely took me on an emotional journey. I started reading this one morning and finished in a few hours, that’s how glued to the pages I was. If you’re expecting this book to be light-hearted and fluffy, which you might think from the cover… well, it’s not. To the Stars is an intense, at times painful read that will have you holding your breath and biting your nails. It’s about domestic abuse – about how one woman experiences it, survives it, and eventually overcomes it.

To the Stars is the standalone sequel to Letting Go, so you don’t need to read the previous book to read this one. To the Stars is Harlow and Knox’s story – these two met and fell in love seven years ago, but Harlow was underage at the time, so Knox promised to wait to be with her until she turned eighteen. But when Harlow became of age, she chose to be with another man, a man she had no idea would bring such pain, fear, and sorrow into her life. She is now married to a man who abuses her, who threatens her and her family if she ever tries to leave him. It seems like there’s no hope for her at all, until she’s reunited with Knox, her one and only love, who has never stopped loving her back and wants to help her.

“How much do you love me?”
That perfect, crooked smile flashed at me before he dropped his forehead to mine and whispered, “To the stars, Harlow. Always to the stars.”

My heart absolutely broke for Harlow and her situation. It hurt to read the abuse she goes through, and Molly McAdams certainly doesn’t hold back with the violence. Add in the devastation of Harlow and Knox’s lost relationship, I just wanted to shrivel up within the pages. But as much pain as there is in the book, there’s also so much hope that Knox and his love give to Harlow. Their love for each other is a once-in-a-lifetime thing – I could really feel the intense connection between them that has never weakened after so many years. Knox is the absolute SWOONIEST with Harlow – he’s not perfect, but he’s sweet, loving, supporting, patient, and just a GOOD man. Molly McAdams writes the BEST heroes who are just so romantic and head-over-heels in love with their women.

“No matter what happens in our lives, I will love you with everything that I am for the rest of mine, and I will make sure you know every day what it’s like to be loved to the stars.”

To the Stars is a beautiful love story, but in a broader sense, it’s also eye-opening to an issue many women face. Reading this book is like going through an emotional journey, and though I didn’t particularly connect with Knox or Harlow, but I enjoyed their story nonetheless, all the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is not an easy read, but the author handles the portrayal of abuse perfectly, all the while weaving a heart-melting romance around it. I highly recommend it!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Thatch series

#1 ~ Letting Go: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ To the Stars: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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