Find Me

Dnf about 30%

I've tried to read this book on two separate occasions. I am just floored that this book is so popular. The characters inner monologue is really juvenile as some others have said, and ok thats fine their in high school, so I was just perpetually cringing, but I didn't let it stop me from reading on.

My main problem is that the writing is really frustrating, and THE MAIN CHARACTERS ACTIONS DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!

(Ok here's where I tell you I'm a heathen who skips around in books while reading, I do this even in books I absolutely adore, and I can not be stopped)

For the writing aspect, almost every time we learn an integral part of Shiloh's story its by her going on a two page monologue with, maybe one, one sentence response from one of the male main characters. Beyond this feeling like lazy writing, it makes me incredibly uncomfortable as the reader. It just feels like this is not how a serious conversation goes, no nuance, no real breaks of shiloh reading the room to see how people are responding to her. It comes of as incredibly narcissistic/ self important for some reason, and just, icky for lack of a better word.

As for the main character making no sense part:

One example, Shiloh in the beginning talks about how gross it is that guys thought her and her twin were a “package deal” romantically. Later on she says “don't make me choose” when talking to her twin love interests??? I love reverse harem its one of my favorite genres, but this made me feel weird about the whole thing because SHILOH made it weird first!

Ok also pretty much everything she does at school draws attention to her, but like, she's hiding from her stalker?? Dude at one point she's making out with one of the male main characters in gym Outside!!! where you know, stalker could very well be lurking, and everyone is staring at her catcalling and she's causing a commotion?? GIRL YOU'RE IN WITNESS PROTECTION, NOT HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. WHAT. Not to mention she's supposed to be “shy”???

Also she never really seems to consider like “Hmmm what if Mr. X, the stalker who is in love with me, comes and doesn't like the fact that I'm constantly hanging out with 4 dudes who I have obvious romantic interest in?” Theres no significant moral conflict really about whether or not she should hang around the guys as she is actively putting them in danger just by being around them. This could have made for a very interesting and believable point of conflict in the story. (She tries to distance themselves they get mad/sad/something?)

Like idk maybe some of this is addressed later and I didn't read far enough or skipped it but these weird character flaws combined with the juvenile tone of her inner monologue make shiloh seem so inconsistent with how other characters describe her (and she describes herself). Her selective amnesia about Mr. X from like the middle of the book on also makes her seem either criminally thoughtless/negligent at best or completely self absorbed and uncaring at worst.

If you love a man with protective instincts then this series is for you. Shiloh is learning to heal and move on from a traumatic past, and the four brothers next door offer her a safe space to do just that.
This book focuses primarily on building the relationships between characters with the WITSEC plot steadily woven throughout. It can feel juvenile at times but the main character is a senior in high school so that's to be expected.

Great if you're always looking for those moments where the love interest gets protective over the main character, will-they-or-won't-they romantic tension, and the nightmare trope.