This book is perfect. Don't read it when you want something light though. ( )

*This review contains minor spoilers, I hid them, but be aware.*

10-year-old Ren has been sold by his mother. He became a slave along with other kids, working on a farm. One day he had enough of wasting away, and waiting for his owner to cut off all his fingers, or starve to death. He plotted and schemed and at the first chance, he ran. Only, he didn't realize he took something that wasn't his to take.

Little Della was barely a few months old, when she's been stolen from her home. Did she mind? Nope. She was better off not knowing the monsters who gave life to her. She only cared about the boy who unknowingly saved her.

As Ren struggled with the decision that he either had to raise a child alone, when he wanted nothing more is to be far away from civilization and people, or leave her somewhere. Meanwhile baby Della got him wrapped around her little finger, and Ren felt a connection to her, unlike no other, and had to decide what was more important. Either he had to give up his desire to live in the wilderness and be free, or give up Della.

...

I have never been disappointed in Pepper Winters' writing. This story is beautiful. I adore Ren, and it was interesting to see how he tried to raise Della. And how he struggled to understand his feelings for her as she grew into a woman.. I really liked the idea of how the author showed us Della's side of the story. She had fewer chapters than Ren, but I think it was perfectly balanced. This book was basically about a boy trying to be a parent, while also trying to survive. The romance didn't play a big part in it yet, maybe in the last 30%, so there's not much kissing, and sexy times, at least not between the MC's. There was plenty of suspense and angst. Someone used the word exquisite, to describe this book, and I agree wholeheartedly.

(I have only one question. Why is this book tagged as dark? We didn't see much about Ren being a slave. And it's not incest, not really.)
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4.5 stars

This book has been on my TBR for months now. Anytime this author puts up a blurb about a new book it gets added. I don't even have to know what it is about. She is an automatic one-click author for me. That being said, she did not disappoint. This is a heartbreaking story. It is bittersweet and yet hauntingly beautiful at the same time. It is a story about survival in the literal and figurative sense. It is about discovering that even amongst ugliness there is still beauty to come out of it.

If you are looking for a darker romance that this author is known for, then be prepared. This is not that story. It is uniquely different and masterfully written by an author pours her passion out via her words on paper. She makes you feel. Give this book a chance even if it is not your normal cup of tea. ( )