FINAL DECISION: THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM suffers from the same problems as the first book — too long, too melodramatic, and filled with unnecessary plot complications that detract from what could have been a straightforward and effective romance. By the end, I simply wanted the book to be over.

THE STORY: Picking up immediately after the cliffhanger in EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID, Annie and Dylan must deal with the fallout from their secrets being revealed. As they try to build a real relationship, both their pasts threaten not only their growing connection but their lives.

OPINION: Like the first book, this one started with promise as Annie and Dylan finally meet in person and have to deal with the realities of their deceptions and secrets. However, the story quickly becomes bogged down in excessive plot complications and drama.

The transition from phone relationship to in-person romance could have been fascinating, but instead, we get endless cycles of danger, melodrama, and artificial complications. The author seems determined to throw every possible obstacle at these characters rather than exploring the natural tensions in their situation.

For a book marketed as an erotic romance, the sexual content is surprisingly flat and uninspired. The chemistry that existed in phone conversations in the first book completely dissipates in person, leaving even the intimate scenes feeling tedious rather than passionate.

The pacing remains a serious issue. Scenes drag on far longer than necessary, and subplots about various dangers and threats feel like filler rather than essential story elements. This book, like its predecessor, needed significant editing to tighten the narrative. By the final chapters, I had lost all investment in both the characters and the plot — the tedious pacing and melodrama had worn down any interest I initially had in seeing how their story would resolve.

WORTH MENTIONING: I read this book as part of a read-along or I would not have continued reading. The second part/book was worse than the first because the setup was better than the attempt at the payoff.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM is the second book in the Everything I Left Unsaid series and must be read after EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID.

STAR RATING: I give this book 2 stars.

FINAL DECISION: EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID was too long and would have benefitted from being one book or to be half the length. It was unnecessary for this book to be as long as it was. Lots of melodramatic filler that made it a slog to get through.

THE STORY: Annie McKay answers a ringing phone in her new trailer and finds herself talking to a mysterious man who asks her to watch another person in the trailer park. What starts as a strange request turns into regular phone calls where “Dylan” helps Annie explore her sexuality and escape her past. However, both Annie and Dylan have dangerous secrets that threaten their growing connection.

OPINION: The first part of this book seemed promising. The phone calls between Annie and Dylan were interesting, and I was intrigued by these characters’ stories.

However, as more plot elements pile on, the story loses its way. The simple premise of the beginning gives way to increasingly improbable developments and coincidences. Dylan’s tortured billionaire backstory feels particularly cliché. Even worse, the story drags on and on in parts. Instead of having a compelling book that needed to be broken into two parts, this book could have used significant editing to condense it to one standard-size novel or two novellas.

The ending also frustrated me, as it clearly sets up for the second book rather than providing a satisfying conclusion to this book’s story arcs. While I understand this is part of a series, the lack of resolution to major plot threads felt manipulative. I don’t mind cliffhanger books, but the best ones resolve some things so that there is a reason to actually read the first book.

WORTH MENTIONING: This ends on a cliffhanger that leads directly into the next book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID is the first book in the Everything I Left Unsaid series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 2 stars.