TL;DR: This book is not going to be for everyone but I’m glad I gave Penelope Douglas another try with this book. It’s taboo AF and there’s a lot of outrageous things that won’t sit well with many readers (I highly recommend viewing the content/trigger warnings before deciding to read this)! That said, I thought Penelope Douglas does a great job setting the scene in the remote mountains and it really does feel like anything can happen—and it obviously does. PD also does something with these characters that had me fully invested in their story that I literally stayed up all night to finish this almost 500-page book.

The first half of the book is a bit of a slow burn as we’re introduced to the main characters: Tiernan, Jake, Noah and Kaleb. While most of the book is seen through Tiernan’s POV, we do get chapters from the three guys and I thought it was clever how PD changed those as the story went on in tandem with the shift of ‘love interests’. There’s such depth to these characters and it’s clear that there’s a lot of pain, anger and resentment in their histories that they’ve kept with them until now. It gets quite angsty at times and that increases as the chemistry between these characters grow and as they fight that attraction. It was easy to empathise with them and it didn’t feel manipulative but their experiences were so sad to read about, especially Tiernan’s and Kaleb’s. Some of the situations they talked about really gutted me!

While all the characters were distinct, I found myself partial to Jake, who was so well-developed in the first half and I loved how his relationship with Tiernan evolved as she got to know all three of them better platonically (well, mostly); but it wasn’t smooth sailing by any means and some scenes were definitely hard to read. Noah was like a cute little puppy who just wanted love and attention and to talk to someone and I liked his cheeky playful attitude. Kaleb was definitely the dark, mysterious, broody and dangerous of the three and while my heart broke for what happened to him as a child, I had a harder time feeling for his character in comparison to the others.

Once we hit the halfway point the smut really… Well, explodes (for lack of a better word lol 😂)? There was such a strong build-up of emotions and very intense sexual attraction between these characters and it was literally like a blow-up when it happens. The entire situation they find themselves in is quite outrageous (obvs) and it was… definitely something!

I was honestly a bit sad and (initially) surprised by who Tiernan chose to pursue because I found that connection the least strong out of all of them, but it was also the fact that she chooses him so late in the book when certain dynamics had already been well-established. I mean, I ultimately got on board the pairing by the end because it was somewhat healing and they were obviously very happy—though that’s not to say these relationships are healthy at all and they’re not to be romanticised! However, I was very much team Jake and I was disappointed that as we got closer to the end, his perspective and his established relationship and chemistry with Tiernan just kind of disappeared? I thought the way Tiernan just “shuts off” her strong feelings and chemistry with the two “unchosen” guys was pretty abrupt and it honestly felt a little off, since it was built up so much in the first half.

All in all, this was a highly entertaining, albeit extremely taboo read, and while I’m glad I gave PD another chance, I’m still not sure that I will continue reading more of her work as I get the feeling she does a lot of bully romances(?) and that’s not my jam. I’m almost tempted to re-read the first book I read by her though! Ngl, I wouldn’t be mad if we got spin-offs for the other two guys so they get their HEAs (pls) cos I would 100% read that. 😂

Have you read Credence or is it on your TBR? What Penelope Douglas book would you recommend to a PD “newbie”?

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