Love
About
She is the one who left.
When she finally returns, we both know each of us have experienced more than a simple life apart. We have our own wounds to heal and pain to process. But this is my final chance to try again.
Unfortunately, she chooses a life beyond just me and Barrenmire, and she plans to leave again. She deserves more than this city and more than I can give her here.
What am I supposed to do when she decides to leave me again? Am I willing to go with her? Is there a way to convince her to stay?
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Love is a standalone in an interconnected collection, The Barrenmire Lights. These books can be read in any order and all take place in a city called Barrenmire, where love can be found in all the city lights.
Praise for this book
What I liked about it most was when Noir expressed how he felt about his mother passing. More or so because I felt a very strong connection to the emotions he was feeling. I wouldn’t say I disliked the parts where Noir talked about his mother passing… But I can say it affected me spiritually and personally. Just for the fact I’ve been where Noir was. I lost people very close to me as well, his feelings and the way he described his grief hit me like a ton of bricks.
I’m trying to remember what my favorite line was. It was a line that Noir used to describe Somerset I believe, but I can’t remember. I had to stop a few times reading about his mother’s passing, it was so strong!
I honestly and personally couldn’t find anything negative about it while reading it!
The prologue from Noir's perspective was very interesting because we get to see how in love he was with somerset but decided to be selfless and let her follow her dreams which is heartbreaking to me.
Dark themes popped up early on so I think you can tell what you’re getting into within the first couple chapters.
My favorite parts: Whenever Noir and Somerset were just being cute and fluffy. Like him taking her picture with the flowers and then shopping! I’m a sucker for mundane cute things!
I really enjoyed *The One Who Leaves* by AJ Hotz. It was a fun read, and I’d totally pick it up again. The story takes us through a love that’s found but then lost again because of bigger opportunities. For me, it’s got that vibe of diet dark romance with a pace that’s just right—not too slow, not too crazy—and not too much steamy stuff, which I like. There were some plot twists I saw coming, but some totally caught me off guard!