Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.

4.5 rounded up

Maybe he was right. I was a waste of space and that was why he didn't treat me the way he used to. Was I failing him? Bringing this on myself? Yes, that had to be right. I was letting him down, and I deserved every slap, kick, unkind word, and punishment.

There’s just something about Daddy/boy or Daddy/little books that makes me feel warm and safe while reading. This book is not a sweet and fluffy read, though. It is sad, brutal, and so very real. I have read several books with victims of domestic abuse, but this one was quite unique in that the abused MC is still with his abuser for a while in the book. We get to see the trauma, him getting away from it, and the ups and downs from the aftermath of that abuse. I was in the mood for a fluffy relationship, and even though this wasn’t that with the problems the MCs had individually and when trying to figure out their relationship, it was too good to put down and pick up something else.

The back of his hand connecting to my face wasn’t new, but it hurt worse in the moments when all I needed was love.

After being groomed as a kid and then staying in an abusive relationship for 14 years, it is understandable that he went through a lot of emotions, different coping mechanisms and problems after. It was lovely to see Branson being there for him every step of the way, no matter how hard and in what way Layne pushed him, even when they didn’t quite know what they were to each other yet. I’m not usually a fan of that sort of back-and-forth, ‘what are we?’ sort of situation, but Layne needed a good friend most of all (and therapy), and he got both.

"Are you... going small on me?" Layne blushed. "I-I can't help it. It's been so long, Daddy." He looked up at me with big, blue eyes and I melted. "I wanna be baby." I chuckled. "Then baby you shall be, princess.

(Btw, Layne regresses to 4/5 years old, not actually baby age)

I mentioned that this book wasn’t fluffy, and while that is true, there was thankfully a few lighthearted and fluffier moments, especially when Layne was in little space. I thought those scenes were written beautifully, and I am looking forward to exploring more of this series and author.

Branson grinned. "I thought you liked who I was as a person." I rolled my eyes. "I tolerate you." Mouth falling open, Branson stared at me. "Layne!"

"Daddyyyy." Layne called me in a song-song voice. "You're not paying attention to me."

I think my favorite part of the book was getting to see Layne’s personality shine through once he trusted the people around him again.

Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Daddy kink, age play (no ABDL), domestic abuse (not between MCs), strangers to friends to lovers, boss/employee, size difference, younger daddy/older boy, sex in little-space, safe-wording, slow burn, stalking

⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Domestic abuse
Emotional, physical and sexual abuse
Self harm (skin picking)
Mentions of past grooming
Anxiety attacks
Non-con/rape (off-page, not detailed)
*none of the abuse occurs between MCs

⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes. Abusive and stalking ex. Layne tries (unsuccessfully) to find a hookup, mostly to get a reaction from Branson.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile