Hold Me Under

         

Title: Hold Me Under

Series: Water, Air, Earth, Fire #1

Author: Riley Nash

Publisher: Riley Nash Books, March 14, 2022

Pages: 350

Genre: LGBT Contemporary Romance

Love is cheap. Love is cruel. Love can’t save us.

Victor Lang had everything—looks, money, fame. A chance to become the greatest swimmer in history. Until a failed dope test brought him crashing down.
According to the rumors, he turned into a recluse, a drug addict, a whore. Broken beyond repair. Incapable of love.
And for some reason, he’s set his sights on me.
A freak accident in his pool throws me into a world of wealth and status and people who are willing to do anything to get what they want. Before I know it, I’m being paid to fly to Italy and pose as his boyfriend. Trapped at his side, I learn what it means to truly hate someone.
Turns out, that’s exactly what he wants.
I can’t save him, and I can’t love him. But as things fall apart and I discover the truths he’s hiding, I learn that hate can be greater than love—an obsession, a prayer, dark days and darker nights, a need to be the only one who hurts him. Hate can heal the worst wounds love leaves behind.
But I have problems of my own, a broken spirit and loved ones to protect. And I’m scared to face the things he’s waking up inside of me.

These are some toxic little babies. If ever there was something that I was going to classify as trauma corn, it would be this. They are going through it, and have been through it. Like dang. 

I love a fake relationship. I love the trope where one of them is just "different" with the other one. And boy did this have those things. 

I could not put this book down. I was trying to read something else, and I just picked this up to tell a friend if it was actually that good or if she was going through it. It is actually that compelling. Holy smokes. I wasn't necessarily rooting for these two, but I was definitely not rooting against them. I loved that Victor could get Ethan out of his shell a bit. And Ethan balanced Victor out and could rein in his impulses a little bit. Only a little bit, though. 

This is absolutely one that you have got to be mindful of your trigger and content warnings. I was really not kidding about the trauma thing. These are some traumatized babies. But for sure, a very compelling read.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 3/5