This gets a one for SO MANY reasons; the story is non-existent, the characters read like cardboard cut outs put in a situation chapter after chapter; the characters themselves are one dimensional and don't really experience logical growth; the dramatic beats happen out of thin air pretty much everytime another conflict gets resolved; same goes for « romantic » or « steamy » moments, there is no lead up to anything. In short, stuff just happens, characters are just there and nothing consequential or important ever really happens. The best example being chapter 73, where they're suddenly at a BDSM masquerade ball (???) after revealing who outed them at school. There's NO LEAD UP, no reason, they're just there in the next chapter. OH and I didn't even brush on the representation of trauma. The male lead gets over it sometimes, and other times he's paralyzed. AND gosh, don't get me started on the communication, it's excruciating to read about two characters who never have clear communication or understanding. I'm finishing this because, for some reason, I'm waiting for it to get good (which it clearly won't lol ; I'm on chapter 73 and there's 78).
The Bond That Ties Us