Review - Precious by Lily Lamb
I'll say first of all I love this author. They never fail to surprise and have a fearless attitude to some touchy subjects. This time they tackle mental health and the stalker/victim dynamic. It's bold and shocking with a real impact.
The first half of the book, I was conflicted about Scott. His actions were frankly out of order and I found him repellent for a supposedly romantic lead. The sex felt ... off and Dillon seemed to be walking into a nightmare only I could see.
But this is what this author does. They screw with your expectations and force you to see another side to the story. The focus shifted and I began to understand why Scott was acting the way he did. I began to have more sympathy with him, but I couldn't see how he and Dillon could ever be a romantic couple.
Somehow, the author managed it but my feelings on this book are mixed. It's so hard to marry the subject of mental health with romance, and I'd be honest if I said it was 100% successful for me. Scott was terrifying at times, and what he did to Dillon was shocking. It was uncomfortable reading and an HEA seemed a long way off.
What the author did do with absolute conviction was nail the issue of mental health and how it affects some people, making them complex, unpredictable, even dangerous at times. Although Scott and Dillon as a couple didn't quite work for me, I can totally understand why they would for others. Maybe this book's subject is just too raw for me, too close to home at times. That isn't the book's fault, but it meant I didn't get as much out of it as another reader would.
Absolute kudos to the author for giving representation to a tricky subject. We need more books to normalise mental health issues and this bold story faced it head on. One more note: Trigger warning says low angst but for me, the angst was off the scale. It will depend very much on the individual reader.
BLURB
I knew the instant I saw him he was meant for me. I feel like the focus of my life took a hundred-and-eighty-degree shift. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He became my obsession…my descent into hell. Damn. I couldn’t be sure who the monster was…him, me or my enemies. My heart and mind will defy all logic but he doesn’t know that. I’ll do anything for Dillon. He defines my destiny and I will fight for his survival. Our fates are sealed. I shall not wait any longer.
*** Precious is a low angst contemporary MM romance story with mental health issues and an age gap. ***