Between Bruises & Blooms

Patch Cipriano
was obviously
a terrible idea.

Which,
to be fair,

was approximately
ninety percent
of the appeal.

There are fictional men
who arrive
with subtle warning signs.

Patch arrived
practically wearing
a billboard
that said

THIS WILL END BADLY.

Mysterious.

Dangerous.

Annoyingly charming.

Answers every question
with another question

like emotional availability
might actually
kill him.

And Nora—

poor Nora—

kept trying
to determine
whether he wanted
to kiss her,

kill her,

save her,

or possibly
all three
before dinner.

Peak
paranormal romance.

Absolutely
unacceptable
relationship behavior.

Ten out of ten
teenage reading experience.

Because apparently
my younger self
looked at
fallen angels,
murder plots,
secrets,
stalking,
and supernatural danger

and thought

yes.

But does
he have
dark hair?

There are books
you outgrow.

And there are books
you look back on
with enormous affection

and the adult realization

that every single person
in that story
needed therapy.

Hush, Hush
is both.