Hushed by Kelley York

"He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed."– Goodreads Blurb

I have mixed feelings about this book. It is a very well written story about people I can’t stand, doing ridiculous things in the name of ‘love’ (more like in the name of obsession). No one in the book is particularly likeable. Even Evan, who starts off as the sweet romantic interest, quickly proves he’s not so sweet - he literally helps his boyfriend get away with murder all while blaming it on someone else.

However it dealt with complex relationships, both within the family (an abusive father, emotionally distant mother) and with friends (unhealthy/obsessive relationship with his best friend Vivian, while Vivian’s mother Marissa was a stand-in Mum), really well.

But at the end of the day I feel like no one really learnt from their mistakes. I kind of spent the whole book wanting to shake Evan and telling him to get the hell away from Archer, wanting to hit Archer and tell him to stop being such an obsessive creeper, and wanting to yell at Vivian and telling her to get some therapy because she obviously went through something very traumatic and desperately needs help.

Posted by Sas

Catalogue link: Hushed