His name was Dylan, and, strangely, he made me feel safe. Desired. Compelled. Every dark thing he asked me to do, I did. Without question. I longed to meet him, but we were both keeping secrets. And mine were dangerous. If I took the first step, if I got closer to Dylan—emotionally, physically—then I wouldn’t be hiding anymore. I would be exposed, with nothing left to surrender but the truth. And my truth could hurt us both.

Annie McKay had no idea answering a stranger's phone would change her life. She was already in the process of making hew own positive steps, but the voice on the end of the line awakened something in her. Eventually he becomes an anchor while also encouraging her to push her boundaries and really live.

Annie's kind of a dichotomy. She has lived through some bad stuff so is jaded in some ways, but is also somewhat sheltered, inexperienced, and naive. She's seen bad and had it directed at her. She has been living in fear for a long time. But she is now trying to start over and begin a life for herself. 

Dylan Daniels is a sexy, broody, compelling, mysterious voice at the end of the line. He is protective, caring, bossy, and pushy. He's rich, intelligent, and a loner. He has demons and issues from his past that make him feel unworthy and limit his social contact. He has the "Beast" vibe going. 

They are two lonely, broken people finding a sense of passion and a connection in a safe non invasive way. They both have secrets and a past they fear sharing. They have boundaries that they keep pushing and personal rules that they have a hard time maintaining. Trust is slow to build. They hold tight to their secrets. The sexual tension and foreplay is a slow burn and they make each other lose control. I could feel their connection and needs growing. Dylan leads Annie towards living life and finding pleasure she has never experienced while giving her a sense of security. Annie humanizes him and makes him feel. And eventually it will either not be enough or will be too much for one of them, 

What happens when their worlds finally collide and secrets come to light? Will they find the rejection they are used to or acceptance and honest attraction? Can they help each other forget their burdens or just cause more for each other?

I was pulled in and easily immersed in the story. I enjoyed getting both points of view but it felt a little odd to me at times that Annie was in first person and Dylan was in third person, but it still flowed well enough. The side characters all had depth to their personalities and intriguing background stories. Annie and Dylan were both multi-faceted, mysterious, and full of secrets that are given a little at a time. They were likable, survivors, and had strength despite their issues. I loved the build up and unraveling of their story. This was intriguing, compelling, mysterious, seductive, romantic, hopeful, and suspenseful. I am looking forward to the next installment to see how everything plays out in The Truth About Him. There is definitely still more to learn especially about Dylan, and more to be dealt with.

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.