The Best Dark Romance of the Summer: Pepper Winters' "The Girl and Her Ren"

Best Dark Romance of the Summer: Pepper Winters The Girl and Her Ren

The Girl and Her Ren by Pepper Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm always hesitant about a sequel because I always worry it won't stand up to the first book. Pepper Winters' The Girl and Her Ren not only stood up to the first book but enhanced it. I loved book one even more thanks to this second book.

This book picks up where book one left off, and I was so happy to see the story continue because I was definitely left wanting more from book one. This series is so unique because it really does explore how love is multi-faceted and really doesn't care about rules. There is a constant back and forth to the plot and the emotions in book one; this continues in book two. I found myself weaving in and out of emotions, from anger to joy to sorrow and back again. Pepper Winters really makes you invest in the characters and their love story in a way few other authors can manage.

The formatting of the book is also unique in that it is told not only from the male and female perspective but also from the format of a manuscript. As a writer, I enjoyed that tie-in and loved how Pepper Winters tied up the series.

I really can't say anything negative about the series. I don't have any critiques. It wrapped up the series in a satisfying way, leaving an impression on me about Della and Ren like no other romance couple. I also love that in the book, Winters highlights that this was never intended to be a romance story, necessarily, but a life story. She accomplishes just that by showcasing how life is a winding, unpredictable journey of pain, sorrow, loss, regret, and guilt. However, through Ren and Della's story, she shows us that love always makes it worth it.

There is certainly a unique aspect to Ren and Della's love story. If you read book one, you understand that their history is very different. Some may even get a bit of a taboo vibe from their union. However, I thought Winters did a great job at acknowledging how their relationship is different but also at not backing down from the love story. Love doesn't follow the rules. It doesn't even follow our own rules. The heart wants what it wants, and it was satisfying to watch Ren and Della experience that very sentiment.

I applaud Pepper Winters for her candid writing, her unabashed look at some darker themes, and the ability to weave such a heartbreaking and beautiful tale about a couple I won't soon forget.

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