Devastated

I’ll admit, I went into *Devastated* expecting fluff and left with my ribs aching from laughter—and my heart weirdly bruised. Kylie Davis is the kind of protagonist you root for *despite* her flaws, not because of them. She’s prickly, defensive, and *so* done with her family’s drama, but Mathewson writes her with such sharp specificity that even her worst decisions feel earned. The romance? Oh, it’s there, but it’s not the main event. The real tension comes from Kylie’s toxic family dynamics, which Mathewson unpacks with a mix of humor and pathos that never tips into melodrama. Now, the narration: Holly Warren *is* Kylie. Her delivery is so dry it could spark a wildfire, and she nails the balance between exhaustion and defiance. Edward Thomas, as the love interest, starts off a little too growly for my taste—like he’s auditioning for a paranormal romance—but he grows on you as the character’s layers unfold. My only real critique? The middle act drags slightly with repetitive family confrontations, and I wished the audio production had leaned harder into distinct vocal cues for secondary characters (some aunts and cousins blur together). But the final act? *Chef’s kiss.* The payoff for Kylie’s emotional journey—and the way Mathewson subverts the usual rom-com forgiveness arc—makes every eye-roll and groan worth it. If you love romance with teeth, this one bites back.