This book is absolutely the most taboo thing I've ever read. I'm not even certain where to begin. I guess I should maybe start with a warning. This book is not for everyone or even a small subset of everyone. It's for a small subset of a small subset of a small subset of readers who enjoys their books forbidden beyond belief.
Blurb: Young. Innocent. Forbidden. Those things should've stopped me from wanting her. They didn't.
Review: I pride myself on no spoilers in my reviews and since Abby Gale didn't reveal what's so forbidden about the relationship in her blurb I'll refrain from doing so in my review. I will say though that it's something that more than toes the line of immoral, so if your idea of "forbidden" is a little bondage, then you need to re-evaluate your standards of the word.
Beautiful Inferno is a fast-paced standalone novel. This book is no laughing matter. It is dark, it is angsty, and (trigger warning) there's self-harm and suicidal ideations/attempts. It's not a happy-go-lucky story. You may need to watch some cat videos once you've finished just to get your emotions back in check. But sometimes you're just really in the mood for a rollercoaster of tears, anxiety, and sexual tension.
I really enjoyed Abby Gale's voice. You fall right into the minds of Zeke and Maya and feel their every worry, every doubt, every painful thought and memory. So, for those who like first-person storytelling and the changing points of view it's a slam dunk.
I, myself, am not a huge fan of flashbacks and Beautiful Inferno incorporates them a lot, so if you don't like blasts into the past then be forewarned. I also felt like Beautiful Inferno moved a smidge fast for my liking, but it suited the overall style of the author and the plot itself, so I can't really fault the book for that.
I try to be honest in my review in regards to who I would recommend a novel to, but I can't really pinpoint who would enjoy this book. Not because it wasn't a good read, but rather because I don't know what's deep down inside people and what they might find acceptable in their reading material. Only you know if you'll like this book or not, but as far as taboo/forbidden goes it's definitely the most forbidden novel I've ever read and I've read some pretty dark stuff (including M/M/F romance involving kidnapping--review coming soon).
Beautiful Inferno by Abby Gale is available now.