Vickie's Library

Review of Chapters 9 & 10

What a much-needed breath of sweetness and healing after all the heavy angst, while still keeping that bittersweet undercurrent that makes this book so addictive.

Chapter 9 – First Dates & Dimpled Smiles🩷
This chapter is pure charm. Poppy getting ready for her date with Rune, her little sisters’ shocked reactions, and the hilarious confrontation at the front door with her protective daddy had me smiling the whole time. The tension between “bad boy Rune” and Mr. Litchfield was perfect small-town family drama.

The date itself feels intimate and right. The car ride with Poppy singing, Rune slowly softening, their hand-holding moment on the side of the road, and the quiet confessions of how much they missed each other… it gave me all the butterflies. Seeing glimpses of the old Rune peeking through the anger was so satisfying. The infinity earrings and the way they’re both trying to find their way back to “Poppy and Rune” felt healing.

What hit me: That quiet moment where Poppy imagines their future together (New York apartment, music, photography) and then has to tuck the sadness away — it was beautifully painful.

Chapter 10 – Clasped hands & Awakened Dreams 🩷

The symphony date is magical. Rune taking Poppy to hear “The Swan” — her dream piece for Carnegie Hall and Juilliard — was incredibly thoughtful. Her emotional reaction, crying tears of joy, and making him promise to go see it in New York someday (even if she can’t be there) was so sad 🥺

My thoughts 🩷
These chapters felt like a turning point toward hope and reconnection amid the tragedy.

So sweet 💕💖🥺

These two chapters delivered some of the most emotionally intense moments so far.🩷

Chapter 7 – Lips Betrayed & Painful Truths (Poppy’s POV)🩷
Poppy’s return to the stage for her cello recital is a beautiful, bittersweet moment. She’s clearly struggling physically (numb fingers), but the music still gives her that escape and joy. Seeing Rune slip out at the end — and her wondering if it was really him — shows how much she still longs for him despite everything.

The party scene ramps up the tension dramatically. Watching Poppy witness Rune with Avery (even if it’s staged for her pain) is devastating. The laundry room confrontation is electric: the closeness, the almost-kiss, the raw honesty mixed with anger. Poppy finally breaking and confessing “I’m dying” in the blossom grove is a massive turning point. The chapter ends with her falling apart in her mother’s arms after Rune runs away. It’s heavy, but her strength and love for him shine through even in the pain.

Chapter 8 – Scattered Breaths & Haunted Souls (Rune’s POV)🩷
Rune’s reaction to the news is visceral and devastating. The way he collapses in the park, screaming into the darkness, then destroys his room — you feel every ounce of his rage, grief, and helplessness. His confrontation with his father is brutal but understandable after the years of resentment.

The most powerful part is Rune sneaking into Poppy’s room at night. Their reunion in her bed — him breaking down in her lap, her comforting him — is incredibly tender. The moment he confirms he kept his promise (no other kisses) and they share that vulnerable closeness is swoony and healing, even amid the tragedy. Poppy’s quiet courage contrasts beautifully with Rune’s explosive emotions.

My thoughts.🩷

I’m wrecked but completely invested. The love between them is epic, and I’m terrified (and desperate) to see how the rest of the jar gets filled. These chapters elevated the stakes massively. My heart is in pieces, but I can’t stop reading.

😂

These chapters delivered a heavy dose of angst, longing, and quiet heartbreak. The reunion I was both dreading and anticipating is finally here, and it’s messy, painful, and realistic .

Chapter 5 – Lovers Old & Strangers New 🩷
Poppy’s reaction to the news that Rune is coming back is immediate and visceral. You feel her anxiety spike — she’s only recently returned herself, and the idea of him being right next door again (with windows facing each other) is overwhelming.

The reunion (from her hidden perspective) is gut-wrenching:
- Rune has transformed: long blond hair, all-black clothes, smoking, rebellious attitude, and clear tension with his dad. The contrast with the gentle, devoted boy from earlier chapters is stark and sad.
- The moment he stares at her window with raw pain and longing, almost like he might climb through like old times, before stopping himself — that scene hit hard.
- Seeing him leave with Avery and the crew while his father watches sadly adds another layer of family heartbreak.

This chapter is mostly Poppy observing and mourning the boy she lost. It’s quiet but emotionally dense. You feel her internal conflict: she still loves him deeply but believes cutting contact was necessary to protect him.

Chapter 6 – Crowded Hallways & Pierced Hearts🩷
The hallway confrontation is electric. The intense eye contact, Rune’s glare full of accusation and hatred, Poppy’s racing heart — it’s charged with two years of unresolved pain. The “my heart almost burst” ritual from their past makes this coldness even more devastating.

My thoughts 🩷
These chapters excel at building slow-burn angst. The childhood soulmates are now strangers carrying heavy baggage, and the push-pull is addictive. Poppy remains this resilient, hopeful light even while clearly dealing with something serious. Rune’s transformation into the angry, closed-off bad boy feels earned after the silence and abandonment he felt. I kinda like the bad boy side of Rune excluding his smoking habits 🤭

My heart is fully invested (and a little bruised). This is turning into a proper emotional rollercoaster. Ready for more pain and hopefully some breakthroughs in the next chapters! 🩷
PS: I hate Avery 🥲