Anathema (Anathema #1)

by Nick Roberts

She was petite, blonde, and radiant with her perpetual smile. Her beauty was natural, and she rarely wore makeup. Her authenticity made Bryan love her that much more.

For real? The tiny white blonde woman is just naturally beautiful, without makeup? And not wearing makeup makes her more authentic, because she is so beautiful that she doesn’t need it? Shut up!

Bryan and Derrick loved to team-tease her, and she loved the bond that it brought the two of them.

Yes, that bond formed by two guys ganging up on a woman, it’s healthy.

Bryan sat back and let the sun hit his face, closing his eyes. Everything was perfect.

I can’t wait for some weird crap to start happening to them.

One thing led to another, and she was straddling him in the passenger seat of his truck.

As they do, I guess?

They had put so much time, planning, and money into their dream wedding, that the thought of cancelling it seemed as heartbreaking as going through with it.

The customer said he wouldn’t pay if Bryan didn’t fix the problem, so Bryan picked up a hammer and broke the man’s nose with one swing. He was lucky he didn’t kill him. This momentary lapse in judgement cost him his job and an assault charge.

Our protagonist had a lapse of judgment, but the other guy probably has trauma and ongoing medical issues now.

Bryan held her hand, and the two of them cried together, repeating over and over how sorry they both were. Ellie agreed to go to rehab, and Bryan admitted that he needed professional help with his anger.

I’m not sure if I’m supposed to root for them or not, but I find them insufferable.

The image on the canvas was a striking mixture of acrylic oil paints.

Is “acrylic oil paint” a thing that exists? My search results suggest no, but could someone help me out here?

She was a young girl—late twenties,

So not a girl.

He was confused, and he didn’t like being confused. It made him feel less intelligent than those around him, a source of discomfort and insecurity that had plagued him his entire life.

doorbell ringed louder

He thought about how much he hated when someone lied to him.

Dave secured the straps of his grey bath robe

Straps? Does he mean a belt?