I'm just going to say it. I loved this book. Scarlet and Theo's story is not an easy one, but I found it immensely interesting and engaging. This will be a spoiler free review because you will want to experience every little nuance of this story for yourself. 
 Scarlet is looking for meaning in her life. She ends up living with Theo. He's the most belligerent housemate you could ever want. He's a very difficult character to like, at least at the beginning of the story. But eventually they detonate each other -- that's how it feels as I was reading the story. The desire they have for each other oozes from the pages. Their connection is both visceral and intellectual. 
 There's an intricately woven subplot that sort of hits you upside the head out of nowhere and Jewel E. Ann perfectly translated the surprise of it all right into my lap while I was reading. It was a perfect twist and I loved how it had me holding my breath. 
 This book is a romance, it's a story about finding meaning in life, dealing with guilt and finding forgiveness. For me, this was more of a reading experience rather than just a story. There are some difficult themes here related to illness and depression that may make this story not for everyone, but if you're looking for something different, Scarlet Stone definitely fits the bill. The writing is terrific. 
 ARC provided for review.