You ever pick up a book because the cover is pretty and it’s on sale at Barnes & Noble, thinking, “Cute! A little rock star romance to break up my emotional reads?” Yeah. That was me. Then Emma Scott said, “Ha. Got Ya!!.”

This book got me fucked up.

I thought I was ready. I read the back. I knew what I was getting into. IT’S RIGHT THERE ON THE GODDAMN COVER. I went in with eyes wide open and still left in emotional shambles, looking like I lost a bar fight with my own heart.

I thought I was picking a palate cleanser. Instead, I got a full emotional exorcism. A woodchipper of feelings. And honestly? I’d do it again.

Because Full Tilt is that rare kind of book that doesn’t just tell you a story—it puts you in it. You don’t just read about Jonah and Kacey. You live in their heads. You sit with their pain. You feel their joy like sunlight and their grief like a thunderstorm in your bones.

Let’s start with Jonah.

He is… everything. Everything that’s good and kind and quietly broken. His portrayal felt so real it triggered actual memories. If you’ve ever watched someone you love face death head-on—with grace, frustration, anger, and quiet hope—then Jonah will crack you open. He wants to leave something behind. To matter. And my god, he does. His glass project, his impact, the way he loved Kacey… we could never forget him.

And then there’s Kacey.

She’s chaos wrapped in vulnerability, and I saw so much of myself in her. The spiraling thoughts. The substance struggles. That constant tug-of-war between knowing you’re meant for more and believing the lie that you’ll never reach it. Emma Scott wrote her with such raw, brutal honesty it hurt to read… but in the kind of way that makes you feel seen. And I think we all need that sometimes.

Together, Jonah and Kacey? Beautiful. Tragic. Timed like a ticking clock you’re helpless to stop.

This book is the definition of “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” It doesn’t just explore love—it makes you ache for it. Appreciate it. Fear it. Crave it.

And yes, I’m already eyeing book 2, even though I’m emotionally unstable and probably need a full-blown emotional detox first. I thought I needed a palate cleanser. Now I need a support group.

Final Thoughts?

Emma Scott, what the hell. Also, thank you. Also, I love you.

If you want a read that will destroy you in the best possible way, make you cry ugly tears, and still whisper “worth it” when you close the back cover—Full Tilt is it.

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