Lacking direction in life and support from her father, Robyn makes friends with Jason. Robyn knows there’s more to Jason beyond his “delinquent” image and admires his drive and ambition. It helps that they’re both loners with family problems. She also starts having strange visions that seem to tell the future. When she finds herself back at rock bottom after a serious betrayal, Robyn decides to trust those visions and trains to become a professional tennis player. But could those visions be a curse in disguise? Could she grow too reliant on them? What happens when she tries to change the future? Cecilia Kae’s Eyes Shut explores these and other questions as Robyn makes her way in the world.

While this novel takes a poignant look at how knowing the future can change a person’s life for better and for worse, that’s only part of the picture. At its core, the story is a character study centered on Robyn, though the author also takes time fleshing out Jason. They’re both deeply flawed but sympathetic people with complex feelings and motivations. Even when their decisions frustrated me, I always understood them, thanks to Cecilia Kae’s masterful character writing. It always circles back to past traumas, as well as deep-rooted beliefs and habits. More importantly, every decision was meaningful and led to an impactful ending. I haven’t stopped thinking about the book since reading it. If you’re into character-driven dramas (and don’t mind a dash of speculative fiction), Eyes Shut is sure to engage your heart and your brain with its intense character arcs and thought-provoking themes.

Eyes Shut by Cecilia Kae is a coming-of-age story of Robyn Hannah Yuen. At just eighteen years old, her life takes a terrible turn when she accidentally overdoses and everything changes forever. Although she survived, Robyn started to have visions of the future and realized that there are many possible directions for her life. Thinking that her prophetic dreams have given her the opportunity to break away from her past, she makes small changes to make her way up the ranks in the highly competitive world of professional tennis. Every success brings her closer to her destiny while each effort to change the future takes its toll on her. Her relationships start falling apart, and she finds herself losing touch with her former self. The more she sees the future, the less human she becomes. But can Robyn stop? Or is it too late for her?

Author Cecilia Kae created an interesting story of fighting against the odds and teasing the future. Robyn is an intriguing character, whose talents and flaws make her journey seem real through and through. It was interesting to see how her self-confidence grew along with her questionable decisions. There is never-ending tension associated with Robyn's predictions since each victory could mean another tragedy. The narrative style is perfect for the story and makes Robyn’s predicament feel so real at times. Author Kae masterfully illustrates how one small decision might change a person's life forever. Eyes Shut is not only an exciting but also an emotional novel. The story is not as simple as you might think because Robyn will surprise you!