I didn't feel any chemistry between Violet and Xaden...

Most of the fandom hypes up this instant "spark" between Violet and Xaden from the very first second on the Parapet. And yeah, Violet’s description of him definitely blows the reader's mind.

He’s tall. Dark hair. Tan skin. And those eyes the color of golden onyx. She literally says he’s the most beautiful man she’s ever seen, and that even the scar cutting through his eyebrow only makes him look hotter. Scorching. For a split second, she completely forgets why Mira warned her not to hook up with upperclassmen.

But in that exact same second, another thought is screaming in her head: "He will kill you the moment he finds out who you are." It’s not butterflies in her stomach. It’s not "he looked at me, and the world disappeared." It's fear.

Animalistic, cold, paralyzing fear. The kind that makes your knees go weak from terror, not desire.

She’s convinced he’s going to throw her off the tower. That she’ll die right then and there. That her final title will be "weak," just like her mother always called her. That isn't the beginning of a romance. It’s a clash of instincts.

And Xaden gives her absolutely nothing in return. No warmth. No smirk. No hint. Only hatred. Only a threat: "Why would I kill you? The Parapet will do it for me."

And that’s exactly why their story grips you so much later on. They weren't drawn together beautifully or gently by the laws of the genre. They were literally slammed into each other like two hostile forces.

Watching this cold war slowly turn into something more is infinitely more interesting than watching a basic case of love at first sight.

What did you guys feel during their first scene? Honestly, did you actually feel a spark there? Let's discuss.