
Lydia, Adam’s mother, who takes care of Auburn and Adam’s son, AJ, stands her up, so she goes to Harrison’s bar and gets drunk. Three weeks later, Auburn is at a restaurant on her birthday. They make plans for the following night, but Owen stands her up. At her apartment, Owen sees a painting Adam painted for her. They look at the confessions together, and she leaves one in the box. Auburn wants to learn more about the confessions and his art, so they go back to his studio. Owen remembers Auburn from somewhere and thinks seeing her again feels like fate. Afterward, he brings her to the bar where his best friend Harrison works and then walks her home.


He hires her to work during the opening scheduled that evening. She learns that the anonymous confessions outside are the inspiration for his paintings. There is immediate chemistry between them. Auburn knocks on the door and Owen, the artist, opens it and invites her inside. She comes across a help-wanted sign at an art studio, and many confessions are posted next to it. She needs a lawyer but can’t afford one and acknowledges she’ll need a second job. The narrative jumps forward and Auburn is now 20, alone and miserable in Dallas. They express their eternal love for each other before Trey, Adam’s brother, pulls her away so she’ll make her flight back to Portland.

She is at the hospital in Dallas to say goodbye to her boyfriend and first love, Adam, who is dying from cancer. The book opens when the protagonist, Auburn, is 16 years old. This guide also quotes and obscures the use of the F-word. This guide refers to the 2015 Atria Books edition of Confess.Ĭontent Warning: Confess contains scenes portraying addiction, sexual assault, and domestic violence.
