Dom by S.J. Tilly Summary, Characters and Themes
Dom by S.J. Tilly is a slow-burn romance with grit, emotional depth, and a simmering tension that blooms into something fierce and tender.
At its heart is Valentine “Val” Gandy, a guarded woman with a painful past and a steel spine, and Dominic “Dom” Gonzalez, a former special ops soldier turned private security expert who exudes power, patience, and raw devotion. When their paths cross by chance, it sparks a connection neither expected—but one that neither can walk away from. This isn’t just about attraction; it’s about healing, reclaiming control, and choosing love, even when the past claws at your heels.
Summary
The novel opens with Valentine “Val” Gandy as a child, attending her father’s funeral. It’s there she uncovers the painful truth—her father had a secret second family, one she never knew existed. The betrayal leaves a scar that never quite fades and becomes the bedrock of her trust issues, fractured identity, and complicated relationship with love and self-worth.
Fast forward to present day, Val is 25 and emotionally isolated, working quietly as a web designer while keeping a safe distance from most people—including her half-brother King Vass, a powerful and intimidating man with ties to the criminal underworld. Her life is routine, solitary, and designed to keep her heart out of harm’s way.
That is, until an accidental bump at the airport introduces her to Dominic “Dom” Gonzalez.
He’s in his 40s, inked, sharp-dressed, and radiating controlled power.
But instead of brushing off their encounter, Dom leans in—charming, attentive, and surprisingly gentle. Their connection is instant but not rushed. Dom replaces her broken backpack, shares cookies, and before long, they find themselves seated next to each other on the same flight. It’s there their dynamic takes root, full of flirty banter, emotional nuance, and something deeper neither one of them can quite name.
Val is intrigued but wary.
Dom, however, is steady and deliberate. He calls her “Angel,” eases past her defenses, and makes it clear he’s not just passing through her life. Through texts, meetups, and quiet moments, Dom reveals he’s not just a security expert—he’s part of a larger, more dangerous world.
Yet, his actions are never reckless with her heart. He gives her space, listens closely, and protects fiercely.
As Val and Dom grow closer, her family ties complicate matters. King doesn’t trust Dom and warns Val to be careful. But Dom is no stranger to high-stakes environments.
He’s got a history—military scars, a reputation in the underground, and a personal code of loyalty that runs deep. His presence in Val’s life isn’t just romantic—it’s strategic, too. He knows her world, understands the threats circling her, and is quietly dismantling them behind the scenes.
When danger strikes—first as subtle threats and then as a full-blown kidnapping attempt—Val is forced to confront her fears head-on. Dom saves her, yes, but more importantly, he empowers her.
As their relationship evolves from sweet flirtation into deep, sensual love, Val begins to shift. She starts making choices—bold, independent ones. She steps into her strength, asserts boundaries with her manipulative mother, and even helps mediate a truce between Dom and her brother.
Their love story isn’t about fixing each other—it’s about growing together. Dom’s protectiveness never overshadows Val’s autonomy, and Val’s emotional journey isn’t tied to Dom rescuing her, but to finally believing she’s worthy of love, safety, and happiness.
Through confessions, close calls, shared laughter, and soul-deep intimacy, they build something real.
By the time Dom proposes—quietly, sincerely, without theatrics—it doesn’t feel like a surprise. It feels inevitable.
Two people who’ve lived in survival mode their whole lives finally choose peace, partnership, and permanence.
And in the Epilogue, told from Dom’s point of view, we get a final glimpse of that hard-earned serenity: a man once lost in violence and shadows, now grounded by love and a future he never thought he deserved.
Characters
Valentine “Val” Gandy
Val is a complex character marked by deep emotional scars from her past. As a child, she experienced betrayal and neglect, particularly from her father, whose secrets led to a lasting trauma.
This emotional damage influences her relationships throughout her life, particularly her struggles with trust, self-esteem, and vulnerability. At 25, she is independent yet emotionally guarded, wary of those who seek to get close to her.
Her relationship with her half-brother, King Vass, is complicated, as she often finds herself caught between his protective nature and her desire for freedom. Val’s journey throughout the book is one of self-discovery, healing, and learning to trust again, especially in Dom, who becomes a source of support, love, and stability in her tumultuous world.
Her internal monologues reveal her longing for connection and validation, but she grapples with fears of abandonment and emotional manipulation, which prevent her from fully opening up until later in the story. Over time, Val’s growth is evident as she transforms from a guarded, isolated individual into someone who can stand up for herself and build a healthier, more trusting relationship.
Dominic “Dom” Gonzalez
Dom is the epitome of strength and protectiveness, yet beneath his hard exterior lies a man who has been shaped by loss, trauma, and regret. A former special ops soldier turned private security expert, Dom is no stranger to danger and violence, but he approaches his relationships with a gentleness that is surprising given his past.
His connection with Val is central to his character development; his feelings for her go beyond mere attraction, as he genuinely cares for her well-being and emotional safety. Dom’s assertiveness in pursuing Val contrasts with his respectful understanding of her boundaries and her need for emotional healing.
Over time, it becomes clear that Dom’s desire to protect and care for Val is driven not just by his feelings for her, but by a deep-seated need to atone for the darkness in his own past. His past military experiences have left him with scars, both physical and emotional, and he carries the burden of those losses with him throughout the story.
Dom’s evolution is marked by his transition from a solitary, hardened individual into someone who can envision a future built on love, trust, and mutual support with Val. His relationship with her becomes a source of redemption, as he allows himself to be vulnerable, share his past, and work toward a future free from violence.
King Vass
King Vass, Val’s half-brother, plays a significant role in Val’s life, though their relationship is fraught with complexity. As a powerful figure within a criminal world, King is both protective of Val and controlling.
His protective nature often conflicts with Val’s desire for independence, creating tension between them. King is deeply involved in the criminal underworld, and his influence extends into many aspects of Val’s life.
Despite his overwhelming desire to protect her, his actions often come across as suffocating, making it difficult for Val to navigate her own identity and freedom. However, King’s concern for Val’s safety is genuine, and he ultimately plays a key role in the final stages of her emotional growth, especially as she begins to assert herself more confidently in her relationships and in the face of external threats.
King’s presence in the story serves as a reminder of the dangers surrounding Val’s life, but also as a catalyst for her transformation, as she moves from being a passive figure in her world to becoming an active participant in shaping her own destiny.
Val’s Mother
Val’s mother is a central figure in the novel’s exploration of emotional manipulation and toxic relationships. She represents the unresolved issues of Val’s childhood, particularly the betrayal and neglect Val experienced as a child.
Val’s mother reappears in the latter half of the story, attempting to manipulate Val emotionally and financially. Her return forces Val to confront the deep-rooted wounds from her past, and in doing so, she strengthens her resolve to break free from the patterns of dysfunction that have plagued her life.
Val’s interactions with her mother highlight her growth as a character, as she learns to set boundaries and reclaim control over her own life. Despite her mother’s attempts to draw her back into the web of manipulation, Val’s emotional maturity and newfound strength allow her to finally sever ties, a crucial moment in her journey toward healing.
Themes
Healing and Personal Growth
One of the central themes in Dom is the journey of healing and personal growth, particularly through love and emotional support. Both Val and Dom come from troubled backgrounds—Val with her past trauma, abandonment, and the emotional scars left by her family, and Dom with the emotional aftermath of his military service and personal losses.
The story highlights their slow and sometimes painful journeys toward healing, particularly in how they begin to open up to each other and confront their fears. For Val, her relationship with Dom becomes a transformative experience, where she learns to trust again and to see her worth.
For Dom, his love for Val serves as a catalyst for him to reconsider the violent world he’s used to, pushing him toward a more peaceful and emotionally connected future. Together, they support each other in moving beyond their pasts, ultimately finding healing through their bond.
Love and Trust
Another prominent theme is the development of love and trust. The relationship between Val and Dom is characterized by gradual emotional intimacy, where both characters must confront their insecurities, vulnerabilities, and fears.
Trust is particularly significant for Val, who struggles with emotional barriers due to her difficult family dynamics and past betrayals. Dom, on the other hand, is patient and persistent, earning Val’s trust through his consistent actions and genuine affection.
The theme of trust also extends to the external conflict they face, as Dom’s protective instincts and Val’s own growth enable them to navigate the dangers surrounding them. Their relationship is built on mutual respect and emotional openness, culminating in a deep, unconditional love that forms the foundation of their partnership.
Protection and Power Dynamics
Protection is a recurring theme in Dom, particularly in how Dom’s protective nature toward Val reflects broader power dynamics in their relationship. Dom’s role as a private security expert, combined with his former special ops background, establishes him as someone used to taking control and protecting those he cares about.
Initially, Val is the recipient of his protection, which helps her feel safe and valued. However, as the story progresses, Val begins to shift from being a passive recipient of protection to an active participant in her own safety and decision-making.
This transformation is crucial in their relationship, as it highlights the importance of mutual support and partnership. The theme of protection also ties into the narrative’s larger exploration of power—how it is wielded, how it can be toxic, and how it can evolve into a healthier, more balanced dynamic when shared between two equals.
Family and Loyalty
Family and loyalty are key themes explored in Dom, particularly in relation to both Val and Dom’s complicated family backgrounds. Val’s strained relationship with her mother and her half-brother King reflects a fractured sense of loyalty, where she struggles with feelings of abandonment and manipulation.
Dom’s family, on the other hand, is portrayed as large, supportive, and loyal, offering a stark contrast to Val’s family dynamics. As the story progresses, Dom’s protective instincts extend to Val, and he becomes a surrogate family figure for her, helping her navigate the emotional complexities of her biological family.
At the same time, Dom’s past and his loyalty to his friends and colleagues in the security world reveal the importance of chosen family, where loyalty is not based on blood ties but on mutual respect and shared experiences. This theme reinforces the idea that family is not just defined by biological connections but also by the relationships one builds based on trust, love, and mutual support.
Redemption and the Search for Peace
Redemption is another central theme in Dom, particularly in Dom’s character arc. Throughout the novel, Dom grapples with his past, particularly the violence and regrets stemming from his military service and his career in private security. He is often depicted as someone living in the shadows, weighed down by past mistakes and the darkness of his profession.
However, through his relationship with Val, Dom begins to search for peace and redemption. He wants to leave behind the violent world he once inhabited and build a future with Val, someone who makes him want to be a better man.
His journey toward redemption is not linear, and it is fraught with challenges, but his love for Val becomes the driving force that pushes him to seek a life beyond violence and regret.
Self-Worth and Empowerment
The theme of self-worth and empowerment is particularly evident in Val’s character development. At the start of the story, Val’s low self-esteem and feelings of unworthiness stem from the trauma of her father’s betrayal and her strained relationship with her mother. Her emotional scars leave her questioning her value, particularly in romantic relationships.
However, through her connection with Dom, Val begins to recognize her own worth. She grows from a woman who feels unlovable and insecure into someone who embraces her own strength, both emotionally and physically.
By the end of the story, Val is empowered—not just by Dom’s support, but by her own ability to stand up for herself, confront her past, and take control of her own destiny.