This third and final book in the Ravenswood trilogy was very good. I like how everything ended for all our favorite small-town couples. Talia is one of the best authors I’ve been introduced to. I’m so thankful she has so many books under her belt so I won’t run out of reading material anytime soon! #tooblessedtobestressed ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this and it was so nice to see some aspec rep!
The characters both have very good chemistry and the scenes are just top tier!!! ( )

I liked the first half of this book quite well, but the second half felt a bit like a let-down. I'm not sure if the pacing was off or what, but the dramatic tension wasn't there for me.

I like having a demisexual hero, but it ended up feeling a bit too educational for me. I know that she needed to explain what being demi is in order for the book to make sense to most readers, and that the book probably is doing the work of educating a number of readers, but it didn't feel organic to me. ( )

Well, let me kick off this review by saying Talia Hibbert can craft great banter and writes amazingly. She's got this fresh, open style that manages to be both lovely and unpretentious. I enjoy reading her words. She deals with consent like a freaking hero, and her voice is amazing. She is often writing atypical heroines. Her tension is hot, her sex is hotter....

But...not her story here. The romance is incredibly disappointing and unconvincing. Zach's a demisexual and Rae has sworn off relationships. This could set up some solid groundwork if a) Rae remained emotionally unavailable or distant for longer or b) the process of getting to know each other was more convincing and engaging. As it was, it felt like we jumped into the middle of their courtship resulting in weak foundation.

This book focused only on their own romance, past romances, friend's romances, and sexual feelings and sexuality. I don't know who these characters are in a sense other than very broad strokes of personality. Rae's a dreamer-Zach's a planner. So instead of being a conflict (at least in the first 70%), he's compensating for her. Their conversations were straightforward and honest to an annoying degree. It just really really did not work for me.

But I love her style. I see why she works for so many readers. However, this feels like my 3rd disappointment, and I am starting to wonder if her stories just aren't for me. Plus, I will recycle what I said in my review in Nate's book--her heroes tend to be just a bit too nice--which could be a really good antidote for some readers. Just not this one.

DNF 70% ( )