Restoration

Valenshek Legacy #3

by Tate James

It’s always been about the chase. The prize. The puzzle. The Game. I became the best of the best, Hermes, because no one could catch me. No one could touch me.

No one had.

Until her.

She’s everything I never knew I wanted.

She is my life.

It’s been one bad call after another in this Game. It’s cost the woman I love more than I ever wanted her to have to pay. I would give it all up for her, but the Game must be played.

I started this game for my grandfather.

I fought to win to claim the Valenshek Legacy.

Win, lose, or draw, I’m not leaving this town without Tristian Ives.

◆◆◆

Restoration is book THREE of THREE in The Valenshek Legacy series. This MF story is set within the Shadow Grove world and some charater cameos appear within.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Crime, Second Chance, Adult

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2023

Reviews

[Noa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Maybe I was done with the Game, but the Game wasn't done with me."

Ok so at this point you know Tate James has a fierce chokehold on my credit card and I have been waiting to finish this series and yet another masterpiece (pun indeed intended).

"Always and forever, Venus. You’re worth the chase, no matter how long it takes."

🖌️ 4.5 stars 🖌️

The way I can devour every Tate James book without any second thought is impressive and I would not consider it concerning at all thank you very much. So if you ever thought to yourself - "WOW, I really need a smutty series about art theft and forgery that makes me chuckle but is also extremely hot with a badass FMC and an extremely hot professor?" - honestly pick up this series because it is ultimately *chef's kiss* and the exact description of the line I just said. Like almost to the T.
And by the way I NEED Bram and Tink's book please and thank you very much 💙💙💙

"Hate me all she liked, I’d never let her go."

You already know I got a playlist for this one because how could I not I mean really?

(Link - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7oI... )

🎶 "Picasso" - Loveless
🎶 "I'm About to Break You" - New Years Day
🎶 "you broke me first" - Our Last Night
🎶 "doomsday" - Lizzy McAlpine
🎶 "Geppetto" - Jacquie
🎶 "Love Is Gone - Acoustic" - SLANDER, Dylan Matthew
🎶 "Dangerous" - David Guetta, Sam Martin
🎶 "Gravedigger" - Livingston
🎶 "Nightmare" - UNDREAM, Neoni
🎶 "Redemption" - Besomorph, Coopex, RIELL
🎶 "See Through" - The Band CAMINO
🎶 "traitor" - Olivia Rodrigo
🎶 "COMPLETE MESS" - 5 Seconds of Summer
🎶 "Alkaline" - Rivals
🎶 "Figure You Out" - VOILA
🎶 "Liar Liar" - Dylan, Bastille
🎶 "Novocaine" - Connor Kauffman
🎶 "Skin Of A Saint" - Connor Kauffman
🎶 "Thief" - Ansel Elgort
🎶 "Lay All Your Love On Me" - The Butterfly Effect
🎶 "do you really want to hurt me?" - Nessa Barrett
🎶 "Art of Love" - Guy Sebastian, Jordin Sparks
🎶 "Midnight Rain" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "Runnin'" - Adam Lambert
🎶 "fOoL fOr YoU" - ZAYN
🎶 "Power Over Me" - Dermot Kennedy
🎶 "Wise Enough" - Lamb
🎶 "I Feel You" - Depeche Mode
🎶 "I Feel Like I'm Drowning" - Two Feet
🎶 "Dynasty (Orchestral Version)" - MIIA
🎶 "Make Me (Cry)" - Noah Cyrus, Labrinth
🎶 "Imaginary" - Evanescence
🎶 "you make a woman wanna…" - emlyn
🎶 "Kryptonite (Reloaded)" - Jeris Johnson
🎶 "Control" - Zoe Wees
🎶 "Forget Me" - Lewis Capaldi
🎶 "Never Let Me Go" - Florence + The Machine
🎶 "I'm Tired" - Zendaya, Labrinth
🎶 "Close To You" - Gracie Abrams
🎶 "Treasure" - Bruno Mars
🎶 "Supernova" - Nic D, Loveless
🎶 "Toxic" - Omido, Rick Jansen
🎶 "Love On The Brain" - Rihanna
🎶 "Vendetta" - UNSECRET, Krigare
🎶 "motive" - Ariana Grande, Doja Cat
🎶 "Kiss It Better" - Rihanna
🎶 "Too Sweet" - Hozier
🎶 "Movement" - Hozier
🎶 "Sports car" - Tate McRae
🎶 "Treat Me Like A Slut" - Kim Petras
🎶 "Pretty In The Dark (Slow + Reverb)" - Ashley Sienna, Ellise
🎶 "BABY I'M A GANGSTER TOO - SICKMIX" - ICE CREAM MUSIC
🎶 "Last Man Standing" - Livingston
🎶 "Skin and Bones" - David Kushner
🎶 "Chokehold" - Sleep Token
🎶 "Skeletons" - New Years Day
🎶 "More" - 5 Seconds of Summer
🎶 "On My Knees" - RUFUS DU SOL
🎶 "The Winner Takes It All - Acoustic" - Jae Hall
🎶 "Perfect" - One Direction
🎶 "Battlefield" - SVRCINA
🎶 "FOR YOUR LOVE" - Maneskin
🎶 "Harder To Breathe" - Letdown.
🎶 "HONEY (ARE U COMING?)" - Maneskin
🎶 "Death Wish Love" - Benson Boone
🎶 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Joseph William Morgan, Shadow Royale
🎶 "Ordinary" - Alex Warren
🎶 "Love On Top" - Beyonce
🎶 "Criminals" - Meghan Trainor

And don't forget what I said about the hot professor and the badass FMC 🔥🔥

"You taste so fucking sweet, Venus. I can’t get enough."

"Yeah, like that. Can you take more?"

"Come for me, Professor."

Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/p/DHI4m6Qo-...

[Jess | jadecanread · Rating 3 out of 5]

And just like that, we have another completed Tate James series.

It hurts to admit but I feel like this series was missing a certain umph and unfortunately left me wanting. Is it the way conflicts are drawn out only to come to a speedy conclusion? The amount of smut present that overshadows the story? Characters who would only benefit with more depth? I'm not sure.

While I love the premise (This series is making me want to rewatch White Collar so bad), I couldn't get invested in the characters or their romance. I do think the two are a match made in art crime heaven, but outside of their chemistry in the bedroom, I'm very meh about them.

I appreciate that Tris didn't immediately forgive John for his wrongdoings, but I think her using him for the orgasms did everyone a disservice. I wanted to see him grovel for his life but I feel like her allowing him to touch and fuck her dampened any urgency and dire need in him to make it up to her. Which results in a shallow relationship built 100000% on lust...

What I did enjoy was the unlikely alliances turned friendships that built through the books! Tink and Bram were darling and I really liked the dynamics between the four of them. Add in the cameos of previous Shadow Grove characters and I was so giddy.

Regardless of how much I liked or didn't like this specific series, being in Shadow Grove is always a pleasure. There's a couple of loose ends in this, so that leads me to hope there'll be another series in the future! Of who and what. I'm not sure, but fingers crossed!

Rating: 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.

[Eva ✧ ࣪ ⋆ ⁺₊ ⋆ evathedreamer ₊˚.⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊ ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book in the Valenshek Legacy trilogy where the high stakes game comes to an end at last! We finally get answers to a lot of questions, secrets are revealed, and of course, there are some unexpected twists and surprises. This thrilling and intense journey that Tristian and John have been on comes to an end in an epic way - it didn’t disappoint. The chase, the prize, the puzzle, and all the danger and love - a great story.
I was torn yet again between giving this 4 or 5 stars; it’s somewhere in between 🤔

[Sophie (lambsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kinda want to rate it lower because Tris was such an idiot and John just never really won me over but it was fast paced and shocking and I liked the end, so 4 stars and such.

[Danielle Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

We finally got the conclusion of John and Tris’s story! This book, much like the second, was between a 3-4 for me. Im debating rounding up but I need to sit on it for a few. There were just elements to this book that definitely put a damper on it for me, and if im being honest my favorite parts of the book were side characters….so….that’s saying something.

Don’t read forward if you don’t want spoilers!
We’ve been getting glimpses of Hermes for many of Tate’s series and I loved that we got a heroine that wasn’t physically strong like Dani or Hades, she is an art forger. She’s also incredibly smart and strong mentally. She’s been tangled up in the Game that we’ve heard of in other books, where John is trying to win and used her as a pawn. Finalllyyyyyy, in this book he makes Tris the priority a little bit more than the Game, but he STILLLLL is questioning whether or not he’d choose her if it came down to it in this book! Like, book three!?!? Really!? Maybe I’m just used to Tate’s H’s being possessive and sure when it comes to their women once they’re in, but John wasn’t my favorite in comparison to the other guys I’ve read from Tate. He DOES get there in this book, but it takes way too long in my opinion after what she’s gone through.

I appreciate that Tris didn’t forgive John easily, but I still don’t really feel like he did anything to make up for the constant lies and deceit. They decide to finish the Game together in hopes of catching the killer of her father figure, where John claims it was his husband. This was where I wasn’t a huge fan of the storyline. Johns grandfather (the person he was doing the game this time for, to win his legacy) ended up faking his own death to lure someone out and used John and Tris as pawns to make it happen. There was no remorse and he killed the person he lured out right in front of Tris, with no regard to her feelings. Granted, John is pretty mad about his grandfather, the whole thing just rubbed me the wrong way I guess?

Tris is left with literally no family, the people in her life having either died or been a “villain” in a weird way. All she has at the end of the day are two people who lied to her through a whole entire series. I just couldn’t entirely get over it. So…no one won the Game? 🤣 there just wasn’t much resolution when it came to John and Tris and the plot. We pretty much read a series for his grandfather and Nadia. Which hey, it was nice to finally see her get her happy ending, but didn’t do much for me with the actual couple in the book.

Overall, I LOVED the writing of this book and the spice, for sure. Tate is amazing and this book isn’t by any means BAD, just not the direction I would’ve loved to see it go in? I also love love the side characters as I said and would be SO happy with a Sin book or another book just for Tink and Bram!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series had potential but fell so flat for me. I didn’t believe the romance. I didn’t believe the plot. The first book started off so well and then it’s like the author forgot where she wanted the series to go.

The only thing I liked in this book was the connecting of the dots with Shadow Grove. That’s about it.

[Jessica Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
🔥 Picks up right where book 2 left off 🎢 Plot twists for days 💕 Tris + John = couple goals 🌶️ Spice level: ghost pepper 🥵 🤯 Mind-blowing Shadow Grove connections
Highlights:
* Tris is a total badass queen 👑
* John... swoon 😍
* Side characters you are left wanting to know more about! (Tink & Bram spin-off, please!)
* Banter game is strong 💯
* Couldn't. Put. It. Down. 📱🕯️
*
Audiobook lovers: The narration is chef's kiss 🎧👌 The audiobook narrators, Lucas Webly and Michelle Sparks, understood the assignment. They did a fantastic job at bringing these characters to life!

The Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Let's just say you might need to turn on your AC while reading. It's steamier than your bathroom mirror after a hot shower.

The Writing: ✍️ Tate James doesn't just write books; she creates a whole universe. The way she connects her Shadow Grove world is like the MCU, but make it bookish. You'll be spotting Easter eggs throughout all the books in the Shadow Grove universe connecting all the series in the world and it’s an amazing journey to be on!


Bottom line: If you love high-stakes romance with a side of suspense, this book is your next obsession. Tate James does it again! 🙌

[Misha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my Hermes.

I loved John as side character in previous Shdow Grove books but Valenshek Legacy failed to convince me we are taling about the same person. Only thing HERMES the king of thieves stole in 3 books is forgery and my will to live.

+ for Shadow Grove character's cameo. It was sweet and actually answered some questions from previous books.
+ Tate just knows how to write. It was only thing that kept me going. It didn't hurt too much.

This whole series could be one longer book because basically nothing happend most of the time. Tate tried to sell us sex scenes for personal developement and I'm not buying. There was no chemistry between John and Tris. John was literally wondering if he would still betray Tris for The Game even few chapters before the end of this book. Team Sin ans Bram >.> They at least have a backbone. Tink is my pocket sized sweetheart and I hope I'll see her again so I can call this 3 book dumpster fire her origin story.

[Erin Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

fast fast read but felt no connection to it 😭

[Taysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favourite out of the series

This was definitely my favourite book in this series. I cannot rave enough about how Tate takes little bits and pieces from all of her books in the same world and ties them all together. Sometimes you don’t even know that you’re getting these little Easter eggs in the other series of shadow Grove until she ties them together. Genius.

[Sierra Klawitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Megan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the ending

As mad as I was at the ending of the last book.... this ending made up for it some. I'm still very mad about Nelson but seeing the other pop in character made it at least a little better.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

So disappointed with this series … and I Stan TJ and Shadow Grove …. It Just honestly seemed like she didn’t want to write it…esp since it took so long between books and the side characters even seemed off … just this one didn’t hit the mark for me

[WhisterKing P · Rating 1 out of 5]

I skimmed through the end because it was actually painful to read, you could see the author was just trying to finish it now.

guess I should be grateful it didn’t end on the pregnancy trope…

[Liz Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fucking poppy flowers

[Kacie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What my Venus wanted, she got. That was my silent oath to her every minute of every day. We still had a whole lot of restoration to be done on our relationship, but it was worth the work. She was worth the work.

I am so sad for the Valenshek trilogy to come to an end! I absolutely adored Tristan and John as our lead characters and I hope to see them pop up in future Shadow Grove stories! In true Tate fashion, we picked up right where we left off at the end of the brutal cliffhanger in Forgery. It was so hard to see the devastation Tris was working through in this one, but she is one strong badass MFC and I commend her determination to see the Game through. John still has one of the funniest inner monologues ever and his dedication to winning Tris back was perfection. These two are 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵 together!! Katinka and Bram were great side characters for this story and I really hope to see them in other books. I couldn’t have asked for better twists or a better ending, it was perfect for Tris and John!!

[Kaylie Helfrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an amazing ending to this amazing trilogy!

I loved everything about this. I have 3 ARCs I need to be reading that all release in the next week, but I literally dropped everything to read this final installment of one of my favorite Tate James series and I am not disappointed.

I devoured this book. I read it in a single sitting on release day because I just couldn't put it down. I love Tristan with my whole heart and I have loved reading her story. John had a lot of making up to do in this book, and like normal, Tate did not disappoint on that.

This book gets every single star. I loved this trilogy as a whole, but this book was the perfect ending that I didn't see coming. I was kicking my feet giddy one moment, and then on the edge of my seat in anticipation the next moment.

Read this trilogy. Please. You would be doing yourself a favor.

[Vicki (athousandbookishlives) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely DEVOURED this story - and as expected from a Tate James story it was nonstop action from start to finish, with all the delicious sexy times in between.

This story was full of so many jaw dropping moments and b0mbs that I never saw coming! It was a completely wild ride that had me on the edge of my seat. My heart broke for Tris and I audibly gasped so many times to the point my husband was concerned 🤣

As expected with any Tate James story the chemistry in this story was 🧨 expl0sive … and I was so glad to see that John is a man who views t0ys as partners 😏 (iykyk)

A bittersweet ending to Tris & John’s story - I need so much more of their banter & explosive chemistry… I was not ready for this to end.

𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳
➵ second chance
➵ 🍑 play
➵ d!rty talk
➵ fun with toys
➵ emotional angst
➵ plot twists galore
➵ HEA (but will hurt to get there)

𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 5/5⭐️ | 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 4/5🌶️ | 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 5/5🔥

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK! What an ending to an incredible trilogy - This is my favourite story set within the Shadow Grove world, and honestly the story just got better and better. All the guest appearances and references to other characters across the rest of the Shadow Grove books was so fun, and the amount of little Easter eggs for fans of all of the books in the world was like a little tribute to the obsessed readers like myself.

Loved it, cheers Tate.

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t love the resolution. I really wanted tris and John to have known each other’s as kids, there was a point in book 1 or 2 where he asked her which casino she met Nelson at..so I thought that would come back in a bigger way. I felt like this wasn’t a happy ending for tris, she had lost so much, I would have been happier if Nelson didn’t die. Like he was comatose and then woke up later I think would have worked better.

[Mary 🌸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dans l’ensemble c’était sympa mais je suis vraiment déçu par ce dernier tome, qui n’était pas à la hauteur du premier. Il manquait de l’action, c’était assez plat, le dénouement du plot s’est précipité à la fin et c’était assez décevant et il avait vraiment trop de smut ce qui est dommage puisque ce dernier tome avait beaucoup de potentiel . Je trouve que Tristan a trop vite pardonné à John , j’aurais aimé qu’elle le fasse plus ramer.

[Megsy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Race to the Finish

I’m a big Tate James fan, but this book was a little lacking on previous series. The middle of this book didn’t have me glued to the pages, but once the action picked up I was hooked.

Tristian and John end up working together to finish the game and find out some disturbing truths along the way.

HEA
Multi POV
🌶️🌶️🌶️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🥷🖤😍❤️

[Stacey Reads It All · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I found myself pretty distracted during this series; it just didn’t hold my attention like the previous two series in this universe. I found the two main characters to be pretty milquetoast compared to the previous ones. That said, the spice level was good and I do enjoy Tate James’ writing.

[Malinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy is *chef's kiss🤌 The mystery and intrigue and the spice 🥵 I absolutely loved all the Easter eggs and interconnected pieces from the authors other series'. It came together so well. Tris and John are absolute fire and the thirsty scenes were so well written. I did the audiobooks and they did not disappoint! Seriously amazing narrators. I recommend reading this trilogy after all the shadow grove books but it can still be read first.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was a little too jam-packed for my liking..lots of secrets come to surface all at once. I would’ve preferred to have more time just sorting through all the info but, that’s really the only reason it wasn’t another 5 stars from me.

Overall, loved this trilogy and highly recommend these audiobooks specifically. They’re all duet and the narrators are just perfect for these characters!

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this series up! I wasn’t sure initially how I was going to feel about it being MF, but I shouldn’t have questioned Tate’s ability to suck me into a story! There’s never a dull moment, the characters are great, and the spice is hot. Blessssssss

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Morgan Moumouris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this series fell too flat for me. I know Tate James has banged out some amazing books very quickly, so this series is probably due to that fatigue.

[samsbookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Alanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love tate james books w every fiber of my being. this wasnt my favorite shadow grove book, but still good none the less.