Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 (extra 0.5 for series epilogue)
Spice - 🌶🌶
Trope - enemies to lovers, contractor × lawyer, boss and employee, grumpy × grumpy, slow burn, single mom, banter, forced proximity, opposites attract, he falls first, close-knit friend group, one big brownstone, the final book in the series, romcom, found-family
Bonus chapter - 1
This book was so beautifully written, that it all began with two now-friends meddling their way into the life of the last single mom in the Brownstone. The prologue intrigued me, I was happy to see Beckett and Cortney become friends and be a TEAM. Beckett was one smart man, he set Delia up because he knew how her brain works and he got the fuckin result he desired.
Delia is an underdog, here I said it. She has struggled silently, being an overachiever can be taxing and her POV in the first chapter proved everything right. Delia has been cut badly and I couldn't help but agree with her idea of swearing off men, because same. This girl worked her ass off only to be pulled down by insecure men who couldn't see her succeed. It was after this moment I was more interested in her and Enzo's story, both of them were strong on the outside but had a desire to prove a lot on the inside, which is something I relate to a great deal of the time.
Enzo was one good man, he loved his family wholeheartedly, and the way he fit in the Brownstone after the very first meeting showed he was always going to end up with the untraditional beautiful family. I loved how Enzo stood up for Delia when Beckett and Cortney were raising their concerns. He didn't even know her that well and yet he took a stand for her. Enzo was a grump on the outside but he was secretly soft for his princesses. The tiny but meaningful gestures made my heart well. Delia deserved the world and I was happy to see someone taking charge and doing the bare minimum to bring a smile to her face. He was emotionally mature, I liked how he seized an opportunity as soon as he saw one. He knew Delia had her walls up, but he was ready to climb them and demolish them. He understood her need to bring the walls up after one close encounter yet he decided to say his feelings out loud and tell her where he wanted things to go and that is a GOOD MAN. He was so respectful of her boundaries and I enjoyed how he knew sometimes he had to step up to gain her trust and love. He was persistent about breaking her walls and he did it with time. He proved himself not just to her, but her daughter's and that means something. The moment he showed up for twins, I almost teared up. Showing up for children can have a huge impact on their personalities and he was there for them.
" As they say, gentlemen prefer blondes.”
“No,” I countered. “They prefer doormats with big tits and no opinions.”
He leaned in. “Not this gentleman. I like a fiery blonde with brains, sass, and bigger balls than most men.” OMFG THIS GUY, he said the right words for Delia. This whole chapter was beautiful and unique. Their relationship was unlike any couple in the series, it was a tough love kinda situation here and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Delia was such a good mom, and even though Phoebe and Collette weren't my favorites, Daphne explored their character more and showed their hidden features. The writing of this book brought out a lot of their personalities and that stood out. I liked how Delia communicated with her daughters and preferred the truth over hiding things from them.
The banter between Delia and Enzo was hilarious, the whole grumpy × grumpy theme along with enemies to lovers fit them so well. The angst here was high and I loved it. Their relationship took time but these characters had great elevating chemistry. Delia was no less for a partner, rather she was so much above, she was strong, sharp, and bold. I loved when she took a stand for Enzo when required and he did the same.
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FAVOURITE MOMENTS -
The boy's group chat was hilarious. I enjoyed how they communicated and made fun. They were so different from one another and yet they all worked like a team because they all fell for a group of single moms.
I loved how the author once again explored the girl's friendship and showed the deep bond they shared. Delia had her girls back, but they had hers too and it was beautiful to watch them go all protective to protect her and the twins. This friendship was one of the main reasons I picked this book, and except for in the second book it was fun and heartwarming to watch it grow and see how their love went beyond Delia.
So many family moments, and Istg those all were pure gems. They brought instant smiles and happiness to my face and every time I saw them, I realized this was the end of the series and wouldn't be seeing all these hilarious characters again, and I'm gonna miss them.
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The ending was phenomenal, Delia deserved all the love and care, and Enzo provided her with all the attention and support in the world.
The series epilogue was gorgeous, it made me sad and happy at the same time. I kind of felt bad that Rowan didn't get his POV in this epilogue however each family had their ending, and the men's friendship was a bonus. It was a beautiful end to the series, thoroughly cherished it.
The bonus epilogue was funny, good, and beautiful. The chaotic proposal was so Delia and Enzo coded. I wanted more but again it was very overwhelming.
Overall 4.5/5