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Fulton U #3
The Third Best Thing
Dear Letter Girl, I need to see you. When can we meet?
Her response never came. My secret pen pal with a dirty mind has ghosted me. I've roped Jules, my sweet as pie next door neighbor, to help me track her down.
There's only one problem--I'm falling for her. The tortoise shell glasses, out of this world curves and delicious treats are making the search for The Letter Girl even harder.
My notes were supposed to be a one time thing.
A little too much wine and naughty thoughts on a winter's night. I never thought Berk would write back. I wanted to tell him it was me, but the fear of rejection kept my lips sealed.
Now he’s enlisted my help to track down The Letter Girl and our search has him hot on my, ahem, her trail.
She's the girl next door.
He's my secret pen pal.
Truth is on a collision course with their hearts and it’s only a matter of time before one of them gets wrecked...
Her response never came. My secret pen pal with a dirty mind has ghosted me. I've roped Jules, my sweet as pie next door neighbor, to help me track her down.
There's only one problem--I'm falling for her. The tortoise shell glasses, out of this world curves and delicious treats are making the search for The Letter Girl even harder.
My notes were supposed to be a one time thing.
A little too much wine and naughty thoughts on a winter's night. I never thought Berk would write back. I wanted to tell him it was me, but the fear of rejection kept my lips sealed.
Now he’s enlisted my help to track down The Letter Girl and our search has him hot on my, ahem, her trail.
She's the girl next door.
He's my secret pen pal.
Truth is on a collision course with their hearts and it’s only a matter of time before one of them gets wrecked...
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2020
2801 people are currently reading
20744 people want to read
About the author
Maya Hughes
42 books6,285 followersMaya Hughes is an Amazon Top 20 author of swoon worthy, laugh out loud, and emotional new adult and contemporary romances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,715 reviews
February 1, 2020
5 STARS
Be. Still. My. Heart.
It's so full right now. I can't stop grinning. This book was one of the most satisfying, feel-good, keep you swooning from beginning to finish kind of reads. My absolute favorite in the series and favorite Maya Hughes book to date!! It was, simply, EVERYTHING. Like all of the things. Perfection between the pages. I never wanted it to end.
Berk has been one of the most fun secondary characters in this series. He's the goofball that always has an easy smile on his face. But you just know that beneath the smiles and easy going attitude there are some hidden layers, and boy were those deep. As a hero, this man was beyond multi-layered. Berk is a character with a tremendous amount of depth. he's a guy that hides his pain and difficult childhood behind easy smiles and fun loving attitude. But beneath the college football superstar persona, is just a boy that wants love.
Jules has been crushing on Berk for over a year. What first started as a way for her to get her feelings out by writing him anonymous letters, soon turned into more when they began to write each other. But while Jules knows exactly who the letters are going to, Berk only knows her as the mysterious Letter Girl that he's desperate to know the identity of. Living next door to each other they develop a sweet friendship. And while Berk adores Jules for everything that she is, Jules struggles with self esteem issues and can't imagine someone like Berk ever going for someone like her.
I have to say that I loved both of these characters so much. Both Berk and Jules were incredibly multilayered with their own broken pieces. I loved how they filled in the broken pieces for each other in their friendship. I loved seeing Jules through Berk's eyes, and I loved even more watching their friendship blossom into something so much more. Berk is a hero that's simply impossible not to love. He's vulnerable and tough, and oh so endearing.
Jules, even though her crazy family has certainly added to a lot of her self esteem issues is still a tough cookie. I loved watching her grow into herself throughout the book. She's not a damsel and I loved that about her. And together? GAH. PERFECTION. I couldn't get enough of the two of them. If you're looking for a New Adult romance that has one of the most memorable friends to lovers tropes I've ever read, you need this book in your life. I'm addicted to this series. Simply addicted.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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She was an indescribable kind of perfect for me. The kind that made my heart ache that I’d only just found her and was ready to get down on my knees so I didn’t have to wait another day without knowing her beauty.
Be. Still. My. Heart.
It's so full right now. I can't stop grinning. This book was one of the most satisfying, feel-good, keep you swooning from beginning to finish kind of reads. My absolute favorite in the series and favorite Maya Hughes book to date!! It was, simply, EVERYTHING. Like all of the things. Perfection between the pages. I never wanted it to end.
Berk has been one of the most fun secondary characters in this series. He's the goofball that always has an easy smile on his face. But you just know that beneath the smiles and easy going attitude there are some hidden layers, and boy were those deep. As a hero, this man was beyond multi-layered. Berk is a character with a tremendous amount of depth. he's a guy that hides his pain and difficult childhood behind easy smiles and fun loving attitude. But beneath the college football superstar persona, is just a boy that wants love.
Jules has been crushing on Berk for over a year. What first started as a way for her to get her feelings out by writing him anonymous letters, soon turned into more when they began to write each other. But while Jules knows exactly who the letters are going to, Berk only knows her as the mysterious Letter Girl that he's desperate to know the identity of. Living next door to each other they develop a sweet friendship. And while Berk adores Jules for everything that she is, Jules struggles with self esteem issues and can't imagine someone like Berk ever going for someone like her.
I have to say that I loved both of these characters so much. Both Berk and Jules were incredibly multilayered with their own broken pieces. I loved how they filled in the broken pieces for each other in their friendship. I loved seeing Jules through Berk's eyes, and I loved even more watching their friendship blossom into something so much more. Berk is a hero that's simply impossible not to love. He's vulnerable and tough, and oh so endearing.
Jules, even though her crazy family has certainly added to a lot of her self esteem issues is still a tough cookie. I loved watching her grow into herself throughout the book. She's not a damsel and I loved that about her. And together? GAH. PERFECTION. I couldn't get enough of the two of them. If you're looking for a New Adult romance that has one of the most memorable friends to lovers tropes I've ever read, you need this book in your life. I'm addicted to this series. Simply addicted.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
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August 1, 2021
”It was never about forcing you to choose. There’s enough room in here for more than me.”
Despite the three stars and the small quibbles that faltered my overall enjoyment, this was a much better improvement. This was a pretty solid and cute addition to the series, and I found myself rolling my eyes less than the previous book and actually admiring some of the elements in this one.
Jules was a character I loved. I loved how pole dancing was an addition to her character and how it was something she used not only as a coping mechanism but also as something to help herself with. While she struggles with confidence and body image issues, her therapist recommended she try it out, and I found myself sympathizing with her this way. I think part of it is because how common it is for pole dancing to be stereotypical and categorized for women with thinner bodies. Jules’ struggle with her confidence is clear from the beginning, but I loved seeing how she saw confidence and striking beauty when she pole danced. She loved who she saw and who she was becoming.
I also didn’t get annoyed by her self image issues. Sometimes, the burden characters feel against their own body can get annoying and frustrating, especially when the constantly mention it to themselves that we, the readers, are grown irritated by it. In this case, I understood where Jules was coming from and could value her emotions and feelings. They felt real and heavy, even, especially because of how horrible society is to women and people like her.
Not only that, but I found Jules personality to be nothing but that of a sweet person who put others before her, which reminded me a little about me. She was honestly a bundle of sunshine. She stress bakes, has a crush on her neighbor, has a complex relationship with her family, is working on herself, and tries her best to make people comfortable, even if it makes her uneasy. If she were someone real, she’d be the type of person you’d go to in order to feel a homey vibe, and I loved that feeling from her.
A giddy laugh bubbled up from deep down. I snuck a glance at myself in the mirror again. I was a lumpy diva, but, fuck it, I was a badass, too. And I was slowly skidding closer to the ground as the sweat that gathered behind my knee loosened my grip.
With Berk, on the other hand, I had very little issues with. I think my biggest problem was how easily forgotten the whole issue with “The Letter Girl” was and how the complication with her was easily dismissed. The premise follows Berk as he asks Jules for help to find out who TLG is and why she decided to stop writing Berk letters. Berk obviously doesn’t know it’s Jules while Jules does, and when she decides to agree to help him find her, Berk starts realizing he’s falling for his cute friend instead. This premise drew me in, as well as how Jules and Berk’s friendship in the previous books made me interested in their book right away. However, I was pretty upset the premise was easily put to the side. It felt like the whole idea of TLG was forgotten as if it never existed in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing how their relationship developed as friends to lovers, but I still wished the plot of TLG made more of an appearance.
Adding on to that, my other problem with Berk is more of a me thing, I would say. Considering Jules is described as overweight and not a woman who has the usual body type other girls have, it’s easy to imagine how much she might struggle because of how people being her down, including her own family and other people around her. She hides herself under her clothes and doesn’t make an impression with her body on other people, which is one reason Berk was so shocked and flustered when he first noticed her body. What specifically bothered me was the scene where they are at the engagement party and the two are changing into their costumes. Jules is clearly uncomfortable but complies anyway because she has to, and when she turns around and her gaze with Berk clashes, the first thing Berk makes a note of are her breasts (or her rack, as he calls it) and it’s what makes him start growing more interested. You can say her breasts are what made him notice her more.
Before this, he stated how Jules was cute, which I was hally with, but what bothered me is that I personally hate when people only notice your body and nothing else. It’s as if your body is what equates to beauty, which isn’t true. There’s more to how someone looks, and their physical appearance sometimes never compares to their emotional self. Again, this was just a personal annoyance and preference, so it doesn’t mean it would bother everyone. I just wished Berk noticed Jules either before or after without it having to be her body (or her breasts, actually).
I will say though that he grew on me much more and I found him to be adorable. I loved seeing his support for her baking. Being the food lover he is and having the sweet tooth he has, it made it easy for him to become someone Jules could use to taste her pastries and creations. Not only that, but I loved seeing how he helped her with her confidence and help her make herself feel good about herself. Luckily, I didn’t think it got to the point where Jules started loving herself because of his validation. Even with his desire and love, she still struggled one way or another and continued growing into herself. This felt realistic and I loved how this execution was portrayed. Male validation does not prove anything.
Everything about her made me want to never let her go. She was the kind of woman I’d dreamed of one day being at my side. Beautiful. So warm and caring, and with a hint of a potty mouth.
Again, the appearances of the Brothel Brothers and roommates, those being Reece, Nix, and LJ, made the story all the better. I love how their friendships keep growing and growing and how supportive they all are of each other. Their nerf gun war tradition is one of my favorite things about their friendship.
All in all, while I can see why this is the favorite of this series for many, it faltered my enjoyment due to personal preferences. I still loved the friends to lovers trope, as it is one of my favorites and one I wish I read more about. Also, it wasn’t repetitive like I felt the second book to feel. Minus the fact that the unnecessary and pointless drama and conflict was added (at this point, all books have it), it was still a quick, sweet and enjoyable read.
“I promised I wouldn’t do this, that I’d give you space and not make showing up here like this, but fuck it. I love you so much that my future that was once so crystal clear is a wasteland stretching on as far as I can see when I try to picture it now without you.”
January 30, 2020
“She was the kind of girl you didn’t come back from. The kind who’d always have a place in your heart to keep you warm on those nights alone long after she’d kicked you to the curb because she deserved better than you.
But I was here now, and I’d keep the fires going as long as I could.”
MY FIRST FIVE STARS OF THE YEAR : WHAT THIS AND BERKJULES DESERVE!!!
THIS WAS PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT!! THE LOVE I HAVE FOR BERKJULES IS UNQUANTIFIABLE, AND THIS BOOK EXCEEDED ALL MY EXPECTATIONS AND BOYYY DID I HAVE A LOT OF THEM!!!
Is there honestly a better bookish feeling than one of your most anticipated books not only not disappointing but exceeding all your expectations? Especially when those were quite high to begin with.
Everyone who knows me, even a tiny bit, knows how hard and fast I fell for Jules in The Second We Met and how intrigued and excited I was about hers and Berk's story.
These two captured my heart from the very first chapter, their chemistry is absolutely undeniable. Their relationship built naturally and felt real and the farthest thing from forced. They start as friends who both have a crush on the other but think are not enough but just cannot see the other not being in their life, they both see the best in each other, and that develops into more.. Because in the middle of their love for each other, they also learn to love and accept themselves. Which just makes their love even stronger and makes them the perfect match.
I loved how Berk fell for all sides of Jules, even if he didn't know it. I loved how he saw her even before knowing she was Letter Girl and fell for her having no idea that the girl he was hell bound on finding was the same girl he was head over heels gone for already. And, one of the best things about this book was that the romance wasn't the only amazing thing about it. The characters were just as interesting and captivating separately. It's always a huge bonus when the characters themselves aren't just one-dimensional cardboards with no personality whatsoever. And Jules and Berk were the farthest thing from that.
It's never been hard for me to pick a favorite character in a series, I always know as soon as I meet them, so I knew Jules would be my soft baby in this series as soon as she was introduced in the previous book. And somehow, as much as I loved her then, it does not compare to how much I loved her in this book. Jules is one of those characters who is just impossible not to fall head first for, she is one of the sweetest, most genuine, and, unbeknownst to her, one of the strongest characters. She puts everyone first, and she has so many façades, whenever you think you know who she is, she goes and shows you a whole new side.... Which, at the risk of repeating myself for the hundrenth time, just makes you fall for her even more.
Berk, on the other hand, was a complete surprise to me. In the sense that as much as I knew I would love him to an extent, I never expected to love him THIS much. His personality and story were so unexpected, yet so.. I don't even have the words. I expected a kind of one-dimensional quirky boy who just unapologetically loves having fun, but I never expected.. THIS. His story is heartbreaking, the way it shaped the way he thinks and protects himself in a way without ever letting people around him down... My heart and I didn't stand a chance.
As much as I knew these two would be my favorite couple in this series (alongside MarisaLJ), and as much as I knew Jules was it for me the minute I met her, I never realized that what would become my favorite couple in this series would also have BOTH my favorite characters in it.
Another thing I absolutely adore about this series is the friendships, and my favorite one here, that I just cannot not mention is Jules, Avery and Max's. This trio is one I never knew I needed but oh my God did they feed my heart and fill it with all the sweets (pun intended).
Not to mention the guys' friendship and constant support for each other.. I love seeing this type of brotherhood without the whole too-alpha-for-this bullshit in the mix.
This book has absolutely everything in it. It made me fall in love with more characters (MAX) and made me even more excited for upcoming books (MarisaLJ and Max's).
I still feel like this review doesn't fully express how much I loved this installement, but Maya has truly outdone herself and I absolutely cannot wait to read MarisaLJ's book as well as her other series.
* ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2021
this made me wanna take pole dancing lessons not gonna lie.
when i read about Berk and Jules in The Second We Met, my interest for these couple just went through the roof and to be honest, i was more interested in their relationship than Elle and Nix's...
... sorry !!
but i mean come on. Jules sent anonymous steamy letters that if my mother read, she would shower me with holy water, and the fact that Berk doesn't know and was trying to force Jules to help him find the Letter Girl which was actually her this whole entire time? *chef's kiss*.
➳ Berk & Jules
these two were just so adorable. they broke up, like, twice here but i didn't really care because i get to see how much they really love each other. though, in the beginning the pacing was a bit fast since literally a chapter or so before (im not sure), Berk just thought of Jules as a "friend" yet when he saw how hot she was, a switch flipped. i didn't really like this since later on he says that he's had feelings for her the whole time so it completely contradicted what he said before. i don't really know why this small thing bugged me but it did. HOWEVER, Berk was literally so swoony that i forgot everything that annoyed me.
he would say things like this:
and-
though, sometimes i wanted to smack Berk in the head just cuz his priorities were misguided but i didn't blame his mindset as to why he kinda chose Alexis (H sister) over Jules. and i just wanted to hug Jules just because i felt like she needed it. her insecurities didn't annoy me whatsoever because i personally have the same insecurities (not to that extreme though) so i can definitely relate to her.
➳ Alexis, Laura, and Jules' mom
first of all, these BITCHES.
i got HEATED whenever they're in a scene and i just wanted to smack them and protect Jules.
i really do feel like that there should've been more scenes with these three (more so with Laura and Jules' mom) just so i can believe their "redemption". i would NEVER forgive Laura since she basically stole Jules' ex.
and every time her mother opened her stupid mouth, all i wanted to say was
i was ok with Alexis' redemption but what she did made it hard for me to forgive her. Berk and Jules are just too nice! they're more Canadian than me, honestly.
➳ LJ & Marisa
i have been looking forward to their story since the first book and that little snippet at the end got me even more excited! i'm hoping for a ton of angst in their story considering their trope is best friends to lovers, though, i hope it's nothing too frustrating.
__________________________________
in my opinion, this is the best book in the series so far just because it brought out emotions in me. Berk & Jules were more complex and in-depth compared to Reese and Seph, and Nix and Elle. their love for one another was waaay more passionate compared to the other couples and i'm all for that.
i definitely recommend reading the second book before reading this just so y'all can see their relationship/friendship bloom.
4.25 stars
when i read about Berk and Jules in The Second We Met, my interest for these couple just went through the roof and to be honest, i was more interested in their relationship than Elle and Nix's...
... sorry !!
but i mean come on. Jules sent anonymous steamy letters that if my mother read, she would shower me with holy water, and the fact that Berk doesn't know and was trying to force Jules to help him find the Letter Girl which was actually her this whole entire time? *chef's kiss*.
➳ Berk & Jules
these two were just so adorable. they broke up, like, twice here but i didn't really care because i get to see how much they really love each other. though, in the beginning the pacing was a bit fast since literally a chapter or so before (im not sure), Berk just thought of Jules as a "friend" yet when he saw how hot she was, a switch flipped. i didn't really like this since later on he says that he's had feelings for her the whole time so it completely contradicted what he said before. i don't really know why this small thing bugged me but it did. HOWEVER, Berk was literally so swoony that i forgot everything that annoyed me.
he would say things like this:
"She was the most beautiful thing in the world to me and it scared me more than losing the next game or not making the draft. Because I'd never had anything as beautiful as her in my live."
and-
though, sometimes i wanted to smack Berk in the head just cuz his priorities were misguided but i didn't blame his mindset as to why he kinda chose Alexis (H sister) over Jules. and i just wanted to hug Jules just because i felt like she needed it. her insecurities didn't annoy me whatsoever because i personally have the same insecurities (not to that extreme though) so i can definitely relate to her.
➳ Alexis, Laura, and Jules' mom
first of all, these BITCHES.
i got HEATED whenever they're in a scene and i just wanted to smack them and protect Jules.
i really do feel like that there should've been more scenes with these three (more so with Laura and Jules' mom) just so i can believe their "redemption". i would NEVER forgive Laura since she basically stole Jules' ex.
and every time her mother opened her stupid mouth, all i wanted to say was
i was ok with Alexis' redemption but what she did made it hard for me to forgive her. Berk and Jules are just too nice! they're more Canadian than me, honestly.
➳ LJ & Marisa
i have been looking forward to their story since the first book and that little snippet at the end got me even more excited! i'm hoping for a ton of angst in their story considering their trope is best friends to lovers, though, i hope it's nothing too frustrating.
__________________________________
in my opinion, this is the best book in the series so far just because it brought out emotions in me. Berk & Jules were more complex and in-depth compared to Reese and Seph, and Nix and Elle. their love for one another was waaay more passionate compared to the other couples and i'm all for that.
i definitely recommend reading the second book before reading this just so y'all can see their relationship/friendship bloom.
4.25 stars
January 22, 2020
“I saw a home with her in our future. The complete picture. There wasn’t anyone more perfect for me than her. And I’d spend as long as I needed to make her believe it was true.”
I’ve been trying to write a review since this morning, but all the words going through my brain just doesn’t seem enough to convey everything I felt while reading The Third Best Thing. You know when you love and connect with a book so much it feels like you’re a completely different person after you finish it? That’s what TTBT made me feel.
To say this was an emotional book for me would be an understatement. Everything just moved me in a way not many books can do. Berk and Jules story is so beautiful, magical and captivating. When I first read The Second We Met, I already knew they would be complex characters and reading their story just confirmed it.
Jules is still the cute and shy baker we met in TSWM, but she’s also so much more than that. Discovering all her layers and her past was a raw and wonderful experience, but it was totally worth it. She is funny, selfless, caring, sweet, talented, beautiful and so strong. I can’t even explain how the way she dealt with her problems and slowly started to trust herself and her feelings was amazing. Her growth happened naturally and her struggles weren’t solved with a few motivational and fake speeches. That’s definitely one of the things I loved the most about this book.
Berk surprised me so much! In TSWM we saw a little of how he was always telling jokes to hide his feelings and now I finally understand why he acts like that. What he went through really breaks my heart, but I think how he faced his past and his problems is nothing short of spectacular. He showed a maturity and responsibility I honestly didn’t expect. Berk is the sweetest and softest boy I know and I just want to protect him from everything.
Now onto Berk and Jules… It’s hard to explain how much they mean to me and how their relationship is simply OUT OF THIS WORLD. I cried so much while reading TTBT because their love felt so real I almost could feel it myself. I love relationships that starts as friendship because they just seem stronger. You were friends and then decided that you also wanted to share the rest of your life with that one person. There’s nothing more precious than that.
I also loved the way Berk and Jules just connected. I know for some people it may seem a little rushed, but for me it all happened the way it was supposed to be. They were so comfortable and carefree with each other that there wasn’t anything else they could do besides falling in love.
The side characters were also amazing. No surprises there. The Brothel + Seph, Elle, Jules and Marisa’s friendship is literally everything to me. The way they always support each other and are there through thick and thin makes me want to have them as my friends too. Avery, Emmett and Max appearances were very sweet and funny. They are amazing characters and seeing them again made me the happiest reader in the world.
And to make the book even more perfect there were a lot of Marisa and LJ breadcrumbs. I’m so excited to see how their story is gonna unfold! Ugh. Is it too early to say I’m already counting down the days for their book even though I don’t even know when it’s gonna be released? Lol
I wish I could go even more in depth about why this book is so special, but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. Just know that it was hard keeping this review spoiler free because I just want to scream from the rooftops how cute and brilliant some scenes were lol
In conclusion, if you’re looking for an emotional, magical, funny and sweet secret admirer/friends to lovers romance, then this is the perfect book for you. I swear the wait is gonna be worth it!
*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange of an honest review*
I’ve been trying to write a review since this morning, but all the words going through my brain just doesn’t seem enough to convey everything I felt while reading The Third Best Thing. You know when you love and connect with a book so much it feels like you’re a completely different person after you finish it? That’s what TTBT made me feel.
To say this was an emotional book for me would be an understatement. Everything just moved me in a way not many books can do. Berk and Jules story is so beautiful, magical and captivating. When I first read The Second We Met, I already knew they would be complex characters and reading their story just confirmed it.
Jules is still the cute and shy baker we met in TSWM, but she’s also so much more than that. Discovering all her layers and her past was a raw and wonderful experience, but it was totally worth it. She is funny, selfless, caring, sweet, talented, beautiful and so strong. I can’t even explain how the way she dealt with her problems and slowly started to trust herself and her feelings was amazing. Her growth happened naturally and her struggles weren’t solved with a few motivational and fake speeches. That’s definitely one of the things I loved the most about this book.
Berk surprised me so much! In TSWM we saw a little of how he was always telling jokes to hide his feelings and now I finally understand why he acts like that. What he went through really breaks my heart, but I think how he faced his past and his problems is nothing short of spectacular. He showed a maturity and responsibility I honestly didn’t expect. Berk is the sweetest and softest boy I know and I just want to protect him from everything.
Now onto Berk and Jules… It’s hard to explain how much they mean to me and how their relationship is simply OUT OF THIS WORLD. I cried so much while reading TTBT because their love felt so real I almost could feel it myself. I love relationships that starts as friendship because they just seem stronger. You were friends and then decided that you also wanted to share the rest of your life with that one person. There’s nothing more precious than that.
I also loved the way Berk and Jules just connected. I know for some people it may seem a little rushed, but for me it all happened the way it was supposed to be. They were so comfortable and carefree with each other that there wasn’t anything else they could do besides falling in love.
The side characters were also amazing. No surprises there. The Brothel + Seph, Elle, Jules and Marisa’s friendship is literally everything to me. The way they always support each other and are there through thick and thin makes me want to have them as my friends too. Avery, Emmett and Max appearances were very sweet and funny. They are amazing characters and seeing them again made me the happiest reader in the world.
And to make the book even more perfect there were a lot of Marisa and LJ breadcrumbs. I’m so excited to see how their story is gonna unfold! Ugh. Is it too early to say I’m already counting down the days for their book even though I don’t even know when it’s gonna be released? Lol
I wish I could go even more in depth about why this book is so special, but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. Just know that it was hard keeping this review spoiler free because I just want to scream from the rooftops how cute and brilliant some scenes were lol
In conclusion, if you’re looking for an emotional, magical, funny and sweet secret admirer/friends to lovers romance, then this is the perfect book for you. I swear the wait is gonna be worth it!
*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange of an honest review*
January 29, 2020
I am a big fan of Maya Hughes' sports romances, they always come with a healthy dose of humor, a lovely amount of sugar and sweetness and a smidge of angst... They are like a recipe for cupcakes...perfect for me and I immensely enjoy them.
Ironically, the heroine in this story loves to bake sweets, which seems really fitting and also made me extremely hungry while reading this one ;)
I loved Jules, she was as sweet as her baked goods...all she needed was a bit more confidence.
Jules has been having a secret crush on her neighbor Berk for a long time, even going as far as writing him anonymously and confessing her "lust" to him. Being too self-conscious to face him, and thinking he would never go for a girl like her, it seemed like her only chance at the time to express herself.
Berk falls head over heels for this anonymous "letter" girl and her "lusty" way of confessing her feelings. So he writes her back and back and forth they go... Until the letter girl stops writing. This really upsets Berk and so he asks his sweet, cute and friendly "neighbor turned friend", Jules, to help him find this girl...
Yeah...that sure as hell backfired...
Since Jules is helping him out, he decided to also help her out by accompanying her to her sister's engagement celebration weekend. A sister who is about to marry Jules' ex-boyfriend.
It was clear as day to see where Jules' low self-esteem came from... Who needs enemies when you have a family like that??!!
I loved seeing Jules and Berk getting closer and closer, he was perfect for bringing her out of her shell.
And even though there were definitely some tears while reading this one... I closed it with a huge smile on my face.
Highley recommended!
An ARC was provided to
in exchange for an honest review
November 9, 2021
4.5 stars
The first book in this series was so much fun, the second book was just okay for me, but this book... this book I loved. The Third Best Thing was such a great romance. It started out with letters between Jules and Berk and ended with a whole lot more.
Jules lives across the street from Berk and is a college student and baker. She spends all of her spare time making sweet treats for others. Berk is a football player and Jules is infatuated with him, but knows she could never get a guy like that. But Berk doesn't think so. Berk thinks Jules is incredible. Sigh. I adored him and found Jules relatable in so many ways. They were a fantastic couple.
This book was fun, but both of the back stories with their families hit me right in the feels. They had completely different childhoods, but both were difficult in different ways. I loved these two so much and I hope we get more of them in the next book! Either way, I'm so excited for LJ and Marissa's story!
“She was made for me, and I’d spend the rest of my life giving her every beautiful thing she deserved—starting with my love.”
The first book in this series was so much fun, the second book was just okay for me, but this book... this book I loved. The Third Best Thing was such a great romance. It started out with letters between Jules and Berk and ended with a whole lot more.
Jules lives across the street from Berk and is a college student and baker. She spends all of her spare time making sweet treats for others. Berk is a football player and Jules is infatuated with him, but knows she could never get a guy like that. But Berk doesn't think so. Berk thinks Jules is incredible. Sigh. I adored him and found Jules relatable in so many ways. They were a fantastic couple.
This book was fun, but both of the back stories with their families hit me right in the feels. They had completely different childhoods, but both were difficult in different ways. I loved these two so much and I hope we get more of them in the next book! Either way, I'm so excited for LJ and Marissa's story!
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrators: Jason Clarke & Emma Wilder
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Sports)
Length: 10h 40m
May 30, 2020
2.5 stars
I’ll take the blame for this one! I skipped the first two books in the series in order to read this one, so maybe that’s why I didn’t have the same connection towards the characters as everyone else.
I didn’t really care much about this series, but this book sounds so sweet, like something I would enjoy. I tried to give the series a try and read the first book. I stopped after the second chapter. I just couldn’t get into it. I hate to say that, but the writing style just wasn’t for me. And I know that two chapters is way too early to be judgmental, but i couldn’t get over my first impression about the characters, the hero felt like a jerk and the heroine like an idiot. I know this may be not the case and it was way too early to say that but this is just how I felt.
This book really had potential. The characters were okay, kinda relatable, and sweet. But I realized that my main issue is the writing style. I just couldn’t get into it. It was kind of basic and plain. Maybe it’s just not for me. Maybe I’m not as connected to the characters as those who read the series from the beginning. I wanted to like it, but I just felt indifferent. It was just too basic to me. In the end, this just felt kinda meh!
I’ll take the blame for this one! I skipped the first two books in the series in order to read this one, so maybe that’s why I didn’t have the same connection towards the characters as everyone else.
I didn’t really care much about this series, but this book sounds so sweet, like something I would enjoy. I tried to give the series a try and read the first book. I stopped after the second chapter. I just couldn’t get into it. I hate to say that, but the writing style just wasn’t for me. And I know that two chapters is way too early to be judgmental, but i couldn’t get over my first impression about the characters, the hero felt like a jerk and the heroine like an idiot. I know this may be not the case and it was way too early to say that but this is just how I felt.
This book really had potential. The characters were okay, kinda relatable, and sweet. But I realized that my main issue is the writing style. I just couldn’t get into it. It was kind of basic and plain. Maybe it’s just not for me. Maybe I’m not as connected to the characters as those who read the series from the beginning. I wanted to like it, but I just felt indifferent. It was just too basic to me. In the end, this just felt kinda meh!
January 24, 2020
"And you were never the third best thing in my life, Jules. Never. I'd never play a game again, if it meant I could be here with you."
I had my eyes set on Jules and Berk since I started 'The Second We Met'. I already liked them in the previous books, but didn't know them enough. My obsession really started to take fly when they interacted in TSWM and my expectations for TTBT was huuuuuge! It was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. And it didn't disappoint! This is by far my favorite book of the Fulton U series and Berkjules are my favorite couple of the series. I don't think they can be topped!
Let me talk about Julia Kelland and Berkely Vaughn as individuals for a moment, before I jump back to them as a couple.
↳ Jules. The baker and pole-dancing sweetheart. She's is such a shy, genuine, warm hearted and strong human, who would put the people she cares about first, always. Jules has insecurites about her body, because she is curvy and not as thin as other girls. Her family plants seeds of doubt inside her head since a young age, about how she should look. I wanted to beat up her family a couple of times. Why are the parents, especially the mothers in New Adult romance books so damn awful?! Therefore, the majority part of TTBT deals with Jules overcoming her insecurites, accepting herself as she is and putting herself first, which was beautiful. I love character arcs where the character slowly learn to love themself!
↳ Berk. He surprised me with his story. We got some glimpses from the previous books but in those we only saw the "happy" side of Berkely Vaughn. Football player, the little brother of the group and overall a fun person to hang around with. In TTBT we see behind his cheery exterior and his backstory is heartbreaking. I wanted to jump into the book and give him a hug. I can really say now that I love Berk even more than I have before. Berk best characteristic is proabably that he's the most loyal person to the people close to him. He would leave everything behind, if his friends need help. I was positively surprised about the depth his character had.
↳ Berk and Jules as a couple: My expectations: Jules and Berk will be the softest couple. Reality: Jules and Berk are the softest couple. Everything about them was so easy. Their friendship. Their conversation. How they didn't feel embarrassed to be their real self with the other. It was amazing how whipped Berk was for Jules from the start, he always saw how awesome she is. There were some specific scenes where Berk and Jules were SO DAMN adorable as a couple. I'm pretty sure I'm getting diabetes with all the sweetness of this book lol.
↳ the friendships in this series are what made me fall in love with it in the first place. The brothel (Reece, Nix, Berk, LJ). I don't think we got enough with them all the together, but the glimpses of the gang were sweet. Luckily for me, I got another friendship trio I can stan: Jules, Max and Avery. I LOVED how supportive Avery and Max were of Jules and how they invited her in their close friendship. While I haven't read Avery and Emmett's book yet, I'm really looking forward to it, now that I got a glimpse into their world. I really hope Max gets a book too!! She is such an interesting character!!
— It couldn't give it 5 stars because I read TTBT after I read another amazing book that put me in a massive emotional slump that my heart wasn't fully the first 20%. This is clearly a "it's not you, it's me' kind of situation. If you loved Jules and Berk in The Second We Met, you'll be very happy with their book!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
___________________________________________
I haven't even finish The Second We Met yet, but I want Berk and Jules book now!
January 24, 2020
4.5*
”Don’t ever let anyone else make you feel like you’re not awesome.”
Jules & Berk have absolutely stolen my heart. Both of these characters are so damn precious that you just want to wrap them up with all of the hugs. Between their sweet friendship, Jules love of baking and Berk’s obsession with eating it (her baking), and the sprouts of love blooming between them, this book is everything. This story picks up a year after The Letter Girl (Jules) has stopped writing back to Berk. He’s on a mission to find her, and Jules is on a mission to not let that happen, while still being around the guy she’s become so close with. The friend-zone sucks, but it’s also better than nothing.
Berk and Jules both are dealing with insecurities and struggles that have been ingrained in them from a young age. What they find in each other is a love and safety that neither one has had in a long time. These two falling in love isn’t simple of course, because there are so many obstacles in their way. Those obstacles come in both mental and physical forms. People who are toxic in their lives and hang ups that are toxic in their minds. I don’t want to say too much, because you just need to read their story. Ms. Hughes did a fantastic job with TTBT infusing it with a rollercoaster of emotions without making it too heavy of a read. You will feel it in your feels, but you’ll also end this story with a smile on your face.
Can’t wait to read what’s to come next at Fulton U! 💜🧁
https://instagram.com/p/B7oN5JmgT5F/
^reader edit on IG!
COMING JANUARY 30th!
*ARC
”Don’t ever let anyone else make you feel like you’re not awesome.”
Jules & Berk have absolutely stolen my heart. Both of these characters are so damn precious that you just want to wrap them up with all of the hugs. Between their sweet friendship, Jules love of baking and Berk’s obsession with eating it (her baking), and the sprouts of love blooming between them, this book is everything. This story picks up a year after The Letter Girl (Jules) has stopped writing back to Berk. He’s on a mission to find her, and Jules is on a mission to not let that happen, while still being around the guy she’s become so close with. The friend-zone sucks, but it’s also better than nothing.
Berk and Jules both are dealing with insecurities and struggles that have been ingrained in them from a young age. What they find in each other is a love and safety that neither one has had in a long time. These two falling in love isn’t simple of course, because there are so many obstacles in their way. Those obstacles come in both mental and physical forms. People who are toxic in their lives and hang ups that are toxic in their minds. I don’t want to say too much, because you just need to read their story. Ms. Hughes did a fantastic job with TTBT infusing it with a rollercoaster of emotions without making it too heavy of a read. You will feel it in your feels, but you’ll also end this story with a smile on your face.
Can’t wait to read what’s to come next at Fulton U! 💜🧁
https://instagram.com/p/B7oN5JmgT5F/
^reader edit on IG!
COMING JANUARY 30th!
*ARC
January 30, 2020
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Berk was seriously the cutest and I want him all for myself now. I'm calling dibs! He and Jule's had me ready to beg for their story by the time I finished The Second We Met and it ended up being an even better book than I was imagining. Jules and Berk both had issues that were keeping them away from each other and relationships in general, and there were times that I wanted to slap both of them and make them get their shit together and see that they were amazing together. But getting to see them work through it slowly was so good and brought so much sweetness to the book so I can't even be mad at them.
Seeing Berk bring Jules out of her shell some had me smiling so much and I loved that it wasn't even on purpose. He was just himself and honest with her about how amazing she was, which was exactly what Jules needed. And himself actually. He needed someone like Jules who wouldn't abandon him and would put him first sometimes. They both had some strong emotional moments that I loved and they brought me a lot closer to each of them and truly had me connect with them.
Overall, this is a brilliant NA romance and I highly recommend reading it. I think it can be read as a standalone with no problem but I would suggest at least reading the previous book first so that you can get the true connection between Berk and Jules.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Berk was seriously the cutest and I want him all for myself now. I'm calling dibs! He and Jule's had me ready to beg for their story by the time I finished The Second We Met and it ended up being an even better book than I was imagining. Jules and Berk both had issues that were keeping them away from each other and relationships in general, and there were times that I wanted to slap both of them and make them get their shit together and see that they were amazing together. But getting to see them work through it slowly was so good and brought so much sweetness to the book so I can't even be mad at them.
Seeing Berk bring Jules out of her shell some had me smiling so much and I loved that it wasn't even on purpose. He was just himself and honest with her about how amazing she was, which was exactly what Jules needed. And himself actually. He needed someone like Jules who wouldn't abandon him and would put him first sometimes. They both had some strong emotional moments that I loved and they brought me a lot closer to each of them and truly had me connect with them.
Overall, this is a brilliant NA romance and I highly recommend reading it. I think it can be read as a standalone with no problem but I would suggest at least reading the previous book first so that you can get the true connection between Berk and Jules.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2021
"How many times do I have to tell you, Jules? I’m into you. Whether it’s in letter form, cookie form, pole dancing form, sitting in your sweats on the couch watching TV form, or any other way you want to show me what you’re all about, I’m here for it. I’m here for you."
This is one of my highly anticipated reads for the year and Maya Hughes did not disappoint! Right off the bat, the premise is just so unique - anonymous dirty letters? Love that. From where The Second We Met left off, Berk was very determined to find out who The Letter Girl is and has enlisted help from Jules, completely oblivious that she’s TLG herself.
Their relationship is just the purest thing. Even at the start just as friends, up to watching their relationship unfold. You can just tell their feelings are truly genuine. I love that they helped each other overcome the struggles they’re dealing with.
In The Perfect First and The Second We Met, we got to see Berk as someone who is very outgoing - he also described himself as the little brother in their friend group. Jules is the resident baker, pole dancer, and The Letter Girl herself. She’s also really selfless and is the absolute sweetest.
What I love is that they both have issues they deal with on their own which makes it easier to connect with them. Jules is struggling with her self-confidence. The way her family treated her all those years broke my heart so much. I loved seeing her overcome those struggles, learn to love herself, and put herself first. Berk struggles with his past - what he went through and how it still affects him now. My heart just goes out to him. Reading his POV and finding out why he acts the way he does had my heart breaking too.
I’m just so glad now they both have these amazing people in their life who loves them and wants the best for them - something they didn't get a lot of (but definitely deserved) while growing up.
It was also a plus to see Avery, Max, and Emmett (from Kings of Rittenhouse) again! I especially loved what Emmett said to Berk, that deserves a special mention. And that tease at the end - I can’t wait for Marisa & LJ’s book!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2020
Berk and jules
I love everything Maya has written. But I think this is my favorite. I love Jules when she and Elle Loved together in the crappy house with the mold and dirt. Since Elle moved out Jules is on her own. Beck lives across the street. They know each other. Well because Jules baked the best cakes cookies the best bake goods. What Back doesn't know is. Jules is the letter girl. They both have a past. Then there is alex.
I love everything Maya has written. But I think this is my favorite. I love Jules when she and Elle Loved together in the crappy house with the mold and dirt. Since Elle moved out Jules is on her own. Beck lives across the street. They know each other. Well because Jules baked the best cakes cookies the best bake goods. What Back doesn't know is. Jules is the letter girl. They both have a past. Then there is alex.
Read
February 5, 2020Berk and Jules are finally here! Their secret admirer, next door neighbor story brings all the feels!
Damn, I needed to touch her.
I needed to touch her more than I needed my next breath.
I needed to touch her to make sure this wasn’t all a dream and the beautiful sight in front of me didn’t disappear before I could.
She was so gorgeous it hurt not to touch her.
Grab your copy or read it for FREE in KU!
US: https://amzn.to/2U6nuHk
UK: https://amzn.to/2U8Tj2h
CA: https://amzn.to/2U953lq
AU: https://amzn.to/31edWM3
Damn, I needed to touch her.
I needed to touch her more than I needed my next breath.
I needed to touch her to make sure this wasn’t all a dream and the beautiful sight in front of me didn’t disappear before I could.
She was so gorgeous it hurt not to touch her.
Grab your copy or read it for FREE in KU!
US: https://amzn.to/2U6nuHk
UK: https://amzn.to/2U8Tj2h
CA: https://amzn.to/2U953lq
AU: https://amzn.to/31edWM3
November 1, 2020
I love The Third Best Thing. I am sold on secret pen pal romance. I follow Miss Highes series on Fulton U series. The romance is for NA audience.
The chemistry between Berge and Jules is explosive. and underneath it all, Miss Hughes include a topic of foster child and how hard it is for Berge to finally trust and love someone.
I especially feel connected to Jules. A young woman with self esteem issue. Her body, her self worth and how her family treated her.
Again, I love this book.
5 stars
The chemistry between Berge and Jules is explosive. and underneath it all, Miss Hughes include a topic of foster child and how hard it is for Berge to finally trust and love someone.
I especially feel connected to Jules. A young woman with self esteem issue. Her body, her self worth and how her family treated her.
Again, I love this book.
5 stars
November 16, 2022
This book made me mad and sad at the same time.
On one side this was really relatable in the body image way. I felt what Jules felt and whenever she talked about her clothes, her family and her body image, I related and I really liked how "real" those emotions were written.
Sadly the rest of the plot is absolutely awful.
First of all what the fuck are those letters??
If someone were to write me an anonymous sex letter and tell me how they get off on me, I would move to another county and change my identity.
Yeah no absolutely nothing about that is hot or sexy, it is creepy disgusting and just weird.
Here are some of the quotes from the letters for you. The first sentence of the first letter is:
"Just the thought of those big hands all over my body makes me wet" YUP MOVING AWAY FROM THIS STALKER
"I use a toy on myself, pretending it's your fingers inside me"
"I licked my hand clean, after my middle of the night dreams, pretending it was your cum."
CALLING THE POLICE
I am literally moving to another planet because wtf is that?
So yeah that ruined Jules's character for me. Pretty obvious why.
Then we have Berk and the rest of the plot line which is filled to the rim.
We have so many different plots I cannot even count them on one hand. Fake date for wedding, secret identity, creepy disturbing letters that make me want to throw up, a manipulative sister, an unrequited crush and more.
The plot was extremely full and I even though I love Berk in the first book, his character was not my favourite in this book especially when it came to his sister. I get it okay but I have siblings too and don't put them on this throne and think they cannot do anything wrong.
On one side this was really relatable in the body image way. I felt what Jules felt and whenever she talked about her clothes, her family and her body image, I related and I really liked how "real" those emotions were written.
Sadly the rest of the plot is absolutely awful.
First of all what the fuck are those letters??
If someone were to write me an anonymous sex letter and tell me how they get off on me, I would move to another county and change my identity.
Yeah no absolutely nothing about that is hot or sexy, it is creepy disgusting and just weird.
Here are some of the quotes from the letters for you. The first sentence of the first letter is:
"Just the thought of those big hands all over my body makes me wet" YUP MOVING AWAY FROM THIS STALKER
"I use a toy on myself, pretending it's your fingers inside me"
"I licked my hand clean, after my middle of the night dreams, pretending it was your cum."
CALLING THE POLICE
I am literally moving to another planet because wtf is that?
So yeah that ruined Jules's character for me. Pretty obvious why.
Then we have Berk and the rest of the plot line which is filled to the rim.
We have so many different plots I cannot even count them on one hand. Fake date for wedding, secret identity, creepy disturbing letters that make me want to throw up, a manipulative sister, an unrequited crush and more.
The plot was extremely full and I even though I love Berk in the first book, his character was not my favourite in this book especially when it came to his sister. I get it okay but I have siblings too and don't put them on this throne and think they cannot do anything wrong.
August 25, 2022
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
If you read the previous books in this series you probably know who they are and how their story begins, basically Jules starts sending Berk dirty notes and Berk starts replying not knowing who's behind the letters, latter on she stops sending the notes and Berk ask her for help to find who the letter girl is.
Guys, seriously, I knew this book was going to be perfect, but I don't think I was prepared for how everything turned out here, the plot and pacing were so good, I swear I couldn't stop reading because it's really addictive.
Jules is probably my favorite girl, she's really going through a lot with her family and I love how strong she is, she's not really confident in herself, which made me sad a lot of times, but learning to accept herself was a big part of this book and I think Maya handled it really well
NOW BERK I'M IN SHOCK, okay, I knew that his personality and how outgoing he acts was probably a facade to hide an ugly truth, but I wasn't ready for him and how his story is, he's really so strong and for all the things he experienced made him so mature at such a young age.
Connecting with these characters was probably the easiest thing I've done, Maya really wrote two amazing characters with real problems in which whoever reads this book is going to find a little or a big part of themselves in them.
Seeing both Berk and Jules is struggling with self-love and underestimating who they are because they don't think happiness can last for them made me shed more than a few tears.
I was a little scared about the miscommunication trope in this book, but don't worry, I love how the problems get solved and how they always show that they trust each other.
Putting this in fewer words, the book was everything I was waiting for and more and seeing them grow and realize their worth was the best thing ever.
If you read the previous books in this series you probably know who they are and how their story begins, basically Jules starts sending Berk dirty notes and Berk starts replying not knowing who's behind the letters, latter on she stops sending the notes and Berk ask her for help to find who the letter girl is.
Guys, seriously, I knew this book was going to be perfect, but I don't think I was prepared for how everything turned out here, the plot and pacing were so good, I swear I couldn't stop reading because it's really addictive.
Jules is probably my favorite girl, she's really going through a lot with her family and I love how strong she is, she's not really confident in herself, which made me sad a lot of times, but learning to accept herself was a big part of this book and I think Maya handled it really well
NOW BERK I'M IN SHOCK, okay, I knew that his personality and how outgoing he acts was probably a facade to hide an ugly truth, but I wasn't ready for him and how his story is, he's really so strong and for all the things he experienced made him so mature at such a young age.
Connecting with these characters was probably the easiest thing I've done, Maya really wrote two amazing characters with real problems in which whoever reads this book is going to find a little or a big part of themselves in them.
Seeing both Berk and Jules is struggling with self-love and underestimating who they are because they don't think happiness can last for them made me shed more than a few tears.
I was a little scared about the miscommunication trope in this book, but don't worry, I love how the problems get solved and how they always show that they trust each other.
Putting this in fewer words, the book was everything I was waiting for and more and seeing them grow and realize their worth was the best thing ever.
January 30, 2020
Berk, Berk, Berk...
I would like you not to be so stupid ass wonderful.
You know how book boyfriends are blamed for ruining real-life chances with a potential mate. Let me give you exhibit A: Berkley Vaughn.
Seriously, he made me melt.
I mean he wasn't without faults. But even in his faults, you see through his vulnerability and just...
He deserves a HEA.
Jules, Jules, Jules...
You are every girl. You are the heroine we can connect with on any level. Through her faults - either real or perceived, the reader can connect with her feelings and thoughts.
MY GOD MAYA HUGHES... This is one of my favorite books EVER!
If you follow my reviews, you know. I yammer on about 'connecting with characters', 'understanding motivations', yada yada. It's important to me as a reader. Besides the fact I want to fall headfirst into a story that keeps me engaged and entertained, I want to connect in some way. Jules and Berk do just that.
Although it's been a while since my college days, you can relate to the cusp of leaving this world you feel comfortable in. But there are things set aside you need to deal with to grow up. Berk and Jules both have their hurdles to fly over. And what better way than in the arms of someone who gets you.
Maya Hughes' story weaves you in and sets you as an observer to a couple of friends you just want to push together. Because they are just the right amount of perfect for one another. Readers are hopeful and earnest that they find their HEA with each other. The pages magically turned and before you know it you reached the end.
Hopeful, happy and satisfied.
I have loved all the stories in the Fulton University series. You love seeing the connection and friendships bloom along with the love stories. You want to read them in order and read them you should.
Recommendation: Buy them all. But you'll fall the hardest for Berk and Jules.
Five Plus Stars from me!
The Third Best Thing
I would like you not to be so stupid ass wonderful.
You know how book boyfriends are blamed for ruining real-life chances with a potential mate. Let me give you exhibit A: Berkley Vaughn.
Seriously, he made me melt.
I mean he wasn't without faults. But even in his faults, you see through his vulnerability and just...
He deserves a HEA.
Jules, Jules, Jules...
You are every girl. You are the heroine we can connect with on any level. Through her faults - either real or perceived, the reader can connect with her feelings and thoughts.
MY GOD MAYA HUGHES... This is one of my favorite books EVER!
If you follow my reviews, you know. I yammer on about 'connecting with characters', 'understanding motivations', yada yada. It's important to me as a reader. Besides the fact I want to fall headfirst into a story that keeps me engaged and entertained, I want to connect in some way. Jules and Berk do just that.
Although it's been a while since my college days, you can relate to the cusp of leaving this world you feel comfortable in. But there are things set aside you need to deal with to grow up. Berk and Jules both have their hurdles to fly over. And what better way than in the arms of someone who gets you.
Maya Hughes' story weaves you in and sets you as an observer to a couple of friends you just want to push together. Because they are just the right amount of perfect for one another. Readers are hopeful and earnest that they find their HEA with each other. The pages magically turned and before you know it you reached the end.
Hopeful, happy and satisfied.
I have loved all the stories in the Fulton University series. You love seeing the connection and friendships bloom along with the love stories. You want to read them in order and read them you should.
Recommendation: Buy them all. But you'll fall the hardest for Berk and Jules.
Five Plus Stars from me!
The Third Best Thing
January 21, 2020
"All those nights I read and reread his words. The way my fingers tingled when I slipped another note into his mailbox and grabbed one of his."
I'm currently in a state of shock, reeling from this book. It was just that good that I can't even begin to fathom how to express how good it is.
I love Jules. She is just the sweetest, most kind hearted person and by far my favorite heroine I read in a while.
Everytime I think Maya can't possibly top her previous book or make me love her writing more, she surprises me.
The Third Best Thing is even better then the previous FU books, and a total must read.
5 gazillion stars and a salted caramel chocolate chunk cookie! 🍪
I'm currently in a state of shock, reeling from this book. It was just that good that I can't even begin to fathom how to express how good it is.
I love Jules. She is just the sweetest, most kind hearted person and by far my favorite heroine I read in a while.
Everytime I think Maya can't possibly top her previous book or make me love her writing more, she surprises me.
The Third Best Thing is even better then the previous FU books, and a total must read.
5 gazillion stars and a salted caramel chocolate chunk cookie! 🍪
April 18, 2021
“𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨. 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧. 𝙄’𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙖 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪.
If I thought it was possible to love Berk & Jules anymore than I already did— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 was one of the most heart whelming books I have read in a while. There aren't enough words to say how much I adore these characters. Berk & Jules were everything that two characters part of a romance story should be.
When I first started the Fulton U series, I fell in love with Berkley Vaughn the moment I met him. Throughout the first two books, Maya Hughes showed his goofy, athletic, and endearing side. However, in his book, we get to see a completely different front of him. The emotional depth that Berk showed was built stunningly. He has so many layers to him, and I felt so incredibly proud of him to see him unveil his different layers and show it to the world. He was emotional, vulnerable, and yet he stood tall and proud. Usually, when there are books about the jocks, the characters lack emotional development or depth to them. However, Ms. Hughes broke all those barriers and made her male characters of the Fulton U series feel every emotion, and she ended that toxic idea of how if a man cries, he isn’t much of a man. Also, the way the characters of this series have been paired up together, it couldn't have been any more perfect. Julia Kelland was an ideal balance to Berkley Vaughn.
Maya Hughes highlighted real and deep issues in this book. Jules was a very charming female character who was hiding a more in-depth personality. She had insecurities, but the way she fought through them and found her real happiness in herself before forming that emotional attachment with someone else showed her maturity and the ability to put herself first. Just like Berk, Jules had so many different sides to her; she was shy, emotional, fierce, and a sexy baker. Together, Berk & Jules were beyond adorable. They filled each other's lives with warmth and light that they had never felt before. The way they both handle other familial relationships around them, they gave each other the strength, but also found it within themselves. Berk & Jules have such a real and emotionally beautiful story; I cried a couple of times where I just had to stop reading and take a couple of moments. I just wanted to wrap these characters in a blanket and protect them from the world.
If you know me, you know how much I love the found family trope, and seeing that trope all in its glory in this book made me emotionally happy. Seeing Reece & Seph and Phoenix & Elle in their little love houses made my heart so excited to see how far they've all come. The family they all found in each other is one of the things that I love so much about this series. They all start as friends but end up to be more, and that's what's so appealing about the found family trope.
In conclusion, The Third Best Thing turned out to be one of the best reads for me this year, and I had been so scared because I had a lot of expectations from Berk & Jules, but they owned up to all of them.
Nextly, I cannot wait to read more about Marisa & LJ, the little tease at the end, Ms. Hughes is something! Also, hopefully, Keyton gets his own story too.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
If I thought it was possible to love Berk & Jules anymore than I already did— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 was one of the most heart whelming books I have read in a while. There aren't enough words to say how much I adore these characters. Berk & Jules were everything that two characters part of a romance story should be.
When I first started the Fulton U series, I fell in love with Berkley Vaughn the moment I met him. Throughout the first two books, Maya Hughes showed his goofy, athletic, and endearing side. However, in his book, we get to see a completely different front of him. The emotional depth that Berk showed was built stunningly. He has so many layers to him, and I felt so incredibly proud of him to see him unveil his different layers and show it to the world. He was emotional, vulnerable, and yet he stood tall and proud. Usually, when there are books about the jocks, the characters lack emotional development or depth to them. However, Ms. Hughes broke all those barriers and made her male characters of the Fulton U series feel every emotion, and she ended that toxic idea of how if a man cries, he isn’t much of a man. Also, the way the characters of this series have been paired up together, it couldn't have been any more perfect. Julia Kelland was an ideal balance to Berkley Vaughn.
Maya Hughes highlighted real and deep issues in this book. Jules was a very charming female character who was hiding a more in-depth personality. She had insecurities, but the way she fought through them and found her real happiness in herself before forming that emotional attachment with someone else showed her maturity and the ability to put herself first. Just like Berk, Jules had so many different sides to her; she was shy, emotional, fierce, and a sexy baker. Together, Berk & Jules were beyond adorable. They filled each other's lives with warmth and light that they had never felt before. The way they both handle other familial relationships around them, they gave each other the strength, but also found it within themselves. Berk & Jules have such a real and emotionally beautiful story; I cried a couple of times where I just had to stop reading and take a couple of moments. I just wanted to wrap these characters in a blanket and protect them from the world.
If you know me, you know how much I love the found family trope, and seeing that trope all in its glory in this book made me emotionally happy. Seeing Reece & Seph and Phoenix & Elle in their little love houses made my heart so excited to see how far they've all come. The family they all found in each other is one of the things that I love so much about this series. They all start as friends but end up to be more, and that's what's so appealing about the found family trope.
In conclusion, The Third Best Thing turned out to be one of the best reads for me this year, and I had been so scared because I had a lot of expectations from Berk & Jules, but they owned up to all of them.
Nextly, I cannot wait to read more about Marisa & LJ, the little tease at the end, Ms. Hughes is something! Also, hopefully, Keyton gets his own story too.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2020
This is my FAVORITE Maya Hughes book to date. For me it was a total hit! I went into The Third Best Thing excited beyond belief. I had been sitting on pins and needles, anxiously waiting to get my hands on it. From what we'd seen of Jules and Berk in the prior two books, I just knew their story would be nothing short of AMAZING! And let me tell you... It was absolutely everything I was expecting and MORE. I loved every single word of it.
The story begins with the quest to find The Letter Girl (Jules). Berk is on a mission to find her and enlists Jules help in order to do so. But Jules is determined to keep her secret. She has insecurities about her body because she is curvy and not as thin as other girls. From an early age, her parents instilled in her the idea of how she should look. So naturally she is worried that if Berk finds out the truth, she will be rejected. So it's better that he be kept in the dark. But what happens when the secret gets out?
Jules and Berk absolutely captured my heart. They were the perfectly imperfect pair. I loved how real and authentic they were. It's incredible how I could relate to them on almost every single level. I loved how well the book flowed, the way the characters interacted with each other and the depth of the feels. It just brings the book to life. It was absolute perfection! It had everything I needed in a book and so much more. Five stars for Jules, Berk and The Third Best Thing.
The story begins with the quest to find The Letter Girl (Jules). Berk is on a mission to find her and enlists Jules help in order to do so. But Jules is determined to keep her secret. She has insecurities about her body because she is curvy and not as thin as other girls. From an early age, her parents instilled in her the idea of how she should look. So naturally she is worried that if Berk finds out the truth, she will be rejected. So it's better that he be kept in the dark. But what happens when the secret gets out?
Jules and Berk absolutely captured my heart. They were the perfectly imperfect pair. I loved how real and authentic they were. It's incredible how I could relate to them on almost every single level. I loved how well the book flowed, the way the characters interacted with each other and the depth of the feels. It just brings the book to life. It was absolute perfection! It had everything I needed in a book and so much more. Five stars for Jules, Berk and The Third Best Thing.
January 24, 2020
☆☆☆☆☆
This is my first 5 stars review of the year and honestly is what BerkJules and this book deserve, the love I have for them could not stop me for giving them such a high rating.
Everyone knows that this was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I’m so happy that it not only not disappointed me but it exceeded my expectations (which were high to begin with). While reading The Second We Met I fell in love with Jules and right after finishing the book I could not stop thinking about what will happen with Berk and Jules in their book and everyone knows how I would not shut up about them.
Where do I begin? These two had me captured from their first interactions in The Second We Met, and their book begins showing their undeniable attraction for each other. I loved how the relationship began with their friendship, both having a crush on each other and not putting their feeling out in the open because they didn’t want to consider the possibility of not being present in each other’s lives. This relationship was developed into something more since they learned how to accept and fully love themselves as individuals while being side by side. Which makes their love stronger, real and natural.
We know that Jules has some feelings already for Berk, but I loved how we got to see Berk falling in love with Jules. He was slowly falling for all the aspects involving her without even knowing she was the Letter Girl, the girl he was ready to find with all the help he could get. He saw Jules for who she was and he accepted her from the start and he began to love her without even realizing it. The best thing is that apart from the romance being amazing, we get to know two amazingly interesting characters that are so captivating separately that you cannot not love them for who they are.
As I mentioned before, Jules hit my soft spot right when her character was introduced in the previous book. I already love her character then but I cannot compare it to how much I love her now. Jules is the kind of character that you fall for and you want to protect her so bad since she is one of the sweetest persons out here. She’s so genuine, always wondering what’s best for others and wanting to take care of everyone and show them her best side without never failing to her true self.
Berk was such a pleasant surprise for me and what I mean by this is to say that I never expected to love him as much as I love Jules. His personality and background were so unexpected and they can hardly be described with words. He is such a caring person, kind of always guarding himself and not being able to think about the idea of letting down the people that surround him. His story was so heart-breaking than he made me have the same ‘let me protect you’ feeling that I had for Jules.
When it comes to friendship, which I think is written and represented flawlessly in this series, I have to say that I adored the trio that were Jules, Avery and Max. They added sweet, funny and heart-warming moments to the story. Cannot go without mentioning the guys and how their brotherhood showed their constant support and love for each other.
This book was absolutely stunning and had everything I could wish for and I am sure my words cannot explain the half of the feelings I have for this couple and the Fulton U series and all the other couples and side characters. Maya had the power to make me smile at the book in some many occasion but she also managed to get my tears, I am so excited to get to know Max in her upcoming book and OF COURSE cannot wait to get the MarisaLJ book.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first 5 stars review of the year and honestly is what BerkJules and this book deserve, the love I have for them could not stop me for giving them such a high rating.
Everyone knows that this was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I’m so happy that it not only not disappointed me but it exceeded my expectations (which were high to begin with). While reading The Second We Met I fell in love with Jules and right after finishing the book I could not stop thinking about what will happen with Berk and Jules in their book and everyone knows how I would not shut up about them.
Where do I begin? These two had me captured from their first interactions in The Second We Met, and their book begins showing their undeniable attraction for each other. I loved how the relationship began with their friendship, both having a crush on each other and not putting their feeling out in the open because they didn’t want to consider the possibility of not being present in each other’s lives. This relationship was developed into something more since they learned how to accept and fully love themselves as individuals while being side by side. Which makes their love stronger, real and natural.
We know that Jules has some feelings already for Berk, but I loved how we got to see Berk falling in love with Jules. He was slowly falling for all the aspects involving her without even knowing she was the Letter Girl, the girl he was ready to find with all the help he could get. He saw Jules for who she was and he accepted her from the start and he began to love her without even realizing it. The best thing is that apart from the romance being amazing, we get to know two amazingly interesting characters that are so captivating separately that you cannot not love them for who they are.
As I mentioned before, Jules hit my soft spot right when her character was introduced in the previous book. I already love her character then but I cannot compare it to how much I love her now. Jules is the kind of character that you fall for and you want to protect her so bad since she is one of the sweetest persons out here. She’s so genuine, always wondering what’s best for others and wanting to take care of everyone and show them her best side without never failing to her true self.
Berk was such a pleasant surprise for me and what I mean by this is to say that I never expected to love him as much as I love Jules. His personality and background were so unexpected and they can hardly be described with words. He is such a caring person, kind of always guarding himself and not being able to think about the idea of letting down the people that surround him. His story was so heart-breaking than he made me have the same ‘let me protect you’ feeling that I had for Jules.
When it comes to friendship, which I think is written and represented flawlessly in this series, I have to say that I adored the trio that were Jules, Avery and Max. They added sweet, funny and heart-warming moments to the story. Cannot go without mentioning the guys and how their brotherhood showed their constant support and love for each other.
This book was absolutely stunning and had everything I could wish for and I am sure my words cannot explain the half of the feelings I have for this couple and the Fulton U series and all the other couples and side characters. Maya had the power to make me smile at the book in some many occasion but she also managed to get my tears, I am so excited to get to know Max in her upcoming book and OF COURSE cannot wait to get the MarisaLJ book.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2020
The Third Best Thing is cute. With a distinct premise and promise of unique qualities, this read made it seem as if it’ll be different and memorable within a sub-genre already filled with innumerous stories. But the execution was lacklustre and though the overall narrative ceased to excite me, there’s an important message in this romance that’ll resonate with readers (more on this later).
I saw a home with her in our future. The complete picture. There wasn’t anyone more perfect for me than her. And I’d spend as long as I needed to make her believe it was true.
Since The Second We Met, I wanted to read more of Berkley Vaughn and Julia Kelland because a college, secret admirer romance begged to be devoured! Chapters passed and the narrative unfurled, but the desire to discover the secret admirer was forgotten. The Letter Girl transformed into an afterthought and without a second glance the narrative continued on. I thought the romance would blossom through the letters, or the search would continue across numerous chapters, but neither happened, leaving me feeling confused and unsatisfied. It was the equivalent of receiving a decadent chocolate cake, but being denied the pleasure of devouring it.
“I’m working hard on loving myself. I know I can get there. But I can’t do it under the searing spotlight at your side.”
I have to appreciate that The Third Best Thing touches on heavier topics that deserve to be noticed and discussed, even though sometimes the discourse wasn’t thorough. We’re surrounded by hate-filled comments across the Internet, or bombarded with unanswerable questions of self-worth and though these subjects will trigger some readers, it is important to push discussions on such topics.
Even though this isn’t my favourite romance by Maya Hughes, The Third Best Thing is adorable, filled with quick-witted banter, stomach-aching humour and crucially notable subject matter that will make this a memorable read for some readers. Berk and Jules are sweet and wholesome, but they lacked certain qualities to make them standout in my mind.
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October 3, 2021
This book features one of my favourite tropes - the nerd and the jock. This is the third in the series, but I hadn’t read the first two. While we see some happy couples who I can only assume found love in the author’s previous books, you really don’t need to have read those first.
This book has quite a few other tropes thrown in--from the “oh no, there’s only one bed!” trope to the “fake-boyfriend trope”. These tropes never feel old, and I ate up every page of them, just like how Berk eats up every single one of Jules’s delicious baked goods.
There’s also a touch of angst to this book. Berk is what truly makes the novel special. Despite being a jock, he has a haunted past and he’s quite the sweetheart, which is not expected in books with this opposites-attract chemistry. Jules is also an interesting heroine and she’s just as sweet as the treats she whips up in the kitchen.
4 stars!
This book has quite a few other tropes thrown in--from the “oh no, there’s only one bed!” trope to the “fake-boyfriend trope”. These tropes never feel old, and I ate up every page of them, just like how Berk eats up every single one of Jules’s delicious baked goods.
There’s also a touch of angst to this book. Berk is what truly makes the novel special. Despite being a jock, he has a haunted past and he’s quite the sweetheart, which is not expected in books with this opposites-attract chemistry. Jules is also an interesting heroine and she’s just as sweet as the treats she whips up in the kitchen.
4 stars!
Read
October 19, 2019I can't wait to read Jules and Berk's story. Jules is my soft baby girl, I will protect her with my life.... It's gonna be a long wait. sigh
January 31, 2020
Berkjules owns my heart
January 25, 2020
“She was made for me, and I’d spend the rest of my life giving her every beautiful thing she deserved—starting with my love.”
4.25 stars
These two are my favorite couple in this series. They became my favorites as soon as I read that scene in The Perfect First where Berk received a letter from a someone and he wanted to know who sent it. In The Second We Met we met Jules. I loved her as soon as she made her first appearance. She was really cute, kind and she loved to bake and pole dance.
I loved how this book turned out to be. In the previous books, Berk was the funny friend. He always looked happy, like he didn’t have anything to worry about, but in this book we see that Berk has gone through a lot. He feels like he isn't good enough and that in the end everyone will leave him. Berk’s story has such an important message. We see a person acting so happy, like they have no worries in life but we actually don’t know what that person is going through. Jules is my favorite female character in this series. Jules has a lot of insecurities and she wants to love herself but she can’t start to love herself when the people that are supposed to love her are the ones making her feel down.
These two are defiantly perfect for each other. Jules thought that Berk was never going to be attracted to her because of her body and there was a time where Berk thought that Jules was never going to date him because he didn’t have anything. Berk, like the perfect man he, loved her not because of her body but because of how she was and Jules, too, loved him because of that.
I loved seeing Every, Emmet and Max (from kings of rittenhouse) here. I read the prequel recently and Every and Emmet became my favorites as soon as I finish it. This book kind of spoiled me because here we see them already together, but I’m glad they appeared here because now all I want to do is read their story. I also loved Max Hale; I know she appears in Every and Emmet’s book and I can’t wait to see her there too. I was told she’s getting her own book and I can’t wait to read it.
I was a little sad that we didn’t get to see too much of Seph and Reece but I still loved their appearances. Nix and Elle were really cute. I loved seeing them as a couple.
Marisa and LJ, I am so ready for these two. Childhood best friends to lovers. Thanks the lord their book is coming out this year because after the ending of this book I don’t think I can wait any longer.
Overall, I loved these characters and their story. The only reason why I’m not giving this book five stars was that I was in a reading slump when I started the book and I couldn't enjoy the first chapters. This is one of my favorite books of the year and I highly recommend it.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2020
not bad, just nothing special.
the writing and the characters are very basic. we do spend a lot of time with side characters, and, yeah, i skipped those scenes. i wasn't very connected to anything, nothing felt nearly realistic, and i didn't like how so much of the conflict hinged so much on fatphobia. maybe it's because it hits too close to home for me, but did we really need pages upon pages of the heroine getting verbally abused by her family? i personally don't like that in my romances.
i think this will be last maya hughes novel, at least for a long while.
the writing and the characters are very basic. we do spend a lot of time with side characters, and, yeah, i skipped those scenes. i wasn't very connected to anything, nothing felt nearly realistic, and i didn't like how so much of the conflict hinged so much on fatphobia. maybe it's because it hits too close to home for me, but did we really need pages upon pages of the heroine getting verbally abused by her family? i personally don't like that in my romances.
i think this will be last maya hughes novel, at least for a long while.
February 11, 2020
Review coming soon...
February 1, 2020
“She was the most beautiful thing in the world to me and it scared me more than losing the next game or not making the draft. Because I’d never had anything as beautiful as her in my life.”
Ok. Wow. I need a second to process what I just read. I was excitedly waiting for this book and imagine the complete FREAK OUT I had this morning when I woke up to the ARC in my email. I think that if I screamed for one minute more, the neighbors would’ve called the police.
I study English, I speak 3 languages fluently and yet, I can’t find one word to describe how perfect this book was.
The Third Best Thing was everything I wanted and more. Jules and Berk were THAT couple, the plot was interesting and I couldn’t stop reading it. It was physically impossible for me to put my phone down and, whenever I absolutely needed such as when I had to be forced out of my room to eat, I could only think about what was going to happen next.
Let’s go by parts of why this is SO amazing.
Firstly, Jules. She was the main girl I was hoping for and it only got better and better with her development. I could see myself a lot in Jules when she talked about her insecurities. She was a complete inspiration, working harder and harder to be better, to love herself more, to be an amazing person to whoever she loved. I believe some characters have traits that simply make you fall for them. And while Jules’s intelligence, humor and talent were things I loved about her, her strong will and kindness had me head over heels for her (and I am 100% sure Berk would agree with me). Jules’s character wasn’t at all stereotyped (what many times happens in NA books) and Maya brought in many insecurities that most women out there have. She was so careful and respectful when dealing with them.
This book was a page turner for me, and I need to admit that I grew incredibly attached to Jules. She has the heart, the kindness that I want to have. Yes, she is beautiful, and smart and funny but she is also so much more. Getting to see Jules in better lenses, go deeper into the amazing character that she is was a privilege that I will never forget. Jules became one of my favorite NA main girls, and I am adamant that this will never change.
Now, we have Berk. Oh Gosh, how can I start with him. I already knew I would fall for him, but holy shit I fell hard. Berk was the typical character that seems like something in others’ books but he has SO MUCH MORE going on. Getting to know Berk more in depth was perfect because I got to meet a caring, funny and soft character that deserved so much more than life gave him. All throughout the book I was thinking about how loyal and good he was. Berk was probably one of the most unselfish NA characters I have ever met, and fms if I wasn’t drooling over him every single page of this book. His character is funny as we’ve seen in the previous books but he’s also smart and hardworking. He’s loyal and completely sincere, he’s such a soft and honest person about his feelings... Honestly, where can I get one Berk for myself?
Something about Berk that I keep swooning over is how OK with his feelings he is. He’s such a calm, good person. The way that he’s never denied that he loves Jules, that he wants her for so many reasons. The way he kept seeing those reasons everyday when he got up and every night when he went to bed, even when no one else could. He had a fucked up childhood and he used that to become the best he could ever, and that’s fucking inspiring.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Jules. I’m into you. Whether it’s in letter form, cookie form, pole dancing form, sitting in your sweats on the couch watching TV form, or any other way you want to show me what you’re all about, I’m here for it. I’m here for you.”
THEIR. RELATIONSHIP. If Berkjules relationship development was a religion, I would be the freaking Pope. I love friends to lovers, and Berkjules friends to lovers was so goddamn cute!! It seemed so natural and the way their friendship developed before they turned into a couple made me extremely happy. I loved how they could always count on each other no matter what. He was always there for her, and she was always there for him. The whole plot of mystery girl+letters made me hyper excited to read this book, but I knew it could be done badly. IT WASNT!!! The mystery girl+letters added an amazing component to the plot. Their acceptance, their support, their unconditional love and respect to each other........ Everything to me tbh.
The sad parts in this book (that had me tearing up, not gonna lie) were so well written. I could feel the characters’ pains and doubts and I got so involved with them that I started to see myself in the book. Crazy lady alert, I know, but it’s true. Maya’s writing is so amazing and so involving. She writes the plots and characters with so much care and precision. Her writing is for me what Jules’s sweets are for Berk: delicious, addictive and the only thing I can think of.
Other points that made me extremely happy were how this book was crafted. The development seemed so natural and the characters’ personalities weren’t at all changed, so I got a few breadcrumbs of characters I already love. AND OH MY GOD AVERY AND EMMETT??? This book was a 5 star rating the moment Avery’s name was cited. Their contribution to the plot (mostly Avery’s) was perfect and so cute and I was so happy it happened. I would die and kill for Avery and Max. We also had cute Ellejules moments, and I was so happy to see my friendship again!! They’re adorable and I love them.
The Sephreece, Ellenix and Marisalj breadcrumbs were.... *chef’s kiss*!! I can’t wait until the fourth book so I can get more of the Brothel and these amazing girls! TTBT was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and COMPLETELY WORTH THE READ!! If I could I would erase the book from my mind just to feel everything again (as I would with TPF and TSWM too)...
Ps.: GIVE KEYTON A BOOK I BEG OF YOU MAYA I WILL LITERALLY GIVE YOU MY SOUL FOR A BOOK WITH HIM
Ps2.: WHAT WAS THAT EPILOGUE
Ok. Wow. I need a second to process what I just read. I was excitedly waiting for this book and imagine the complete FREAK OUT I had this morning when I woke up to the ARC in my email. I think that if I screamed for one minute more, the neighbors would’ve called the police.
I study English, I speak 3 languages fluently and yet, I can’t find one word to describe how perfect this book was.
The Third Best Thing was everything I wanted and more. Jules and Berk were THAT couple, the plot was interesting and I couldn’t stop reading it. It was physically impossible for me to put my phone down and, whenever I absolutely needed such as when I had to be forced out of my room to eat, I could only think about what was going to happen next.
Let’s go by parts of why this is SO amazing.
Firstly, Jules. She was the main girl I was hoping for and it only got better and better with her development. I could see myself a lot in Jules when she talked about her insecurities. She was a complete inspiration, working harder and harder to be better, to love herself more, to be an amazing person to whoever she loved. I believe some characters have traits that simply make you fall for them. And while Jules’s intelligence, humor and talent were things I loved about her, her strong will and kindness had me head over heels for her (and I am 100% sure Berk would agree with me). Jules’s character wasn’t at all stereotyped (what many times happens in NA books) and Maya brought in many insecurities that most women out there have. She was so careful and respectful when dealing with them.
This book was a page turner for me, and I need to admit that I grew incredibly attached to Jules. She has the heart, the kindness that I want to have. Yes, she is beautiful, and smart and funny but she is also so much more. Getting to see Jules in better lenses, go deeper into the amazing character that she is was a privilege that I will never forget. Jules became one of my favorite NA main girls, and I am adamant that this will never change.
Now, we have Berk. Oh Gosh, how can I start with him. I already knew I would fall for him, but holy shit I fell hard. Berk was the typical character that seems like something in others’ books but he has SO MUCH MORE going on. Getting to know Berk more in depth was perfect because I got to meet a caring, funny and soft character that deserved so much more than life gave him. All throughout the book I was thinking about how loyal and good he was. Berk was probably one of the most unselfish NA characters I have ever met, and fms if I wasn’t drooling over him every single page of this book. His character is funny as we’ve seen in the previous books but he’s also smart and hardworking. He’s loyal and completely sincere, he’s such a soft and honest person about his feelings... Honestly, where can I get one Berk for myself?
Something about Berk that I keep swooning over is how OK with his feelings he is. He’s such a calm, good person. The way that he’s never denied that he loves Jules, that he wants her for so many reasons. The way he kept seeing those reasons everyday when he got up and every night when he went to bed, even when no one else could. He had a fucked up childhood and he used that to become the best he could ever, and that’s fucking inspiring.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Jules. I’m into you. Whether it’s in letter form, cookie form, pole dancing form, sitting in your sweats on the couch watching TV form, or any other way you want to show me what you’re all about, I’m here for it. I’m here for you.”
THEIR. RELATIONSHIP. If Berkjules relationship development was a religion, I would be the freaking Pope. I love friends to lovers, and Berkjules friends to lovers was so goddamn cute!! It seemed so natural and the way their friendship developed before they turned into a couple made me extremely happy. I loved how they could always count on each other no matter what. He was always there for her, and she was always there for him. The whole plot of mystery girl+letters made me hyper excited to read this book, but I knew it could be done badly. IT WASNT!!! The mystery girl+letters added an amazing component to the plot. Their acceptance, their support, their unconditional love and respect to each other........ Everything to me tbh.
The sad parts in this book (that had me tearing up, not gonna lie) were so well written. I could feel the characters’ pains and doubts and I got so involved with them that I started to see myself in the book. Crazy lady alert, I know, but it’s true. Maya’s writing is so amazing and so involving. She writes the plots and characters with so much care and precision. Her writing is for me what Jules’s sweets are for Berk: delicious, addictive and the only thing I can think of.
Other points that made me extremely happy were how this book was crafted. The development seemed so natural and the characters’ personalities weren’t at all changed, so I got a few breadcrumbs of characters I already love. AND OH MY GOD AVERY AND EMMETT??? This book was a 5 star rating the moment Avery’s name was cited. Their contribution to the plot (mostly Avery’s) was perfect and so cute and I was so happy it happened. I would die and kill for Avery and Max. We also had cute Ellejules moments, and I was so happy to see my friendship again!! They’re adorable and I love them.
The Sephreece, Ellenix and Marisalj breadcrumbs were.... *chef’s kiss*!! I can’t wait until the fourth book so I can get more of the Brothel and these amazing girls! TTBT was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and COMPLETELY WORTH THE READ!! If I could I would erase the book from my mind just to feel everything again (as I would with TPF and TSWM too)...
Ps.: GIVE KEYTON A BOOK I BEG OF YOU MAYA I WILL LITERALLY GIVE YOU MY SOUL FOR A BOOK WITH HIM
Ps2.: WHAT WAS THAT EPILOGUE
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