Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adored this book despite the actual romance, haha.
The MMC, Drew, wasn’t for me. He came off immature, emotionally unavailable, with major “pick me, choose me” energy, anger issues, and just overall not someone I’d root for. I honestly felt like Merys deserved better. Even though my hopeless romantic heart kind of accepted them as a couple around the 2/3 mark.
I give it that rating because I truly connected to the world of the book. The writing style was lush and effortless, the pacing flowed beautifully, and Mary and Kate as characters absolutely won me over. I adored their personalities .The Marlow family dynamic was one of the highlights — warm, supportive, and deeply loving. That kind of emotional connection is what keeps me reading.
I also appreciated Drew’s support system. Even if I didn’t love him, the people around him like Peter added depth. Normally, I’m not the biggest fan of miscommunication trop,e but here it felt believable and in line with the first book’s tone.
I did suspect the story might go in a slightly different direction, and honestly, part of me wishes it had. Still, I was engaged the whole time plus that lake scene caught me off guard.
Overall, this was a quick (under 250 pages!) and charming regency read. If you’re in the mood for something light, immersive, with a wounded MMC who’s trying to grow and a strong FMC you’ll root for, give this a try. I’ll definitely be continuing the Marlow family series to see what comes next!