What Lasts

contemporary-romance publisher-review-request

the setup…
It’s the late 1980s and Michelle Carver is back home in Los Angeles for the summer from Juilliard. She’s the daughter of a wealthy real estate magnate and has sneaked away from her controlling parents to avoid another suffocating event. When she’s forced to stop for gas, she mistakes Scott McKallister for an attendant and he toys with her. He’s actually the frontman for a local heavy metal band with a cult-like neighborhood following, struggling to make a living. Sparks fly and she shows up to his gig the next night. This is the beginning of what will become the origin story for the unlikely romance between the socialite and the “unsuitable” young man who captured her heart, and she his

the heart of the story...
I’m only one book into the series but was so excited to get the backstory of the McKallister family. Michelle and Scott may have had all odds against them, including their age (nineteen), disparate upbringings and financial divides. But this wasn’t just chemistry and despite the incredible force that was her family, their devotion to each other was unbreakable. It’s raw, honest, heartbreaking and inspiring.

the bottom line…
Another story I didn’t know I wanted and needed! These two weathered so many obstacles just to be with each other, including Michelle’s inability to stand up to her formidable family and Scott’s financial constraints. It spans more than two decades and I felt every emotion as they managed through highs, extreme lows and everything in between, testing their relationship with each other and their children. Best prequel ever and I’m ready to jump back into the series.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Grey Promotions and the author for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

Holly Collins

18 reviews

April 5, 2026

What Lasts
By: J. Bengtsson

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to review honestly. I’ve never read anything by this author before, so I’m looking forward to a new author. I always take notes, then my review follows.

** I didn’t plan for this review to be extremely long, but this book is so incredible.

1. The cover is cute. The colors, different flowers, and simple font choice give it a cozy vibe.

2. I noticed instantly that the chapter titles are all song titles, movies, shows, and bands. Mostly from the late eighties and nineties! I love that and know every single one! Really awesome!

3. As a mom of four grown-ish kids (15,16,20,22), I’m loving the family dynamic at the beginning. It’s easy to picture this scene with our own kiddos.

4. I adore the way Michelle and Scott met. Definitely one of those sweet, tell the kiddos someday kind of story.

5. I giggled probably more than I should have!🤭🤭 Also, I was singing this part in my mind instead of reading. “…damn near had me knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door.” (pg. 30)

6. Love this description! “…and just like that, sweet Sandy morphed into full-blown Greased Lightning.” (pg. 48)

7. 😱 I could never handle a mother like Lydia!! I’m only 74 pages in and I want to scream at Michelle’s mother!!

8. I would have passed out! Steve Perry is amazing!🥰 “…I haven’t smiled this much since Journey showed up to play at my Sweet Sixteen party.” (pg. 98)

9. I love how funny Scott is! His humor has had me laughing so much already.

10. Gosh my heart 😭 for Michelle, but also so angry 😡 and disgusted with her part, especially her mom!!

11. This book has brought out many emotions and I’m only on page 154! I’ve definitely laughed, cried, giggled, was shocked, and got mad!

12. J. Bengtsson portrays emotional scenes really well. The writing pulls me in and I’m absolutely loving this book. It’s hard to stop reading!

13. I love this reference! 😂😭 If you’re old enough to get it then 🥰! “”You think my mother owns wire hangers?”” (pg. 157)

14. Oh my goodness! Stop my tears!😭

15. Aww Zonk! 😕😭😭 Whyyy?!!

16. I love the strength that shines from Michelle’s character! She’s mentally super strong, the growth so far is great, and I can definitely relate to her as a mother.

17. The scene on the beach with Mitchell made me bawl! 😭 It was so emotional!!

18. Haha this is great! I loved Hanson when I was like 8! Ahh yes…Taylor, Zack, and Isaac. Yallr was always my favorite. Very nostalgic! ““I don’t duet with losers, you knockoff Hanson brother!”” (pg. 307) Gotta love a sibling fight, especially with boys!

19. Every mom has counted in her head! 😂”I closed my eyes and counted in my head to three. “The password is ‘I’m not asking again.”” (pg. 308) Yep..I’ve said that plenty of times.

20. I enjoy reading about a real everyday life with many kids. I adore this family and how real their lives feel.

21. The bond between Jake and Kyle is so sweet to read. We have four kids, our oldest two boys are 18 months apart (girls are 18 months apart too), and when they were little they would fight, but would also stand up for each other. Even now they’re very close. These scenes feel like they’re real life moments with kids, especially boys. (scenes on pages 305-313)

22. My husband always does this. 🥹“You always walk on the outside of the sidewalk. It makes me feel protected. Very old-school.”” (pg. 315)

23. I adore Scott! His humor is top notch and how much he loves each of their kids and Michelle shines brightly. It feels like I’m reading a true story about a loving, strong family. Scott might be my favorite character! (Reading back over my notes, I realized I mentioned his humor on number nine, but it still is wonderful all throughout the book)

24. I love that this book is wayyy more than a romance between Scott and Michelle. I’m invested in this whole family! 🥹

25. As heartbreaking as it is to read, I like that this includes real emotional and mental issues. I definitely do recommend that it has a trigger warning for all of the intense scenes though.

26. This is just…😭🥰 ““I love you more than Twizzlers.”” (pg. 403)

27. I have this problem. It’s heartbreaking, but immensely rewarding at the same time. Our kids, grown or not, will always be our babies!! ““What if he doesn’t need us anymore?” “Then we’ll know we did our job.”” (pg. 432)

28. I am so excited!! I was going to mention that I need books for every character! “There are seven full-length, standalone novels waiting for you,…” (ending note)

29. Ooh this is a prequel! 😱

30. The end already! 450 amazing pages!! I love a book with many pages like this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! What can I say about this book?! It’s more than just an amazing book. I laughed so much because Scott is such a hilarious character. I cried a lot too. I felt like these characters were actually friends in the real world. I played this book in my mind like a movie.

I love that it’s not just a romance book…it’s a real life, everyday like shadowing a family. I really loved how we were introduced to all six kids. We have four, so I get it.

I actually didn’t know that this is a prequel. By the middle of the book I was already wanting books about each of the kids. So I’m excited to read the other six books.

J. Bengtsson is an amazing author! I l ow the way she writes and how the story flows. There were ups and downs, happiness and sadness, love and arguments. Ahh just so many different emotions!!

The characters are incredible. From the main characters Scott and Michelle, to the side characters with the kids, ex girlfriend, and even the sweet opossum. Poor Zonk! I never thought I would feel for a dang opossum, but I did.

The story is about real life struggles. Like do we pay this bill or buy food? Or do we do this but lose that. The growth of the characters, especially Michelle, was beautiful to read about.

I’ve never written down so many notes while reading. But this book was truly wonderful. It goes without saying, but I absolutely 1000% recommend reading this book and the others. I like that I started with the prequel. Now…onto the other six books!! This deserves way more than 5 stars!!

thebeespot72

1,847 reviews195 followers

Books, Booze & Bon Voyage (Krista Webster)

I can’t. I just can’t.

I can’t begin to tell you how much my heart feels like it has been squeezed after reading J. Bengtsson’s What Lasts.

Who am I kidding? I knew what I was getting into. J. Bengtsson’s Cake Series is one you don’t want to miss.

The way J. Bengtsson weaves a story centered around a traumatic event that impacts so many lives. I believe most people can resonate with this story. And in What Lasts, the author takes readers down another lens—the parents. From how they met—loved the 80’s and 90’s nostalgia—and their more-than-bumpy real-life coupledom. Readers will see how one’s strengths can often be one’s downfall. Scott, with his optimism, often led to poor decision-making, and Michelle, with her innocence, often led to naïveté about the real world. Readers will see all their struggles and challenges.

But those challenges that J. Bengtsson writes weave right to that traumatic event in The Cake Series. That’s when we get that different lens. That’s where my heart squeezed some more. That’s when I realized I’d been holding my breath.

I cannot say enough about What Lasts and J. Bengtsson’s writing as a whole. Make The Cake Series a priority to read if you haven’t already. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Author J. Bengtsson for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

RubytheReader323

815 reviews

April 17, 2026

What Lasts was a much anticipated book for me and it was so much more than I anticipated! I love, love, loved it!

Michelle and Scott are an opposites attract, rich girl, surfer guy, classical pianist, punk rocker, luxury car, beat up pick up truck kind of couple. Their chemistry, love and willingness to give up what they know make them stronger. I laughed out loud through out the story. My eyes leaked so many times I kept the tissues handy. There is a heartwarming happy ever after.

What Lasts is a prequel. You could read it as a standalone, but the rest is so good.

Cake is an interconnected series about an everyday family and how they manage a distressing life changing event. Don’t let that scare you away. The story really shows how people endure and withstand to end up stronger than before. What Lasts gives readers the background of a young couple living some challenges while raising a family.

The rest of the books are about how each of the kids lived through their view of the event and have their own HEAs.

I had my favorite characters before but Scott and Michelle were elevated to my new favorites hearing their back story.

#cakeseries
#whatlasts
#darkdrama
#unbreakablelove

Cait

19 reviews

April 13, 2026

What Lasts by J. Bengtsson
A review by Catherine “Cait” Needham, EdM, MA

I’ve waited for this book since Cake was first published. I always want to know the story from before Jake, the musician, and the lives of his siblings. Now it’s here. What I truly liked about this isn’t what I expected, but that’s not a bad thing. I expected something built like the other novels in the Cake Series, but this wasn’t like the others in how the story unfolded. I expected to completely enjoy this novel, and I was surprised this book was more linear in design. The story seems to just roll along on a timeline that is easy to follow, a lot like ocean waves, and it works so well for this narrative. This is something new for me to read with J. Bengtsson’s books, and I truly enjoyed every page learning how the story of Scott and Michelle unfolded. Turning each page to the next part of the story, and never having to back track to learn more on a character or situation.

As always, I think Jill writes wonderful solid characters with all the good and bad woven in between each paragraph. Each character is its own person and stays true to themselves as each story moves forward. This is what I found in What Lasts. The protagonist, Scott McKallister, is the same goofy guy we see in previous works. But we now know this is who he is from the get-go. We discover who Scott was prior to meeting Michelle, and how and why he’s a mailman. We also learn about his background and how he survived to become this guy we know as Scott.

In previous works, we meet Michelle, and we only see one side of her character, yet she is more than what we first believed. As the agonist we learn of her privileged life she led prior to meeting Scott, and how literally clueless she was in doing ordinary things that us normal people manage to do every day. But we also see a strength building in her after she meets Scott, and that strength is evolving into the woman we see at the end of What Lasts.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading What Lasts, even though a part or two was a little difficult for me to get through. I always wanted to know more about Scott and Michelle and their own story, before kids and why she walked away from her family. I didn’t understand after reading the Cake Series, but I get it now and I understand the why and the circumstances behind the reasons she chose her particular path.

If you haven’t read the Cake Series, I highly suggest that you do. It’s worth the read and so much more. You do not need to read What Lasts first, it isn’t necessary, and I think it might take something away from your experience in reading this series. But If you want to read this first, it will give you insight into the characters in the series, which you may or may not desire.

J Bengtsson as an author is exceptional. In the course of my reading ventures I’ve discovered there are people who just want to be an author, and with self publishing availability now it’s easy to do. Now many of these authors put together a decent story, but nothing worth reading twice or more. Jill Bengtsson is NOT one of these authors. She is able to put a complicated story together and you, the reader, get more entrenched in the narrative as you read each line. Her characters are well developed for each book, and each stay true to themselves throughout the entire series. The story line is interesting and carefully and thoughtfully constructed to keep the reader engaged through each page. Read it, I honestly do not think you will be disappointed.

this-is-it

FS Meurinne

Author 2 books135 followers

April 22, 2026

This is a deeply emotional and beautifully layered story that goes far beyond a typical romance. I loved how it begins with Scott and Michelle’s intense, opposites-attract connection in the 80s, then evolves into something much more real and enduring. Their journey through marriage, parenthood, and life’s unexpected hardships felt honest and relatable. The mix of nostalgia, humor, and heartbreak made it impossible not to feel invested.

2026 arc reviews

Imogen Dior

1,002 reviews8 followers

April 6, 2026

I loved What Lasts! It was my first book by this author and it will not be my last. I was so invested in the characters, I felt their emotions and was absolutely rooting for them to succeed. Michelle and Scott were so in love and I loved how loyal and devoted they were to one another. I adored how we saw them evolve and got to see their future and their past as a whole timeline, it was really fun. I can’t wait to go and read Jake’s book next!

1,146 reviews33 followers

What Lasts by J. Bengtsson is a story about Scott and Michelle McKallister and their six children,
Keith, Emma, Jake, Kyle, Grace and Quinn. It is the prequel for the author’s excellent Cake series, which can be read as standalone but you’ll definitely want to continue the series.

This is a very raw and honest account of an opposite attract, rich girl poor guy romance which starts in the late 1980’s. They are a couple who should never have met and their unexpected connection changed their lives forever. They make the decision very early on that love will conquer all because they have that much faith in each other and are so convinced that they can make it work. We follow the couple though every stage of their relationship from dating to marriage to being parents. This is a story about the realities of life and the couple’s unbreakable love which spans over two decades. Everything is against them so could they prove everyone wrong. It shows the work and effort that goes in to keeping a marriage together and on track. A real emotional and thought provoking tale of their time as a couple, a family and of life in general.

You will laugh and cry with Michelle and Scott as they face many ups and downs along the way. The obstacles they overcome, some of their own doing and others due to her family. How Michelle learns to survive in his world because she has chosen love over everything else. It explores family and sibling relationships and dynamics, family duty and responsibilities. It also covers a heartbreaking situation you wouldn’t wish on anybody. How they cope, the toll on the family, the aftermath and how they recover from the trauma.

The story starts with the family recreating a photo they took when the children were younger. Now they are all adults and curious about how their parents met. The couple admit there was more to it than they have ever told them. We rewind back to the hilarious way they first met and the eventful story of the seven weeks in which they fell in love. As a couple they were impulsive but they were young and in love and knew they could build a future together. I admired what they did to stay together and how they managed with the constant interference from her parents and sister.

We then catch up with them six years later 1990’s and they have Keith and Emma. Things are very hard and they live pay check to pay check so impossible decisions need to be made. Michelle is happy on the whole but every now and then she reminisces about the life she left behind. Then we jump to 2000’s and the family has grown. They have Jake and Kyle, who are inseparable and the youngest two Quinn and Grace. The couple are building a life to be proud of, it’s not easy and often a struggle but they are both determined to make it work. Things then take an unexpected turn and we get a heartbreaking event which turns their lives upside down. Thankfully what they live through doesn’t break their marriage but it does greatly affects the whole family.

I adored Scott who is charming, quick witted and so optimistic. He always had good intentions even if he sometimes didn’t get things right. He was an amazing father, always tries his best for his family and does all he can to repair his bad decisions. Some of the events just made my heart break for Scott especially when he nearly pays the price for loving her. I loved Zonk, his Shaggin’ Wagon and the mixtape he made her - “If you ever forget me, rewind.”

I had my fingers crossed Michelle would stand up for herself and live the life she wanted. A few times I worried she’d go back to her controlling parents and her rich lifestyle, but I had faith she wouldn’t give up Scott. Luckily most of the time feels she didn’t lose anything but gained everything by choosing him. When she needed him the most ,he was there right by her side.

The ending catches up with the family. How they are managing and what they are doing to put the bad memories behind them. I loved Scott and Michelle’s journey and how they are still together and even stronger for all they’ve been through. Heart wrenching read at times but a wonderful book. I loved all the nostalgia and the song titles for the chapters. I fully recommend the rest of the series, it is about all the siblings and the years that follow as they recover from the event that shattered their family. Will they all find love and heal after such a devastating event.

Linda Ketter

796 reviews4 followers

What Lasts is the prequel to the Cake series and follows parents Scott and Michelle as they meet, marry, have kids and go through life, including good times and bad.

Scott is a teenager when we meet him at a gas station, of all places. His story begins in the 1980's, full of heavy metal and big hair, and I mean BIG hair. He got his high school girlfriend pregnant, and is now the father of a toddler, living in a minuscule apartment above the garage of his baby mama's mother's garage. He works four jobs to make ends meet, but he is a great father.

Michelle was born and raised in wealth. When she meets Scott, she mistakes him for a gas pump jockey. She is the youngest of two girls. Her older sister, Melanie, is bucking her parents' expectations and having meaningless affairs. But when Michelle meets Scott, she is taken with him. Over the next two weeks, their relationship will bloom. These two know it is only a summer fling, but will they be able to say goodby when the time comes.

Scott and Michelle weather hard times right from the beginning. Her family disowns her. He wants nothing to do with his family. Scott works four jobs to make ends meet, but it is not working. They have two kids, Keith (Rogue Wave) and Emma (Fiercely Emma). But when she finds out he has been lying to her and putting the family in danger, she has some tough decisions to make. Especially since she is keeping a secret of her own.

Scott finally realizes what needs to be done and he makes a plan. But when he gets a call about Michelle, he rushes to her side. No matter what anyone says, he truly loves her and would do anything for her.

Life gets better. More kiddos come along. But their worst nightmare is about to begin. And it will take years for them to recover, if they ever fully do.

This book is technically a prequel to Cake: A Love Story, but I am glad it came after the series was complete and all of the kids got their stories. I think it brings light to some things that were glossed over in the other books and we get Scott and Michelle's perspective on the things that happened.

You will laugh and you will cry in this story. The good times and the bad happen. No parent should have to go through what Scott and Michelle went through. But then no child, especially Jake, should have to go through what they went through. These kids had to grow up fast. And they have never been the same.

I really despise Michelle's sister, Melanie. She is supposed to have Michelle's back, but she goes behind it and snitches her off. On top of that, Melanie is not happy in her life. Instead of being there for her sister when she needs it, she is constantly undermining her and telling her come back to the family. The family who disowned her and have nothing to do with their daughter or grandchildren.

Sadly, Michelle's parents are no better. They are elitist, entitled muckety mucks. They do not deserve Michelle. The one good thing that came out of everything her father tried to do and did do, is that Michelle stood up to him. She secured a settlement from her father that would see them through some tough times.

You will experience emotions galore in this story. Happiness, love, frustration, stress, guilt, pain (both physical and emotional) and a sense of giving up. Be prepared. Have hankies close by.

Shabby -BookBistroBlog

1,984 reviews1,010 followers

Review of advance copy received from Publisher

April 12, 2026

It's one of those stories that feel like a home full of happy noises as soon as you open the door after a hard days work.
McKallisters are my warm embrace, my landing zone, my homecoming. They are mine.
Hearty, Hopeful story that filled me with swoon worthy sentiments. I laughed, I cried, I held my flogged heart and took a deep breath as it ended.
Bengtsson takes us back to the start where the McKallister clan gets its multi- character saga.
I’ve loved the cake series Cake: The Story of Us (Casey & Jake): The Complete Two Book Boxset, so naturally wanted to know how did the parents meet he come to be .
This book is Scott & Michelle’s story. It shows that mackallisters still hold sway over my adoring heart

“Capital M. Lower case c. Capital K. Then a.l.l.i.s.t.e.r.”

Wealthy socialite, prim girl raised with class and pedigree. And a down on luck, struggling singer meet in a convenience store lot. He helps her, she's falls hard and the world just explodes.
People in love make foolish, questionable choices. But matters of the heart hold no rhyme or reason. It just happens and you go along for the ride.
Well....Scott and Michelle's life goes on a Rollercoaster. Lows and highs, they hang on. Until a steep drop splits them apart
The story shudders midway through. My heart dropped to my stomach, knowing fully well that there IS a happy ending. But still stunned speechless.

“What we’d lived through would have broken many other marriages. It had stripped us raw and left us jagged. But Scott and I had walked it together, every brutal step, and he hadn’t just loved me through it, he’d lived it beside me, through the fear, the waiting, and all the things you don’t say out loud. That we were still standing proved we were solid.”

I loved Scott but I questioned him at every step. Michelle was way in over her head, but I guess their love was far too strong than the hurricane they find themselves caught in.
Their brood grows and unforeseen tragedy strikes.
It's love in it's purest form, displayed on pages like complex art. I love her writing, this family, her tight grip on the plot. I just hope she keeps writing this awesome brood as it spreads
“5 stars for “Shower thoughts. You know, life’s unexplained mysteries.”
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3,289 reviews1,074 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

April 1, 2026

5 stars!

Oh, I loved this book! A funny, sexy, nostalgic read with an amazing love story spanning 20+ years. A prequel to the incredible Cake series, it’s the story of the McKallister parents – Scott and Michelle.

I am a mad fan of the Cake series. I adore the McKallister family and I couldn’t wait to go back to the very beginning to see how it all started. While this book is a gift for Cake fans, it also works beautifully as a starting point for new readers, offering an introduction to a truly unforgettable series that I cannot recommend highly enough.

Scott and Michelle meet as teenagers in the late 80s. She’s a good girl from a ludicrously wealthy family, weighed down by expectation, and he’s a metalhead surfer struggling to get by but living life on his own terms. When they meet by chance, Scott offers Michelle a taste of the fun and freedom she’s only ever dreamed of — and she dives in.

“I like you,” she said. “More than I should.”
“I like you.” I shot back. “Exactly the right amount.”

“Michelle, I know you’re the one. You and me, we’re going to do great things together. I can feel it.”

This book follows Scott and Michelle from their first meeting, through falling in love, fighting for each other in hard times, building their family, and facing the tragedy that leaves a devastating mark on them all and becomes the foundation for the rest of the series. It’s a rollercoaster of laughs, love and romantic bliss, with heartwrenching moments that brought tears to my eyes and hurt to read. We see and feel it all, and my heart was with them through every moment.

“I didn’t lose anything by choosing you, Scott. I gained everything”

Through it all, we see their strengths and vulnerabilities, how they bring out the best in each other, and the enduring bond that carries them through, and God, I love them! They have some hard times, but they love each other through it all, working hard for each other and maintaining the playfulness that is such a huge part of the family dynamic.

“We’re in this together, aren’t we?”
“Michelle.” His fingers found mine and he squeezed. “After what we’ve been through, no one else will want us.”

I loved the nostalgia – not only revisiting the ease and slower pace of the 80s and 90s and the fabulously fun pop culture references of the time, but also being back with the McKallisters. I love this family, and this series so much. Reading where it all began, and those life-changing years for the family makes me want to dive into yet another reread of the whole series.

Such a great read, I loved it – 5 stars.

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.

arc drama favorites

DarcyLovesLiza

190 reviews27 followers

Monica (The Accidental Romance Blogger) Barbosa

“Turns out… I love you more than Twizzlers…”

If you’ve followed the Cake series, you know where the McAllisters end up, but where did they begin? In What Lasts, J. Bengtsson brings readers back to the beginning of the McAllister clan with Scott and Michelle‘s love story. Follow them from their gas station meet cute, through a whirlwind courtship, to newlywed struggles and nurturing a growing family, then to an unfathomable tragedy and beyond. Through it all, Gold Coast and her Hotmail prove, “There’s no force in this world that punishes love.” Even when it’s Red Vines vs. Twizzlers.

Scott and Michelle have always intrigued me. Scott stood out at first because of his irrepressible humor, and it’s fun to see the genesis of that personality. In previous books, I’ve found Michelle to be a bit more contained, so I always wondered how she and Scott were able to connect despite seeming so different. Reading their story made me appreciate both characters more as Bengtsson does an exceptional job of adding layers to both MCs. For Scott, readers get to see the fierce love and depth behind the funny guy; for Michelle, we get to see how quick and joyful she can be around Scott and her kids. They both bring out the best in one another and balance each other and I thought their love story was really beautiful.

One of the things I found most compelling about WL, is being able to follow a couple beyond their traditional HEA. Scott and Michelle are unique because readers know the later parts of their story and the tribulations their family has faced through the previous books in the Cake series. I loved how this book showed them building the foundation that was able to withstand those hardships. It’s very rare that readers get to follow the MC’s continuing love story and this book was just a beautiful example of how, thought true love is powerful, it is also hard work and a choice. You choose to be a partner, you choose to be present, and it’s not always easy. Scott and Michelle’s story felt like a realistic portrayal of what true partnership looks like, even when it’s hard.

It was also great to see snippets of the McAllister kids growing up, and of course, heartbreaking to revisit Jake’s kidnapping from Scott and Michelle‘s perspective. No matter how many times Bengtsson brings us back to that event from each McAllister family member’s perspective, another nuance is revealed that makes it more visceral and deepens the reader’s connection to the clan. In such a big family, they’re all affected differently, plus they all have their own struggles; yet, they are ultimately a truly connected and grounded family unit, and that comes from the foundation Scott and Michelle have built. It was a joy to follow the establishment of that foundation in What Lasts. I can’t wait to revisit this one in audio!

I highly recommend this one. You’ll laugh and smile a quite a bit, your heart may also ache a little, but it will mend; that’s what the best love stories do. And, for me, this definitely one of those.

I’m grateful to @greyspromo and @j._bengtsson for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jennifer

940 reviews27 followers

Review of advance copy

April 13, 2026

J. Bengtsson takes her audience back to where it all started in her epic Cake series in What Lasts for a story rich in history and filled with the joys and sorrows of the human condition seen through the lens of the McKallister family matriarch and patriarch.

Throughout the Cake series Ms. Bengtsson included Scott and Michelle McKallister as essential secondary characters key to the development of the series but never the focus. Yet how each book in this series evolved drew from this pair and was the foundation of all the characters' weaknesses and strengths contributing core values and traits.

Exploring the multi facets of Scott McKallister was no small feat. Comedically tortured, insight into Scott was at times hilarious and poignant but never boring. His devotion and love of Michelle stood the tests of tragedy and time with a steadfast love that did not diminish when life presented hurdles. His ability to overcome his own lack of a father figure and be a loving and caring father was well done by the author. Whether hot mail or hot mess Scott was a memorable and beloved portrayal.

Heiress Michelle Carver came into her own in this work. Going from approval seeking family doormat to a strong woman capable of facing anything she came up against was inspiring to watch play out. Seeing Michelle go from being the product of two distant and judging parents to a loving and nurturing one was a testament of her capacity to love unconditionally. Michele's ability to see beyond the obvious allowed her to live the life she wanted versus what was expected of her.

In many ways Scott and Michelle were diametrically opposed to each other but more so they completed each other. Looking past the surface and accepting each other for who they were rather than how they could be changed was essential to this relationship. Vivid histories and kindness took Scott and Michelle from superficial to dimensional creating interesting and fallible portrayals that readers could relate to and embrace. This couple's love was so much more than passion, it was true and full of depth.

With robust wit and glaring truths J. Bengtsson has a unique and captivating writing style that has built a devoted fan base. This author's attention to details and her ability to convey the essence of who her characters are is truly a gift. What Last is the start and culmination of a series which will no doubt withstand the test of time and merit rereads long past readers first encounter with the McKallister family. Thank you Jill Bengtsson for a body of work that resides not only on bookshelves but in the hearts of readers.

*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.*
*While part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone, but
for an overall enhanced reading experience reading the previous books
in this series is suggested.*

Diane Heffner

869 reviews3 followers

Read

April 19, 2026

When I heard the author announce that she was going to write the parents story after writing all the children's story I wasn't necessarily excited I didn't know that I needed to hear their story. but boy was I wrong. What an absolute incredible story. this is more than five stars more than 10 Stars. This story if you haven't read cake yet which is the beginning of telling their children's stories each of their children's stories and this is the first book you pick up you will definitely read the rest after meeting all the children in this story, you don't have to read their stories first, might be better that you read this story first. These two fault to be together, because they're from opposite sides of the tracks. Once they were together they actually sometimes had to fight to stay together you know when you're that opposite sometimes things Clash a little and I loved that the author showed that. I also love that the author didn't hold back that you got to see the glimpses of the other stories that the children went through you got to see bits and pieces of their stories not enough to ruin their stories but enough that you're going to want to obviously go read their stories but also you got to see their point of view of what was happening which was very moving, very emotional for someone who read all the other stories and knew what happened in those stories I still bald like a baby when it came to certain parts of this book and I knew what was going to happen. I am being very cryptic on purpose I don't want to tell you I want you to experience it for yourself. because it'll be so so worth it. and these two narrators they're fairly new to me I had heard the female narrator once before I believe but the male narrator was totally new both of them were perfect absolutely perfect they put me in the story they were Michelle and Scott absolutely 100% I could picture him they did so so well telling this and bringing this all to life now it's time for a gosh darn movie set to pick this up and make a movie of this it is that good if you can make a movie of those other books you can make a movie of this. I definitely have to thank the author for this because this was the story I didn't know I needed to hear and I have to thank her for that.

Teresa Williams

656 reviews6 followers

April 16, 2026

J. Bengtsson’s “What Lasts” (The Cake Series Book 8) takes a step back in time to trace the origins of the McKallister family, beginning with their parents, Michelle Carver and Scott McKallister, a former lead singer of a heavy metal band. This outstanding book offers insight into the parents of the famous McKallister children, who grew up and forged successful lives for themselves. It captures the gas-station “meet-cute” between Scott McKallister and Michelle Carver, and how their lives merged as they fell in love in the 80s. The real problems the founding couple faces will either break them or make them stronger. The story relives the past through Scott and Michelle’s point of view, showing how an unlikely couple, an ultra-rich girl from oil and hotel dynasties, falls in love with a destitute, barely holding it together, lead singer of a heavy metal band who is also a dad to a little boy he nicknamed MGM. Then tears are shed as circumstances that could destroy the family and marriage erupt when Jake is taken and Kyle is released. The heart-wrenching pain felt so real that my heart broke for the “unknown” 14 days of waiting for word, the horrible fallout from the horrendous pain and trauma that Jake endured and survived, and the impact it had on every single member of the McKallister family. The book shows how real love can sustain hits and hurt yet survive and become more cemented together. Not that Scott and Michelle were perfect, but their imperfections made this an awesome book. J. Bengtsson’s Cake Series, of which this is the final book, is a good place to take one back to the very beginning of what made each child unique and how the abduction of Jake touched every single family member in those dark days of living with unimaginable trauma. Then again, J. Bengtsson leaves the romance on a high note by relating how Jake’s rockstar career was launched as a young teen. I now want to go back and re-read the complete 8-book series. Each book in the series also has a companion audiobook narrated by M K Blackwood and Victor Clarke, which ratchets the story up to one of the best books one could read.

Elizabeth E. Anderson

30 reviews

Review of advance copy received from Author

April 1, 2026

No Spoilers! First, I must disclose that I am a ginormous fan of Jill Bengtsson’s work. I’ve read it all. This book is a prequel to the Cake series. If you’re new to the series, I think you’ll enjoy reading it twice - at the beginning AND at the end - of the books. Why? This novel is packed with foreshadowing of events throughout the series. Loyal readers will love these parts!

This book follows the love story of rich girl Michelle Carver and poor boy Scott McKallister from their unusual first meeting in the 80s, aka the best of all decades, through the beginning of Cake: A Love Story (which is not about a bakery like I thought it would be 🤷🏻‍♀️). Since, I’m a bit of nerd, I loved that the chapter titles were indicative of the culture of that moment in time, e.g. Gag Me with a Spoon which immediately brings any Gen Xer to the Valley Girl era. That’s just an added bonus for us Xers. Don’t worry, there are titles into this millennium as well as for Gen Z and the Alphas.

Maybe being Gen X is why I’ve been half in love with Scott McKallister since he first appeared in Cake. I get him. I grew up with him. I wanted more of him through the series. Scott’s sense of humor and charismatic charm made him so much of a fan favorite that we STANs clamored for his story; and Bengtsson delivered in a big way.

Many romance writers give you the characters and the trope. Most times I can’t remember the names or storylines after a few days. Not Bengtsson. Her characters develop. They become real people dealing with big life issues - trauma, death, addiction - not subjects in your typical romance. They grow and change as people. It isn’t as simple as a comedy of errors or a miscommunication. Bengtsson captured me in chapter one of Cake and I’m still with her more than 10 books later.

If you’re a new reader, you’ll discover why Scott and Michelle’s love is What Lasts and will definitely become a fan. If, like me, you’ve been waiting for this one, you won’t be disappointed.

Shayna Bowe

8 reviews

Review of advance copy received from Author

April 8, 2026

I first started reading this series in 2021 after hearing about it from a friend. I'll be honest, It was an easy one for me to fall in love with. Jake's story was first, dark and tormented but soft around the edges, then came Kyle's story, with it's own tragedy and Kyle's sense of himself within Jake's story as I took it, and as I read his book, I fell more in love with
his character and he has been a fast favourite on the 'book boyfriend' shelf ever since. I have read each sibling's story with a sense of excitement and have enjoyed them all but none have grabbed me the same way Jake and especially Kyle's have... enter Scott ... or in my thoughts - the origin story. Scott, in many ways reminds me of Kyle, they both drew a very short straw in life and both 'put on a show' to get through it to a certain extent.
In his story, Scott is seen by many as a waster but he doesn't let it stop him from just being. He has his hardships and he might be down on his luck but he has his goals too and I feel like that keeps him going. When he meets Michelle, it throws his world off it's axis for a little while but I honestly don't think he was prepared for her sass or her strength of character.
Michelle might not share the same hardships as Scott when they first meet but she has burdens to carry all the same. In meeting Scott, she realises there's a side to herself she'd like to get to know better if only she weren't so weighed down by obligation. Through this story, they face turmoil and troubles that would break most people but their strength of character and bullheaded belief in their relationship sees them through. I have adored reading their story and their children's stories through their eyes. I have laughed and cried (once over an animal, more times over people) and I have cheered through this book. It's been a rollercoaster but I have loved every second of it and have come to expect nothing less of the McKallister family!

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

951 reviews39 followers

Thanks, @j._bengtsson for the gift!

I want to say all the things about this but I still don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't (what are you doing??) listened to the Cake series.

We finally get to see how THE McKallisters came to be: from their adorable meet-cute in a gas station, to their evocatively nostalgic budding romance in the 80s, to Michelle's very Rachel from Friends 'she got off the plane' moment, to getting together, to going through a parents' worst nightmare, to surviving all this... together. I love how they are flawed. No one here is picture perfect - Michelle has to shake her 'heiress' demeanor pretty fast and was conditioned from the cradle to be 'stoic' and 'appropriate'. Scott is the epitome of the penniless garage band metal head musician/California surfer. A Jake Ryan with a good dash of Spicoli (IYKYK). They screw up, they stumble through stuff, but they LOVE.

I already basically knew everything major that was going to happen in their lives but I was knocked upside the head by the PHENOMENAL performances of MK Blackwood and Victor Clarke. Sweet mother of pearl! I knew every pivotal moment in their lives and these two had me snot crying! Dual narration at its best! 11/10

I loved being taken back to my youth (yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am basically their age) and to learn all the details that made this family that we learned to love and how they came to be. I loved 'catching up' with beloved characters and I'm already sad this series is now over... or is it, Jill? Wink wink. We can dream!

Again, pick the audiobook. It's absolutely flawless. Kudos to everyone involved!

Content notes( including but not limited to): the book mentions several traumatic events that happen throughout the series - toxic relationship with family members, estrangement from family members, drug addiction, unexpected pregnancy, talks of abortion, car accident on page, kidnapping, abuse of minor, PTSD, depression, self harm

Wendy Williams

354 reviews10 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

April 3, 2026

This book deserves so many more than 5 stars. A prequel to the Cake series we meet Michelle and Scott, parents to the McKallister clan who we met in the original series.
Michelle is from money, Scott is a broke surfer dude/ wannabe rockstar. Their worlds should never have collided but when it did fate stepped in and so begins a love story for the ages. This books takes us through roughly 20yrs of hard times, tragedy, triumph and a love that somehow survives a life that would floor most people.
Michelle has been brought up in a culture that demands behaviour suited to her standing, an arranged marriage and a lifetime of society princess awaits her. Scott is broke, living in the worst of situations with a very unusual room mate, with dreams that never had a chance. To begin with Scott was her escape route but they fell hard and somehow the clown and the princess have lasted and together made a family so diverse but solid. This story revisits the life altering events from the first in following series, Cake and gives us a slightly different insight to the events that changed their lives for ever.
The humour Scott brings, even to situations it shouldn't be, will have you laughing out loud, along side the moments that I will willing admit had me walking away from the book for a beat, because I couldn't see the words through the tears. The movie/song banners that are the chapter titles are ingenious some old some new but all so on point.
This is a prequel and you will inhale it in one sitting. I would the point you to the Cake, A Love Story and the following books if you haven't already read them. When you are done meeting the kids you will probably want to read What Lasts again, by that time you will love Scott and Michelle even more.

Deborah

Author 1 book30 followers

April 13, 2026

As a fan of J. Bengtsson’s Cake series, I was intrigued by her news that she was writing a prequel about the couple that created all of our favorite characters…Michelle and Scott McCallister, the parents. After six books about the McCallister siblings, you’d think the reader would know everything about Michelle and Scott, but I learned that my knowledge only brushed the surface. What Lasts takes us back to the 80’s and the beginning of it all.

Michelle has grown up in privilege and when she meets Scott, someone who is not among the privileged (at all), she embarass’s herself in front of him, and yet Scott is intrigued. Not thinking she’ll ever show up, he invites her to his gig that night and surprisingly she shows up. This is just the beginning of Michelle showing up for Scott. As we learn from the other novels, Michelle wants more from her future than to marry whomever her parents deem appropriate, so she gives it all up for a single dad who works three jobs in order to be there for his boy, Mitchell. What follows are a couple of decades of having and raising kids, living in poverty, and Scott trying to live up to what he thinks Michelle needs.Then comes the backbone of all of Cake’s novels. Jake’s kidnapping, return, and skyrocketing career to rockstardom. How do Michelle and Scott handle all of the above? The details are in the novel so I’ll let you see if you like how their story is told. I’ll admit, I found it kind of lackluster.

I love these books, but what I really like about them are the relationships between all of the siblings. Was I curious about Michelle and Scott? A little bit? Scott was obviously a character so it was kind of cool to see where all of his unusualness came from. Michelle always came off as a bit of a cool customer. I knew she came from a wealthy background but even after learning about their struggles, and how as a mother she felt during all of the kidnapping trauma, I just never really warmed up to her. So, for me, I didn’t find their story that riveting. What it did do though, is make me want to read all of the sibling novels again, so really it did it’s job! I’ve read them all at least twice as well as listened to the audiobooks. I have my favorites, but I think this time I’m going to read them in order.

Sunny Shelly Reads

2,445 reviews60 followers

come-back-to-this-one dual-timeline family-drama

Having been a fan of the Cake series since book 1 (Casey & Jake's story, aka Cake), and having read the subsequent books about the other McKallister siblings, I was so excited when I heard that J. Benttsson was writing a prequel book about the parents, Scott and Michelle.

Told over the course of several decades, What Lasts really gave an in-depth look into the backbone of the family. I'd known the general story of Michelle and Scott, how he was a single dad (raising the oldest brother, Mitchell) when they'd first met, and Scott was not the kind of guy her well-to-do parents deemed appropriate for their socialite daughter to date. So I really enjoyed getting deeper into all of that in this book, and what led to Michelle's estrangement from her family. (Man, her mom is a piece of work!)

As the story unfolds, the reader goes on a rollercoaster of ups and downs as Michelle and Scott struggle in the early days of their marriage. And then, in later years, the horrible event surrounding their son, Jake, and how they dealt with that horrible tragedy that seemed to define the McKallister family.

As much as What Lasts is the origin story of Scott and Michelle's romance, it is also a lovely testament to the bonds of the McKallister family. The nostalgia of the 1980s and 1990s was a bonus! While What Lasts is a prequel to the Cake series, I would definitely recommend reading it *after* the other books in the series. And now that I have read them all, I will most definitely be coming back to What Lasts and reading the whole series in order!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Celeste Davidson

471 reviews4 followers

⭐️This will probably have spoilers, so please be aware.⭐️

I love all of this book. There isn’t anything i didn’t like. It came with ALL of the feelings. It answered some questions i always had about how this two unlikely people came together and how they held it all together during all the crazy. I love finding out how Mitch came about, that has always been a huge question mark. I absolutely cried during the part where Michelle is on the phone with Jake and he is getting rescued. I think the fact that i had seen it from all the other angles with all of his siblings that to now see it on the parents side made it all full circle.

Something i do wish had been here is that Quinn and Grace have musical talent as well, and seen the unfolding of future careers for both of them. It would have been a really nice lead in to their books. This is about the parents but none of it talked about helping Keith through rehab or him almost dying on tour with Jake. I did like the more in-site to Mitch and his mom April. It felt more focused on Jake’s issues. And not on all of the kids. Also I don’t really see the “Scott” funny coming out till the end. Also would like to have seen Michelle being a teacher or her community service project.

Regardless of any of that it was such an amazing book. And I can’t wait to take my new knowledge of the family and read the other books again. I love seeing them grow as people and as parents. You see so many changes, and it makes sense how they became who they are in the other books. I am just so happy to have this addition to the Cake collection.

Thank you to the author for a wonderful book.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

Kimberly

1,220 reviews54 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

Everything was fine… until this book gently pulled the rug out from under me and said, “you thought love stories ended at happily ever after?” J. Bengtsson’s What Lasts completely undid me in the quietest, most unforgettable way. Published by J. Bengtsson Books, thank you to the author and Grey’s Promotions for the gifted ARC.

This is one of those stories that feels deceptively simple at first—girl meets boy, sparks fly, opposites attract—but don’t get comfortable, because this book is playing the long game. Michelle Carver is raised in a world of expectations and appearances, while Scott McKallister is pure, unfiltered freedom wrapped in sarcasm and sunburn. Their connection is instant, messy, magnetic… and honestly, a little chaotic in the best way.

But this isn’t about the fall. It’s about everything that comes after.

Reading this felt like being invited into someone’s life—not just the highlight reel, but the in-between moments that actually matter. The laughter that sneaks up on you, the tension that simmers under the surface, the quiet decisions that shape everything. It’s layered, emotional, and so incredibly human. I found myself completely wrapped up in their world, not because it was perfect, but because it wasn’t.

Scott is the kind of character who steals every scene without even trying—funny, loyal, a little reckless, but grounded by the way he loves. Michelle, though, is the one who surprised me most. Her strength isn’t loud or flashy—it builds slowly, steadily, until you realize she’s carrying more than anyone ever sees.

And the family dynamic? That’s where this book really shines. It’s warm, chaotic, occasionally overwhelming, and deeply rooted in love. The kind of dynamic that feels familiar, even if it’s not your own.

“From the day I met Scott, life asked me to choose.”

That line lingers, because it captures the entire heartbeat of this story without giving anything away. It’s not about perfect love—it’s about intentional love. The kind that requires showing up, again and again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re someone who wants more than surface-level romance—if you crave stories that feel lived-in, emotionally rich, and grounded in real connection—this is absolutely for you. It’s for readers who understand that love isn’t just about finding the right person, but what you build together over time.

I finished this book feeling full, a little wrecked, and oddly comforted all at once.

So tell me—are you drawn to love stories for the spark… or for what survives after it?

#WhatLasts #JBengtsson #BookReview #ARCReader #GreysPromotions #ContemporaryRomance #EmotionalReads #CharacterDriven #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #RomanceReads #FiveStarRead #MustRead2026

Sarah Poulton-Williams

857 reviews8 followers

April 16, 2026

All the stars! This book is so much more than a five star. This is where the McKallisters began. The sacrifices and challenges that formed the bond between Michelle and Scott that meant they could survive the events of this series overall.

The Cake series will remain one of my all time favourites. The central event of Jake's kidnapping is usually the defining moment for each of the books in the series. We get to experience the event from each person's perspective and see how it shapes and changes them. What Lasts is a little different. A good portion of this book happens before the kids are even born. This is a drifting teenage dad and a rebellious society girl experiencing life together and learning that love is the greatest of foundations to take on the world.

In all honesty, I've always felt a little salty towards Michelle. I didn't want to like her. But this book shows she is the strongest and most incredible of mothers (and a pretty fabulous wife too). She loves deeply and is a lioness when it comes to protecting her family. And Scott is Scott. If you've read a Cake book you know his humour and optimism. What I never appreciated, however, is the sacrifices he made and how deeply he loved all his kids. Starting with Mitch, who we get to see grow up through this book. He gets a bit of backstory missing from the series. And oh how he is loved by his Dad.

This book is beautiful. It will have your eyes burning with tears and your stomach aching with laughter. You experience it all alongside these fabulous characters.

Terry

1,531 reviews

Review of advance copy

April 6, 2026

5+ Stars … a must read!

This is my favorite read for 2026 and I would’ve given it more stars if I could! I loved how it spanned the lives of Scott and Michelle from teenagers to adults in the late 40s. We got the ups and downs of their whole love story. Life isn’t all of a sudden perfect once you get married. The banter between the characters is very realistic and the storyline is very believable. My heart broke for the things that this family went through and there were times I was literally sobbing … and times where I was laughing. This book gave me all the emotions.

I didn’t realize that this is the prequel to the Cake series … which I haven’t read. But I will be reading the whole series now! I just can’t say enough about this fabulous book.

Michelle and Scott meet at a gas station when Michelle thinks that Scott is the gas attendant. Michelle is from a wealthy family and does not understand what it’s like to be a regular person. Scott is from the wrong side of the tracks and has to fight for everything he has. The attraction between Michelle and Scott is immediate. When Michelle‘s parents give her the ultimatum that if she doesn’t marry who they tell her to, she will be disowned. Michelle chooses Scott and this is their love story.

I received an ARC courtesy of Greys Promotion.

Rhea

13 reviews

I went into What Lasts already loving the Cake series, and it honestly didn’t disappoint at all. Getting Michelle and Scott’s story felt really special, they’ve always been such important background characters, so seeing everything through their eyes added so much depth.

The book follows them from when they first meet all the way through to the timeline we know from the series, and it really does feel like an epic love story. I really couldn’t put it down. It’s not just about the big moments either - it’s the way their relationship grows over time, through everything life throws at them, that really got me.

What hit hardest was revisiting that awful incident involving one of their children. If you’ve read the series, you know the one. Seeing how they both dealt with this as parents, and what came after, made it even more emotional this time around. It added a whole new layer to something that was already heartbreaking.

By the time I finished, I didn’t feel ready to leave their world at all, so I went straight back and started rereading the Cake series, and it honestly made those books even better with this added perspective.

If you already love the series, this feels like a must-read. And if you just want a really emotional, all-consuming love story, this one absolutely delivers.

Review of advance copy received from Author

Tammy -

1,127 reviews142 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

April 6, 2026

This is one of those books that I didn't know that I needed, but oh, how I did.

I'll admit that I have not read every book in the Cake series yet, but I have read a few of them. You honestly don't need to read any of them before this book, but I think that it might make for a better experience if you've at least made yourself familiar with the McKallister family before diving into What Lasts.

This is the McKallister parents' story so we finally get to see how their romance started. I've always respected these parents for their ability to survive the unimaginable, but now I have an even greater admiration for them. Scott and Michelle are definite couple goals, but their struggles are what makes this story such an emotional read. Beyond the horrific tragedy that their family faces, just their day to day hardships make this story so relatable as a parent.

Even with all of the drama and tears (yes, I cried more than once), there are still so many moments throughout this book that had me chuckling to myself or even laughing out loud. It's that mix of humor and heartache that made this book one that I will not soon forget.

Now, I just need to go back and catch up with the rest of this family's books.

Kazz

576 reviews8 followers

What Lasts is the prequel to the Cake series. This is the story of the McKallister parents Scott and Michelle this is a fun, sweet, at times romantic, at times raw telling of over over 20 years of an incredibly strong, healthy love story that will grab your heart!
Scott and Michelle meet as teenagers when Michelle has decided she is not going to marry someone her mother has set her up with because he is from the right family, she escapes in her mother’s car but it doesn’t have much gas, she has no idea how to fill gas, she runs into Scott, a metalhead, surfer who works multiple jobs and struggles to get by. He pumps her gas for her and convinces her to go on an adventure with him. This book follows their lives from the very beginning, falling in love, getting married, hard times, happy times with the birth of their children, some big bumps along the way, and then having to face something that no family should have to face and how they cope with that tragedy. I laughed with some of their banter, I shed a tear with some of the really heartbreaking parts of the story but I couldn’t put the book down once I started it.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book via BookFunnel and Grey’s Promotion and I am writing this review voluntarily

Amber Crook

933 reviews14 followers

April 17, 2026

Okay, so if you haven’t read anything by J. yet, you really need to get on it. She is so underrated, and every one of her books I’ve read I can’t put down. She has a way of writing that engrosses me in her stories. This is a prequel to Cake (which I also highly recommend)

Tropes:
🌸 Opposite Sides of the Tracks
🌸 Dark Drama
🌸 Domestic Thriller
🌸 For Better or Worse

Cake (the first book) follows rock star, Jake. What Lasts gives us the back story of his parents, and eventually Jake’s childhood. I’m an idiot and didn’t realize this was a prequel to Cake, so it was fun to have no clue what was coming…until Jake was born. And then I was like, OMG, I know what’s going to happen 😢 This book, like all of J’s books, was so emotional, showing how love can conquer through hard times. Michelle, an oil/hotel heiress, and Scott, a metal band member and barely scraping by, choose each other and we get taken through all their struggles. We see them really young and trying to make ends meet, their sweet family as it grows, and the drama/trauma that comes later. It was so neat to get Jake’s childhood story from the parents’ point of view.

🌶️.5

Thank you, J and Grey's Promo, for sending me a copy of the book!

Bookishkfae Fae

55 reviews5 followers