Ruined By You

Reckless Love #3

by Laurea Matthews

Sometimes the only thing left to do is return to the place you once called home.

Bailey Walker
It’s been two years since I left home after mistakenly believing lies I thought were truths. I promised myself I wouldn’t hurt my family again, and that after everything I’ve done, staying away was the only option.
Until now, when the little boy who saved me from my spiral of self-destruction needs help I can’t give him, but I know who can. I don’t deserve their help, but it’s my turn to rescue Javi, even if it means facing my family and the girl I’ve been running from.

Kaitlyn Price
My life plan so far is as solid as cracked glass being held together with duct tape. Everyone around me, including my boyfriend, Hunter Walker, seems to have it all figured out.
I’m terrified of the future, and as if it isn’t hard enough to figure out what I want, the return of Bailey Walker shatters my plan. I’m torn between the past, the present, and my own happiness as the truth from two years ago threatens to burn us all alive.

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Friends To Lovers

454 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2026

Reviews

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.25 Stars ⭐️

Thank you so much to Laurea Matthews and Love Notes PR for this ARC!

I was so excited to finally read Bailey's perspective and get his side of the story. After everything that happened, it was interesting to see his thoughts, emotions and struggles from his point of view.

This is a very emotional read and I recommend checking the trigger warnings before diving in.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline. A love triangle involving siblings is definitely a difficult trope to pull off, but I think Laurea handled it well. There were moments when I found myself feeling kind of sad for Hunter, I know, I know, but that's honestly how I felt.

The connection between Kaitlyn and Bailey was truly special and I was so happy to finally see them find happiness together while Bailey worked through his trauma and began to heal.

Bailey's deep insecurities were portrayed with care and sensitivity and he definitely deserved his happy ending. Javi was also such an important part of Bailey's journey and a great addition to the story.

Overall, I loved how supportive the entire family was. Every character played an important role.

I'm very excited for the next book in the series and hope to see all of the Walkers continue to heal so they can finally find the peace and happiness they deserve.

Perfect for fans of:
• Love Triangle
• Dual Timeline
• Childhood Friends to Lovers
• Second Chance Romance
• Grumpy x Sunshine

[whaterireads | Eri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for this arc!

It pains me to write this review because I love this series ok, but I do not like Bailey! He was so infuriating and acted like a spoiled child, and I know, I KNOW he was 17/18 when he went through everything but man, look at your parents and how they treat you all! Just talk to them, you don’t need to burn a house (I know it was an accident) and when he came back he didn’t talk either! The miscommunication was too much! And Kaitlyn and Hunter 🫩 I have no words! This book was frustrating but it’s very well written and I obviously going to read Hunter’s book, I’m really intrigued by what’s going on with him 👀

I loved seeing Henry and Mirabel again 💖 I love them!

Again thank you love notes for the arc 💞

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *Ruined By You* - Laurea Matthews - ARC [18+]
4.9/5✨
3/5🌶️

Bailey ran away from his family and no one new anything about him and where he might be. Except from his rare phone calls to one of his brothers, Bailey didn't show any proof of life. That was until something unexpected happened to him and he was, kind of, forced to come back home and ask for help. But there Bailey was hit with a though image, where the girl he liked was now his twin's girlfriend. Will Bailey be able to accommodate with his family again and fight against all the pain he was still feeling? Will he be able to get his own happy ending?

It was finally the time to find out Bailey's side of the story, about which I was super curious, because of his mysterious departure. I later found out the reasons why Bailey felt like it was better for him to leave and I felt really heartbroken for him. I must say that I hated Hunter, his twin brother, for what he did to Bailey... It was so, so wrong🫤 and that made me feel so bad for Bailey, because he was so lost and felt unloved. I was captivated by this entangled story, having so many details which had to be noted and digested, because everything has pilled up for Bailey and I felt like it was inevitable for him to have a breakdown. I definitely was super emotional in many instances, because of what I gradually find out about him. I also liked the love triangle he was part of, having a quite difficult job in seeing how the girl he loved was in the arms of another man, especially when that someone was related to him.

I was looking forward to this book, because the last one ended in a quite cliffhanger and I just wanted to find out more about Bailey's story. It was heartbreaking and I expected that, because this whole series is filled with angst and difficult feelings to fight against. I enjoyed so much this book, constantly being surprised by each new detail I uncovered.

Thank youuu so much Laurea and Love Notes Pr for accepting me and for sending me this e-ARC. It was definitely really beautiful and I loved it so much.🥹💗

✨Tropes
▫️Love Triangle
▫️Second Chance
▫️Mental Health Rep
▫️Angsty Romance
▫️Childhood Friends To Lovers
▫️Forbidden Love
▫️Slow Burn
▫️Tortured Hero

[Nicole Scarborough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Bailey and Kaitlyn. With the things Bailey did in the previous books it was nice to see his POV. He struggled a lot and it was so nice to see him get what he wanted. I absolutely loved Javi and how everyone accepted him. The chemistry was good and it was well written.

[Ashleyschaptersbookclub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay well this one emotionally curb stomped me and I honestly think Laurea owes me financial compensation for the amount of tears I shed reading this book.

Because WHY was I sitting there angry at Bailey for basically this entire series just for this woman to drop his perspective and suddenly have me wanting to wrap him in a blanket and defend him with my life??? The emotional whiplash this man put me through needs to be studied.

Every single chapter felt like another punch directly to my feelings. Bailey carrying around all that guilt and hurt while genuinely believing everyone was better off without him absolutely wrecked me. And then having to watch him come home and face everything he ran from??? Sick. Twisted. Rude honestly.

AND JAVI. DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED. That child had me crying every five business minutes. Once everything started unraveling??? Immediate sobbing. Bailey and family back together?? THROWING UP. Mira and Henry with Javi???? I actually had to put my kindle down and immediately message Laurea letting her know what she was doing to me.

But what makes this even worse is the fact that the emotional moments felt SO real. Nothing felt overdone. It was messy and painful and full of love and healing and family trauma and people trying their absolute hardest even when they’re failing. The happy scenes made me cry just as much as the heartbreaking ones which honestly says everything about how deeply this book makes you feel.

And Kaitlyn and Bailey? The history between them, the unresolved feelings, the hurt underneath every interaction… I was LOSING MY MIND. I needed them to figure it out immediately for my own emotional wellbeing.

I swear Laurea sat down and said “how can I emotionally ruin Ashley specifically?” and then wrote this book. Because there is absolutely no reason I should have been crying this hard over basically every other sentence.

Infinite stars. Bailey Walker redemption arc of the century. I will now be submitting my therapy bill accordingly.

A huge thank you to Laurea and Love Notes PR for the eARC!

[Ciara Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much for this ARC!!!

For the first two books, I’ll be honest… I was not a Bailey fan. At all. I found him frustrating, immature, and impossible to understand. Then Laurea Matthews did something I wasn’t expecting: she handed us Bailey’s perspective and completely wrecked every opinion I thought I had.

This book was an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. Watching Bailey carry around so much guilt, pain, and self-hatred while genuinely believing the people he loved would be better off without him absolutely broke my heart. What I expected to be a redemption arc turned into a story about grief, family, forgiveness, and finding your way back home.

And Javi? That child had me crying every other chapter. The relationship between Bailey and Javi was one of the most emotional parts of the entire book for me. Every step toward healing felt hard-earned, and when things finally started coming together, I was an emotional mess in the best possible way.

I was initially nervous when I realized the story was told through a dual timeline because those can sometimes feel confusing, but Laurea handled it beautifully. The timelines flowed naturally and added so much depth to Bailey’s journey. Instead of feeling complicated, it made every revelation hit even harder.

The family dynamics were another standout. Seeing Henry, Mirabel, and the rest of the family again reminded me why I fell in love with this series in the first place. The emotional moments felt real & not overly dramatic, just raw and honest. The happy moments made me cry just as much as the heartbreaking ones.

And then there’s Kaitlyn and Bailey. The history between them, the unresolved feelings, the hurt, the love, every interaction had me completely invested. Their relationship felt genuine and earned, and by the end I was rooting for them with my whole heart.

If I have one complaint, it’s that Laurea Matthews owes me compensation for the amount of tears I shed while reading this book.

Ruined By You took a character I spent multiple books frustrated with and made me want to wrap him in a blanket and protect him at all costs. It’s emotional, heartbreaking, healing, and beautifully written. Bailey Walker’s redemption arc is one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Now excuse me while I impatiently wait for Hunter’s story because after everything that happened here, I need answers immediately. 💛📚

[Sarah LaFata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a love/hate relationship with book series. Sometimes I forget what the previous books were about and there can be a long time between releases. I read Chasing After You and Before You and absolutely loved them, so I was incredibly happy to get the chance to read Ruined By You. We saw bits and pieces of Bailey throughout the first two books, but we didn’t get enough of the picture. When I stated this book and saw that it was a dual timeline, I was a bit worried. Sometimes dual timelines can be confusing because they go back and forth and it’s hard to keep the timeline straight in your head. Laurea did an amazing job with the dual timeline. I felt it flowed well and was easy to keep things straight. I absolutely loved getting to read Bailey’s story and see more of what was going on in his head. I was so incredibly sad with how lost he was and how unwanted he felt. My heart literally broke for him. I was so upset with Hunter, and that’s all I’ll say because I don’t want to spoil it. I’m so glad Bailey was able to find Javi as well as his way back to his family. My heart was healed by the end of this book. It was such a great read. I’m also happy to learn that Hunter is getting his own book and I’m just crossing my fingers that Hunter and Bailey’s relationship will be mended. Also, I absolutely love Kaitlin and she and Bailey were always meant to be. Their love was genuine and they both deserved their happiness. Great job, Laurea!!

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Laurea Matthews and LoveNotes PR for an arc!!

I want to preface this by saying that I have not read the other two books in this series. Do I think you should read them before reading this? Yes. I was slightly confused about the scandal that was mentioned several time throughout the book, but that is of my own doing lol.

This book gave the vibes of the third “the summer I turned pretty” book, but aged up. However, I think it is hard to classify this book as just a romance. It is so much more and truly, the romance doesn’t pick up until about the 60% mark. This story is about learning to find yourself again and coming to terms with mistakes that were made in the past and mending broken relationships. I thought all of that was handled with so much care and empathy. You could tell how much thought was put into everything. I did like getting to see Bailey reconnect with Kaitlyn and his family and I loved Javi so much. The only thing that felt off to me was the characters ages. They felt older than 20 to me. Though, that could just be from their life experiences.

If you are looking for an emotional and hard-hitting romance, definitely pick this up.

[Alana Lewis-Haynes (Smut Lover Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to Laurea Matthews and Love Notes PR for providing me with an ARC for an honest review!

I was dying for this book since the ending of the first book in the series!! I was feral for Bailey's story and Laurea did not disappoint!

It was a rollercoaster of emotions. I was so emotional throughout the whole book and I refused to put it down! Bailey and Kait have so much chemistry and were so damn sexy together. They truly knew each other right down to the bone! I loved seeing them finally admit to each other how they felt

Laurea continues to rip your heart out with her books and I always like Laurea has changed me show how after every book!

[Jordan Vogel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm just not thinking this series is for me... this last book was just... wow.

It's twin brother's girlfriend, childhood friends to lovers. So I knew it was going to be angsty and dramatic but the MMC dating his twin's ex-girlfriend was the LEAST dramatic part of this story. In book 1 of the series, Bailey, the MMC, runs away from home at 18 years old because of some secret his parents aren't sharing and comes to find out, the secret was a lie and he was manipulated by a jaded ex of his dad's. THEN when he finds out about the secret being a lie, he becomes a homeless s*x worker (which, no shame, but in this case seemed unnecessary?), and then takes a homeless little boy under his wing for a year or so before bringing the boy to his family because he needs medical help. It just seemed a little... excessive for the MMC to go through that when he has parents and siblings who were looking for him and wanting him to come home.

I didn't love Bailey... at all, Kaitlyn was boring and for being the FMC she faded into the background of the other chaos a lot, and Bailey's twin brother, Hunter was the most likable out of this group and even he was an asshole. So.. I think I'm done with this series, unfortunately..

[Anna Autero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Ruined by You book 3 in the Reckless Love series by Laurea Matthews. I was extremely invested in Bailey’s story from book 1 in the series and while this is an interconnected standalone I believe this storyline is so much more impactful having read the previous books first, as Bailey’s actions have major impacts through the first two stories in this series as well as their parents books, the Bad at Love duologys which gives you more insight into the events and deceit that drive Bailey’s choices. This was such a great book. I was so invested in what was going on with Bailey and the dynamic between him, his twin Hunter and Kaitlyn.
Their story was very much an it’s always been you type love, even with the obstacles in their way and I loved the dual timeline and how the revelations kept me hooked to the end.
Overall a great read in a great series, my favorite of the siblings so far!

[est · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a roller coaster! i was flipping between the then and now chapters on the edge of my seat! i was engrossed and loved uncovering the secrets that had been building from book one in the series.

this was a very slow slow burn but it unfolded so beautifully. and i am once again declaring my love for the walker family <3

[Danielle Grunewald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartbreaking book about feeling lost when no one sees you and the consequences of your actions. Bailey is a very relatable character to read about and I’m sure many people will relate to him. I really loved the interweaving of past a present and felt it helped move the story forward. I do wish we hadn’t gotten dual perspective as it took away from the family dynamics and the romance wasn’t really hitting for me.

Thank you love notes PR for the Arc copy.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never been a huge fan of the love triangle trope, but this book handled it perfectly. It really felt like we went on a journey alongside Bailey and Kaitlyn, and the transitions between the past and present were seamless and easy to follow. Bailey and Javi’s relationship was incredibly sweet, and there were so many emotional moments throughout the story that genuinely pulled me in. More than anything, I loved watching the journey between Bailey and Kaitlyn unfold — it felt authentic, emotional, and beautifully developed

[Page Jedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved seeing this author's twist on a love triangle. This book was a bit of a different one for this author and I really enjoyed getting to see how she tackled these heavy topics, while of course lacing it with a TON of drama (my favorite)
This book has been a long awaited one for me in this series. There have been SO many secrets and hints to things I was trying to put my finger on but just could never quite connect the dots. I love that I have been kept guessing this entire series, I also loved that we got sprinkled tid-bits of information and secrets all throughout this book.
The way my jaw absolutely dropped while reading, I can't even tell you I WAS FREAKING OUT!
In previous books I never liked Bailey (our mmc) but in this book I really came to understand him and enjoyed being in his head and getting to know him, understanding why he made the choices he did.
I also loved Kaitlyn, watching her battle her feelings, while also being so young was tough. I felt for her and was truly hoping she would be able to make the right choices that would make her happy in the end. (Even if it hurt characters I love)
As usual getting to keep up with all my other favorite characters and see their stories unfolding is so special. Thalia and Bash as parents is one of my personal favorite things to see.
The storyline was SO dang good, had me on the edge of my seat and absolutely flying through this book. The mysterious element that was woven into every page made this such a different type of romance read, keeping me engaged, excited, screaming and feeling all the emotions our characters dealt with (and there were a LOT)
Switching from past to present was a great plot for this story and had me understanding so many things I had always wondered about, while also giving me so much new information.
I absolutely love everything this author writes and I will be here reading anything she ever puts out.
Thank you endlessly Laurea for allowing me to beta read, this was such a special experience and I can finally say I now understand Bailey and even like him!
These opinions are my own.

[Brita Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the only thing left to do is return to the place you once called home.

It’s been two years since Bailey Walker left home after mistakenly believing lies, he thought were truths. Bailey promised himself he wouldn’t hurt his family again, and that after everything he’s done, staying away was the only option.

Until now, when the little boy who saved him from his spiral of self-destruction needs help, he can’t give him, but he knows who can. Bailey doesn’t deserve their help, but it’s his turn to rescue Javi, even if it means facing his family and the girl Bailey’s been running from.


Kaitlyn Price’s life plan so far is as solid as cracked glass being held together with duct tape. Everyone around her, including her boyfriend, Hunter Walker, seems to have it all figured out.

Kaitlyn’s terrified of the future, and as if it isn’t hard enough to figure out what she wants, the return of Bailey Walker shatters her plan. Kaitlyn’s torn between the past, the present, and her own happiness as the truth from two years ago threatens to burn them all alive.

YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times.
Reader discretion is advised. Intended for readers 18+.

Tropes: Love Triangle, Dual Timelines, Childhood Friends-to-Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Grumpy x Sunshine, Revelations, Emotional, Genuine, Authentic, Incredibly Sweet, Authentic, Unrequited Love, MMC Wants his Best Friend Back, Found Family, Healing, Learning from Mistakes, Secrets, Right Person/Wrong Time, Heartbreaking, Messy, Frustrating, Raw, Beautiful, Hopeful, Manipulation, Mistrust, MMC was Guarded, Yearning, FMC is a Beautiful Soul, Gaslighting, Chemistry, Emotional Tension, Caught Between Past & Present, Emotional Stakes, MMC is Facing Old Wounds, No Easy Decisions, Romance, Family Dynamics, Emotional Growth, Complicated Relationships, Family Drama, Strong Chemistry, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, New Adult, MF Romance, Competent FMC, Independent FMC, Athlete MMC.

Ruined By You is the 3rd book in the Reckless Love Series by Laurea Matthews.

“Ruined By You” is Bailey’s perspective and through that perspective we get to learn Bailey’s side of the story. And after everything we’ve already learned and everything we’ve watched happen, I found it really very interesting to see everything through Bailey’s eye’s, his emotions, and the way he struggled all from his POV.

“Ruined By You” is such a beautiful and emotional read and I do have to warn you to check the trigger warnings before you start reading this book.

One of the things I found enjoyable about this read was the dual timeline, the love triangle between Bailey, Hunter (our two siblings), and Kaitlyn. The love triangle isn’t always the easiest trope to properly pull off, but I honestly think that Laurea pulled it off really well. Laurea pulled out all the right emotions from me at all the right moments, including managing making me feel bad for Hunter at times. And yes, I know I shouldn’t feel bad for Hunter, but I can’t help the way I felt at times.

It was the connection between Kaitlyn and Bailey that was so truly special and beautiful and I can’t help but confess how happy I was when they finally found their happiness together while Bailey slowly worked through all his trauma and found his way on his own healing journey.

Laurea took a great deal of care, consideration, and sensitivity when portraying Bailey’s bone deep insecurities. And after reading everything he’s been through you know that Bailey has earned his own HEA the hard way. And Javi was such an integral part of Bailey’s journey and I don’t think Bailey would have been able to finally find his HEA without Javi.

I really loved how supportive the entire family and Kaitlyn was. And more than that, I love how all the primary characters and all the secondary characters played such important roles in the story and helped to move the story forward at all times.

Laurea did an amazing job in her character creation. She fleshed out all the characters, leaving them all room to grow and further develop in the story naturally and each character had character arcs that fit the part they played in the story. And what I truly loved was how the characters all fit perfectly in the storyline, the plot, and the sub-plot.

“Ruined By You” is truly Bailey Walker’s redemption arc and story of the series and it was executed perfectly. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would gladly give this book 100 stars. It is well earned.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and I want to see all of the Walker family continue to heal, find the peace and happiness that they all deserve after all the pain and hurt, they’ve suffered. I would also love to see Hunter find his own HEA.

A few of my few favorite quotes are:

“Don’t tell me to let the past go when it’s the only place I still had you.”

“Nothing good will come from keeping everything locked inside.”

“I made a mistake by thinking I could carry the world on my shoulders, and it ended up crushing me because I felt like I had to be perfect for everyone.”

“We never stopped loving you. There’s nothing you could say or do that would change the love we have for you.”

“I see you, Bailey. I see the good, the bad, and the in-between. I don’t expect you to be anyone other than who you are now.”

“If you’re the sun, then I’m the moon because I don’t shine without you,”

“I think I like the idea of us being each other’s sun instead of star-crossed lovers,”

[Gina Blades · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm still your best friend?"
"Yeah. Just because you left, it didn't change. It's okay if I'm not yours anymore.”

4.25⭐️ 1.5🌶️ ARC REVIEW: 📖 RUINED BY YOU 📖 by Laurea Matthews✨ This is book 3 in the Reckless Love series. While I didn’t read the first two books, I was able to follow along and completely immerse myself in this book. It’s a raw, heartfelt journey of love, loss, trauma, secrets, complicated family dynamics, and second chances. Forgiving mistakes of the past - AND YOURSELF - to move forward. I didn’t know this story would touch me so deeply. I had an immediate connection to the characters, and was invested in their lives. Bailey returns home after running away 2 years ago, and doesn’t expect anything but hatred and disappointment, only to realize his family never stopped looking for him. Seeing Kaitlyn and Bailey find their way back to each other was moving. You feel Bailey’s pain, and want to comfort him. You feel his longing and absolute yearning for Kaitlyn. They have that all-consuming, can’t breathe kind of love. They were inevitable. She was his person and safe space. Soul mates. This is a well-written love triangle done right, with an emotional payoff and HEA. I highly recommend! Two people written in the stars ✨. Chefs kiss 🤌🏻 (Have tissues handy, though)

I love the dedication!:
For anyone who has ever felt lost and needed a little more time to find their way. You're exactly where you're supposed to be.

Kaitlyn Price and Bailey Walker are best friends. But she’s also best friends with his twin brother, Hunter. Bailey loves her but won’t put their friendship at risk, so he suppressed his feelings, willing to accept the pieces she gives him. He thinks he isn’t good enough - that he never will be good enough for Kaitlyn. So he tries to accept that he missed his chance and she’s with Hunter. He puts everyone’s happiness over his own. 🥺 He won’t let himself be happy or let anyone in - he’s in a dark place and isolating himself, not even Kaitlyn can get through to him.

Bailey lives in his siblings’ shadows. He feels like the black sheep of his family - playing soccer ⚽️ instead of football 🏈 like his dad and brothers. He even quit soccer thinking they would pay attention. He thinks he’s hard to love because he feels things differently than his siblings - they are calm and he’s full of rage. He felt invisible, just wanted his parents to notice him! He thinks his family doesn’t need or want him, that they’d be happier if he left. He has guilt and shame, he feels damaged and unlovable. He thinks he doesn’t deserve forgiveness or a second chance. 😭

❤️ Bailey feels everything so deeply
❤️ She wears his sweatshirt
❤️ Beach house
❤️ They surf 🏄‍♂️
❤️ Sunflowers 🌻
❤️ She paints
❤️ Good girl/praise 😮‍💨
❤️ Clean fingers 🖐️👅
❤️ When he eats 🐱 for the first time he tells her it was the greatest moment of his life. 🫠
❤️ “You’re mine. You always were.”

Favorite quotes:
"I've been ruined by you. There isn't anyone else for me. You have fucking ruined me, sunshine, but I'd do it all over again if it meant we ended up in the exact same place."

I know they love me, but I also know their three other kids are easier to love than me.

I love Kaitlyn, but I know better than to say anything about my feelings. I'd rather have the pieces of her than none of them, especially when I'm feeling more and more alone with each passing day.

It's easier to isolate myself than to give other people the chance to leave me.

"I love her, Bailey."
(I know, but I love her too.)

When she traced the scar on my forehead that serves as a reminder of how worthless I believed I was. Someone unworthy of a family that loved them when all along, my family never stopped looking for me.

"I promise I'm not leaving you. The way I feel for you isn't something I can survive walking away from a second time. I fucking promise."

I'm choosing this. I chose Kaitlyn because she makes me happy, and she's choosing me.

“I thought sunflowers would be perfect for you because you're my sunshine."
"You're my favorite person.”
"You're mine too."

Read this if you like:
*Childhood friends to lovers
*Tortured hero
*Dual POV/timeline
*Love triangle
*Forbidden romance
*Slow burn
*Angst/tension
*Healing/forgiveness
*Family secrets
*Mental health/therapy rep

Content warning: arson, child with medical issues, homelessness, child abuse (off-page), s-x work, addiction/recovery, depression, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, runaway

Thank you to Laurea and Love Notes PR for letting me read/review. All opinions are my own.

[sambavi (semi-ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ★

"I cling to the sunshine surrounding her, hoping it's enough to banish the shadows constantly lurking for the moment."

This series had been such an enjoyable read for me and I was so thrilled to receive an eARC for this! Thank you so much to Love Notes PR and the author!

I would definitely recommend reading the other two books before this one because it tied in so perfectly with the rest of the series (and I've been so unbelievably excited to read about Bailey!!) This book is quite heavy however and I felt the sensitive nature of Bailey's work for example were discussed realistically in how they impact his character and views on intimacy. I also loved the contrast we continue seeing between Bailey and Hunter, Bailey's twin brother, as it was hinted so heavily in the previous books but incredible to see from Bailey's perspective itself (especially his specific feelings towards Hunter and Kaitlyn's relationship).

Themes and tropes to expect:
- dual POV and dual timeline
- twin brother's girlfriend (very much a love triangle)
- childhood friends to lovers
- second chance romance vibes (right person, wrong time)
- slow burn
- grumpy x sunshine
- much angst
- mental health rep
- heavy miscommunication

We find in the previous book of the series that Bailey had run away from home and Kaitlyn ends up in a relationship with Hunter after getting rejected by Bailey. Bailey returns back years later with Javi, a small boy and needs help from his family to raise him. We find that Bailey had run away from home due to a web of lies he gets caught in, forcing him to face the struggles that made him leave to begin with. This brings Kaitlyn and Bailey close together again, also forcing them to face their complicated feelings for each other with how long it's been.

I'm not usually one for love triangles but I loved the way it was executed and how we saw the impact of it on Hunter and Bailey. It added so much depth to the story as there was the heartbreak and healing that comes between Bailey and Kaitlyn but also between the brothers. This book truly did justice for Bailey's character as we saw the difficulties he faced once leaving home, truly showing that despite how sheltered and wealthy someone can appear that circumstances are vastly different once on your own. The homelessness theme was large in this story but it was explored heavily and added a sense of realism and made me sympathetic to Bailey's character. I do wish it was longer however as I felt some topics could have been better fleshed out as some seemed more additive than contributory.

"Then I froze and almost pulled away when she traced the scar on my forehead that serves as a reminder of how worthless I believe I was. Someone unworthy of a family that loved them when all along, my family never stopped looking for me."

With the characters themselves, I didn't like Bailey's character much in previous books. He came off as unappreciative and his identity revolved around how unwanted he felt when with his family- there wasn't much we gathered from his character. This was interesting to explore as previous books showed how his family felt about him. With this new perspective from his story, it added to the hurt and difficult decision he made when he left home at 18. His story really helped to understand how betrayed Bailey felt and contributed to his maturity as we see him learn the importance of communication (because the miscommunication was insane wtf) as he repairs his relationship with his family.

"So instead, I've been throwing myself into my art, trying to figure out my feelings that way. Instead of trying to paint Bailey as a whole, I've found it easier to focus on the pieces of him."

Kaitlyn on the other hand is stuck fighting her feelings for Bailey the moment he's back. The tension between the two omg (it was so strong) and the way she helps him in his healing journey was so touching. I loved that the dual timeline was done because it really captured the childhood friends aspect and showed how devastating it was once the trust between them was broken as they try to repair it again.

Overall I'm super excited for Hunter's story (and the groveling PLEASE). This wasn't my favorite in the series (I'm a JJ girly through and through) but it was a well thought out complex healing journey. This review only touches the surface of the things Bailey's gone through so I highly recommend going into this with the trigger warnings in mind.

[Kinley Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I was really excited to read this and find out what happened to Bailey. I feel like this was decent but I just could not get into it as much as I thought I was going to. The story felt pretty slow and honestly I just think I was bored a lot of the time. I didn't feel this a raging connection between Kaitlyn and Bailey and I didn't feel like there was anywhere near enough drama about the fact that Kaitlyn was originally dating Bailey's twin brother Hunter. I just don't feel like I connected to this story and I had higher expectations than what the execution was. Everything felt really really slow and it didn't have me excited to keep picking it up. I was also expecting way crazier story when it came to why Bailey ran away in the first place. I mean I guess it was a little crazy but I just expected more. Also all of the big secrets he was hiding literally the entire book felt like nothing when they finally came to light at the very end. I don't know I guess I just feel like so much of this story dragged on and on and it was just a bunch of filler space until the very end of the book when things finally actually felt like they moved somewhere. Even in the end when things finally started happening at like 85% of the book, I was still bored. I guess I just feel like it took way too long for things to finally progress even a tiny bit, and when we finally got there it was really bland.


Kaitlyn was fine but I definitely didn't fall in love with her. She kind of gave me like NPC vibes. I didn't really get a whole lot of personality from her and she didn't really interest me that much. Sure she liked Bailey and I like how she was always there for him but other than that I don't really have any strong feelings towards her. I guess I just feel a bit indifferent when it came to her character. I also was still confused about the fact that she seemed to know that she wasn't completely in love with Hunter or completely happy with him yet she stayed with him for three years? I don't know I just feel like their breakup was so uneventful and it didn't seem like either of them were that mad about it when I feel like this would've been the chance to bring in some craziness. Sadly that was not the case so in the end I just ended up bored.


Bailey was also fine. I feel like he had a lot more depth to him than Kaitlyn ever did, but I also feel like it took a while to get anywhere with him. I liked getting to see this being told in dual timeline a little bit because it gave some background but I still never felt like it gave enough. Also he was so concerned about his "secrets" when in my opinion they really weren't anything that crazy or terrible. I mean the fire thing yeah that's pretty crazy but it still didn't feel like it was that huge of a deal in the book at all. Especially in the end when you find out the whole story I kind of just sat there like 😐. I don't know I guess I just didn't feel all that surprised to find out what he was doing to survive the last couple years because it just made sense like of course anybody who's homeless is just going to do what they can to survive and that might be what he ended up doing. It just wasn't crazy to me. Also this might be a hot take but I found Javi to be a little bit of a lame addition to the story. I really liked how much Bailey cared for him, but other than that I don't feel like he added that much to the story. And he was like the main focal point of this story in my opinion. I didn't feel like the romance was the main point of this book in general. I didn't feel much chemistry at all and I definitely didn't feel much tension or drama. I feel like this was just some mundane story about some guy who ran away from Home, collected a young child that he cared for, took him home to his Rich parents and helped him out and then ended up with the girl he used to love in high school. I feel like I can't categorize this as much of a romance because it just didn't feel like one.



The spice and this was pretty much nonexistent. I mean they're definitely are a few scenes but nothing crazy. I think there were maybe two or three scenes total. They also didn't happen until literally the very end of the book. It took so long to get there and I was bored. I think the fact that I didn't feel any chemistry between these characters also made me bored with it.


I'm really hoping the next book in this series is going to be better than this one. I probably will read it just so I can finish everything up but I'm sadly not as impressed with this one as I thought I was going to be.

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bailey 😭😭 First I want to address something that I've seen a few people criticizing, and just want to say that mental health doesn't give a shit if you're rich or poor. The deep, inescapable feeling of thinking everyone including your family is better off without you? Also doesn't give a shit how much money you have. Bailey was an 18yr old kid whose brother totally screwed him over in probably the worst way a twin could (and was such an a** about it), his foundation of his family relationships was shaken to the core by lies he was manipulated into believing, and his family was frankly preoccupied with a lot of other drama. It's easy to see how he fell through the cracks, and when your mental health is already suffering its so so easy to spiral. The people who don't understand why Bailey ended up doing what he did are, IMO, lucky enough to have never felt the way he was feeling. I've been in Baileys shoes and the feeling that everyone is better off without you is SO strong. What he did and the way he felt made complete sense to me. And man.... I wanted to crawl in this book and hug him tight until I could convince him that he was worthy of love. Worthy of forgiveness.

Ultimately, I can understand the choices Kaitlyn made and why... but I don't think I can ever understand Hunters betrayal. All Kaitlyn had known for 2 years was Hunter and the grief of her best friend being gone. It's clear as day as soon as Bailey comes back that there are unresolved feelings, but she has no idea what to do or how to feel about that as she and Hunter had leaned on each other those 2 years, leading her to believe she loved her boyfriend. She's already coming to terms that her unresolved feelings for Bailey pose a big problem when Hunter reveals how he betrayed his twin (and essentially her!), and it's the final push she needs to end it. When Baileys final secret is revealed in the most public way, his family rallies around him, now knowing how much he was truly struggling before running away, and reminding him that he IS loved, he IS worthy, and he is NOT alone.

I can't end the review without mentioning Javi, of course. Oh my god, this precious, precious child. My heart hurt so badly for him. Bailey saved his life taking him under his wing, and cared for him like he was true family, such a massive responsibility for a now 20/21yr old. In return, Javi saved him back without even knowing, only for Bailey to push aside all of his own struggle, trauma, and shame to save him again 😭 I saw the plot with Henry and Mirabelle coming but it still wrecked me in the best way.

This book is much, much more than a romance. It's mental health representation. It's betrayal. It's trauma, and subsequent healing. It's hitting rock bottom and getting your footing again. And yeah, there's romance. But it's much deeper than that.

Thank you so much to Love Notes PR and the author for allowing me to read and review. While not everyone will understand Baileys story, it's so important to tell. And I'm grateful to Laurea for telling it ❤

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙜𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

Ruined By You by Laurea Matthews
4.5☆

I feel like I was emotionally body-checked and then sweetly tucked into bed afterward.

This entire series, I’ve been side-eyeing Bailey, just waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. Throughout the first two books, he’s a silent player (no pun intended) but absolutely COMMANDS your attention when he’s on the page. He’s dark, broody (albeit the blonde hair 🤭) and you love to hate him. But nothing. I mean NOTHING will prepare you for the criminal emotional whiplash that is Bailey Walker’s story.

“𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚.”

This book is heavy in the way real life is heavy. Guilt. Grief. Family trauma. The kind of hurt that festers quietly for years until everything finally SHATTERS. Watching Bailey face the fallout of everything he ran from absolutely wrecked me. And the self-deprecation he suffers because he felt unworthy of redemption and forgiveness…just leave me on the floor in my puddle of tears.

“𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚.”

But the thing that makes this series so special, every single time, is the FAMILY. Laurea writes family dynamics in a way that feels painfully real and unbelievably healing all at once. After all the heartbreak and tension, those moments of love, forgiveness, chaos, laughter, and everyone slowly finding their way back to each other felt downright cathartic.

“𝙒𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

The mystery that was woven throughout this series was INSANE. The back and forth between past and present but also, the snippets of interactions from the previous two books, all brought together had moments clicking into place, and suddenly everything made sense.

Messy, painful, healing, hopeful, devastatingly romantic. This book made me cry during the heartbreaking scenes AND the happy ones, which honestly says everything.

“𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝘽𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙮. 𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣-𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬.”

Laurea really said “you WILL suffer emotionally but you’ll thank me for it after.” And fortunately… she was absolutely correct.

*Thank you to Laurea Matthews & Love Notes PR for this arc opportunity.

[Samm Sciarratta · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a journey. I came across Laurea via Instagram last year for her book on Henry & Mira. I loved the story & after reading Bailey ran away I was like wait... is there a story on mom & dad?! Then saw they had TWO books, so I gobbled them up while I waited for JJ's & when I saw Bailey was coming home I sobbed & then got REALLY impatient waiting for his story, that I signed up for this ARC.

Premise: Bailey, returning home at 21 after running away from home at 18 due to believing a lie about his own family & feeling like a black sheep because he wasn't following his father's footsteps (that's okay B, you're like your Mama & that ain't a bad thing!) Instead of coming home after finding out the truth, he had so much guilt & shame that he ran further away & ended up in NY. It's a good thing too because our adorable Javi found him & through Bailey & the Walker family, he gets the care he needs. One of the things Bailey needs to repair when it comes to the relationships in his hometown? His friendship with the only woman he's ever loved... and fix his relationship with her boyfriend... his twin brother, Hunter.

The emotional roller-coaster of this book was a lot, but so SO necessary. You needed to see the whole picture of how Kaitlyn loved Bailey, and thought the crush was unrequited until she & Bailey share a kiss late at night during a time where Bailey felt adrift. You need to see how Hunter played a part in this whole thing & how Bailey no longer harboured hate for his twin, he just wants his best friends back, in any capacity. I loved the back & forth of the past & now, however, sometimes I would get confused because some past scenes would be from when he was with Carter & family, then he'd be in NY the next time we're in the past, then back to Carter. I'd have liked for the past to say a timeline at the beginning like "Past: 2.5yrs ago" and "Past: 8mo ago" or something so I could keep it straight in my head. I loved that when all was said and done, Bailey had no hate in his heart for Hunter, he just wanted his twin & the girl he loves to be happy, even if it was at his own heartbreak. I loved that we got the answers we've been searching for since book 1 & that Javi is getting a real family. I'm so happy Bailey is home again. I'm excited to see how Hunter redeems himself so the family can truly heal, and that Bash & Thalia have learned from their mistakes when it comes to huge secrets.


Thank you Laurea for the chance to read this ARC.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book destroyed me in the ABSOLUTE best way.

The Walkers have carved their ways into my heart where each book seems to dig a little deeper until this one made me absolutely SOB and LAUGH and honestly? It just filled me with so much love for this fictional family that I could hardly believe it.

Through the dual timeline and dual POV's in this book, we get the entire story of Bailey Walker and Kaitlyn Price who are childhood friends to lovers to enemies? to strangers to...well the rest I think is for you to find out. Normally in romance books, I feel you can jump around and have just as good a time as if you read them in order, but for this series I would HIGHLY recommend going in order because as I devoured the previous Reckless Love books, I was dying to know what exactly was going on not just in Bailey's life, but in his head as well and I was a little anxious about how exactly all would be resolved, and let me say, Laurea Matthews did a phenomenal job of bringing the entire story together. In fact, I believe I need to go do a full reread of all of her books to capture all of the little details (okay, maybe I just want to do a full reread because I enjoy being in her worlds that much!).

I keep rambling on in this review because even after two weeks since finishing the book, it is living rent free in my head and emotions. I felt ALL OF THE THINGS in this story and still have yet to process them all. While each of the books in this series pack a punch, this one was an emotional roller coaster I saw coming, decided to get on, and was still shocked at every hill and drop. Bailey is somehow the sweetest guy while still being so hard to get a read on and Kaitlyn is truly sunshine in human form. This book felt like grumpy x sunshine where they were both sunshine for one another and I adore that they both were there for one another no matter what happened.

If I keep going I'll keep rambling about how much I love this book without saying anything, but if you are looking for a love triangle where a girl is choosing her way between twins with a complicated past, a PERFECT beach read, dual POV and dual timeline, with all of our favorite characters from the past books, then this is the book for you! As I finish writing this, I'm about to dive back into the start of this series.

[Briana smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
Arc review

Am I insane jumping into book 3? Absolutely. But I fell so deeply in love with all these Characters I WILL go back to the first two, just seeing them grow in this book was absolutely beautiful 🥹

Did I think I needed a bestfriends to lovers & Right Person, Wrong Time together to cure me? Actually yes I did. This was everything and more. It was so heartbreakingly beautiful and made me at the edge of my seat the whole time. This was messy, this was frustrating, this was so deep and had you yelling WHY. But along with that it was raw, it was hopeful and it was beautiful. 🧡

I have nothing but amazing words to say about Bailey. His character was so strong and solid. Had my heart beating the entire time and what he was going through. The relationship between him and Javi had my heart so warm my goodness 🥹😭
Learning about something that changed his life, to learning that it was all wrong and leading to something that caused him to destroy something so precious to him... just wow. The manipulation and mistrust he went through made me hate everyone for him. He deserved nothing but a beautiful life and I'm so thankful he got that🥹 His yearning for Kait was everything I needed. He was so kind and so guarded but wanted her to have the life she deserved full of happiness.

Kait was such a beautiful soul. This reminds me so much of The Summer I Turned Pretty and the same relationships Belly had. It was messy but it was so raw. Her dreaming of a life and love with Bailey to have him push her away cause Hunter told him he wasnt good enough? I WANTED TO THROTTLE HIM. The gaslighting and manipulation had me fuming but thats amazing writing right there😩

I can write a whole book alone on how much I love these two. They deserve such a beautiful life together and I loved seeing them grow🥹🧡

“If you’re the sun, then I’m the moon because I don’t shine without you,”

“I think I like the idea of us being each other’s sun instead of star-crossed lovers,”

Thank you Love Notes and Laurea for this beautiful earc🧡

Bookstagram- romance.with.bri

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruined By You was my first book in the Reckless Love series, and I never felt lost jumping into book three.

What immediately pulled me into this story was the emotional tension surrounding Bailey and Kait. Their chemistry was undeniable from the beginning, but this wasn’t a straightforward romance. Kait is caught between her past, her present, and the future she thought she wanted, which created so much internal conflict throughout the story.

And honestly? The love triangle element made everything even better.

I found myself constantly wondering how everything was going to unfold because the emotional stakes felt real. Nobody was making easy decisions, and that added depth to the story beyond just the romance.

Bailey was easy to root for. After years away from home, he finds himself facing old wounds, old relationships, and the consequences of choices made long ago. Watching him navigate all of that while trying to do the right thing made his character feel genuine and relatable.

Kait’s journey was equally compelling. She’s battling her feelings, questioning what she truly wants, and trying to balance the expectations placed on her with what her heart is telling her. That emotional struggle kept me invested from beginning to end.

The story blends romance, family dynamics, second chances, and emotional growth in a way that kept me turning pages. Even without reading the previous books, I was able to connect with the characters and become invested in their journey.

If you enjoy emotional romances with complicated relationships, family drama, strong chemistry, and a love triangle that keeps you guessing, this is definitely worth adding to your TBR.

⭐️ Overall Rating: 4/5
🔥 Burn Level: 4/5
🌶️ Spice Level: 3/5
💧 Emotional Impact: 4/5

Thank you to Love Notes PR and Laurea Matthews for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[mayte ★⋆ ˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 💌
★★★☆☆

i’ll start this by saying i read all three books in three days.

i really liked this book, but i felt the exact same way i did with the previous ones… something was missing. i needed more from the main characters. more of them individually, more of their healing process after everything that happened. i needed to read about Bailey trying to overcome his self-inflicted wound day by day, and Kait finding a purpose and slowly rebuilding herself. i needed more conversations.

i also needed so much more of Bailey with his brothers. every scene with them together just left me wanting more. and honestly, i needed more than just one time-jump chapter. i wanted something that showed how their relationship actually progressed, how they were doing now, whether they had finally healed that wound or if they were still carrying parts of it with them.

i really liked the main characters, but honestly, i feel like if someone only reads this book, they won’t fully understand them. you absolutely have to read all the books to truly connect with them and understand the emotional weight behind so many things.

so i’ll only talk about Bailey.

i always felt like there was so much more to him that we didn’t get to see in the previous books, and reading his story completely destroyed me. he officially became my favorite Walker 🧚🏻‍♀️ he was the character that made me feel the most emotions. anger, sadness, anxiety, happiness… i cried so much while reading this book.

i had previously read Cold as Ice by the same author and i genuinely loved it. the experience with this book was completely different… and honestly, that makes me a little sad.

the 3 stars don’t mean it was a bad book ‼️ because i’d be lying if i said that. i just feel like these books weren’t for me 💔

[Meghan Margolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

First-I love Henry and Mirabelle 😍okay now that’s out of the way let’s talk about the other Walker and Price siblings.

While reading book 1 in the series is not needed, the past timeline is Henry and Mirabelle’s story. Remembering how the events of Bailey’s running away and how Bailey was thinking during that time could provide a more immersive experience of Bailey’s past. How Bailey was feeling in Chasing After You led to his running away and how he feels about himself in the present. Even though Bailey reaches out to JJ in Before You, book 2 JJ’s story, I don’t feel it is needed to reread/read his story before starting this book.

I couldn’t put this book down, I finished it in 3 days and could have finished it in 2 but saved the last hour of the story for one more day. Bailey is the self proclaimed black sheep of the Walker family. Kaitlyn is Henry’s younger sister and best friend to the Walker twins. This is a duel timeline, duel POV. The past is what led to Bailey running away and his time away and his eventual returning home. Bailey is the real star of the story, while Kaitlyn is the love interest and has equal POV representation. The story is really about Bailey. I think a dual timeline single POV could have also been just as an enjoyable read.

Point 75 deduction reasons:
~The events leading to Bailey running away felt immature and dramatic but he was 18, so I guess I’ll give it to him.
~The ending surprise, the final secret to Bailey’s past-I just didn’t like. It didn’t feel like it was really inline to the character and how characters in this world are portrayed. I also think there would have been much more trauma than was let on throughout the book.
~Hunters POV I felt were missing

[lizbeth ⊹˚.♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start off by saying thank you to Love Notes PR and Laurea Matthews for giving me the opportunity to be an ARC reviewer!


This was my first Laurea Matthews book, but I can assure you that it won’t be my last. I really wished I’d gone back and read the other books to get a better understanding of everyone but I will be going back to read about the whole family. Laurea’s writing is so addictive and refreshing.


I found myself relating to Bailey so much. His story was one of the saddest so far and I was fighting tears every time there was a ‘past’ chapter. I’m so glad he got his happy ending and finally feels accepted into the family.

To be honest, I wish we’d found out more about Kaitlyn. Obviously, she doesn’t need to have these crazy mental issues but I was really expecting more of a reaction when Hunter finally came clean about everything.

Kaitlyn and Bailey were so precious!! I loved them sm! They did move kinda quickly after Hunter came clean about everything. It would’ve made for sense to me if it had gone slower. I mean, Kaitlyn was with him for three whole years, and I know she did say she ‘loved’ him yet wasn’t ‘in love’ with him but she still did lose one of her best friends. Maybe her and Baileys excitement overpowered those feelings but I still wish they were there.

Javi!! Omg, that kid is so precious!! He deserved the best happy ending ever and I’m so glad he got it. I will say, I was selfishly hoping Kaitlyn and Bailey would adopt him but I’m glad with where he ended up.

Overall, the family dynamics, the dialogue, the plot of this book was great!! The plot was unlike anything I’d ever read before and I loved it! Again, thank you to Love Notes PR and Laurea Matthews!

[Neriah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Ruined By You
Author: Laurea Matthews
Genre: Sports Romance
Release Date: June 1, 2026
Rating: 4/5 stars
Spice Level: 2/5

I just wanted to say if you’re looking for a juicy story, this is it. I was highly anticipating the back story and reasons for this story the most after reading the previous book in this series. Out of the whole family, Bailey is the one with the most drama. And there were a lot of twists and unanswered questions that were because of him.

The only real reason I put it as a 4 was because compared to all the other books so far, the two main characters were kind of my least favorite. Bailey is going through a lot I know but compared to the rest of the stories from his siblings, he is the most problematic and Kaitlyn lacks personality. That’s just my personal thoughts having read the other books and looking for more amicable characteristics. Though the story is always amazing. I think that it was a little hard to keep up with it going back and forth from past to present. But I get that it was part of the story telling as well.

This series is literally one of my top ones overall. It’s just that good. I can never stop reading each one and no matter how many pages, I’m hooked. I do believe it helps immensely to read the other books before this one because it all connects and helps gain a better understanding. I don’t know any book from this author that I don’t love and each one keeps getting better and better writing wise! Looking forward to the next one hehe

I received an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are entirely my own! Thank you to Laurea Matthews and Love Notes PR for choosing me to receive an early copy! (:

[Georgia Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for Bailey’s story since Chasing after you and it truly did not disappoint! The secrets and hints were spread through the other two books had me desperate for Baileys story! I mean what Bailey went through 😭 I just love him so much. Hunter made me mad and upset because how could you! I can’t wait to get Hunter’s story and then you bet I am rereading this whoooooole series again!

I adore Laurea Matthews work, so far I’m being lucky to get arcs for every single one! I loved her version of a love triangle. She tackled some heavy topics whilst interlacing it with drama…a ton of drama!

In Chasing after you and before you I’m not gonna lie, I did not like Bailey but in this book I come to understand him; I understood why he made the choices he did! I enjoyed the switch from past to present it helped with the plot of the story and helped me understand so many things that I have been wondering about whilst giving out new information.

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster but it was needed to see the whole picture of how Kaitlyn loved Bailey. You also needed to see how Hunter played a part in this whole thing and how Bailey got to a point of not harbouring hate for his twin he just wanted his best friends back in anyway he could! I loved we finally got the answers we’ve been searching for since Chasing after you, and that sweet little Javi is getting a chance at a real family!

I can’t wait to read Hunter’s story and see how he redeems himself so that the family can heal, truly heal and that Bash and Thalia learn from their mistakes when it comes to huge secrets.

Quotes
"Don't tell me to let the past go when it's the only place I still had you."

"Nothing good will come from keeping everything locked inside."

"I made a mistake by thinking I could carry the world on my shoulders, and it ended up crushing me because I felt like I had to be perfect for everyone."

"We never stopped loving you. There's nothing you could say or do that would change the love we have for you."

"I see you, Bailey. I see the good, the bad, and the in-between. I don't expect you to be anyone other than who you are now."

"If you're the sun, then I'm the moon because I don't shine without you."