One Last Time

Loveless Brothers #5

by Roxie Noir

Seth Loveless has been my weakness since I was sixteen years old.

Two years ago, I moved back to my hometown. I started a business, bought a house, took up yoga, and went on hiatus from dating. Life is good.

If I never had to see Seth, it would be perfect.

After all, my history with my ex-boyfriend is anything but simple. It’s taken us years, but we’ve finally learned to live in the same town without killing each other.

Is there an elaborate set of rules governing our every casual interaction?

Yes.

Do I still think dirty, off-limits thoughts every single time I see him buying apples at the grocery store?

Of course. I’m only human, and Seth and I are practically experts at the two F’s: fighting, and…

...sleeping together.

Still, we’re managing just fine.

And then?

He shows up at my sister’s wedding. The man looks like pure sex in a suit, handsome as the devil himself and twice as charming.

Worse, he claims he’s my date.

We flirt.

We dance.

We break every one of our carefully-crafted rules, and we… should stop.

Too bad I’m having the time of my life.

I know I should end it. After all the heartbreak, hurt, and anger we can’t be more than enemies.

But Seth asks me for one more night.

Just one night.

Then, we’re back to being virtual strangers to each other.

I know I should turn him down.

I know this ends with my heart shattered into a million pieces.

I know lunacy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

But I’ve always been bad at resisting a weakness.

One Last Time is a standalone romantic comedy and the final book in the Loveless Brothers series.

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Fiction, Audiobook

528 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2020

About the author

Roxie is a romance author by day, and also a romance author by night. She lives in Los Angeles with one husband, two cats, far too many books, and a truly alarming pile of used notebooks that she refuses to throw away.

She's the author of the Loveless Brothers series, the upcoming Wildwood Society series, and a bunch of other books that are also delightful.

If you need updates or free stories, you can sign up for her newsletter: http://roxienoir.com/newsletter

Reviews

[ren ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Short review ‘cause I genuinely do love this author and I don’t wanna rant too much...)

In my last review, I basically said that Roxie Noir could do no wrong, but here I am eating my words. Sadly, this book just didn’t work for me. Seth Loveless and Delilah Radcliffe were SO TOXIC for each other. By the 90% mark I was praying for a miracle because I could not see how their relationship could be salvaged (spoiler alert, it wasn’t). I thought my biggest problem with this book would be Seth being a manwhore but I was wrong! IT WAS ACTUALLY THE HEROINE. Delilah was one of the most selfish heroines I’ve ever encountered. I found it difficult to even want to root for her. ALSO, WHERE WAS HER GROVELLING????? And Seth… oh Seth… this man needed to be LESS FORGIVING. This wasn’t even a second-chance romance, this was like a tenth-chance romance.

Honestly, if this book had ended with them getting couples therapy, I probably would’ve bumped this book up to 4 stars. But they didn’t and I don’t think the problems they had were ever really resolved.

I’m giving this book 2 stars for the little snippets of the Loveless family. Trust me, it’s worth 2 stars. I love these guys.

TL; DR MC’s had a train-wreck of a relationship and are better off apart.

Rating: 2/5


***********************************************

Trust me, no one is more upset than I am 😭😭😭😭😭

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew Seth's story was going to be rough, but I had no idea. I don't know how the author did it because I'm not one for toxic relationships. I don't enjoy this kind of angst, and yet I couldn't stop reading it. I felt every hurtful stab and still wanted these two together so badly. Usually I would be screaming at these characters to cut their loss and move on, but as much as they couldn't stay away form each other, was as much as I wanted them to not stay away from each other. You just know they are truly meant to be and they just needed to get all the bad out of the way to get to all the good that they could become. Honestly, it's why the ending was so epic for me. After everything they put each other through, I could just cry with happiness when they finally got the love they both fought so hard for. I'm glad this was the last Loveless brother's story. It seems right to end it this way.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

Does she… know? That Seth is the town bicycle and everyone’s taken a ride?

What if it turns out that he’s deep in some pyramid scheme and he spends the entire time trying to sell us essential-oil-infused leggings?

“Is that a sorority?” Georgia whispers. “I think it’s the Borg,” whispers back Wyatt. “Except, you know, blonde?”

I feel like a stadium when the lights go out. Like a concert hall when the orchestra stops tuning and suddenly plays the first note of a symphony. The background noise stops and the note swells, shifts, breaks into harmony. This is all there is.

My Review:

Wow, this was a long and passionate read full of devastating verbal warfare and heart-stopping sensual scenes that made my mouth go dry. I kid you not - am seriously dehydrated! This couple had a toxic and complicated dynamic and were essentially - a trash fire. But man-oh-man, this author can tell a story! She reeled me in despite there being far more conflict and angst than I am normally comfortable with. However, I was willing to tolerate the tension given the delicate balance of wicked humor, clever wit, and amusing family exchanges, as well as their tender underlying soul-deep love for each other that made them ever so vulnerable to the mortal combat they seemed destined to unleash on each other. Oh, and raccoons! Loves me some cute “varmints.”

I wasn’t convinced I could fully appreciate these characters based on the two previous books from this series I recently devoured. I had major concerns going in with Delilah, and rightly so, she was quite vicious and cruel in her behaviors and raging arguments, but Seth was no slouch in that arena either. They had volcanic sexual chemistry but couldn’t keep their incendiary tempers and pernicious tongues in check, which repeatedly resulted in the push/pull type of poisonous relationships that immature people excel in, and while theirs was quite lethal, it was also worth the fight. I am now even more curious about the first two books that I have yet to peruse. I do believe I have developed a Roxie Noir addiction as I fell hard for her exceptionally enticing family of sexy brothers.

[artsandgrace *ೃ༄ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t like it. Too toxic. Seth is way too forgiving and I have no idea if he’s dumb or just plainly in love. I guess the latter but still.

Delilah is one freaking insecure bitch. Yup, I said it. She’s a bitch most of the time. She didn’t explain herself to Seth on why she broke up with him, she lied about not loving him AT ALL, and then she got married to someone else and then when got a divorce and when she found out Seth had been sleeping around, SHE FLIPPED THE FUCK OUT?

Ha ha, no.

HE WASN’T EVEN CHEATING ON HER????? AND HE SURELY DIDN’T NEED HER PERMISSION TO SPEND TIME WITH WHOEVER TF HE WANTED. SHE COULD JUST ASK HIM INSTEAD OF FLIPPING OUT?????????

And she didn’t do shit to earn Seth’s forgiveness. A fucking scrapbook? Bloody hell. Reading about Seth’s heartbreak moments (and not once, not twice, not thrice either I lost count) and then Delilah not doing anything about it... I DON’T KNOW???? Am I supposed to forgive her???? Her actions justified nothing. She could go eat shit.

Honestly, though. The other brothers’ love lives were great (even Caleb and Thalia) but Seth’s? Delilah hurt him too much. And for what??????????? For what???????? I don’t fucking get it.

Anyway. Seriously disappointed. Ugh never cussed this much about a book before.

[Sara Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is messy and ugly and I still don’t know if I like it. The writing is superb. It’s laugh out loud humorous at times but the main characters are so difficult and have so much trouble communicating. I fear for their alleged Happily ever after.

This isn’t my typical Roxie Noir book. These two go out of their way to hurt each other. Hello, toxic relationship. Seth is particularly awful to her. I’ll just say Chapter 22 was a horror show. This was a tough one for me- I’ve been dying for Seth and Delilah’s story since I heard about his Scorpio tattoo in the first Loveless book. Seth’s a certified manwhore, the typical town bike - everyone’s had a ride. I usually love a second chance romance, all the angsty, soul crushing disappointment of first love. This is more like a tenth chance novel. Delilah and Seth were high school sweethearts. She breaks up with him because she’s a hot mess and needs therapy and self discovery, all which she gets eventually. Seth doesn’t take the break well and descends into his playboy ways. Eight years pass and the two have gotten together once every year or so to hook up. Then they fight and then leave.

The fighting seems to always center around his sleeping with everyone and her marrying another man. There’s no cheating, but the reader and Delilah are constantly bombarded with Seth’s prior conquests - even from Seth himself.

Delilah is divorced when she first calls Seth again and their drama tragedy begins. She’s a sympathetic character and she’s worked hard on herself to get to a place where she understands and appreciates herself. Her marriage was a tough lesson. She is a terrible communicator though - almost as bad as Seth.

The author tries to redeem Seth by having him be celibate since Delilah has been back in town - about 2 years. She doesn’t know this, of course. I definitely needed more groveling from him - he slept with all her high school friends, for crying out loud. And then he tells her all the details - did I mention he was mean? There’s really no big grand gesture from him- what there is was lacking. Not to be outdone, she says mean things to him too, but they never stick like his do.

There are flashbacks. I hate flashbacks. They take me out of the story. Most of them are Seth behaving badly.

The secondary characters give the book life and lift. Finally, Caleb gets a better career ending for himself. And I’m loving Delilah’s best friend, Lainey. She is a class act who gives the best advice. I hope she gets a book. Silas comes to the rescue and I hope he gets some magic book words too.

So, I couldn’t put the book down and had to finish in one sitting, but it was more like rubbernecking on the freeway. I had to see how this train wreck would end. I wish there was more romance, heart and emotion and a tinge less sex. Did I really say that? I really wanted Seth to really want her enough to fight for her. I wanted to love Seth and Delilah. But I’m kinda worried about them. They’re toxic and I don’t have a good feeling about their being able to solve problems in the future in an adult way. An epilogue further into the future would have been nice.

I read an arc in exchange for a review. I initially rated this 4 stars because the writing is so good, but I just can’t get over how these two probably aren’t meant to be.

[Jena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book reads like a brainless chick lit, It’s not a funny book, but it tries SO hard. ( h farting in public jokes…cringe🤦🏼‍♀️)

Book had too many secondary characters, sentences were too long, topic jumped from one person to another, and you get annoying time jumps with chapters titled like this
- “Chapter Twenty-One
Seth
Six and A Half Years Ago
(Four years before the previous flashback.).

I found it a confusing cluster fuck.

MCs were a bore and they had no chemistry.
Both the mcs were completely unlikeable.
She’s constantly crying because she’s a spoiled brat, and he couldn’t stop fucking ow even though we are to believe that he loved the h all along.
She can’t get over him fucking everyone in town - all her friends from high school - but she sure had no problem sucking his dick (imagine that’s been inside all her friends virginas🤮)

Angst? None to be found.

What a long ass, boring book. I’d say a lot of the rambling nonsense could’ve been removed, author def needs an editor.

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel STRONGLY about this couple - and most of the time, not in a good way. Their relationship is toxic, emotional, and SUPER angsty for much of the story, but the writing is excellent and I just could not put the story down. I've been loving this series, and all of my favorite components are still there - the chemistry, the banter, the family moments, and the steam - but this one also has an unhealthy dose of heartache. I didn't love it (or even like it some of the time), and that's mostly because I didn't actually feel like this couple should be together. But it was also very compelling and I stayed up til 2 am reading so that I could see how it all worked out. So, I've got all kinds of mixed feelings about this one, and my rating could honestly fall anywhere between two and five stars - depending on what I choose to focus on.

The story follows Seth and Delilah, former high school sweethearts who broke up after college and have been in an unhealthy cycle of fighting and "frolicking" ever since. They both know that they're bad for each other, but something keeps them coming back for more. For the last two years, they've had a truce of sorts, but that all changes once they cross the line once again. Mixing flashbacks with present day, we learn more about this relationship and what keeps these two connected - for better or worse.

Having read the other books in the series, I was extremely hesitant to start this one. Not because the series hasn’t been great – it has been – but because I knew quite a bit about the relationship already. Seth is the “town bicycle” and everyone in their small town has taken a ride, so the idea of him getting back together with his first love (who has been in the picture while he's slept around) is somewhat vomit-inducing for me. There’s no cheating, but they both deserve better, and Seth’s mindset is a major red flag for me when future issues arise. Honestly, this book might be triggering to anyone who has been in an abusive relationship, it gets that messy at times. There were moments when I loved Seth, and moments when his cruel words hurt me - and Delilah really isn't much better.

All of that equates to a book that's engrossing, unpredictable, and so well written that you just cannot stop reading. I want to emphasize that the author does a very good job depicting this kind of relationship. There were moments of lightness and humor that broke the tension, and the steam is there throughout. I'd love to rate this as four stars based on the writing quality (and strongly considered it), but there was SO much time spent laying out why these two are toxic, and not enough focus on why they actually should be together. There's essentially no groveling, no resolution of deep issues, no romantic moments. No reason to believe they'll actually have a HEA. Yes, relationships take work, but they need to be based on more than a foundation of hurt. It's a compelling, raw, thought-provoking read, but I can't honestly say that it's successful as a romance. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this steamy, angsty read.

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was called one last time, when honestly it should have been never again. These two did not belong together, they were toxic, horrid. I think this was the one Loveless brother that I didn't care for, he was a cat in heat, a scratching post, he slept with everybody and now we are supposed to believe that he has been celibate for two years yet he has woman stuff all over his place? what no doesn't jibe with his playboy ways. And she wasn't a ho, but she was also not realistic, but all in all these two should have stayed far away from each other. I get it you were once in love but you guys hurt each other , and I am sorry but him sleeping with all your supposed friends, dang..Did not care for in the least.

rcvd an ARc at no cost to author...voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.

[Amy [Book Addict Reviews] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seth and Delilah’s relationship is messy, it is complicated, it is full of ups and downs, and it is one that has spanned through so many years.

They met in high school, dated all through college and that is when everything really started to change for them. They continually used each other for years and it was just a vicious cycle of pain and heartbreak they found themselves in.

I loved Seth and Delilah’s story. It was all over the place and it was messy. They had their issues they needed to work out and it took them a long time to get through everything. There were times it was frustrating and I just wanted to throw my kindle across the room. There is no denying that these two had insane amounts of chemistry, however, they couldn’t figure out how to stop hurting each other. The flashbacks gave an insight into what happened between them in the past with their relationship which I enjoyed.

I loved getting more of all the Loveless brothers. Plus, Delilah’s best friend, Lainey! While this story is messy and complicated when it comes to Seth and Delilah, all the secondary characters added some lightness and much needed laughs to the story.

I am sad to say goodbye to the Loveless brother’s, because I have fallen in love with each of their stories. I’m crossing my fingers for a Lainey and Wyatt story in the future!

One Last Time is the last book in a series, however, it can be read as a standalone but I HIGHLY recommend reading the entire series.

[Hannah]

DNF @ 89% because I cannot stand the FMC. I was hoping to see some growth… but this relationship was toxic. I’m a Delilah hater ✌🏼

[Jen (jensdreamylittlereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have fallen in love with each of the Loveless brothers and have been dying for this story. One Last Time is Seth and Delilah's long awaited story. This is a second chance love story with plenty of angst, heartaches and love.

Seth and Delilah’s angsty and complicated relationship is messy, it’s full of ups and downs, and it is one that has spanned so many years. However, there is no denying that these two had an insane amount of chemistry yet they kept hurting each other. The flashbacks gave a valuable insight into what transpired between them which I enjoyed. It was such a compelling and emotional journey that these two went on.

I very much enjoyed this story. It was angsty as hell, passionate, raw and real. A brilliant conclusion to the Loveless Brothers series.

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of perfectly imperfect love
5 stars

For those who have been reading their way through the Loveless Brothers' series - this is the one we’ve had teased since the first book - and the one we’ve all been waiting for - Seth and Delilah’s story. For those who are new to the series - fear not - this story does stand alone although you’re going to want to snap up the rest of the series after you’re done with this one.

Seth and Delilah have a history. And it’s complicated. Although, going in, I knew none of the detail of their story before starting the book, from comments in other books, Delilah isn’t the best liked girl in Sprucevale - by the Loveless family at least. So I was delightfully surprised to find myself not just liking Delilah but loving her. She’s a bit of a hot mess in the best possible way. She’s quirky, funny and just as confused about life, love and everything as the rest of us. My heartstrings weren’t just tugged, they were wrenched, as Delilah and Seth battled their feelings and each other.

Seth is a Loveless brother so he’s already exactly the kind of hero I want to read about - even before we learn more about him. He’s the organised, analytical brother who, despite his tendency towards more casual relationships, has feelings so deep even he has trouble both understanding and controlling them.

The actual relationship between Seth and Delilah is combustible. It’s at times hard to read when you can clearly see how much they care for each other. But it’s also easy to see how they get into all their fights. Hurting each other as they themselves are hurting. It’s heartbreaking at times.

Of course, all the sex more than makes up for any poignant moments! As I said, the pair are combustible and in those scenes I was on fire just as much as they were. *Fans self* But even when the pair decide to date without sex, it’s still so steamy your kindle will melt.

And we also get a whole lot of humour. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion, cementing the fact that Roxie Noir writes hella funny stories better than most.

The banter is, as always with Ms Noir, completely on point. I could read about the Loveless brothers - and their significant others - just chatting away, ribbing each other and loving hard, all day. We also get some moments of Rusty - Seth’s 9 year old niece. I’m not normally one for kids in my romances but Rusty is the exception. She’s a hoot! And - thank the Lord - Silas makes a couple of appearances. I cannot wait for his story. And now I’m also looking for the story of Wyatt and Lainey - Delilah’s cousin and best friend who seemed to have some chemistry during their brief appearances in this story.

This is the best kind of story and the most satisfying to read. It’s got that deep, forever-love kind of feeling but with enough obstacles to make the final outcome so gratifying it’ll make you want to cry. And cry I did. Happy tears. Because it all worked out in the end and nobody deserved it more than Delilah and Seth. And us, of course! So highly recommended. Left me with a delightfully happy feeling. 5 stars.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

This was waaaay too long, this book could've been cut in half.

“It’s great that you’re you,” he says, punctuating it with a shoulder squeeze.
“It doesn’t feel like it,” I say, too tired and spent to do anything but tell the truth. “It mostly feels like…”
I trail off, my mind blank as the morning sky.
“… I do everything a little bit wrong, and that spirals into me doing everything a lot wrong.”

At first I thought this could have potential to be this epic, angsty love story, one for the lifetime, years in the making. But it was just a bit too...exhausting? Seth and Delilah's relationship just seemed exhausting. And I love flawed characters, and the angst was there, it was just not my kind of angst.

Because in the end, it felt like they kept having the very same argument over and over again (and they did). Seth not being able to forgive Delilah for leaving him and getting married only some months later. Delilah not being able to forget about Seth becoming the town's joy ride stick after she broke up with him (which he totally had a right to do? they weren't together, I know it hurts but don't be a hypocrite Delilah). They were so cruel to each other at times, it was actually difficult to read and then continue to try rooting for them.

What I'm trying to say is, this could've been a beautiful, angsty story full of impact, but it ended up being just flat. I could see them trying to overcome the vicious circle of their relationship, but when at the end, they did exactly what they had always done (fucked, then fought and wounded e/o bone-deep) and the solution to their problems materialized out of thin air in the way of grand gestures - oh well, that's just not my cup of tea. While there is a time and place for them, most often than not grand gestures are just a smoke screen for the lack of satisfying conclusion to the couple's issues. And that's just lazy and lame.

If I'm gonna spend my afternoon with my stomach in knot because of all the angst and OW/OM drama, I want something more gritty. I want their blood and tears. I want to see the couple actually work for it so I can actually visualize their epilogue in my head with at least some amount of surety that they will stick together. Seth and Delilah?

Those two are so getting a divorce 15 pages after the epilogue ends 💁‍♀️💁‍♀️

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not an easy book to read. The relationship between Seth and Delilah didn't exactly inspire good feelings or make me want the two of them to keep seeing each other. They only seemed able to communicate by fighting or fucking-and then fighting, and they were both more interested in causing the other whatever pain they could inflict, than in trying to forgive each other.

I spent a lot of the book not liking Delilah very much. I was pissed that she acted like Seth betrayed her by sleeping with all the girls in town, when she was the one who broke up with him and married some other dude. If his promiscuity is the sole reason she can't forgive him, then why the hell does she keep fucking him? Her jealousy was annoying because she didn't have any right to it.

When halfway through, Seth's brother suggests that they try talking (novel idea) instead of their usual pattern, I thought "Hallelujah, finally!" But no! Instead, Seth suggests to Delilah that they just start over, as strangers; pretend that their past never happened. What a stupid plan! Like they could just ignore all the issues that made them scream their toxic, hurtful pain at each other EVERY SINGLE TIME they hooked up. When has denial ever worked as a solution to a successful relationship?

Eight years of pain and bad decisions could have been avoided with just a little communication. Who woulda thought.

[anj · Rating 2 out of 5]

I refuse to give this book more than 2.5 stars because apart from the, yet again, TERRIBLE proofing, I HATE Delilah. She did Seth so wrong as we see by the near end of the book. I was giving her a chance to redeem herself. To tell me why she did what she did. I gave her the benefit of the doubt but darn it! Caleb was right about her.

Seth deserves so much more than a spoilt (don’t @ me) rich girl who calls him to booty calls when she feels particularly sad and lonely. Like NO, this man is in love with you and you broke his heart. And her best friend is an enabler (also spoiled rich girl) who eggs her on in whatever unreasonable emotion she’s feeling. Her reason for leaving him in the first place is fine but what she did after leaving him?!?? The reasoning?! That’s bullllll. I’m a Seth Loveless apologist and I will not hear any kind of slander about him. The way her inner monologue functioned and the conversations played out seemed so… flat to me.

I should probably mention that this is a very subjective review and I was really rooting for Seth to have a happy ending after seeing and loving him since the first of the Loveless series. I just think their relationship was TOXIC and won’t last forever like I would’ve wanted it to; but maybe that’s what the author wants? As a reader though, I would’ve wanted a perfect HEA for my favorite loveless brother. 😔

[Lillian M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall this was not a horribly written book, but I didn’t like their relationship dynamic. Additionally, they hinted a little bit at why the nickname but never outright said it, and if you’re going to spend a whole book calling a character a nickname, explain why that nickname.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this. Unusual story structure, with flashbacks to multiple time points meaning that it wasn’t until near the end of the book that the reader has a full understanding of the protagonists’ back story both as individuals and as a couple. Their connection and their struggles felt real to me and I got a lump in my throat more than once while reading. High angst, high steam, class differences, heavily tattooed heroine.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its the book we have all been waiting for in this series! Delilah and Seth! I honestly had no idea how this book was going to be pulled off from everything that we knew going into this book. Seth's family does not like her at all, Seth is not known to be a one women type of man, and Delilah had gotten married soon after she had broken up with Seth years ago. Most of the first half of the book was going between one night and then flashbacks, the flashbacks give you a lot of details about their relationship and honestly I know Seth was hurt, but the way he talked to her in the flash backs I could not get over. At the same time Delilah getting angry that he was not celibate while she was not either was very hypocritical on her part, though he intentionally slept with her friends that lived in town. I also do understand being in your early 20's and when someone you love hurts you, you want to hit them where it hurts too. The way some of Dalilah's family treats her and makes her feel not good enough because of a failed marriage just irritated me. The fact that Seth is supposed to be celibate for over 2 years but still has other women's belongings around his house makes that part not believable or Seth's house nasty. I did really like that he has no issue standing up for Delilah when it came to his family and would give back just as much as they dished out. I did enjoy the humor and banter with the Loveless brothers and Wyatt was just adorable. I did like how these two matured over the years and knew that being in the same city as each other they would not want anyone else even if they were not together after all that time apart. I'm glad that they finally grew up enough to get passed all the issues with the other and realized that they had to either get over it or move on, there was no point in being stuck in the same position for ever. I do have to agree that if I were in either of the positions that the other was in I would have a rough time getting over it as well.
This book doesn't have to be read after the other books in the series, but I would recommend it as some parts do happen in the other books as well just from other people’s point of views.
I did enjoy Roxie's writing, the way the words flew was great. My issue was these two were way too toxic to be together in my opinion.
*ARC Exchanged for an honest review

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um...

Well...

Ok, so I love Roxie Noir and I absolutely love the Loveless family. I love how these brothers are with each other. I love Seth.

You know who I don't love? Delilah.

We read in the last book about the Loveless family trying to keep Seth away from Delilah during the Fall Fest (for his own protection), so I went into Seth's story already disliking Delilah, thinking she was a witch, and unfortunately she did not change that opinion.

Seth and Delilah's relationship is toxic and, I'm sorry, but I think their issues fall solely at her feet. Yeah sure, they argue and they are both stubborn, but Seth has loved her from the get go... and she broke him from the start. She has the audacity to complain about what he did while she was MARRIED to someone else, and she was the one who broke it off with Seth in the first place (right after he proposed to her no less). Delilah's reasons for breaking up with Seth and then marrying another man so soon afterward are not explained in a way that would make the reader feel sympathetic towards her. She is selfish and never hesitated to call Seth when she wanted to f**k. And he came running every time she called. Textbook toxicity. Delilah is definitely an appropriate name for this character.

Of course they work it all out and we get an HEA, but I can't help thinking that maybe a better story would have been Seth finally breaking away from her and finding his HEA with someone else, someone who was all in from the start, someone who could help heal the damage Delilah caused.

Anyway...

There are some technical issues here which, along with my dislike of Delilah, explain why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. There are numerous typos and grammatical errors, and even one instance where the author's note to herself is still in the story. Hopefully those will be corrected. The timeline/character history was a little confusing to me too. They were high school sweethearts, but then talk about college, but did they go to college together? I'm not sure.

It is still a story worth reading, even as messy as it is.

Enough of that. Bring on Silas! Seriously, please! I can't wait to see what kind of woman he ends up with (don't worry Levi, you are still my number one Loveless and my book soul mate).

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is good, so good infact that the author had me hating the heroine very soon in the storyline. I detest well meaning family and friends who think they know what's best for you. Whatever happened to minding your own business as adults?? A huge pet peeve of mine. Stay in your own lane!!!! When Delilah went through Seth's phone, I saw red and lost any respect I had for her. That's pure ignorance ! Delilah was an appropriate name for the heroine. She really dragged Seth through hades several times and he went back like a whipped dog. Smh!! Delilah was selfish and immature. She broke up with Seth and got married shortly afterwards. Seth's normal reaction
was to lose himself in many other women and then Delilah gets mad!! She has no right to be mad at him or any other feelings she has. She was the cause and effect of it all. You reap what you sow, girl ! I saw Delilah as the bad guy in this story and Seth the abused recipient of her actions. If the roles were reversed most readers would be hating on Seth, but because she's a female she gets a pass!!?? Smh. I got so mad at Delilah that I had to stop reading this for several hours before I could resume again. Why did Delilah keep so many things from her failed married- ie: rings, pictures etc???
She had the audacity to get mad about another woman's tattoo!! Irrational loon!
The flashbacks of Delilah and Seth's relationship hurt my soul and reinforced what an immature selfish horrible person she was. Delilah needed intense therapy- she was seriously sick. Poor Seth, but the heart wants what the heart wants even if it
it tears you apart. #teamseth.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I’m being gracious for giving this 2 stars but that is entirely because the writing itself is not bad. The characters are all very three dimensional with their own personalities, even all the side characters, I can’t just ignore that.

As for the story itself, these two are the most toxic couple ever and I hated it.

I kept wanting and waiting for Delilah to have some reason or breakthrough for her insane behavior and toxicity but it never happened. Instead she just got worse and worse.

Seth may have slept around a lot after their breakup but he wasn’t a bad person and only lost his chill and got upset back at Delilah for self preservation.

I kept WAITING for the moment they would go to couples therapy or SOMETHING to actually address their issues but they kind of just glossed over it all as if that’ll be all it takes to get over years of bad habits of abuse.

Even with all the spicy scenes this just felt not worth it. I have to at least like the couple to enjoy those and ugh just no.

I do not recommend this book.

[liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

reread this book and remembered all the reasons, and more, why I didn’t like it and am so bitterly disappointed. delilah is genuinely awful like if you’re gonna be mad a partner you dumped ten years ago to fuck off and marry someone else at least have a more valid reason than he’s slept around. it was physically painful to read her pov because every second line was her looking at another woman going has seth slept with her? or going through his phone or getting mad at him when he’s upset because she kept all this shit from her first marriage even while dating him? all this toxic shit and she thinks the solution is making him a scrapbook lol?

i really liked the concept of childhood sweethearts to bitter messy exes to lovers again but this was awful and seth deserved so much better

2 years for the loveless brothers interactions and seth stress baking and the raccoon house tbh

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hated this book. Usually, that makes for a 1-star review, but this book was well written. Technically, there isn’t anything wrong with it. But the relationship between the two main characters is toxic, and reading it made me feel toxic. Between the sex and fights, you get a glimpse of something good in the characters, but you see the ugly far more often to even find our main characters likeable. Just not for me, I guess.

[Carolee Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really tough read. I wanted Seth's story so bad to wrap up the series. But the two main characters were foolish 20 somethings and the flashbacks to how they kept being so mean to each other got to be a little much.....

I like how when they decided to sort it out there was a path there was strategy then bam another flashback to blow break up the flow.

Got the HEA, was just a very bumpy ride to get there.

[brenna j · Rating 2 out of 5]

delilah needed to grovel.

[Jet Zwaan · Rating 2 out of 5]

they were a pain in the ass

[Amy Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

So. I’ve been involved with Roxie Noir’s Loveless Brothers since Daniel and Charlie, the second book of this series, Best Fake Fiancee. There is just something about these brothers. Maybe it’s the small-town romance aspect of it. Maybe it’s the brotherhood shared in each book. Maybe it’s the way in which they feel protective, guarded, and ready for love. I’m sure it’s the women who enter their lives, their protected, comfortable lives, and shake them up. I know that has a lot to do with it. However, over the course of reading their stories, I have fallen in love with Roxie Noir’s ability to draw us into their lives as though they could be our family or our friends. Thus far, Levi Loveless has been my favorite, and even after Noir’s newest book, One Last Time, he still holds that title.

One Last Time tells the anticipated story of Seth Loveless and Delilah Radcliffe. If you’ve read any of the other books of this series, then you are vaguely familiar with their story. However, thus far, it’s possible that the Loveless Brothers’ perspective of Delilah might be tainted, and you must enter One Last Time ready for an unreliable narrator in Seth. That’s only fair to Delilah. What you receive from One Last Time is a muti-faceted lesson in love. Of the books in this series, for me, this is THE most complex one. There is much you gain from this epic romance told over the years. Because at its base form, One Last Time is a second chance romance. You move slowly through Noir’s romance. Normally, I inhale books, reading through them with ease. Noir crafts this book to move you slowly through Delilah and Seth’s relationship, and this is brilliantly intentional because interwoven through their coupling are questions about right person-wrong time, the difficulties of relationships in general, and feelings of inadequacy which lead to unhealthy versions of one’s self. Honestly, Seth and Delilah’s story is a painful one because, before they mature, they must work through their immaturity at love, and that can be difficult.

Over and over in this book, Noir illustrates how damaging people in relationships can be to each other. She shows us that the past cannot stand as the ultimate measure of the future because we grow and change and move on. This is the burr in the saddle of Delilah and Seth’s journey, and you must sit back and acknowledge the truth that Noir lays bare in this story: that no relationship is perfect. It’s fraught with the insecurities of its participants. This understanding feels necessary in the world of romancelandia where that pain is often glossed over with happy endings. That isn’t to say that there isn’t a happy ending with One Last Time. In fact, that’s the promise of enduring the pain of Seth and Delilah’s journey. However, the happy ending feels nuanced in the context of the reality of relationships. That they are, quite frankly, hard. For this reader, I love Noir’s insistence in this story of making her hero and heroine WORK for that happy ending. Through flashbacks and present-day trials, you find them falling back into love, but it isn’t simple in this book. This book doesn’t have the ease of Daniel and Charlie or Levi and June. Noir creates this tension between her characters that feels palpable until her characters come to understand that the past doesn’t have to define them, that they can change, and that happy endings are worth fighting for. In a world where messy TikTok exists and the divorce rate is high, I think Noir’s insistence on Seth and Delilah’s difficulties feels very, very important. We live in a world where we believe that relationships are easy, and if they aren’t, there is something wrong. What Noir suggests through One Last Time is that any good relationship is worth the effort.

I am going to miss the Loveless Brothers. I hope Roxie Noir gifts us with bonus scenes full of babies and marriages and everything good you find in romancelandia. However, if she doesn’t, I know she has ended this series well with the final book, One Last Time. It’s a perfect period to end a very imperfect relationship. Delilah and Seth is the Loveless relationship you need today in our messy world.

[Stephanie Ditmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to end the Loveless series. We all love Seth and learned so much from the other books about who he is and his lost love Delilah. Their story is full of angst, drama, heartbreak and hurt. These two have been dancing around each other for years, both have broken each other’s heart at one point or another and being together never ends well.

You can’t continue to relive the past and you need to move to the future and forgive each other for the anger and hurt and move past the toxic relationship and find a new path. I loved this book along with the others. This author has a way of telling a story that sucks you in and keeps you captivated and turning the pages. I received a copy of this book.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!! The chemistry between the two characters were amazing and the passion they shared was wonderful. I had some unanswered questions since it was the last in the series about what happens to each couple but other than that I really enjoyed Seth and deliahs story.

[Sara Kubicek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This love story was messy, and I kind of liked that about it. Lots of opportunity for character development, and it felt relatable. The characters were flawed, and it worked.