Remember When 3: The Finale

Remember Trilogy #3

by T. Torrest

"I’d spent too long in limbo.
It was time to put The California Plan back into effect."
~Layla Warren

I’ve been in love with Trip Wiley since I was sixteen years old.
Yep. That Trip Wiley.
Academy award-winning actor, known philanthropist, People’s Sexiest Man Alive two years running…
Yeah.
It’s not like I’m some delusional stalker-fan. It just so happens that he was my high school sweetheart back in 1991.
In the years since, he’s simply been The One That Got Away.
We just can’t seem to get on the same page at the same time.
Our timing may have sucked, but the feelings had already been confirmed. Years ago.
At least his were.
He doesn’t know that I had chosen to love him back.
I need to fix that.
And I need to do it now.


Remember When 3 is the third and final book in the Remember Trilogy.
It’s a story about taking chances and following your heart…
and knowing that sometimes, you just have to learn when to let go.

**Intended for ages 18+ due to some questionable language and graphic sex.**

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Second Chance, Adult

292 pages, ebook

First published November 20, 2013

About the author

T. Torrest is a romance and chick-lit author from the U.S.; her alter ego writes eroticomedy under the name T. Torrid. Her stories are geared toward readers of any age that know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance.

Ms. Torrest was a child of the eighties, but has since traded in her Rubik's cube for a laptop and her Catholic school uniform for a comfy pair of yoga pants. She's a pop-culture junkie, a movie aficionado, and an enthusiast of talking about herself in the third person. A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two sons.

She also really digs it when she hears from readers, and is known to use words like "dig" in a non-sarcastic way. You can find out more about her books at her website: www.ttorrest.com


She also LOVES to get friend requests on goodreads and facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/TTorres... and personal messages from readers via email ttorrest@optonline.net.

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Meant to Be stars!



The third and final installment of the Remember When trilogy... I’m sad to see it go. I love these characters. I love their story. From high school to their early 30’s, it’s been quite a journey. It’s been 5 more years since they’ve seen each other. Something big happened in Trip’s life and brought him back to New Jersey. Back to where it all began. Back to Layla.

If you haven’t read books 1 & 2, there will be some story line spoilers. Proceed with caution.

This couple has been through so much. Things about Trip have changed, but one thing has always stayed the same. He’s always loved Layla.



In a way, it was nice for us to get to see the main characters together for a majority of the book. But it kind of felt like they were together too quickly, and the story felt a little rushed to me. I still loved it. Not only had Trip always loved Layla, but Layla has always loved Trip.



Now they are together again. Making a third go of things. They are both happy to be together, but it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Trip is dealing with some struggles from his past, there is jealousy on both sides, and Layla is having trouble dealing with Trip’s fame.

I wanted him, just not the world he lived in.


Trip and Layla have spent too many years of their lives apart. They are both invested and willing to do whatever it takes to make it work between them. They were still them. The couple they were always meant to be.

“You’re mine, Lay you always have been. The thing is, thought, is that I’m yours. You own me. You always did. This is happening. And we’re making it work this time.”

Even though things aren’t perfect between the two, it’s still a beautiful thing to watch them work at their relationship. Trip has some issues, but I was so happy to see the sexy, swoony, fun loving guy from the first book come back. And even though Layla had her serious moments, she was as funny and relatable as ever. I love these two!

There was a small bit of angst, but it was mainly sweet, sexy and light. I love how funny these books are! I love books that can warm my heart, but make me laugh at the same time!

“Everything looks bigger on the screen. Except me. I’m just as huge in real life. So is my dick.”

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series. I devoured all three books in less than two days. I just didn’t want to stop reading once I started! If you are looking for a fun, first love, second chance romance series, these are the books for you! I would highly recommend all three of these books!

Every choice we’d ever made, every road we’d ever traveled brought us to this place. Every bad decision, every stupid screwup, every bit of drama. Every beautiful second together, every miserable hour apart... led us here.

[• Lisa • · Rating 4 out of 5]

FOUR LAYLA AND TRIP STARS.



I'll let you in on a little secret, it's a confession of sorts. Are you ready? Ok, I have what's called failure to finish a series, yes I admit there are several occasions, trilogies, follow on books that unless I flat out in love with the characters, I never finish. So with that in mind I can gladly report that this series is completed, done, finito, fully accomplished and not only did I love every book but I'm still reeling over this series weeks after completing it. T Torrist has created a series that will forever stay with me and I'm just a little sad to say goodbye. Here are my 'The finale' weepy, excited, bubbly, I loved this series book thoughts ...

What's it all about?
Layla and Trip have gone through it all to get to this point in their lives; failed relationships, broken hearts, misunderstandings and have still not found that happy place to finally break away from the past and walk away into the future together. Nothing is as it seems and circumstances always have a way of standing in the way to true happiness. We were left hanging on a huge devastating cliff hanger on T Torrist's book two in the series, here in the finale the reader is taken on the final part of the journey where hearts are desperate to be joined together but life doesn't always afford us our desires ... Navigate the journey to the end with Layla and Trip in what will sure to be an explosive searching journey ...



What did I love?
From start to finish this series captivated me, the characters have a way of sticking in my thoughts even when I wasn't turning the pages I was thinking about what would happen next, how things would turn out and if I was ever going to grab my happily ever after. T Torrist created a world that was original, heart warming and romantic. I felt completely invested in finishing off this series but also a little sad to say goodbye. Once again the author gave the characters the development that fitted the years gone by and although there was a tad more drama than I would have liked, I continued to love Layla and Trip and their epic romantic journey.



Why not five?
Firstly I'd like to explain that overall this is a 5 star series. I loved the developing story that kept unfolding as the author took the reader through Trip and Layla's lives. But this last instalment left me wanting just that little bit more to crown it a five star. I'll try and explain my reasoning without giving any of the story line away, but I'll say that that last star was taken away due to the order of events, simply I needed more of an explosive reunion; it all happened way to quickly and then I felt like the happily ever after was rushed towards the end I needed to see more of a perfect 'we-are-together-and-facing-the-world-as-one' but for me there was still too many hiccups and drama filling the story line. But alas I still loved this trilogy and this author, so don't be put off by this trilogy not ending on a high for me.



Final thoughts ...
I still continue to think upon these characters and story line, it become something of an addiction as I ploughed through this series in one weekend. I can't recommend this author enough to readers and I'm looking forward to what T Torrist presents her readers with next. Don't wait any longer, go grab the whole series readers, enjoy ... Kisses.

[Jenny - TotallybookedBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars



Jenny: Well, we’ve put this one off for a while because….well, to be honest, we didn’t want this series to end did we G, and we picked the perfect time to delve back into a series that has been one of our favourites. Yep, the timing was perfect to catch up with Trip and Layla and lose ourselves in their story, to reconnect with the humor, warmth and emotion that is T Torrest’s way, and why I adore this series so much and why it will always have a very special place in my heart.

‘This was my old friend Trip; the boy I had loved and the man who had broken my heart.’ – Layla

Remember When #1 was a book that completely stole my heart and these characters are ones I’ve truly loved along the way. And not just Layla and Trip, but the whole gang from the class of ‘91, each has played a part in the lives of Trip and Layla and G, we’ve loved them all. We’ve laughed and cried with them, we’ve shared their frustration (and we’ve wanted to hit Trip and Layla over the head a time or two) we watched them grow from awkward teens to responsible (well, some of them haha) and I feel as if we’ve closed the pages on a bunch of friends. Such is my love affair with this series.

“My God, every time, it never fails. You happen to me all over again.” – Trip

Whilst I really did enjoy catching up with them again, I have to be honest and say this final instalment was my least favourite of the three, but it did answer a lot of question and we did see Trip and Layla work out a lot of their issues from their pasts. For me, after experiencing so much with them in previous books and after being left with my jaw open and my heart shredded at the end of book two, the fast forward felt rushed, their feelings felt unexplored and I would have loved to have spent more time experiencing the rebuilding of their feelings and relationship as opposed to having them arrive at a point so instantaneously. It had the effect of denying me the emotion I was expecting to feel after book two.

‘You own me. You always have.’ – Trip

Having said that, when they finally did have “the talk” so much of what transpired during that time was brought to light and I have say, Trips revelation of what had transpired for him during their years apart broke my heart and I sobbed.

‘The Talk. But we couldn’t bury our problems forever.’ – Layla

This was our Trip. The light-hearted, gorgeous man with a beautiful heart, who everyone loved, admired and revered. To hear of his struggles was devastating and I despaired and felt even sadder for them over the time they both wasted being apart through lack of, and miscommunication.

There were times I became frustrated with Layla in RW3, when she would be snippy over Trip’s past. We had been through so much with these two that rehashing his past as she did, and being affronted by it felt unnecessary. By this stage of their story, I wanted that all ironed out. I wanted them to move past all that. But, I understood her frustrations she felt as she navigated her way through Trips crazy world.

There were also times when the Trip in RW3 felt quite different to the Trip I fell in love with in previous instalments and it wasn’t just a case of maturity creeping in. His persona seemed to have changed in that he became something he previously wasn’t. As if he suddenly became an alpha male and that isn’t the Trip I lost my heart to. Oh the old Trip would spring up quite regularly throughout RW3 and I would be reminded of why I fell completely head over heels for this passionate, funny and beautiful man, but the ‘other’ Trip seemed out of place.

“Don’t worry, Lay. I’m gonna fuck you just right.” – Trip

Trip and Layla’s love is a one and if you’re lucky to experience it, you grab it with both hands and you never let it go. Whilst it may have taken them a long time to figure each other and themselves out, the love between these two could be felt through the pages and they’ve certainly made me laugh and torn my heart inside out in equal measures throughout this series. There were some real moment of beauty in this RW3 and even though I did have a couple of issues with it, T Torrest certainly regaled me with her story. It was sad saying goodbye to this series……but…is it really goodbye? I’m not so sure. What about you G, did you feel the same about RW3?

Gitte: Well, it was certainly with a worried heart that I picked up the final instalment in this trilogy. Worried for what state I’d find Trip in after how book #2 ended and worried for what would become of Trip & Layla. The tension and emotion being so intense. However, I was excited too as I couldn’t wait for them to find their way and realise that they were just meant to be.

The nostalgia and romance of this series is so heart felt, so real and beautiful, with moments of pure brilliance, humour and it has such a passionate heart. I’ll never forget my Trip from RW1 & 2, he was so unique and such a beautiful and passionate man, so getting a snap shot in RW3 into the missing years was so emotional and moved me to tears. Not only what he went through, but his desperation, his longing and his attempts at reconnecting with Layla.

Now, parts of his development in book #3 confused me as yes he’s older now, but more emphasis was perhaps placed on the alpha male side of him which yes he inhabits, however, Trip is so much more, so much better than just that. He’s amazingly funny, cheeky and sweet. He’s sensitive, caring as well as commanding, passionate and intense. My favourite scene with Trip is one towards the end. Trip shone so bright and I was reminded just why I’ll always love him and why I fell for him to begin with.

The re-connection between Layla and Trip after the drama from RW2 was instantaneous and the working through their relationship came much later. I don’t know Jenny, it felt to me as if it was written somehow in reversal.

‘We weren’t those same stupid kids anymore. We’d gone through a lot to get to this point, and this wasn’t going to just slip away like it had the last time. Or the time before that…’

Yes, Trip and Layla were meant to be, we knew that right from the start of RW1. However, so much time has passed, so much hurt and pain. How do you sweep that aside without working through those years first? In my personal opinion I wanted more, their story is epic – they deserve the world and they need to work through years of wanting, hurting, loving and suffering.

“I never stopped loving you, Lay. You were always with me. Everywhere.”

The emotional aspects weren’t there for me as much as I thought they would be, however when they were they packed a punch reminding me of why RW1 will always be one of my favourite books. And I have to say I wanted the ending to be something more too, be a tangible reflection of the journey we’ve followed, Trip and Layla’s final meant to be.

‘I’ve loved him as both a girl and as a woman. I have both a history and a future with this man. This man I will love forever.’

There are moments in this story where Tina had me in awe at the beauty and romance, the beauty of a character’s thoughts and actions, the beauty of a simple gesture carried out by a love of epic proportions.

“I’m not me without you.”

‘You’re my home, Lay-Lay.’

I can’t reiterate enough how bloody special this series is and I’ve loved being part of Trip & Layla’s journey no matter how frustrated I’ve been at times. Tina Torrest is a fabulous storyteller, her wicked sense of humour is spot on for me, her writing style unique and unrivalled in its ‘tongue in cheek’ style. The era and music/movie references are brilliant and I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for Trip & Layla. Oh and yeah…ketchup on steak really is a deal breaker……hahaha…..

J&G: So, here we are, we’ve spent some wonderful times, with some truly wonderful characters and we’ve shared their love story, their humour, their heart break, their pain and their everlasting friendships. They’ve never let us down and they’ve entertained us right through this series.

Whilst this instalment didn’t live up to our expectations, we still enjoyed it nonetheless and Remember When will always remain one of our all-time favourite series. How can it not. We’ve gone through the teenage years with some extraordinarily beautiful characters and we’ve been through their trials and tribulations right beside them, every step of the way and we wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

“It’s always been you and me, Lay….” – Trip

With every breath we felt for this Trip and Layla as they steered their way through a new life, as they came to grips with becoming a couple, as Trip fought to accept and enjoy his fame and as they both fought to forget and forgive their pasts. All of this was handled beautifully by an author whose work we will always 1click.

“Because I’m not just some fucking face, okay? I might play the game, but it doesn’t mean I like it.” – Trip

We do have to mention that the epilogue felt a little incomplete. We were hoping for a glimpse into the future of Trip and Layla and the way it was left off leaves us thinking we haven’t heard the last of their story just yet.

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

[Rosalinda *KRASNORADA*]

HURRY UP PLEASE!!! I need this one like now!

Teaser from T. Torrest FB...

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 but closer to 4 Stars

But what is it about high school? Is it just the fact that you spend every single day with those people? Every single day over the course of four very formative years that bonds you forever?

Remember When 2 ended on a relationship cliffhanger to rival all other relationship cliffies. Hearts were broken, stuff was thrown, and a massive amount of alcohol was consumed. And some of that stuff actually happened in the book! To say I was a broken shell of a woman after finishing that book might be a bit of an understatement. I needed Remember When 3 and I needed it NOW, dammit! As much as I enjoyed RW3, parts of it still left me feeling a little flat.

The story picks up four and a half years after the awful misunderstandings in NYC and Trip publicly announcing his engagement to his famous “girlfriend.” The two have had virtually no communication during those years until Layla gets a call from Trip during a time of sadness. As soon as the two see each other across a crowded funeral parlor, it’s as if no time has passed and nothing wrong ever happened. Say what? Ummm…no! Just no! I realize that may not have been the time for a heart to heart, but after all of the heartbreak and confusion, I wanted a resolution I could believe in rather than a highly emotional situation swept neatly under the rug until both Trip and Layla found a convenient time to hash it out. I was grateful, however, that the sexy times started almost immediately.

He stepped closer, grabbing my butt and pulling me into contact with what was assuredly going to be revealed as his perfect dick. He probably lifted weights with that thing, too. His cock probably possessed its own set of washboard abs.

RW3 still had the sarcastic, witty and downright snarky relationship banter I’ve come to love about this series. Layla and Trip were as entertaining together as always and as they tried to navigate their relationship around his previous women, obsessed paparazzi and the general madness that is Hollywood, it was nice that at least that aspect never changed. There were situations that were a little hard to read because I felt like I knew this couple so well, but it was never boring.

He’s so handsome, and it’s still so disarming, even after all these years. And yet, he’s always been even more gorgeous on the inside. His heart has always been his most attractive quality. Either that or his sweet, sweet ass.

Amen, Sister.

[mich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Remember When was one of my favorite surprises this year. It was fun and sweet and just had that special something that made me fall in love with everything about it. Then Remember When 2: The Sequel happened, and it left me ranting like some emotionally unstable crazy person (I kind of cringe when I look at my review now -- I stand by what I wrote back then, but I probably could have still gotten my point across without the use of all those CAPS and ‘fucks’ :P)

So what did I think of this final book in the Remember When trilogy? Umm...it wasn't awesome. And that really bums me out.

My first issues with this book came just after Chapter One. Yep, you heard me, just after Chapter Effing One.

While I won’t deny that I didn’t want to have to wait too long to see Layla and Trip reunited, the way it played out at the start of this book didn’t feel right to me. To see that 5 years had gone by since the end of book 2, and then find out that they’d never spoken since, I just did not buy what happened when they saw each other again. There was no sense or flow or anything that felt believable about it.

To have the last book end the way it did, with all that huge emotional drama leading up to that devastating cliffhanger, and then to have everything after that completely GLOSSED OVER (shit, there I go with the caps again), totally baffled me.



This book just didn’t pack any punches for me. I never got completely into the story, or surprised at anything that happened, or swoony at the romance. not even sure when that last part was supposed to happen -- when Trip says the words “rape your ass” to Layla? Fuck no. When he gets all possessive and tells her “You’re MINE”? Again, no - sorry, but that is so overdone and completely generic already. Sad to say, but many things about their romance in this last book felt generic.

For the most part, I just thought this book was pretty dull. It was pleasant and all, but...dull. With the exception, of course, of a handful of kick-ass parts: the Jake Ryan scene killed me, I loved it so much! I also liked Layla forcing Lisa’s kids to say she’s their favorite aunt when they also have another aunt, and the I-love-you-leaf and the damn the birds have gotten huge. But as great as all of that was, I need more than 4 good scenes in a book for it to be a good book.

I suspect Torrest might be a one hit wonder for me - with emphasis on the "for me” part! I’m sure others will love this last book, just as they loved the 2nd one. For the fans who loved this, feel free to write me off as just some hard to please bitch...it's what I am anyway! :) But anyway, I’ll always love her for that first one -- it’s going down as a favorite of mine and I'm pretty confident that it will pass the test of time and be one of those books that I'll revisit again and again years from now.

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 1 out of 5]

So here's where T. Torrest completely gave up any pretense of finishing a story and just decided to give her readers nearly 500 pages of immature melodrama and unrealistic hero worship. After the emotional upheaval of the second book (most of which was completely unnecessary), this book begins with Trip and Layla just sort of falling into each other's waiting arms. Bam. Just like that. Then Layla, after heading to Los Angeles with Trip, decides she needs some "space" since their relationship is so new she doesn't want to rush things....

She fell into bed with him after not seeing him for five years, they're both finally at good places in their lives and want to give this relationship a try, and she needs space?!

Anyway, Trip spends about 98% of the book vacillating between congenial sweetness and cold indifference, and Layla spends that time going from confident and communicative to secretive and petty. There's the classic Hollywood lifestyle bashing, the height of which occurred during a scene where Layla is with Trip at a pre-production meeting and is introduced to two 'groupie sluts' who proceed to fill her on in why she'll never fit in:

"'It's a whole 'nother world out here, honey. You might want to wake up and realize it. Sex is money out here.' Chrystal Lynn high-fived her slutty friend and added, 'And there's a helluva lotta rich people!'"

Layla mentally accuses every woman she meets of being one of Trip's former 'sluts'. She needs a dress for the Academy Awards, so Trip sends her to a boutique owned by a friend of his. When Layla gets to the boutique, she meets the stunningly gorgeous proprietress and this happens:

"This gorgeous woman has just referred to my boyfriend as "Trip" instead of "Mr. Wiley." Friend my arse. Ex sex-slave maybe. But there was no way this chick was just a "friend". It was like being in a bad, real-life version of Pretty Woman. Only I was not the hooker in this scenario."



We then have a "claustrophobia-inducing limousine" (I'm not sure how that works), an indecent proposal (no, for real), page after page of Layla talking about how utterly hawt, talented, and perfect Trip is, and trite, banal dialogue that I'm convinced was masterminded just to push people into thoughts of suicide. Layla actually mind quotes the smelly pirate hooker line from Anchorman. Really!

Most of the writing is just plain bad.

"The music was pumping through my body; Trip's tongue was invading my mouth. We were totally making out."

"I didn't want to tarnish her impression of the glamorous Hollywood facade she'd come to know..."

How does one come to know an impression of a facade?

When they're attacked by the paparazzi at one point and one of them tells Layla to smile, she thinks, "Smile? It was all I could do not to break down in tears. Who was this man and why were his hands on me? I didn't know him; we weren't friends. What gave him the right to even say my name?"

Note to self: do not address anyone by name unless getting confirmation that we are, in fact, friends. Apparently, I don't have that right otherwise.

Layla and Trip are trying to communicate more effectively (i.e. for the first time ever since they met a decade and a half ago)...

"Striving for better communication wasn't always easy, but our recent efforts had been an improvement between us..."

Fucking smoke signals would have been an improvement. Flag semaphore would have been an improvement.

And there's the real rub; after spending the first two books pulling at my hair and mentally screaming at these two to just talk to each other, I ended up wishing they would just shut the fuck up and die.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Trip & Layla Stars



This story was a bit fast paced and for me not in a good way. The story starts off 4 ½ years later where both characters see each other under sad circumstances and it was all…



I just couldn’t wrap my mind around this immediate fall back together. I get their love for one another but it just felt weird for me that they were instantly a couple.

Trip and Layla get through family issues, fame, trust, old whoring ways, What was up with running into long lost mom and all is fixed within one conversation and pretty much fitting into each other lives.

This story had all of the humor that I have enjoyed in the two previous books.

””Ketchup on steak? That just might be a dealbreaker.”

There were some serious swooning moments so overall it was a sweet ending for one of my favorite book couples.

”Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at ‘Damn the birds have gotten huge.”


”You’re my home, Lay-Lay.”

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 EXCEPTIONAL STARS!!!

Quite frankly, this is one of the most unique, well-written series I have ever read.

*Take

A*

*Trip

Down*



After the brutal ending of Remember When 2: The Sequel (and I fondly think back to how I ate my feels with a bucket of ice cream), this third book was a salve for me. Though not as emotionally tumultuous as the first two installments, this one had the perfect amount of angst to fully captivate and pull me in once more towards Trip and Layla’s journey, and provided me with a most satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.



The story picks up roughly four years after the events of book 2. A devastating tragedy followed by a chance encounter reunites Trip and Layla, and in that instant, in that moment of eye contact, something primal is born.

"Every choice we'd ever made, every road we'd ever travelled brought us to this place. Every bad decision, every stupid screwup, every bit of drama. Every beautiful second together, every miserable hour apart...led us here."



As Trip is a world-wide famous actor, Layla struggles with accepting the social mannerisms revolving Hollywood and Trip’s past indiscretions, along with media storms. They love each other, but is it enough? Is love enough to conquer their own demons and their past? Is love enough for them to push towards a future together?

*And

So*

*Layla

Must*



Their end journey? A beautiful, encompassing, breathtaking story. Ms. Torrest made me FEEL their love, like it’s something I can reach out and grab on to, something tangible, not just a word or feeling or mere expression. She’s made it REAL. The emotions, the feelings, the storyline, the everything clicked. There was no why or how these characters loved each other; they just did. They have a history, a future, and a forever together.

“I’ve loved him as both a girl and as a woman. I have both a history and a future with this man. This man I will love forever.”

Thank you, Tina, for writing such compelling characters, who share a love that knows no bounds. Love has no constraints or a definite shape. Love may dwindle or grow, but can never be extinguished, and at the right moment, the right time, the right connection, love will be there, accepting your weaknesses, your strengths, your body, your mind, your you . Thank you so very much for sharing this love between two flawed yet perfect characters with me. The intense, passionate weight of your words never fails to amaze me. So thank you. And most of all, thank you for the memories.



ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book - Remember When 3 (Remember Trilogy #3)
Author - T. Torrest
Publication Date - November 21, 2013
Type - Series
Genre - Romance
Rating - 4 out of 5 Stars



Reading Order
Remember When (Remember Trilogy #1)
Remember When 2 : The Sequel (Remember Trilogy #2)
Remember When 3 (Remember Trilogy #3)

Review
I waited and waited for this finale since Book 2 ended in the most heartbreaking cliff hanger but after I read the first few chapters, I was so disappointed. Yes, I was so ready to just give up because I was left "wanting".



I trudged on and to my surprise I ended up putting the reunion behind me and got into Lay and Chester's love affair. I was surprised and could connect with Lay and her insecurities of living in the "limelight". It wasn't the happily ever after romance after all - instead both were met with obstacles along the way. After all this time, you would think the two of them would have learned how important it was to build a solid relationship. Nope, we had our angst and so many times, I was just waiting for Layla to pack up and give up.

I can't go into detail about what disappointed me in the beginning or that will give away the story, I can only say that to me......it was a bit unbelievable and a little over the top. I wanted a bit more fighting on both their parts to get together.

Book 2 left us that Trip left Layla a present which should have told her his true feelings toward her, but it was a bit too late and Trip got the wrong idea of Layla's feelings and took off to California again. Layla decides to chase after him but right before she is ready to leave, she finds out some devastating news about Trip and ends up giving up on reuniting with him.



Book 3 opens about 4 1/2 years later and Layla is back living with her father and is now a moderately successful author. She has resigned herself that she will be living a life without her true love until she receives a phone call.

She is reunited with Trip and this time he will not let her go - their love for one another is immediately proclaimed and NOTHING is going to separate them again. That is until Layla goes out to Hollywood to be with Trip. She is met with ex-lovers, sleazy producers, stalkers, indecent photographs and so much more. Her insecurities start and it creates tension between Trip and her. Between that and Trips unforgiving nature with his father and the past he won't go with Layla, it just sets the stage for trouble in paradise.



Will Trip realize how much he is hurting Layla? Will Layla get past the life Trip led while she was gone? Will Trip be able to survive with his alcoholism? These and so many other questions get answered in the finale of Lay and Chester's love story.

Wrap Up
I am so happy that I continued to read this book and didn't give up on Trip and Layla. I lived through them for over 15 years watching as they grew from gawky teenagers to the mature adults they were as they reunited for a third time.

You can continue to follow their journey through T. Torrest's Facebook page here!

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Buddy Read with, Ana, Denisse, Jennifer, Jen, Jeanne, Raquel, Ami)

Absolutely LOVED this final chapter in the story of Trip and Layla's crazy romance!!!




RW 2 left me with a HUGE gaping hole in my heart!! It annihilated me!!
I almost didn't forgive Tina Torrest for leaving us with such a huge cliffy with no definite release date of RW3.
BUT, she delivered the happy Fairytale that my heart wanted for Trip and Layla.

FOUR years have passed since Trip and Layla separated in NY. FOUR FLIPPIN YEARS!!!
The two are brought together by a family tragedy, and INSTANTLY all the crap that separated them disappears and they both are determined to be together and to not let their insecurities or other outside forces get in their way.

I loved their comic banter between each other.
I loved the sexy scenes!!! I'm glad that Tina played a little joke on us in the beginning. I would have been pissed to miss out on that scene!!

I loved all the references to the movies I loved from my teens to early 20s.
The Jake Ryan mention from "Sixteen Candles"!!!
Quotes from my all time fave movie, "Pretty Woman"







"Yeah, you are like the cutest thing ever. Even if you forgot the sweater vest."
"I drew the line at the sweater vest."









My Trip was Brad Pitt!
I pictured him clearly throughout the story.
The man who completely captured my heart and sexy desires back in the 90s and early 2000s.

There is very little angst in this one.
I guess 14 years of separation was enough torture for Trip and Layla.
If I were Layla this is exactly how I'd want our finale to be written.









"You were right about another thing, though, Lay. You are my Rosebud. But not in the way you think. I'm not using you to try and get back to the last time my life was innocent and wonderful. Because you were a part of that, no doubt--a huge part of it--but only because I loved you then. And I love you now. You, not the slice of life you represent. I knew it the first day I saw you sitting in that desk in Mrs. Mason's, trying not to look at me while I introduced myself to the class, and I never stopped. It's always been you and me, Lay, and I think you know that; or you would, if you'd get your head out of your ass long enough to realize it. You know it's true. I'm trying to get back to you. Hell, I just flew clear across the country just to tell you this in person. I'd like to think I'm gonna get some credit for this." - Trip



I LOVED the little notes on the leaves on the tree outside her house!!!
Yea I SWOONED at that Triptastic gesture!!!
I loved that everything was tied up with a nice, and neat bow.
We even get to find out about a letter that Trip wrote in his early years in Hollywood, when he was hating it and wanting to come back home to Layla. That letter, oh so heartbreaking!!

I loved that these two came full circle and decided no more bullshit!!
This is it for them and they're going to ride off into the sunset into their HEA!!


Thank you Tina Torrest for bringing this wonderful story into my life and for giving me a forever swoon worthy book boyfriend called Trip Wiley!!!

[LuzNelly Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is broken, I need to know what's gonna happen please

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars




After that heartbreaking cliffy in the last book, I could not wait to finally have this book in my hands. I loved being back with Trip.

I've always loved you, Lay. It's always been you.

I enjoyed all the sexy and happy times, they deserved it!!! Of course you know they aren't going to be happy in their little bubble forever and it went in a direction I was happy with.

No relationship is perfect, Loo. You have to decide to accept the imperfections and realise that what matters is that you're perfect together.

I love this series. The first book gave me first crush type butterflies. The second gave me angst heart flipping emotions. And the final book was a nice progression for the couple.

If Im being honest I absolutely loved the previous two books more but needless to say this was an amazing trilogy that I will forever love and I would recommend this trilogy for everyone! x

[Gitte TotallyBookedBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

J&G: 3.5 Stars

Jenny: Well, we’ve put this one off for a while because….well, to be honest, we didn’t want this series to end did we G, and we picked the perfect time to delve back into a series that has been one of our favourites. Yep, the timing was perfect to catch up with Trip and Layla and lose ourselves in their story, to reconnect with the humor, warmth and emotion that is T Torrest’s way, and why I adore this series so much and why it will always have a very special place in my heart.

‘This was my old friend Trip; the boy I had loved and the man who had broken my heart.’ – Layla

Remember When #1 was a book that completely stole my heart and these characters are ones I’ve truly loved along the way. And not just Layla and Trip, but the whole gang from the class of ‘91, each has played a part in the lives of Trip and Layla and G, we’ve loved them all. We’ve laughed and cried with them, we’ve shared their frustration (and we’ve wanted to hit Trip and Layla over the head a time or two) we watched them grow from awkward teens to responsible (well, some of them haha) and I feel as if we’ve closed the pages on a bunch of friends. Such is my love affair with this series.

“My God, every time, it never fails. You happen to me all over again.” – Trip

Whilst I really did enjoy catching up with them again, I have to be honest and say this final instalment was my least favourite of the three, but it did answer a lot of question and we did see Trip and Layla work out a lot of their issues from their pasts. For me, after experiencing so much with them in previous books and after being left with my jaw open and my heart shredded at the end of book two, the fast forward felt rushed, their feelings felt unexplored and I would have loved to have spent more time experiencing the rebuilding of their feelings and relationship as opposed to having them arrive at a point so instantaneously. It had the effect of denying me the emotion I was expecting to feel after book two.

‘You own me. You always have.’ – Trip

Having said that, when they finally did have “the talk” so much of what transpired during that time was brought to light and I have say, Trips revelation of what had transpired for him during their years apart broke my heart and I sobbed.

‘The Talk. But we couldn’t bury our problems forever.’ – Layla

This was our Trip. The light-hearted, gorgeous man with a beautiful heart, who everyone loved, admired and revered. To hear of his struggles was devastating and I despaired and felt even sadder for them over the time they both wasted being apart through lack of, and miscommunication.

There were times I became frustrated with Layla in RW3, when she would be snippy over Trip’s past. We had been through so much with these two that rehashing his past as she did, and being affronted by it felt unnecessary. By this stage of their story, I wanted that all ironed out. I wanted them to move past all that. But, I understood her frustrations she felt as she navigated her way through Trips crazy world.

There were also times when the Trip in RW3 felt quite different to the Trip I fell in love with in previous instalments and it wasn’t just a case of maturity creeping in. His persona seemed to have changed in that he became something he previously wasn’t. As if he suddenly became an alpha male and that isn’t the Trip I lost my heart to. Oh the old Trip would spring up quite regularly throughout RW3 and I would be reminded of why I fell completely head over heels for this passionate, funny and beautiful man, but the ‘other’ Trip seemed out of place.

“Don’t worry, Lay. I’m gonna fuck you just right.” – Trip

Trip and Layla’s love is a one and if you’re lucky to experience it, you grab it with both hands and you never let it go. Whilst it may have taken them a long time to figure each other and themselves out, the love between these two could be felt through the pages and they’ve certainly made me laugh and torn my heart inside out in equal measures throughout this series. There were some real moment of beauty in this RW3 and even though I did have a couple of issues with it, T Torrest certainly regaled me with her story. It was sad saying goodbye to this series……but…is it really goodbye? I’m not so sure. What about you G, did you feel the same about RW3?

Gitte: Well, it was certainly with a worried heart that I picked up the final instalment in this trilogy. Worried for what state I’d find Trip in after how book #2 ended and worried for what would become of Trip & Layla. The tension and emotion being so intense. However, I was excited too as I couldn’t wait for them to find their way and realise that they were just meant to be.

The nostalgia and romance of this series is so heart felt, so real and beautiful, with moments of pure brilliance, humour and it has such a passionate heart. I’ll never forget my Trip from RW1 & 2, he was so unique and such a beautiful and passionate man, so getting a snap shot in RW3 into the missing years was so emotional and moved me to tears. Not only what he went through, but his desperation, his longing and his attempts at reconnecting with Layla.

Now, parts of his development in book #3 confused me as yes he’s older now, but more emphasis was perhaps placed on the alpha male side of him which yes he inhabits, however, Trip is so much more, so much better than just that. He’s amazingly funny, cheeky and sweet. He’s sensitive, caring as well as commanding, passionate and intense. My favourite scene with Trip is one towards the end. Trip shone so bright and I was reminded just why I’ll always love him and why I fell for him to begin with.

The re-connection between Layla and Trip after the drama from RW2 was instantaneous and the working through their relationship came much later. I don’t know Jenny, it felt to me as if it was written somehow in reversal.

‘We weren’t those same stupid kids anymore. We’d gone through a lot to get to this point, and this wasn’t going to just slip away like it had the last time. Or the time before that…’

Yes, Trip and Layla were meant to be, we knew that right from the start of RW1. However, so much time has passed, so much hurt and pain. How do you sweep that aside without working through those years first? In my personal opinion I wanted more, their story is epic – they deserve the world and they need to work through years of wanting, hurting, loving and suffering.

“I never stopped loving you, Lay. You were always with me. Everywhere.”

The emotional aspects weren’t there for me as much as I thought they would be, however when they were they packed a punch reminding me of why RW1 will always be one of my favourite books. And I have to say I wanted the ending to be something more too, be a tangible reflection of the journey we’ve followed, Trip and Layla’s final meant to be.

‘I’ve loved him as both a girl and as a woman. I have both a history and a future with this man. This man I will love forever.’

There are moments in this story where Tina had me in awe at the beauty and romance, the beauty of a character’s thoughts and actions, the beauty of a simple gesture carried out by a love of epic proportions.

“I’m not me without you.”

‘You’re my home, Lay-Lay.’

I can’t reiterate enough how bloody special this series is and I’ve loved being part of Trip & Layla’s journey no matter how frustrated I’ve been at times. Tina Torrest is a fabulous storyteller, her wicked sense of humour is spot on for me, her writing style unique and unrivalled in its ‘tongue in cheek’ style. The era and music/movie references are brilliant and I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for Trip & Layla. Oh and yeah…ketchup on steak really is a deal breaker……hahaha…..

J&G: So, here we are, we’ve spent some wonderful times, with some truly wonderful characters and we’ve shared their love story, their humour, their heart break, their pain and their everlasting friendships. They’ve never let us down and they’ve entertained us right through this series.

Whilst this instalment didn’t live up to our expectations, we still enjoyed it nonetheless and Remember When will always remain one of our all-time favourite series. How can it not. We’ve gone through the teenage years with some extraordinarily beautiful characters and we’ve been through their trials and tribulations right beside them, every step of the way and we wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

“It’s always been you and me, Lay….” – Trip

With every breath we felt for this Trip and Layla as they steered their way through a new life, as they came to grips with becoming a couple, as Trip fought to accept and enjoy his fame and as they both fought to forget and forgive their pasts. All of this was handled beautifully by an author whose work we will always 1click.

“Because I’m not just some fucking face, okay? I might play the game, but it doesn’t mean I like it.” – Trip

We do have to mention that the epilogue felt a little incomplete. We were hoping for a glimpse into the future of Trip and Layla and the way it was left off leaves us thinking we haven’t heard the last of their story just yet.

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 swoony, sexy and oh-so-funny stars

“Every choice we’d ever made, every road we’d ever travelled brought us to this place.
Every bad decision, every stupid screwup, every bit of drama.
Every beautiful second together, every miserable hour apart… led us here.
We loved each other.
We belonged together.
And we were finally, finally ready to acknowledge it.
…
We finally recognized our forever.”

Oh. Hell. Yes!! I have devoured Layla and Trip’s tumultuous love story over two books (so beware spoilers if you haven’t read them yet). From their first meeting in high school, through young love, angst, heartbreak and so-close-you-can-taste-it moments, and now, finally, we get the romance.

The prologue of this book gives us Trip’s POV for the first time – including that heartbreaking moment that finished off the last book, and we see him hit rock bottom. And then it's back to Layla's perspective as the book picks ups five years later when Trip is now at the top of his game and the hottest thing in Hollywood. But when tragedy strikes and he is called back to his home town, the only person he wants by his side is Layla.

You’ve got to give it to T. Torrest. She knows what we want, and she gives it straight to us! Layla and Trip’s first moments together are intense and dripping with emotion, and things progress very quickly from there as they are both finally ready to declare themselves and claim each other, and I was bouncing up and down in my chair as they finally came together - the swooniness, the hotness, and the ‘rightness’ of it all.

“You’re mine, Lay. You always have been.” His hands moved to cup my face, fixing my eyes to his. “The thing is, though, is that I’m yours. You own me. You always did. This is happening. And we’re making it work this time.”

Layla and Trip have loved each other from the very first moment, and seeing them finally come together was sensational. But what makes it even better is that they still have that easiness between them that feels so natural. They still tease and laugh, and their banter was absolutely freaking hilarious!

“I’m in love with you, Trip. I love you. I always have.”
It looked as though he’d been slapped in the face by my words. Pain drifted across his features as he dropped his head and shook it. “I know.”
Not the words I was imagining, and the unexpectedness made me laugh.
“You know? Oh my God. Did you just Han Solo me?”
…
“I know you love me. I know, and it’s incredible.” He looked down at me, his eyes a shifting pool of blue, the corner of his lip quirked into a lopsided smile as he gently swiped my hair behind my ear. He buried his face against my neck, his breath tickling against my skin as he whispered softly, “Because I am completely in love with you right back.”

I love this book! Layla and Trip have things they have to deal with, but for the most part this book is like an extended epilogue. I love that their reconnection comes so early in the book so there is a lot of time spent with them happy together and living their lives, very much in love, with lots of steamy time and swoony romance to get completely wrapped up in.

“My God, every time, it never fails. You happen to me all over again.” He swiped a palm across my cheek and added, “I never stopped loving you, Lay. You were always with me. Everywhere.”

And it’s so much fun! The continued pop culture references made me giggle (especially the Futurama moments – I’m a huge fan) and it does a great job of grounding the characters, and making the story seem so real. And, of course, Layla and Trip are both incredibly witty, and with them being so happy with a lot less angst to deal with, they are free to relax and be themselves, and I laughed out loud so many times.

“I’ve been standing here plotting how to keep you naked twenty-four hours a day.”
“Might be kinda hard to go back down to the party. Or the supermarket. Or church.”
That made him chuckle. “Oh, it’ll be hard alright. In fact…” he pulled me against his hips again, “I’d say it already is.”
“Wow, that was bad.”
“I’ll show you bad.”
“Stop talking, you retard! Just take off your damned pants already.”
“I’ll show you retard.”
“Oh my God.”
His hands went to the belt at his waist, and then he slid his zipper down. Slowly. The move would have been sexy as hell if he hadn’t thrown out this line along with it: “Want me to dance for you?”
“Oh my God! Just shut up!”

“Everything looks bigger on the screen. Except me. I’m just as huge in real life. So’s my dick.”

But as much as they love each other, they’ve never been together as adults, and Trip’s life comes with all sorts of complications. Trip has had some demons to deal with in their years apart, and when Layla follows him back to LA and sees the realities of his life as a celebrity, is the love they’ve had for each other for over 15 years enough to survive what they now have to face?

This is a great ending to the Remember When series. I feel like I’ve watched Layla and Trip grow up. They’ve been through a lot to get to where they are, but it’s been worth it – they are so fantastic together, they love each other so much, and their relationship is a lot of fun, and all of that emotion has been captured beautifully throughout the story. Theirs is an amazing romance, and one that has captivated me since I picked up the first book only three short days ago. I have loved their journey.

“You were my first love, babe. I want you to be my last.”

4.5 ‘happy ever after’ stars.

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Happy people are boring!

This book had none of the things that made me love the previous two in the series. I find it totally unecessary, it adds nothing to the story and it was boring as fuck. Where is the conflict? Where is the angst?

The author could have wrapped up things at the end of book 2 and I would be really content about it and plus I wouldn't lose precious time reading all this.

[Dee Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****5 Homecoming Stars*****

Absolutely Loved RW3! Reading this book feels like coming home to me. Layla and Trip are two of my favorites characters ever; we go through the journey of falling in love at a young age in the first book, dealing with adulthood and career choices in the second one and finally everything comes together beautifully in this last book, and it was magical...

The ending of RW2 was so intense, I was crying for days and in the beginning of this third book we re-live the events but from Trip's POV as he was waiting for Layla in his hotel room, and that was devastating to read. Five years later life circumstances will bring them back together again and they will have to make the biggest choice yet, do they finally give up or do they fight the biggest fight of their lives and embrace the love they feel for each other.

What I loved most about this book was that you can feel the growth in the characters. The story was distinctive and it never felt repetitive, which is something that happens sometimes when reading a series, it can feel more like the same if it's not done well, but not with this story. This author's writing style is truly fantastic, I laughed and swoon so much with the beauty of her words that it doesn't really feel like reading to me but more like I'm right there In Jersey hanging out with Layla and her friends and family; this books are written with the sole purpose of providing the reader with a great time, and I enjoyed it so much.

This has been my favorite series of the year, so it's bittersweet for me to say goodbye , but without a doubt I will re-read and recommend this fabulous books in the future.

The soundtrack for RM3 is mostly music from Guns n' Roses which I love, but Patience is officially the song that will forever remind me of this awesome two characters and their love story; hopefully the author will write a novella or a short story in the future to give us another look into their adventures, one can only hope!!. (I'm not ready to let them go, can you tell?)

I can't go without giving a shout out to all of the fabulous ladies who participated in the Epic BR for RM3, it was so much fun to make new friends and reconnect with the others. You are all the Bees Knees!!!

[Zainab · Rating 2 out of 5]

My heart is breaking. I was expecting amazing things from this and all i got was an over-done yet still bland piece of writing. Dont get me wrong, T. Torrest is a very good writer, and that much has been proven in the last two books of Remember When, but this book felt so...so empty. Moments that shouldve made me all giddy and stuff, made me go like 'ugh'. There were times when i got so irritated that i wanted to put down the book and thats something coming from me because I LOVE Remember When 1. So much that i've read it more than 5-6 times. I could not stop gushing about TERRENCE CHESTER WILMINGTON THE THIRD for days. I loved Layla's character. Her quick wit, her snarky dialogues, everything about her made the first book so interesting, so unputdownable (90% sure thats a word). Layla actually irritated the f--- out of me in this book. I wanted to strangle her at times. My favourite golden pony boy Trip *sigh* lost his charm and i wanted to cry. When problems arose in their relationship, it seemed as if they were forced. Details that didnt need to be explained were explained and that at times made me lose it. So yes. In short, i hated this book. The two stars that i did give are solely because the first book means wayyy too much to me and i love LOVE Trip Wiley. Justtt not so much in this as i did in the first. /muahmuahkisskiss/

[Teryna90 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I'm not really surprised, I mean I wasn't expecting an outstanding trilogy, but I'm a bit disappointed cus I found book one really adorable.

Welllllll if you get past some dialogues and the almost sex scenes and the "how hot is he" parts it's pretty okay. But this one was just MEHHHHHH.

I wanted to end it and I feel pretty bad. I really liked the high school sweetheart turning into so much more. LOVE. And I liked Trip and Lyala. Yes, liked. Past.

Well let's just say that after your finish book two you're eager to read book three to find out how they finally manage to get back together and finally admit their love out loud... what a dissapointment that was. Chapter one and they are already together? Really?!!?!?

Too many sex scenes.

BORING.

Too Cheesy.

Too fast.

C'mon I was expecting a great finale. :( Ohhh well toooo bad.

Still a light good read even though I had to skip many many pages to get to the end... cus this book is nothing like the first two. Just boring :/

P.S. And whatttt a bad review this is :( ahahahahah

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 I Heart Trip W. Stars

I was desperate for this book. So much so that I may have bartered one or all of my four kids! She has 2 of her own and turned my deal down, but still allowed me the honor of reading the finale in this wonderful, heartfelt trilogy.

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Trip and Layla's journey began in Book One Remember When, taking place in the late 80's early 90's totally spoke to me. That is my time. Class of 1991, baby! When your theme songs were Ice Ice Baby and Paradise City. When music videos were still on MTV and no one knew what reality TV was. Note passing was how we told our friends we liked people, prior to texting, social networking and when a book read was paper only! Thank the heavens above for the Kindle..technology, aahhhh!

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So being from the era and understanding not only the references but the feel of the situation just called to me. Book three starts with how Trip took Layla not showing up at the hotel. Let's just say it didn't go over well. A decision for a clean break was made and a life of regret, alcohol and bad choices followed. Fast forward years and you find Trip and Layla connecting and putting together the pieces that were skewed for so long. Is it enough for the future both of them have always dreamed of? The love that was found so many years ago in a "shabby, turquoise tent." The "Hollywood" life that Trip now led is not the easiest to navigate and compromise is a needed attribute. Not ever being the best at communicating, Layla and Trip are trying to find their HEA.

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I love this series..the whole damn thing and I want to thank T. Torrest again for gifting me the arc. I will miss the whole gang and the lifetime connection they had.


For more reviews and mayhem come visit us at www.sizzlingpages.com or hang out with us at https://www.facebook.com/sizzlingpages

[TeriLyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 "Here we are." Stars

Remember When 3: The Finale continues the story of Trip Wiley and Layla Warren and brings the reader to a satisfying end of the series. There were many parts of the book I truly adored. These two characters have a quirky yet deep connection to each other. Following the series by reading consecutively concretes that fact for me.

Trip and Layla grew in this final installment of the series, each tremendously. Watching an "adult version" of their relationship play out proved to be just what I needed. And in many ways exactly what they needed. It was fun to see the "teenage version" of themselves reconciling with the mature relationship they finally decide to try. Their talks, their fights, and as always their banter stood out in this book so much deepening their connection. I can't say enough about the humor each of them infused into the relationship. The jabs they threw at each other cultivated out of a deep understanding of each other really made me smile. Each of them brings charisma to the pages of this book and to each other.

Why I didn't love, love, love the book? As there were many parts I adored there were other parts that I just simply didn't. Some of Layla's insecurities became boring and trite and Trip's lackluster of handling certain situations turned me away. The transition between the last book and the finale came off as clunky - the waiting for him seemed far fetched. And the constant references by Layla to the "boy [she] fell in love with" seemed like she was holding on to something I wanted her to let go of desperately. There were aspects that held me back from loving.

I think the Remember When is a great, honest trilogy. It dabbles in the life of a movie star who's spread his wings but wants to hold close to his roots breathing life into a girl turned woman who's only ever truly loved one man. The concept and premise of the whole story has an intriguing quality that kept my star hooked to Trip and Layla through the conclusion in Remember When 3: The Finale. It's a great "summer read" type trilogy with humor, awesome throwback references, easy angst, and a satisfying conclusion.

[Stephanie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a good read. It could have ended with a bang! But I guess, T. Torrest wanted us to feel all mellow, sweet and cute. And this book was that!

Th previous book ended with screaming and shouting at my kindle. So, I was honestly surprised that this book didn't pick up after that. Instead, it didn't even dwell on it and moved on. At first, I was like "whhaaattt???" After a few years again, they reconnect.

I was seriously afraid I would be disappointed( hello, I've been waiting for this book for months!!!)

And I finally understood why... This book is all about maturity. How to actually deal with the present. In the past two books, we've only seen the "what ifs" and the stolen and unguarded moments. We never got to see Trip and Layla be a real couple and face realities. In the past, their love for each other were their "escapism". So what happens when that bubble bursts and you face reality? Will they be able to handle it?

So yeah, I guess I understood were T.Torrest was coming from. We've read about them as adolescents, then as struggling young adult, so it would make sense that we meet them as mature adults.

And thats the reason why I say this is a mellow, sweet and cute book. Its very laid back and came full circle. It didn't have the drama and angst the second one had. Which for me made it a page turner.

( as much as I understood her reason, part of me wanted to explore those lost moments, when they were both down and how they helped each other mature. And not just meet them as they are now)---but hey! Thats just me.

As much as I liked this book, its still four stars because of those missing years. Still, this is very much a good one. And a good end to wonderful characters I just fell in love.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite of the trilogy!

I've literally just read the entire box set all at once. At the end of each book I just couldn't wait to jump straight into the next one.
I loved watching Layla and Trip grow up, grow apart and fall in love all over again. Their story completely melted my heart.

"I'm so in love with you, Lay." Her eyes are glistening with tears, her gorgeous smile shooting straight through my heart, the heart that she has owned - and will continue to own - forever.'

I really loved their whole gang of friends from school and seeing how all the dynamics and relationships changed over the years.

I have to admit to avoiding most NA and all YA genres in the past couple of years, but T.Torrest is an attending author at Rare18 so I wanted to make sure I had read something of hers before attending. I am so so glad I did.

I think I'd recommend this trilogy to ALL of my lovely reading friends. It's a beautiful story of life, love, loss and heartbreak. It's about family and friendships that last the test of time. Growing up, fucking up and pulling yourself up off the floor time and time again and being the best person you can be.

I loved it!

[Chelsea ✨Arielle’s Nebular Ally and Team Acrux✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 Stars!!*

Breathless. Spent. Euphoric.
Eyes wide open now. Awake.
His.

Aaaaaah and here we are at book three, the only book in the series that made me happy inside and out. There was angst (the RIGHT kind), there was uncertainty, and, most of all, there was love-Lots and lots of love. They fought, sure. Did they disagree on a ton? Yeah. Did they maybe solve things a little too quickly from prior books in the beginning? Absolutely (IMO). But...that's the point. I didn't want a perfect book, I wanted flaws and all-but the past books just didn't have what I was necessarily craving, just bits and pieces. But in this one? They finally, finally talked their shit OUT. I mean, GD guys, how many more times could they have skimmed over all the failures from the past?? How many more times could they screw shit up??

Layla Effing Warren. The most beautiful girl I've ever known. The girl who makes me laugh. The girl who loved me.
Who loves me.
Right?

So, I think I've exhausted the negatives over the past two reviews, so it's time for the positives. Trip was everything I knew he could be in this book. He's been battling demons, both physical and mental, and he still is-but now he has the girl he's always loved by his side. They have a lot to work on out in California-things are different. People in Hollywood are living a lie, putting on a face. Girls, both those he has slept with and those who want to sleep with him, drape themselves all over Trip, and, oh yeah, the tabloids are having a ball with Trip's new 'tramp.' And Layla isn't loving any of it, aside from supporting the man she's always loved.

He slipped a hand around the back of my neck, holding my teary eyes fixed to his. "You were my first love, babe. I want you to be my last."

I think something that internally always bothered me about the past books was how they were always so aware of the opposite sex clinging to the person's arm they secretly loved, but never made a huge stink about it....call me a drama llama, but I adore when the significant other gets crazy jealous and makes a scene. Guilty. So, I've been waiting forever for these two to flip their lid, and finally, finally, in the great state of California, they do. And I suppose all their drama in this one just felt...warranted. Like, it's okay because they're on the same page. I don't know. I just really loved this one-It's what I'm used to and always like to read, so I felt right at home.

"Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at 'Damn the birds have gotten huge'."

I'm not going to keep running on, because I've been writing reviews for this series for three days in a row and I am probably rehashing everything. Plain and simple? I loved book three. I loved that while there was a super bumpy road, Trip made me swoon the entire novel. I loved that there were disagreements and that not everything came easily to them. I loved that they could look back at the moments I adored from the previous two installments and make them stand out while reminiscing against all the negatives that shrouded those moments...and I loved that we got little bits and pieces of Trip's thoughts. Ultimately, I love that I loved it, and that's all there is to it. Finally.


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[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Your my Rosebud Stars!

Chapter two in Remember When 3 is title, "An Unfinished Life". And that is exactly how I felt at the end of RW2. Layla and Trip may have reached a place in their relationship that was heartbreaking but it certainly was still unfinished.

In RW3 it is just about 4 years later when something devastating happens in Trips life. The first person he reaches out to for comfort is Layla. No matter how much time has past and no matter what has happened, Layla and Trip have always had a deep connection. Something so special that has been waiting patiently to bloom.

When Layla and Trip reunite, once again they just fall right back into place with each other. Both have changed. Both have matured. Both have managed to go on with their lives but neither have been able to truly move on from the love they have for each other.

Layla and Trip face some challenges that will test their love, their trust and their resolve to make their relationship work. In RW3 both Layla and Trip have become stronger people. Though Trip still has to work through some insecurities. I thought Layla was so determined and really knew what she wanted.

Layla and Trips chemistry was amazing. I love that they can just be together. They would always retreat to the simple things in life and that is when they were the happiest.

But Trips life is cluttered with a lot of things that constantly poked at their little bubble threatening to burst it at any moment. Their journey wasn't always easy and there were times when I wanted to strangle both of them, times when my heart was breaking. They both had to learn how to accept things that they couldn't change and realize that their love is strong enough to survive all that life throws their way. As those gray clouds started to break, what happens between Layla and Trip is simply beautiful.

I really enjoyed this trilogy and I am sad that this is the end. I think this was such a unique way of telling a story. Being able to take this journey with Layla and Trip is one I won't soon forget. I also love that in the end, they came back to the beginning.

Why only 4.5 stars and not 5? I would have rather that they get back together further into the book. It just seemed a bit to quick for me. A little to easy. Just my preference I guess.

[Jln · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Remember When trilogy is a favorite list series for me. There are some authors and characters you just naturally click with. I loved the nostalgic feeling of the writing. Reading this series from Layla's point of view felt like talking to an old friend about her high school first love. Her humor and inner dialogue were very entertaining. I loved all of these characters including their group of friends and felt like I experienced this journey with them. Remember When is still my favorite of the series. I think Tina Torrest did an amazing job of capturing all of those feelings of being in high school and falling in love for the first time. For anyone who hasn't read it, I highly recommend it. It's a great time to pick it up now that the series is complete!

After the tragic cliffhanger that was Remember When 2, I was so happy to finally read this installment. I thought I was going to have to seek treatment for anxiety thinking about poor Trip waiting for her in that hotel room, and don't even get me started on that lunchbox! Oh dear God it was frustrating, and the wait for this book was painful!

RW3 had some really sweet moments. Doesn't every girl dream of being " Jake Ryaned"?? OK, maybe only girls who have seen Sixteen Candles 1200 times, I'm not saying that's me or anything...






I have to admit that their reunion was a little rushed for me. I had a hard time believing after all the angst and drama and time passed that it was that easy. It was frankly a little anticlimactic after all that build-up. It was fun to see them happy and together though, and all in all this was a satisfying final chapter.

Thanks to all the girls from the buddy read!! It was fun even with these pesky time zone differences:)

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost didn't bother with this after I was disappointed by the high angst, repeated tstl behaviour in the second book, but I'm so glad I did, this was the perfect ending. Both characters have matured in the intervening years and both are determined not to repeat past misunderstandings. About bloody time.
What I really loved about this series and in this book in particular was that this couple felt so real. They have little in jokes, they know one another so well. They have fantastic chemistry but even during scorching sex scenes they're still keeping it real and joking around affectionately, just like a real couple would.
I read this in a day, it was easy to read, lively and compelling.
My only criticism is that it felt a little rushed at times and I would have enjoyed a longer epilogue as pay off for all of the angst and problems - the pacing was perfect in the first book but not so much in this one. And I'm trying to ignore everything that happened in the second book because that was a traumatic read for me.
I bloody loved this series. I'd recommend it to any 1970s born kids and lovers of romance.

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really hate saying good-bye to Layla and Trip -- this has been a really fun-to-read and enjoyable three book series. From the first, Trip drove me crazy even when he was stealing my heart. He was such a sexy, gorgeous and all-around great character. And Layla was his equal -- together they made this series something very special.

One little teeny complaint -- I wanted more in that Epilogue!

[Christine Alibutud · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Updated book review - 2016 May 24]

2013 seemed to far away from 2016, but Remember When 3: The Finale will always remain close to my heart! It's amazing how I still remember this book like the back of my hand. This only goes to show how much this book had an impact in my life. So glad I reread the entire series again! MUCH LOVE!

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100 SHINING SHIMMERING SPLENDID STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH I AM IN LOVE


IM JUST SO HAPPY!!! UGLY-CRYING RIGHT NOOOWWWW!!!


CAN I JUST SAY THAT THIS FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE RW TRILOGY WAS WORTH THE WAIT!!!!


TOO BAD IT'S OVER BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY!!!!


Do you ever have psychic premonitions? I’m not talking about foreseeing world events in your crystal ball or being able to read someone’s mind. But do you ever get that little tingle along your skin, that little whisper in a forgotten corner of your brain that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up? -Layla Warren

This trilogy has given me the best ride ever <3 All the laughs, the heartbreaks, the tears, the occasional swearing (can't help it), the lovey feeling, for short... ALL THE EMOTIONS I poured out because of this trilogy was totally WORTH IT <3 I couldn't have asked for a better first book, second, nor a third! It was absolutely perfect for me.

Layla and Trip represent the dream couple for me. They ooze fun, sweetness, humor, sexiness (and by this, i mean A LOT), and truly the most adorable LOVE you could ever witness. These two had experienced a lot of hard time finding their happy ending, but all those hardships lead the path to their beautiful and inspiring HEA <3

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY LIKE THIS BUT SO MUCH MORE


AND LIKE THIS


You were my first love, babe. I want you to be my last. -Trip EFFIN SUPER SEXY Wiley (or better known as CHESTER hihihi)


To the characters:
Trip - MY BEST BOOK BOYFRIEND EVER AND I LOVE YOU!! LET ME KISS YOU
Layla - MY BEST HEROINE EVER!!! LET ME BE YOU (kidding!!! not hihi)
and all the other characters - LOVE YOU ALL, OKAY

To my beautiful and wonderful T. Torrest, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ?!?! This trilogy proved to me that you are an exceptional writer! I cannot wait for your upcoming novels! Please please i would love another one (and a thousand more)<3

Well what more can I say, I ugly-cried my way in this trilogy and every teardrop spent on this book was TRIPTASTIC!!!


I MEAN I CANT HELP IT!! I NEED TO PAUSE IN LIKE EVERY MAGICAL MOMENT


For all those who would like to swoon but ugly-cry at the same time and for those who would just like to love LOVE more, read this FUNTASTIC TRILOGY!!!


AGAIN 100 UNFORGETTABLE STARS TO THE REMEMBER WHEN TRILOGY <3 <3