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Review

5 stars!

Wow, I loved this book! A dramatic and emotional story for two isolated, tormented people, this is the final book in the Chestnut Springs series, and the much-anticipated book for Beau Eaton, a fake engagement/age gap romance that stole my heart from the very first chapter. I adored every moment of this story, and reveled in the absolutely epic build up and beautiful romance. It’s fun, funny, sexy and heartfelt, and I freaking loved this book!

Beau Eaton was a member of the special forces until a mission went wrong, leaving him physically and emotionally scarred, and forcibly retired. He is a shadow of the playful, fun-loving guy he used to be, but the town prince is back home, recovering, and pretty much keeping to himself.

Bailey has grown up in Chestnut Springs, but unlike Beau, she’s a bit of an outcast. From a trouble-making family, Bailey has done her best to distance herself from her father and brothers, but it hasn’t stopped the town from looking down on her, and she’s been working hard to make enough money to leave it all behind once and for all.

Beau runs into Bailey at the bar where she works. He knows her from around town, of course, but it’s been a while since he’s seen her and she’s now all grown up (22 to his 35). She helps him out when he’s down one night, and Beau makes a habit of returning to sit at her bar, looking out for Bailey on the night shift, and finding comfort in her presence. And he’s pretty much the only person in town that bothers to engage with her in any meaningful way.

Slowly, they become friends. Bailey finally has somebody to talk to, someone who genuinely seems to care about her as a person. And she becomes Beau’s safe place and the only sense of peace he can find. She makes him smile and laugh, and for the first time in a long time, he actually feels when he’s around her.

What starts off as a discussion about their situations soon turns into a bet, when Bailey tells Beau that the town would treat her better if she had a different last name, and he offers to test the theory by giving her his. A fake engagement to make her an Eaton and see if her opportunities change. It has the added benefit of making him look like he’s moving on with his life, so it’s a no-lose situation.

“I really need to feel something.” I start in my seat, my eyes snapping up to his. “And honestly,” he scrubs at the back of his neck, lips twisting in a wry grin. “This already feels like the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

OMG, I love Beau and Bailey together so much! They are so open with each other, they talk about anything and everything, and Bailey, who is a virgin, uses Beau as her source for all kinds of random information. I laughed so hard at some of their conversations and text messages, and loved watching the two of them have such a huge impact on each other’s lives. They almost create their own little world, and it was a joy to watch them together.

This girl has brought me back to life without even trying. All that time I searched for someone to make me feel something, and she was right fucking there.

And underneath it all is a simmering chemistry that has both of them on edge. They’re both feeling it, but Beau recognises the age gap between them, and the fact that Bailey is inexperienced, as a barrier that he can’t cross, but Bailey has no such qualms. The build-up is epic. The sense of anticipation had my heart pounding, just desperate for something to happen. But at the same time, I reveled in every moment of the sexual tension, which is just sensational!

“Pretending this thing between us is fake, is fucking filling me.”

The love story is a slow, sizzling burn, and I loved how it all played out. It’s perfect for these characters and their situation, and when they do finally take the step into more, I was cheering them on. The emotion is strong, and their passion for each other is so freaking good! Beau surprisingly has quite the filthy mouth, with the moves to back it up, and they are so hot together. They do have a few issues to work through, but it’s functional, emotional and super sexy, and I adored their story so much.

“I’m done pretending to be head over heels in love with you. Because I’m legitimately head over heels in love with you. And acting like I’m not tears me up.”

We get to catch up with the characters from the previous books, and the family scenes continue to be a highlight of the series. The Eatons and their chosen family are a fabulous crew, and this series has become a favourite. I’m looking forward to many rereads in the future.

Such a fantastic read – 5 stars!

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Jason Clarke and CJ Bloom, and they both do a fantastic job bringing these characters to life, and putting the feels into this story! I laughed and cried, and I absolutely recommend listening to this one!

 

Chestnut Springs