kfriend's review against another edition
5.0
Are the Baileys stories really almost complete? My heart isn't ready! Piper Rayne saved one of the most challenging love stories for the last. (well the last full length story, that is) We knew this book would be a challenge- because Bailey fans disliked Jameson almost as much as the Baileys themselves dislike him, and love stories that try to grow from deeply fractured, toxically damaged ground are always the hardest roads. But oh my, boy does that make the reward all the sweeter. So sweet that this book is one of my favorites of the entire series- perhaps my favorite.
Jameson really messed up- he had the girl of his dreams, pregnant with his daughter, but he was losing a battle to a crippling addiction, a means to cope with his insecurity and lost sense of self after a career ending injury. Despondent and heartbroken, Sedona leaves him with nothing but a sonogram photo and a one way ticket to rock bottom. And he goes there. In the present, Sedona has returned home to the safety of the Bailey crew in Alaska and is raising her eighteen month old daughter Palmer on her own- well, with the Bailey crew help, of course. After a hard fought journey of healing and finding sobriety, Jameson has reclaimed his mind and body from his consuming addiction, and now he’s ready to make amends, and hopefully reclaim his family. He’s never even met his daughter, never attempted to be part of her life, so Sedona is shocked to find him in Lake Starlight. And, Jameson is shocked to find Sedona pregnant. But, he immediately loves his daughter, and clicks with her. While Sedona seems open to opening their lives for Palmer and Jameson to know each other, she seems unwilling to open her heart. With good reason- while Jameson looks healthy, is he really recovered? Will he really be there for Palmer after letting them down for so long? And can the former celebrity truly be content to hang around in peaceful Lake Starlight?
This couple may be my favorite Bailey couple. I just adore Sedona- she’s so compassionate and SO rationale. She’s calm and pragmatic- firm in her beliefs but willing to listen and understand others. Such a great contrast to the fire of Phoenix. She’s protective, loving, and so patient- definitely a quieter, more stoic heroine, and one that I really appreciated and admired. And Jameson won me over- and QUICKLY, too. He’s clearly a changed man- from the first chapter in our Scotsman’s head, I was in love. He’s so deeply remorseful and so committed to his family. He’s learning how to be a dad, but his heart already knows how to love Sedona. He proves himself- over and over. He’s so caring and emotionally open, protective but not overly dominant, and he’s determined but patient and respectful. He lets Sedona call the shots. And I loved seeing him with Palmer- the Bailey book men and babies just SLAY me. Palmer really stole my heart, too. She’s truly a special little girl.
I loved the approach to chemistry here- Piper Rayne lets it be awkward and uncomfortable at first, despite the pull we can feel between them. Their connection is messy and confusing, and so the relationship dynamics are too, especially as Sedona struggles to think about what she wants, and what is okay with when it comes to Jameson. But the spark, the spark is there- we can feel it slowly burning away as they to work through some stuff. And when these two find their way back together, it just feels so rewarding.
This particular trope (second chance, addiction) can be super angsty- but here it gets the Piper Rayne treatment- we have some tension, but nothing explosive or overly combative. Both characters communicate- openly and frequently- and they LISTEN to each other. They are both incredibly patient and giving. It is not a fast and easy road (and fortunately we get a few sweet flashbacks to tide us over in this slower burn), but it is not overly angsty or dramatic. I also appreciated the window into addiction recovery we get here- the maintenance side, at least. Seeing Jameson responsibly check in with his mentor, attending meetings, and using coping strategies to stay sober is an important reminder that there is no cure for addiction- it is always constant and intentional work.
What makes this series so special is the ensemble focus- these magical Baileys, the fact that this is not just a series about individuals finding romance, but it is also a series about a family showing up to support one another. And that story has grown over the last nine books as we see this family function as a unit- in good and bad times. Most of our Baileys get a moment or two in this story. I especially loved seeing Kingston and Palmer. And, of course, we have the delightful meddling of our octogenarian matriarchs. The small town Bailey buzz is still alive and well, and we finally find out the voice behind the infamous BUZZ WHEEL (and all I have to say is CALLED IT!), but the revelation was still unexpected.
At the conclusion of this in the adorable epilogue, we not only get full hearts as we can finally sit back and see all of our beloved Baileys happy and thriving in true love, but we also have the promise of a whole new family of kids nearby Lake Starlight that are about to get the Ethel and Grandma Dori treatment. I’m not sure much can top the magic of the Baileys, but if that new series has the same heart, inspires that welcoming familiarity, and has that same amazing family dynamic that makes this series so special then I KNOW we’ll love it. Looking forward to the final Bailey novella, but I’m certainly not ready to say goodbye!
Jameson really messed up- he had the girl of his dreams, pregnant with his daughter, but he was losing a battle to a crippling addiction, a means to cope with his insecurity and lost sense of self after a career ending injury. Despondent and heartbroken, Sedona leaves him with nothing but a sonogram photo and a one way ticket to rock bottom. And he goes there. In the present, Sedona has returned home to the safety of the Bailey crew in Alaska and is raising her eighteen month old daughter Palmer on her own- well, with the Bailey crew help, of course. After a hard fought journey of healing and finding sobriety, Jameson has reclaimed his mind and body from his consuming addiction, and now he’s ready to make amends, and hopefully reclaim his family. He’s never even met his daughter, never attempted to be part of her life, so Sedona is shocked to find him in Lake Starlight. And, Jameson is shocked to find Sedona pregnant. But, he immediately loves his daughter, and clicks with her. While Sedona seems open to opening their lives for Palmer and Jameson to know each other, she seems unwilling to open her heart. With good reason- while Jameson looks healthy, is he really recovered? Will he really be there for Palmer after letting them down for so long? And can the former celebrity truly be content to hang around in peaceful Lake Starlight?
This couple may be my favorite Bailey couple. I just adore Sedona- she’s so compassionate and SO rationale. She’s calm and pragmatic- firm in her beliefs but willing to listen and understand others. Such a great contrast to the fire of Phoenix. She’s protective, loving, and so patient- definitely a quieter, more stoic heroine, and one that I really appreciated and admired. And Jameson won me over- and QUICKLY, too. He’s clearly a changed man- from the first chapter in our Scotsman’s head, I was in love. He’s so deeply remorseful and so committed to his family. He’s learning how to be a dad, but his heart already knows how to love Sedona. He proves himself- over and over. He’s so caring and emotionally open, protective but not overly dominant, and he’s determined but patient and respectful. He lets Sedona call the shots. And I loved seeing him with Palmer- the Bailey book men and babies just SLAY me. Palmer really stole my heart, too. She’s truly a special little girl.
I loved the approach to chemistry here- Piper Rayne lets it be awkward and uncomfortable at first, despite the pull we can feel between them. Their connection is messy and confusing, and so the relationship dynamics are too, especially as Sedona struggles to think about what she wants, and what is okay with when it comes to Jameson. But the spark, the spark is there- we can feel it slowly burning away as they to work through some stuff. And when these two find their way back together, it just feels so rewarding.
This particular trope (second chance, addiction) can be super angsty- but here it gets the Piper Rayne treatment- we have some tension, but nothing explosive or overly combative. Both characters communicate- openly and frequently- and they LISTEN to each other. They are both incredibly patient and giving. It is not a fast and easy road (and fortunately we get a few sweet flashbacks to tide us over in this slower burn), but it is not overly angsty or dramatic. I also appreciated the window into addiction recovery we get here- the maintenance side, at least. Seeing Jameson responsibly check in with his mentor, attending meetings, and using coping strategies to stay sober is an important reminder that there is no cure for addiction- it is always constant and intentional work.
What makes this series so special is the ensemble focus- these magical Baileys, the fact that this is not just a series about individuals finding romance, but it is also a series about a family showing up to support one another. And that story has grown over the last nine books as we see this family function as a unit- in good and bad times. Most of our Baileys get a moment or two in this story. I especially loved seeing Kingston and Palmer. And, of course, we have the delightful meddling of our octogenarian matriarchs. The small town Bailey buzz is still alive and well, and we finally find out the voice behind the infamous BUZZ WHEEL (and all I have to say is CALLED IT!), but the revelation was still unexpected.
At the conclusion of this in the adorable epilogue, we not only get full hearts as we can finally sit back and see all of our beloved Baileys happy and thriving in true love, but we also have the promise of a whole new family of kids nearby Lake Starlight that are about to get the Ethel and Grandma Dori treatment. I’m not sure much can top the magic of the Baileys, but if that new series has the same heart, inspires that welcoming familiarity, and has that same amazing family dynamic that makes this series so special then I KNOW we’ll love it. Looking forward to the final Bailey novella, but I’m certainly not ready to say goodbye!
nutmeg1013's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kem0514's review against another edition
4.0
I was a bit emotional reading this second chance story for Sedona and Jamison. Jamison went from someone to hate to someone to love. and this wrapped up the series pretty well. It is sad to say goodbye.
2frangipani2's review against another edition
2.0
By this last book the formula seems a little too simple - everyone of the Bailey's ends up with their childhood crush or first love. I expect things to be "too easy" since it is a romance novel, but some of it so far-fetched it frustrated me. For instance the fact that Jameson's uncle happened to learn american sign language and did not bother to learn the correct version and therefore remained isolated. How would that actually happen? In addition, I really had a difficult time enjoying this as an audiobook because of the extremely slow and annoying way the accent was presented for Jameson.
Two stars only because it was a must-read to finish the Bailey story.
Two stars only because it was a must-read to finish the Bailey story.
shms's review against another edition
dnf@15%. I tried but I had trouble getting into it.
leaslibraryy's review against another edition
3.0
3,5
Auch der letzte Baileys Band ist für mich wieder ein Wohlfühlbuch und ein gelungener Abschluss für diese tolle Romance Reihe.
Dieses Mal dreht sich alles um Sedona und Jamison. Schon in vorherigen Bänden durften wir beide Charaktere kennenlernen und einen kurzen Blick auf ihren Konflikt werfen. In Band 9 erfahren wir nun endlich mehr über die Beziehung der beiden und bekommen eine Antwort auf die große Frage, ob Sedona Jamison wieder in ihr Leben lässt.
Was mir besonders gut gefallen hat ,waren die Charakterentwicklungen sowohl von Sedona als auch von Jamison. Sedona lernt, dass es Menschen gibt, auf die sie sich verlassen kann und dass sie leider nicht alles kontrollieren kann. Jamison hat ebenfalls seine Konflikte. Mit seiner Alkoholsucht wurde sehr vorsichtig und authentisch umgegangen und mich konnte seinen Teil der Geschichte emotional berühren.
Außerdem war es mal wieder richtig schön, auf die anderen Mitglieder der mittlerweile sehr großen Baileys Familie zu treffen. Offene Handlungsstränge wurden passend zum Ende geführt und natürlich darf auch ganz viel Humor nicht fehlen.
Allerdings habe ich auch zwei Kritikpunkte an Band 9. Zum einen mochte ich es nicht, dass die Familie sich so stark in Sedonas Beziehung eingemischt hat. Zwar fand ich es immer recht unterhaltsam, wenn vorallem Grandma Dori Pläne schmiedet, doch in diesem finalen Band war es mir etwas zu viel, wodurch es schnell übergriffig wirkte.
Außerdem hätte die Handlung etwas mehr Spannung vertragen können. Ich habe das Buch sehr gerne gelesen, doch leider nicht so sehr mitgefiebert wie in den anderen Bänden.
Fazit
Ein gelungener Abschluss einer großartigen, unterhaltsam und herzlichen NA Reihe. Ich werde die Baileys sehr vermissen. Das Buch bekommt von mir 3,5 Sterne
3,5 Sterne!
Auch der letzte Baileys Band ist für mich wieder ein Wohlfühlbuch und ein gelungener Abschluss für diese tolle Romance Reihe.
Dieses Mal dreht sich alles um Sedona und Jamison. Schon in vorherigen Bänden durften wir beide Charaktere kennenlernen und einen kurzen Blick auf ihren Konflikt werfen. In Band 9 erfahren wir nun endlich mehr über die Beziehung der beiden und bekommen eine Antwort auf die große Frage, ob Sedona Jamison wieder in ihr Leben lässt.
Was mir besonders gut gefallen hat ,waren die Charakterentwicklungen sowohl von Sedona als auch von Jamison. Sedona lernt, dass es Menschen gibt, auf die sie sich verlassen kann und dass sie leider nicht alles kontrollieren kann. Jamison hat ebenfalls seine Konflikte. Mit seiner Alkoholsucht wurde sehr vorsichtig und authentisch umgegangen und mich konnte seinen Teil der Geschichte emotional berühren.
Außerdem war es mal wieder richtig schön, auf die anderen Mitglieder der mittlerweile sehr großen Baileys Familie zu treffen. Offene Handlungsstränge wurden passend zum Ende geführt und natürlich darf auch ganz viel Humor nicht fehlen.
Allerdings habe ich auch zwei Kritikpunkte an Band 9. Zum einen mochte ich es nicht, dass die Familie sich so stark in Sedonas Beziehung eingemischt hat. Zwar fand ich es immer recht unterhaltsam, wenn vorallem Grandma Dori Pläne schmiedet, doch in diesem finalen Band war es mir etwas zu viel, wodurch es schnell übergriffig wirkte.
Außerdem hätte die Handlung etwas mehr Spannung vertragen können. Ich habe das Buch sehr gerne gelesen, doch leider nicht so sehr mitgefiebert wie in den anderen Bänden.
Fazit
Ein gelungener Abschluss einer großartigen, unterhaltsam und herzlichen NA Reihe. Ich werde die Baileys sehr vermissen. Das Buch bekommt von mir 3,5 Sterne
3,5 Sterne!
tamtam's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
spuddytally's review against another edition
4.0
* * I HAD BEEN GIVEN AN ADVANCE READERS COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW * *
I loved the lead up to this book, the hints the bombs dropped in epilogues, the teasers that drove readers crazy. Trust me, the Facebook spoiler feeds for the other books were amazing with people's thoughts, feelings and ideas of where this story line was going.
I cannot give it the 5 stars
I loved the lead up to this book, the hints the bombs dropped in epilogues, the teasers that drove readers crazy. Trust me, the Facebook spoiler feeds for the other books were amazing with people's thoughts, feelings and ideas of where this story line was going.
I cannot give it the 5 stars