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rellimreads's review
4.0
This is book 4 in Synithia Williams’ Jackson Falls series. There are storylines that run throughout the series, so I recommend experiencing them all and in order – starting with the novella, The Promise of a Kiss.
Ashiya & Russell have both been background characters since book 1. Ashiya is a cousin to the main family and has been happily outside the drama of Robidoux Holdings. Russell has been working his way up the company while avoiding Ashiya after she hurt him when their relationship ended.
Williams’ gives these two an epic second chance romance as well as making both their dreams come true, even if not in the way they expected. There’s some compelling side stories going on here: the mysterious disappearance of Russell’s brother, embezzlement, and Ashiya’s parents self-centeredness.
I loved the way it all unfolded as well as the pacing of the story. This continues to be a fun and dramatic series on top of steamy romance.
Narration:
I continue to adore Adenrele Ojo’s performances. She does a great job with all the characters, the southern accents, and the various emotions. It’s a treat to listen to her.
Ashiya & Russell have both been background characters since book 1. Ashiya is a cousin to the main family and has been happily outside the drama of Robidoux Holdings. Russell has been working his way up the company while avoiding Ashiya after she hurt him when their relationship ended.
Williams’ gives these two an epic second chance romance as well as making both their dreams come true, even if not in the way they expected. There’s some compelling side stories going on here: the mysterious disappearance of Russell’s brother, embezzlement, and Ashiya’s parents self-centeredness.
I loved the way it all unfolded as well as the pacing of the story. This continues to be a fun and dramatic series on top of steamy romance.
Narration:
I continue to adore Adenrele Ojo’s performances. She does a great job with all the characters, the southern accents, and the various emotions. It’s a treat to listen to her.
jigsawgirl's review against another edition
4.0
This is the 4th book, but can be read as a standalone. Ashiya and Russell were more background characters in the previous books, so a reader would not miss much by starting with this book. IMHO, books 3 & 4 were better. I struggled with 1 & 2, but that may have just been me.
I thought this was so much more than just Ashiya and Russell's love story. There was trauma to contend with, both familial and relationship. There was pain, loss, and fear. There were a multitude of secrets, and attempts to break through generational dysfunction.
I was surprised at the mystery, suspense, and danger. I was happy with the possibility of continued stories about Ashiya's family on her father's side.
Russell and Ashiya had to learn how to be open and honest in their communication as well as take a leap of faith with their trust issues. I appreciated the fact that their relationship was not presented as an "I'm sorry, now everything is ok" type of situation.
I also liked the way Ashiya made an effort to get to know her father's family and give them the benefit of the doubt. Considering the circumstances, it took some bravery and a certain level of maturity. In spite of how Ashiya behaved in the past, specifically in regard to Russell, at least she learned from her mistakes.
I listened to that audiobook. I thought the narration was great. I think the narration not only improved from book 1, but with each subsequent book. The narrator has become one of my favorites, so maybe I am biased, lol.
I would definitely recommend the book whether it is the audio, ebook, or whatever form you choose.
I thought this was so much more than just Ashiya and Russell's love story. There was trauma to contend with, both familial and relationship. There was pain, loss, and fear. There were a multitude of secrets, and attempts to break through generational dysfunction.
I was surprised at the mystery, suspense, and danger. I was happy with the possibility of continued stories about Ashiya's family on her father's side.
Russell and Ashiya had to learn how to be open and honest in their communication as well as take a leap of faith with their trust issues. I appreciated the fact that their relationship was not presented as an "I'm sorry, now everything is ok" type of situation.
I also liked the way Ashiya made an effort to get to know her father's family and give them the benefit of the doubt. Considering the circumstances, it took some bravery and a certain level of maturity. In spite of how Ashiya behaved in the past, specifically in regard to Russell, at least she learned from her mistakes.
I listened to that audiobook. I thought the narration was great. I think the narration not only improved from book 1, but with each subsequent book. The narrator has become one of my favorites, so maybe I am biased, lol.
I would definitely recommend the book whether it is the audio, ebook, or whatever form you choose.
brandece1's review
3.0
When I read the third book in this series I thought it was the last and was so surprised when I saw there was a fourth. Ashiya is a character we meet in the first book, but honestly we don't see a whole lot of her throughout the previous books which is why I was confused when I saw there was a fourth book and that it was about her. One of the things I love most about these books are how soapy they are. I would say that of all of the books this is 100% the most soapy especially with the many side plots (Ashiya's claustrophobia, looking for Russell's brother, the relationship's between the MC's, their familiar relationships, work stuff). I enjoyed both Russell and Ashiya as MC's and their relationship. I really enjoyed seeing the characters from the other books, and if this is the last book in the series than I think that it was tied up well. I will definitely look for more books by this author in the future. And I'll keep an eye out in case someone finally decides to made this a show/movie.
karentje's review against another edition
4.0
Gripping, well-written romance with a strong female lead and an intriguing hero who’s still nurturing a broken heart. Russell is understandably closed-off at first, but even with everything that happened between them, he still comes to Ashiya’s aid. I really liked him. The worldbuilding is wonderful and I really enjoyed the insightful character development of both main characters, though especially Ashiya’s. I didn’t expect the painful secret in her past, nor the nightmarish plot twist near the end, which she handled so bravely. Russell has known terrible loss and is desperately seeking closure. My heart ached for him and his parents as that part of the story unfolded. The secondary characters have amazing added value, both the new ones and those we already knew from the previous books in the series. Second chance at love romances are often hit or miss for me, and I wasn’t completely sold on their background story, but I really loved seeing Ashiya and Russell reconnect and grow.
turophile's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There was a lot I Liked about the book but it was challenging to get into. Normally I question why books have a list of characters at the beginning but this one really needed it. It’s part of a series involving
shannanh's review against another edition
5.0
This was such an enjoyable and excitingly fast read, and such a great conclusion to the series. Although I have read all of the books, each one, including this one can be read as a standalone in my opinion. It was the perfect mix of romance and mystery. Ashiya and Russell are trying to not fall for each other again, and to keep it professional when trying to get some issues solved. This book had me all emotional through out the book. I can't wait to see what the next series will be from her.
I received a copy of the book via the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a copy of the book via the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
krisharris525's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
richardwriteson's review
4.0
WIlliams' Jackson Falls series is one of my favorites and this entry did not disappoint. Ashiya and Russell are a couple just want to route for. There was so much intrigue, like a true soapy story that Williams does well in this series. I normally dislike second chance romances. I feel like, IRL, parties would just move on and for good reason. But this one had me rooting for the characters.
I also listened to the audiobook and I have one gripe: the overly Southern accents. It is SC in the 2020s, not the 1950s. No one talks like that. Not overly Southern in this way and def not in SC.
BUt the book.. awesome!
I also listened to the audiobook and I have one gripe: the overly Southern accents. It is SC in the 2020s, not the 1950s. No one talks like that. Not overly Southern in this way and def not in SC.
BUt the book.. awesome!
whiskeyinthejar's review against another edition
3.0
3.3 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
She'd toyed with him. Used him to make her ex jealous, and by the time she realized she was falling for Russell, it was too late.
Fourth in the Jackson Falls series, Foolish Hearts is a book that you could jump into the series with, like I did, but the beginning will have you realizing that you're missing out on some family and friend relationship background. I never felt lost but there was some missing context with relationships and the foundation for the town of Jackson Falls, the Robidoux family, and their big corporation. Ashiya's mother is a Robidoux but Ashiya never wanted to be a part of their competitive and cutthroat world working in the company, she instead started her own consignment clothing business, Piece Together, and while she is friends with her all her cousins, does her own thing.
Russell at one time was secretly dating Ashiya and fell for her hard but heartbreakingly learned that Ashiya was only using him to make her ex jealous and get him to take her back. He's managed to mainly avoid her for the last three years since their break-up but as he's working towards being CEO of Robidoux Holdings it's getting harder.
Her voice was one of the things that had gotten him from the start. Soft, and teasing. Like the caress of cotton or silk across his skin whenever she laughed or spoke his name.
The first half of the book will have most of your sympathies with Russell, as he was treated fairly bad by Ashiya, using him to make her ex jealous and then trying to emotionally manipulate him to spend time with her as she is trying to get him back. The second half will have you soften towards Ashiya as more of her childhood is revealed and we learn how she internalized her parents' rocky relationship. Ashiya's mother married her father for the large corporation his mother owned and when she gets called a gold digger for it and her husband gets disowned and shunned from the family, she pushes Ashiya's father away. The two never get divorced because Ashiya's father didn't want her to grow-up without a father but the distance, emotional manipulation, and coldness is felt by Ashiya growing up. This sets the stage for how Ashiya acts in her relationships and why she handled it the way she did the first time she started dating Russell and then to the present when she is trying to get him back. I can see some feeling less charitable towards her character but the second half gives the material to draw more empathy for her. Russell's character was the combination of sweet and strong that will have readers firmly in his corner and swooning.
He'd only wanted to find someone he could love and trust.
What draws these characters together for their second chance romance is Ashiya's grandmother on her father's side dying and listing Ashiya in her will as sole beneficiary and leaving Ashiya as chairperson and majority holder in her company. It's at first something Ashiya doesn't want, she's worked to escape that world from her mother's side but when she shows up to reject the will readings, her cousin Levi, who has been mostly running the company, gets in her face about being a gold digger like her mother. Ashiya decides to show him and everyone she can run a company. Ashiya goes to her cousin who runs Robidoux Holdings, asking for some help and guidance but her cousin directs Russell to help Ashiya. Russell is told it's because the cousin is considering him for CEO and needs to know she can trust him and as Russell really wants the CEO job, because of the money and power that will come with it, he agrees to go to Hilton Head to help Ashiya. This also helps and brings in the side story going involving the disappearance of Russell's brother fifteen years ago when he went to Hilton Head for spring break. A new detective is on the cold case and Russell wants to personally talk to him and maybe do a little investigation himself, why he wants the CEO position so bad, he will be in a power position to make people pay attention to his brother's case.
He'd begged her to stay and she'd still walked away. She'd been such a fool.
As you can tell, there are some major threads going on, the second chance romance, Ashiya's immediate and outer family drama, Ashiya inheriting a company, and Russell still trying to find out what happened to his brother years ago. Towards the latter second half there was also some embezzlement mystery from Ashiya's new company that tied in but, yeah, there was a good amount going on. I thought it all held together but I did think Ashiya and Russell's building relationship took a hit because of everything else going on. There were a few flashbacks to show us these two in love but I missed more of the emotion building blocks, I want to know and see the hows and whys of the falling in love, it's about going on the journey with them for me; second chance can sometimes give us less of the journey because of the nature of the trope. I thought this second time around I got a lot of lusting from Ashiya and a lot of wariness from Russell until the latter second half where I thought we got better looks at their friendship and emotional connection.
Ashiya suppressed a smile and the spark of hope glowing hotter in her chest. He still felt something. He might not want to, but he did.
Russell stole the show for me a little bit because of how sweet he was and how his vulnerability showed through him not wanting to open his heart up again to Ashiya, I felt his broken heart. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how steamy this couple was, too. I feel I talk enough about too many sex scenes but this story had a good amount in the second half and because they fit the couple, they fit the story and actually enhanced this couple for me. Look, when they got interrupted the first time I wanted to reach into the pages and shove the barging character out the door and the kitchen table scene was definitely not a waste.
His hand pushed the hair back from her face. He rested his forehead on hers and locked eyes with her.
I would have liked to have seen more of this couple's beginning falling in love, maybe one of the story threads taken out, and more time given to Russell's brother's cold case, especially because of how much of an emotional punch it gives at the end. Ashiya and Russell did deliver on the steamy and ended up giving me one of the most grown-up, mature relationship talks that gave their coming together an even more satisfying feel. I'll be going back to check out the beginning of the series and will be on the lookout to see if Ashiya's cousin Levi gets a wake up call to pay more attention to Ashiya's late grandmother's assistant Brianna.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
She'd toyed with him. Used him to make her ex jealous, and by the time she realized she was falling for Russell, it was too late.
Fourth in the Jackson Falls series, Foolish Hearts is a book that you could jump into the series with, like I did, but the beginning will have you realizing that you're missing out on some family and friend relationship background. I never felt lost but there was some missing context with relationships and the foundation for the town of Jackson Falls, the Robidoux family, and their big corporation. Ashiya's mother is a Robidoux but Ashiya never wanted to be a part of their competitive and cutthroat world working in the company, she instead started her own consignment clothing business, Piece Together, and while she is friends with her all her cousins, does her own thing.
Russell at one time was secretly dating Ashiya and fell for her hard but heartbreakingly learned that Ashiya was only using him to make her ex jealous and get him to take her back. He's managed to mainly avoid her for the last three years since their break-up but as he's working towards being CEO of Robidoux Holdings it's getting harder.
Her voice was one of the things that had gotten him from the start. Soft, and teasing. Like the caress of cotton or silk across his skin whenever she laughed or spoke his name.
The first half of the book will have most of your sympathies with Russell, as he was treated fairly bad by Ashiya, using him to make her ex jealous and then trying to emotionally manipulate him to spend time with her as she is trying to get him back. The second half will have you soften towards Ashiya as more of her childhood is revealed and we learn how she internalized her parents' rocky relationship. Ashiya's mother married her father for the large corporation his mother owned and when she gets called a gold digger for it and her husband gets disowned and shunned from the family, she pushes Ashiya's father away. The two never get divorced because Ashiya's father didn't want her to grow-up without a father but the distance, emotional manipulation, and coldness is felt by Ashiya growing up. This sets the stage for how Ashiya acts in her relationships and why she handled it the way she did the first time she started dating Russell and then to the present when she is trying to get him back. I can see some feeling less charitable towards her character but the second half gives the material to draw more empathy for her. Russell's character was the combination of sweet and strong that will have readers firmly in his corner and swooning.
He'd only wanted to find someone he could love and trust.
What draws these characters together for their second chance romance is Ashiya's grandmother on her father's side dying and listing Ashiya in her will as sole beneficiary and leaving Ashiya as chairperson and majority holder in her company. It's at first something Ashiya doesn't want, she's worked to escape that world from her mother's side but when she shows up to reject the will readings, her cousin Levi, who has been mostly running the company, gets in her face about being a gold digger like her mother. Ashiya decides to show him and everyone she can run a company. Ashiya goes to her cousin who runs Robidoux Holdings, asking for some help and guidance but her cousin directs Russell to help Ashiya. Russell is told it's because the cousin is considering him for CEO and needs to know she can trust him and as Russell really wants the CEO job, because of the money and power that will come with it, he agrees to go to Hilton Head to help Ashiya. This also helps and brings in the side story going involving the disappearance of Russell's brother fifteen years ago when he went to Hilton Head for spring break. A new detective is on the cold case and Russell wants to personally talk to him and maybe do a little investigation himself, why he wants the CEO position so bad, he will be in a power position to make people pay attention to his brother's case.
He'd begged her to stay and she'd still walked away. She'd been such a fool.
As you can tell, there are some major threads going on, the second chance romance, Ashiya's immediate and outer family drama, Ashiya inheriting a company, and Russell still trying to find out what happened to his brother years ago. Towards the latter second half there was also some embezzlement mystery from Ashiya's new company that tied in but, yeah, there was a good amount going on. I thought it all held together but I did think Ashiya and Russell's building relationship took a hit because of everything else going on. There were a few flashbacks to show us these two in love but I missed more of the emotion building blocks, I want to know and see the hows and whys of the falling in love, it's about going on the journey with them for me; second chance can sometimes give us less of the journey because of the nature of the trope. I thought this second time around I got a lot of lusting from Ashiya and a lot of wariness from Russell until the latter second half where I thought we got better looks at their friendship and emotional connection.
Ashiya suppressed a smile and the spark of hope glowing hotter in her chest. He still felt something. He might not want to, but he did.
Russell stole the show for me a little bit because of how sweet he was and how his vulnerability showed through him not wanting to open his heart up again to Ashiya, I felt his broken heart. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how steamy this couple was, too. I feel I talk enough about too many sex scenes but this story had a good amount in the second half and because they fit the couple, they fit the story and actually enhanced this couple for me. Look, when they got interrupted the first time I wanted to reach into the pages and shove the barging character out the door and the kitchen table scene was definitely not a waste.
His hand pushed the hair back from her face. He rested his forehead on hers and locked eyes with her.
I would have liked to have seen more of this couple's beginning falling in love, maybe one of the story threads taken out, and more time given to Russell's brother's cold case, especially because of how much of an emotional punch it gives at the end. Ashiya and Russell did deliver on the steamy and ended up giving me one of the most grown-up, mature relationship talks that gave their coming together an even more satisfying feel. I'll be going back to check out the beginning of the series and will be on the lookout to see if Ashiya's cousin Levi gets a wake up call to pay more attention to Ashiya's late grandmother's assistant Brianna.