allingoodtime's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I was not prepared to love Repo aka Jason so much. I was also not prepared for Diane’s story to break my heart and have me fully in her corner. Let me quickly say that this is not a standalone book. You need to read the Solving For Pie series and you should, at the very least, read Beard Science from this series. This story feels like a gift from the author to the fans of these two series.
That being said, we all know Diane was not a sympathetic character in Beard Science. She wasn’t as awful as her husband, but she wasn’t much better. Getting to know her without her husband and viewing the inner workings of her mind helped me immensely in understanding and even loving this character. We all make mistakes, the reasons for Diane’s mistakes are not an excuse and she doesn’t make them explain her bad judgment away. She knows she was wrong and knows she was weak and wants to make it up to her children any way she can.
Jason and Diane are a couple who seem so wrong but are so right. He’s so aware of how he comes across and uses that to his advantage when needed, yet he also proceeds with kid gloves when the occasion calls for a lighter touch. He’s insightful and loving and also has many dark marks in his past that make him want to live a better life.
I’m so glad I read these “side” stories. In the end, it was worth the setup to get to the love story of Diane and Jason. And now I need Diane’s son (Jennifer’s brother) to get his HEA.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
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