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abidavisf's review
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I love Vera and Mateo as characters but, sadly, for me, Sable Peak fell flat. Both characters gave so much in the previous books: mystery and heartache from Vera, humour and kindness from Mateo.
I expected Mateo in this book to be fast-paced and cheeky. Instead, he felt slow and unimpassioned, even in the scenes where he was doing something he really loved.
Each of Mateo’s siblings, in their own books, painted such mystery about him, and yet the real Mateo was bland. I doubt that he actually would be bland. We just didn’t get to see anything from him. How were his first two years as a single dad? What kind of life did he live before (besides working for his siblings)? What was he like in school? Griffin had said in his book that Mateo was similar to him but… how? He’d seemed really close to Eloise in her book but where was she during Sable Peak? He’d always been the quiet one in his siblings’ tales and, in his moment in the limelight, he stayed that way. The more I think about it as I write this review, the more disappointed I am.
Vera, as much as my heart aches for her, held so much more potential in my mind. Her inner turmoil felt skated over. So much of the book was reserved for her crushing on Mateo that there was very little of her actually processing her life and learning how to fit back into society, even though that was a much larger part of her life than a crush. It felt like the strength and bravery she showed for going back to the ‘real world’ was glossed over in place of a man and was, frankly, disappointing.
After such a strong series in terms of original plots and heart-wrenching twists, what should have been the most emotional of them all felt muted. All of Vera’s story was told in Crimson River. Her story in Sable Peak was just how her life could revolve around a man. After everything she went through, she deserved more. I love Mateo, but this book wasn’t it for me. Allie held the book together by being adorable, but even she deserved more. How did they explain Vera to her? Does she know about Cormac? So much was left unsaid.
I wanted to give this 3 stars because I finished it but, honestly, it was only my hope that the book would improve that kept me going and my fondness for the other characters. A disappointing end to The Edens.
I expected Mateo in this book to be fast-paced and cheeky. Instead, he felt slow and unimpassioned, even in the scenes where he was doing something he really loved.
Each of Mateo’s siblings, in their own books, painted such mystery about him, and yet the real Mateo was bland. I doubt that he actually would be bland. We just didn’t get to see anything from him. How were his first two years as a single dad? What kind of life did he live before (besides working for his siblings)? What was he like in school? Griffin had said in his book that Mateo was similar to him but… how? He’d seemed really close to Eloise in her book but where was she during Sable Peak? He’d always been the quiet one in his siblings’ tales and, in his moment in the limelight, he stayed that way. The more I think about it as I write this review, the more disappointed I am.
Vera, as much as my heart aches for her, held so much more potential in my mind. Her inner turmoil felt skated over. So much of the book was reserved for her crushing on Mateo that there was very little of her actually processing her life and learning how to fit back into society, even though that was a much larger part of her life than a crush. It felt like the strength and bravery she showed for going back to the ‘real world’ was glossed over in place of a man and was, frankly, disappointing.
After such a strong series in terms of original plots and heart-wrenching twists, what should have been the most emotional of them all felt muted. All of Vera’s story was told in Crimson River. Her story in Sable Peak was just how her life could revolve around a man. After everything she went through, she deserved more. I love Mateo, but this book wasn’t it for me. Allie held the book together by being adorable, but even she deserved more. How did they explain Vera to her? Does she know about Cormac? So much was left unsaid.
I wanted to give this 3 stars because I finished it but, honestly, it was only my hope that the book would improve that kept me going and my fondness for the other characters. A disappointing end to The Edens.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Abandonment
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Rating: 5/5 stars
Vera Gallagher has been in love with Mateo Eden from the moment she saw him…but are the feelings returned?
I’ll be totally honest—I never had strong feelings about Mateo in any of the earlier books, and when I learned who his FMC was I was even more skeptical, so I went in with basically no expectations. But…it turns out this is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the entire series. I absolutely loved it—Vera’s journey, Mateo’s….everything about Mateo, honestly, the single parenting and the pining and the nods to Anne and Harrison’s relationship and the found family and the true family and just ALL OF IT. I teared up so many times, especially in the final third or so. I will truly miss this family and this series so very much, but I’m so glad it was able to close out in such a perfect way.
And finally, my Official Series Rating: SABLE PEAK > JUNIPER HILL > THE EDENS: A LEGACY (short story) > JASPER VALE > CRIMSON RIVER > INDIGO RIDGE > CHRISTMAS IN QUINCY (novella) > GARNET FLATS.
CW: Death/death of parent/child death; addiction/alcoholism/drug abuse
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Murder
marveloesje's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
alyse_turns_pages's review against another edition
dark
sad
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? Yes
4.25
THIS. Is my favorite of the Eden Series and for some reason I thought it was going to be my least. I love Vera. I love Mateo. I LOVE THE EDENS. This story had me not even caring about the spicy scenes. This story had me hooked and I loved how the theme and plot of this book was a continuation from another in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Grief, and Murder
ecravens's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
hapalyn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Death, and Death of parent
mimemo's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Grief
sierracharlie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I loved this series but am left a bit disappointed after this story.
I feel the character development was very much Vera only and Mateo was missing so much.
I’m glad they got their happily ever after though.
TW - child death, death in childbirth
I feel the character development was very much Vera only and Mateo was missing so much.
I’m glad they got their happily ever after though.
TW - child death, death in childbirth
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
aclark437's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Murder
sami_leigh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
Everyone drew closer to him, like he was a magnet and they were metal.
“Light follows him. It’s always sunny when he’s around.”
It felt like someone had slipped glasses on my face. And that someone had given me permission to see.
Then I held on to her. There wasn’t much else to say, not until I could puzzle it all out in my head, so I just held on to her. Tight enough that maybe the next time she thought about going it alone, she’d remember there was no need.
🏞️ First person dual POV; Part 1 is Vera only
🏞️ Sixth & final in a series following the Edens; you need to read book 5 for the overarching storyline to make sense
🏞️ After the trauma of her past Vera is seeking a normal life, and a life changing love. But will Mateo ever see her?
🏞️ Storyline spans years
🏞️ Longtime unrequited crush
🏞️ Single dad
🏞️ Pilot
🏞️ Secrets
🏞️ Found family
🏞️ Tension 🔥
🏞️ Nicknames
🏞️ Well established secondary characters; Winslow & Griffin (Book 1), Memphis & Knox (Book 2), Talia & Foster (Book 3), Eloise & Jasper (Book 4), Lyla & Vance (Book 5), Anne & Harrison (Short story 4.5), Alaina.
🏞️ MC growth; Traumatic past, trust, risking a relationship, self worth, career goals.
🏞️ 3 Epilogues!
⚠️ Toxic relationships (past), injury/injury detail (moderate), pregnancy, violence/assault (off page), death (past), mental illness/alcoholism (secondary character, past), dementia (secondary character, briefly mentioned).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Violence, and Dementia