A review by abidavisf
Sable Peak by Devney Perry

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.

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