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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
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
Thank you to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! Save Us releases November 4th!
Just like the first two books, I flew through Save Us. The final book in the Maxton Hall trilogy gave me all the drama, angst, and swoony moments I was hoping for. Ruby and James’s story wrapped up perfectly, and I loved seeing James finally stand up to his father and choose the life he actually wants. My heart was so full seeing where they ended up because they deserve every bit of happiness. 🥹
Ruby getting suspended for something she didn’t do had me stressed, but I loved how James stepped up for her, even when his own life was a mess. Their relationship has always been my favorite part of this series, and they were such a strong team here.
We also got more POVs (Graham, Alistair, Ember, Lydia), and while I liked the added depth, I wish we’d gotten more closure for some of them. Lydia & Graham (and the twins) deserved more page time, and I really wanted to see where Ember & Wren ended up. Fingers crossed for bonus content someday, because their stories feel unfinished!
Still, this was such a satisfying finale. It had all the angsty drama, found family feels, and romantic tension that hooked me in book one. And the epilogue? So sweet and exactly what Ruby & James deserved.
Mona Kasten just gets how to write YA romance that feels addictive, emotional, and full of heart. If you loved the first two, this will be everything you want in a finale. Now excuse me while I go rewatch the Maxton Hall show because I’m not ready to let these characters go. 😭
🎓 Tropes & Vibes:
✔️ Grumpy x sunshine
✔️ Found family
✔️ Rich boy/scholarship girl dynamic
✔️ Enemies to lovers turned solid ride or die couple
✔️ Angst + sweet romance
📖 Spice: 1.5/5 (soft YA fade to black vibes, but plenty of chemistry!)
Just like the first two books, I flew through Save Us. The final book in the Maxton Hall trilogy gave me all the drama, angst, and swoony moments I was hoping for. Ruby and James’s story wrapped up perfectly, and I loved seeing James finally stand up to his father and choose the life he actually wants. My heart was so full seeing where they ended up because they deserve every bit of happiness. 🥹
Ruby getting suspended for something she didn’t do had me stressed, but I loved how James stepped up for her, even when his own life was a mess. Their relationship has always been my favorite part of this series, and they were such a strong team here.
We also got more POVs (Graham, Alistair, Ember, Lydia), and while I liked the added depth, I wish we’d gotten more closure for some of them. Lydia & Graham (and the twins) deserved more page time, and I really wanted to see where Ember & Wren ended up. Fingers crossed for bonus content someday, because their stories feel unfinished!
Still, this was such a satisfying finale. It had all the angsty drama, found family feels, and romantic tension that hooked me in book one. And the epilogue? So sweet and exactly what Ruby & James deserved.
Mona Kasten just gets how to write YA romance that feels addictive, emotional, and full of heart. If you loved the first two, this will be everything you want in a finale. Now excuse me while I go rewatch the Maxton Hall show because I’m not ready to let these characters go. 😭
🎓 Tropes & Vibes:
✔️ Grumpy x sunshine
✔️ Found family
✔️ Rich boy/scholarship girl dynamic
✔️ Enemies to lovers turned solid ride or die couple
✔️ Angst + sweet romance
📖 Spice: 1.5/5 (soft YA fade to black vibes, but plenty of chemistry!)
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I want like 5 more books with these characters. I’m so sad it’s over but love how it all wrapped up. All of the tension, angst, and pining really hit the spot. I really hope more of Mona Kasten’s books get translated into English so I can continue reading her work.