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zaza_bdp's review against another edition
4.0
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce 5ème tome de la série Blue Heron ! J'ai eu l'opportunité de le lire en VO en avant-première, du coup j'ai sauté les tomes 3 & 4, mais ça n'a pas du tout dérangé ma lecture.
Dans Anything for you, on retrouve Connor, le cuisinier de O'Rourke, frère jumeau de Colleen, qui tient le bar dans ce même restaurant, et Jessica, qui travaillait chez Hugo dans le tome 1 et qui a rejoint l'équipe du domaine Blue Heron dans le tome 2.
Ces deux-là se connaissent depuis l'enfance, et viennent dans des milieux diamétralement opposés. Lui vient d'un milieu plutôt aisé, tandis qu'elle a grandi dans un espèce de camping, vivant avec des parents alcooliques dans une vieille caravane, avec un petit frère souffrant du syndrome d'alcoolisme fœtal.
Connor est amoureux d'elle depuis qu'il a 12 ans, elle a toujours été la seule et unique femme pour laquelle il ait des sentiments. Pour elle, c'est plus compliqué. Au lycée, elle a fait des choses dont elle n'est pas fière, pour protéger son frère. Elle a toujours dû se comporter en adulte responsable, même quand elle était jeune, a essuyé maintes et maintes désillusions concernant ses parents ...
Connor et Jessica ont des relations épisodiques pendant de longues années, mais au début du livre, Connor 'craque' et décide de demander à Jessica de l'épouser, mais la réponse fournie par sa belle va faire office de douche froide, et quelle douche froide !
S'ensuit alors un bon tiers du roman consacré à un retour sur les années précédentes, on voit leur relation évoluer au cours du temps qui passe, on mesure tout l'amour qu'il lui porte, la fierté et l'obstination dont elle fait preuve pour avancer dans la vie.
J'ai trouvé un poil longuet tous ces refus de Jessica, cette phobie de l'engagement, et c'est finalement assez peu courant en romance de voir un héros complètement amoureux face à une héroine si en retrait. Il m'a souvent fait mal au cœur, c'est difficile de ne pas avoir de la peine pour lui quand on voit le nombre de fois où Jessica le repousse ...
Comme d'habitude, on retrouve les personnages des tomes précédents : la tribu des Holland, les amis, les habitants de Manningsport, Colleen, cette espiègle sœur jumelle. avec qui Connor entretient une relation assez fusionnelle en dépit de leurs perpétuelles chamailleries.
Et dans ce tome, Kristan Higgins apporte une note de gravité avec le personnage de Davey, le frère de Jessica. Le syndrome d'alcoolisme fœtal fait de lui un éternel enfant au QI très faible. Il hait profondément Connor suite à un évènement traumatisant du passé qu'il n'a pas compris. Il l'a rendu responsable de la mort de son chien, et depuis, à chaque fois qu'il le voit, il rentre dans des crises de rage assez effrayantes. Davey est donc un frein à la relation entre Jessica et Connor, mais notre héros sans peur et sans reproche saura faire preuve de beaucoup de patience et de gentillesse pour apprivoiser ce jeune homme pas comme les autres.
Un 5ème tome très sympathique donc, amusant, romantique et enlevé, porté par la plume toujours pleine de verve de Kristan Higgins, papesse du 'feel good book'.
Dans Anything for you, on retrouve Connor, le cuisinier de O'Rourke, frère jumeau de Colleen, qui tient le bar dans ce même restaurant, et Jessica, qui travaillait chez Hugo dans le tome 1 et qui a rejoint l'équipe du domaine Blue Heron dans le tome 2.
Ces deux-là se connaissent depuis l'enfance, et viennent dans des milieux diamétralement opposés. Lui vient d'un milieu plutôt aisé, tandis qu'elle a grandi dans un espèce de camping, vivant avec des parents alcooliques dans une vieille caravane, avec un petit frère souffrant du syndrome d'alcoolisme fœtal.
Connor est amoureux d'elle depuis qu'il a 12 ans, elle a toujours été la seule et unique femme pour laquelle il ait des sentiments. Pour elle, c'est plus compliqué. Au lycée, elle a fait des choses dont elle n'est pas fière, pour protéger son frère. Elle a toujours dû se comporter en adulte responsable, même quand elle était jeune, a essuyé maintes et maintes désillusions concernant ses parents ...
Connor et Jessica ont des relations épisodiques pendant de longues années, mais au début du livre, Connor 'craque' et décide de demander à Jessica de l'épouser, mais la réponse fournie par sa belle va faire office de douche froide, et quelle douche froide !
S'ensuit alors un bon tiers du roman consacré à un retour sur les années précédentes, on voit leur relation évoluer au cours du temps qui passe, on mesure tout l'amour qu'il lui porte, la fierté et l'obstination dont elle fait preuve pour avancer dans la vie.
J'ai trouvé un poil longuet tous ces refus de Jessica, cette phobie de l'engagement, et c'est finalement assez peu courant en romance de voir un héros complètement amoureux face à une héroine si en retrait. Il m'a souvent fait mal au cœur, c'est difficile de ne pas avoir de la peine pour lui quand on voit le nombre de fois où Jessica le repousse ...
Comme d'habitude, on retrouve les personnages des tomes précédents : la tribu des Holland, les amis, les habitants de Manningsport, Colleen, cette espiègle sœur jumelle. avec qui Connor entretient une relation assez fusionnelle en dépit de leurs perpétuelles chamailleries.
Et dans ce tome, Kristan Higgins apporte une note de gravité avec le personnage de Davey, le frère de Jessica. Le syndrome d'alcoolisme fœtal fait de lui un éternel enfant au QI très faible. Il hait profondément Connor suite à un évènement traumatisant du passé qu'il n'a pas compris. Il l'a rendu responsable de la mort de son chien, et depuis, à chaque fois qu'il le voit, il rentre dans des crises de rage assez effrayantes. Davey est donc un frein à la relation entre Jessica et Connor, mais notre héros sans peur et sans reproche saura faire preuve de beaucoup de patience et de gentillesse pour apprivoiser ce jeune homme pas comme les autres.
Un 5ème tome très sympathique donc, amusant, romantique et enlevé, porté par la plume toujours pleine de verve de Kristan Higgins, papesse du 'feel good book'.
laksita's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Just when I think this author finally understood the importance of ACTUALLY LETTING THE MAIN COUPLE OF A BOOK BOND THROUGH REAL CONVERSATIONS…
Bro. Why is the author like this?? I don’t get it. All that talent of writing awesome dialogue and not a drop of it was spared to make Jess and Connor BOND. Through DIALOGUE.
Like, I can’t even tell you what those two characters had in common. Hell, were they even compatible as a couple???
All their interactions were limited to closed-door sex scenes, and that was fucking it. Bro.
Also, I’m not sure Connor was a decent guy here. He constantly mansplained Davey’s condition to JESS. Davey’s own SISTER. I really didn’t like how this whole plot was handled. I get that the author was trying to give the narrative that Jess was codependent on Davey as part of her character arc, but like, the way the author went about it left a sour taste in my mouth. And it just made Connor come off as a walking red flag.
Just sloppy writing all around in my opinion. Truly. The fourth book of this series was the one well-written.
Bro. Why is the author like this?? I don’t get it. All that talent of writing awesome dialogue and not a drop of it was spared to make Jess and Connor BOND. Through DIALOGUE.
Like, I can’t even tell you what those two characters had in common. Hell, were they even compatible as a couple???
All their interactions were limited to closed-door sex scenes, and that was fucking it. Bro.
Just sloppy writing all around in my opinion. Truly. The fourth book of this series was the one well-written.
clarebailey's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
steph01924's review against another edition
5.0
Another cute one from the Blue Heron series! I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Connor and Jessica have been background characters in all the other books, so it was nice to see some insight into them. I enjoyed the flashbacks in the beginning showing us how their relationship progressed. Comparing this to some of Higgins' earlier work, you can definitely see her writing improving. She manages to create well-rounded characters that have substance and a setting that makes you want to dive in and go visit.
Some of my personal pet peeves with prior books of Higgins' were not present, thankfully, like the cheesy internal dialogue/alternative cursing, and badly-behaved dogs (though the super annoying dog from the second Blue Heron book DOES make an appearance, biting someone's ankles, natch.). I breezed through this and still want more! I don't know if this is the last one (I don't know how many more people in this town she can pair up) but whatever else she does, I look forward to reading it.
Some of my personal pet peeves with prior books of Higgins' were not present, thankfully, like the cheesy internal dialogue/alternative cursing, and badly-behaved dogs (though the super annoying dog from the second Blue Heron book DOES make an appearance, biting someone's ankles, natch.). I breezed through this and still want more! I don't know if this is the last one (I don't know how many more people in this town she can pair up) but whatever else she does, I look forward to reading it.
naynayk's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Addiction
jackiehorne's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 One of the stronger books in Higgins' Blue Heron series, largely because our heroine is no humorously abject pushover. Readers of previous books in the series know Jessica Dunn as the mean girl about town. In this book, we get to discover the reasons why she's so tough, and get to root for the tough girl finding her HEA.
The child of two alcoholics, Jess has spent most of her life taking care of her younger sibling, Davey, disabled by fetal alcohol syndrome. As a teenager, she slept with tough boys so that they would protect Davey from teasing and other abuses; as an adult, she's worked multiple jobs so she could escape her parents' trailer park and rent her own place, one which has room for Davey.
Jess has spent most of her adult life in an on-again, off-again secret relationship with town good boy, chef and bar owner Connor O'Rourke. Turns out these two have a long, but secret history (revealed during multiple flashback scenes at the start of the book), beginning with an incident when they were twelve when Connor was attacked by Davey's pit bull, and Connor's distant father insisted that the dog be put down, resulting in Davey associating his dog's killing with the very sight of Connor. Which means that when Jess and Connor hook up during their early twenties, when Jess attends a wine class at the college where Connor is studying, it has to be a one-night stand. But when Connor comes back to town and opens a bar, he can't stay away from Jess. Jess sets down strict rules about what their relationship can and can't be, rules that the smitten Connor is only too willing to follow. Several years of secret nights together, breaking up then getting back together, follow.
But when Connor drops to his knees in the opening scene of the book, asking Jess to marry him, she turns him down flat. And this time, Connor tells himself that he's not going to come cringing back, as he has so many other times after Jess's caution and his own blundering against her rules has sent him away.
Loved how the book dealt with issues relating to disability (Connor recognizes Davey has both romantic and sexual desires, and encourages him to act on his feelings for a fellow co-worker). Did not love the underlying gendered message about Jess's sexuality: she could only become a heroine once readers found out that her "slutty" sex life as a teen wasn't for her own sexual gratification, but to protect Davey. Indirect slut shaming, but slut shaming all the same. Also wasn't that keen on the underlying message that Jess/women are too protective of their younger, disabled siblings, and that it takes a guy to recognize that they need greater independence.
The child of two alcoholics, Jess has spent most of her life taking care of her younger sibling, Davey, disabled by fetal alcohol syndrome. As a teenager, she slept with tough boys so that they would protect Davey from teasing and other abuses; as an adult, she's worked multiple jobs so she could escape her parents' trailer park and rent her own place, one which has room for Davey.
Jess has spent most of her adult life in an on-again, off-again secret relationship with town good boy, chef and bar owner Connor O'Rourke. Turns out these two have a long, but secret history (revealed during multiple flashback scenes at the start of the book), beginning with an incident when they were twelve when Connor was attacked by Davey's pit bull, and Connor's distant father insisted that the dog be put down, resulting in Davey associating his dog's killing with the very sight of Connor. Which means that when Jess and Connor hook up during their early twenties, when Jess attends a wine class at the college where Connor is studying, it has to be a one-night stand. But when Connor comes back to town and opens a bar, he can't stay away from Jess. Jess sets down strict rules about what their relationship can and can't be, rules that the smitten Connor is only too willing to follow. Several years of secret nights together, breaking up then getting back together, follow.
But when Connor drops to his knees in the opening scene of the book, asking Jess to marry him, she turns him down flat. And this time, Connor tells himself that he's not going to come cringing back, as he has so many other times after Jess's caution and his own blundering against her rules has sent him away.
Loved how the book dealt with issues relating to disability (Connor recognizes Davey has both romantic and sexual desires, and encourages him to act on his feelings for a fellow co-worker). Did not love the underlying gendered message about Jess's sexuality: she could only become a heroine once readers found out that her "slutty" sex life as a teen wasn't for her own sexual gratification, but to protect Davey. Indirect slut shaming, but slut shaming all the same. Also wasn't that keen on the underlying message that Jess/women are too protective of their younger, disabled siblings, and that it takes a guy to recognize that they need greater independence.
rebroxannape's review against another edition
5.0
**finished rereading on audible 02/13/2023**
I really have nothing to add to my original review. A great book make greater by Amy Rubinate's narration. Some serious themes make this sort of a transition from her romantic comedies to women's fiction, in my mind.
**original review**
Anything For You starts out with our hero’s (Connor) proposal to our heroine (Jessica) being turned down. The rest of the book traces their history together from their childhood to several months into the future. It runs roughly parallel to his twin sister Colleen’s romance told in the previous book, Waiting on You. Many friends and lovers from the series make important appearances, advancing the story, and allowing glimpses into how their lives and marriages are continuing. Thus it makes a very appropriate wrap-up to her Blue Heron series. Anything For You also continues Higgins’ trend of incorporating more serious themes into her generally lighthearted and funny romances. In this one, we learn that the mysterious Jessica, very much a background figure in a few of her books and known as the high school slut, is the loving caretaker and sister of Davey, rendered “intellectually disabled” by fetal alcohol syndrome. Dark indeed. But, as usual, Kristan handles this potentially depressing sub-plot in a manner that makes it anything but.
We are treated to some priceless scenes and funny comments throughout, Kristan’s hallmark.
In one, Jessica is forced to try stripping to afford Davey’s expensive meds. Connor shows up coincidentally and is set to pay up and go (“Time to head off before his old catechism teacher showed up.”) when Jessica makes her cringe-worthy and hilariously inept debut. After she is booed off the stage, he accosts her in her dressing room. “So rhythm isn’t really your thing,” Connor said…and she jumped out of her chair like he’d tazed her. “Shit”…”What are you doing here?”…I’m a scout for Dancing with the Stars. Sorry we’ve had to rule you out.”…”I needed some extra money”. ..”Really? It’s not your dream to be a stripper?” “Shut up”…”So Jess,” Mrs. Adamson said, thundering down the hall. “You’re fired. Sorry, kid. Stripping’s not for everyone.” “You were quite good, though, Mrs. Adamson,” Connor said. He handed her a twenty. “Oh Connor O’Rourke! Look at you, all grown up!” Thanks sweetheart.” She pinched his cheek and took the cash.
There are scenes that make you want to cheer.
Her alcoholic father (Keith Dunn) shows back up after many years wanting to make amends. Horrified, she apprehensively agrees to meet him, and without asking, her friends, the once-hated Holland family, take seats in the restaurant to back her up and provide support if needed.
“You’re angry, I understand that. And I can’t undo what I did. But I love you and Davey—“ “No you don’t.” I have a disease, Jessie. “I don’t want to hear it. Mom had a disease, remember? She died, if you recall, and right after that, you blew out of town, took out three credit cards in my name, and put me fourteen grand in the hole while I waitressed to support your disabled son.” There was a clatter from the Holland table. Jess had the impression that Pru had just grabbed a sharp object, God bless her.
“Okay, you’re angry, I accept that.” …He sighed. “But I have to say, I think you’re exaggerating how bad things were,” he said, and that’s when Jessica completely surprised herself and threw her beer in his face.
Connor is on a date in the same restaurant (Ah ha! Ah ha! Ah ha ha ha. That was her laugh. The first time she’d let it rip Connor thought she was coughing up a hairball.) And sees Tom Barlow come through the bar, half dragging by his collar, and escorting him none too gently out the door.
We read about a guy so hot he is called “Smokin’McDamn”. How one character finds out he is not the “Special Snowflake” he thought he was. We read about “the Lying Liar of Lieville.”
There is a hilarious account of a visit to a New Age Drum Circle (“Let’s think back to the heartbeat of the brave little frog who decided to be the first to venture out of the slime of the past and bravely leap onto the shores of today.” Her father snorted.)
Usually, it is Kristan’s heroines who go on a series of hilariously disastrous dates. This time, it’s Connor (“So. Would you rather burn to death, or be buried alive?”).
He decides to take Jessica and Davey to a 4-H fair.”How about some food?” she suggested. “Seems kind of insensitive, Connor murmured…’the barns, the barbecue pit. The cows must be doing head counts every fifteen minutes’.”
Of course, the inimitable Colleen tries to resolve the conflict and roadblocks between Connor and Jessica.( “...so if you’re just gonna sit there and let him find someone else, well, I seriously misjudged you.” She popped the baby off her breast and switched sides. “Sorry about this, by the way. Now you’ve seen my boobs. Congratulations. So. Back to Connor. Go get him, Jess! I mean, what the hell?”)
Although she did have me wondering throughout most of the book how she was going to possibly achieve it, it won’t be a spoiler to say that everything turns out great in the end and an epilogue insures a happily ever after for everyone involved and even some who aren’t.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/
I really have nothing to add to my original review. A great book make greater by Amy Rubinate's narration. Some serious themes make this sort of a transition from her romantic comedies to women's fiction, in my mind.
**original review**
Anything For You starts out with our hero’s (Connor) proposal to our heroine (Jessica) being turned down. The rest of the book traces their history together from their childhood to several months into the future. It runs roughly parallel to his twin sister Colleen’s romance told in the previous book, Waiting on You. Many friends and lovers from the series make important appearances, advancing the story, and allowing glimpses into how their lives and marriages are continuing. Thus it makes a very appropriate wrap-up to her Blue Heron series. Anything For You also continues Higgins’ trend of incorporating more serious themes into her generally lighthearted and funny romances. In this one, we learn that the mysterious Jessica, very much a background figure in a few of her books and known as the high school slut, is the loving caretaker and sister of Davey, rendered “intellectually disabled” by fetal alcohol syndrome. Dark indeed. But, as usual, Kristan handles this potentially depressing sub-plot in a manner that makes it anything but.
We are treated to some priceless scenes and funny comments throughout, Kristan’s hallmark.
In one, Jessica is forced to try stripping to afford Davey’s expensive meds. Connor shows up coincidentally and is set to pay up and go (“Time to head off before his old catechism teacher showed up.”) when Jessica makes her cringe-worthy and hilariously inept debut. After she is booed off the stage, he accosts her in her dressing room. “So rhythm isn’t really your thing,” Connor said…and she jumped out of her chair like he’d tazed her. “Shit”…”What are you doing here?”…I’m a scout for Dancing with the Stars. Sorry we’ve had to rule you out.”…”I needed some extra money”. ..”Really? It’s not your dream to be a stripper?” “Shut up”…”So Jess,” Mrs. Adamson said, thundering down the hall. “You’re fired. Sorry, kid. Stripping’s not for everyone.” “You were quite good, though, Mrs. Adamson,” Connor said. He handed her a twenty. “Oh Connor O’Rourke! Look at you, all grown up!” Thanks sweetheart.” She pinched his cheek and took the cash.
There are scenes that make you want to cheer.
Spoiler
Her alcoholic father (Keith Dunn) shows back up after many years wanting to make amends. Horrified, she apprehensively agrees to meet him, and without asking, her friends, the once-hated Holland family, take seats in the restaurant to back her up and provide support if needed.
“You’re angry, I understand that. And I can’t undo what I did. But I love you and Davey—“ “No you don’t.” I have a disease, Jessie. “I don’t want to hear it. Mom had a disease, remember? She died, if you recall, and right after that, you blew out of town, took out three credit cards in my name, and put me fourteen grand in the hole while I waitressed to support your disabled son.” There was a clatter from the Holland table. Jess had the impression that Pru had just grabbed a sharp object, God bless her.
“Okay, you’re angry, I accept that.” …He sighed. “But I have to say, I think you’re exaggerating how bad things were,” he said, and that’s when Jessica completely surprised herself and threw her beer in his face.
Connor is on a date in the same restaurant (Ah ha! Ah ha! Ah ha ha ha. That was her laugh. The first time she’d let it rip Connor thought she was coughing up a hairball.) And sees Tom Barlow come through the bar, half dragging
Spoiler
Keith DunnWe read about a guy so hot he is called “Smokin’McDamn”. How one character finds out he is not the “Special Snowflake” he thought he was. We read about “the Lying Liar of Lieville.”
There is a hilarious account of a visit to a New Age Drum Circle (“Let’s think back to the heartbeat of the brave little frog who decided to be the first to venture out of the slime of the past and bravely leap onto the shores of today.” Her father snorted.)
Usually, it is Kristan’s heroines who go on a series of hilariously disastrous dates. This time, it’s Connor (“So. Would you rather burn to death, or be buried alive?”).
He decides to take Jessica and Davey to a 4-H fair.”How about some food?” she suggested. “Seems kind of insensitive, Connor murmured…’the barns, the barbecue pit. The cows must be doing head counts every fifteen minutes’.”
Of course, the inimitable Colleen tries to resolve the conflict and roadblocks between Connor and Jessica.( “...so if you’re just gonna sit there and let him find someone else, well, I seriously misjudged you.” She popped the baby off her breast and switched sides. “Sorry about this, by the way. Now you’ve seen my boobs. Congratulations. So. Back to Connor. Go get him, Jess! I mean, what the hell?”)
Although she did have me wondering throughout most of the book how she was going to possibly achieve it, it won’t be a spoiler to say that everything turns out great in the end and an epilogue insures a happily ever after for everyone involved and even some who aren’t.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/
amym84's review against another edition
5.0
Ever since we learn of Connor's "mysterious woman" in [b:Waiting On You|18246306|Waiting On You (Blue Heron #3)|Kristan Higgins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389634725s/18246306.jpg|25697029], I really wanted his story.
Ever since Jessica Dunn was first on page in [b:The Best Man|15803757|The Best Man (Blue Heron, #1)|Kristan Higgins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388220961s/15803757.jpg|21365435], I knew I wanted her to get an HEA.
I should have put these two together in my mind a lot sooner than I did, but alas, I didn't. So when I first read the blurb for this book I thought two things: "Of course" and "Yay!".
The backstory: Connor O'Rourke has loved Jessica Dunn for years, first from afar and later in a secret boyfriend kind of way. Connor has determined that after ten years, it's time to make their relationship public and official. So he asks Jessica to marry him.
Jessica Dunn has way too much on her plate to even think about marriage. She has her brother to take care of, plus a lot going on at work. So she turns Connor down figuring things will keep going on as they have for ten years now. But this time Connor is not taking it. This time, it's all or nothing. But as these two quickly find out, fate keeps putting them together, but will it ever be enough?
I think Anything for You is right in line with Waiting on You as being my favorite of this series. Truly, this is very apt seeing as how Waiting on You is Colleen's book (Connor's twin). Those O'Rourkes.
Learning about Jessica's past was truly heart-breaking at times, but because we see what she's been through, her character stands out even stronger for getting to where she is today. Living in a house (as opposed to the trailer she grew up in), having a job she loves and excels at and, when she's with Connor, being happy. But her responsibilities also get in her way because she feels like there's only so much she can take for herself and the rest has to be given to other people.
I loved Connor through and through. Even though he doesn't deserve to be brushed off by Jessica, I still like that he sticks around. He understands what she has to deal with on a daily basis. I like that he never gives up on her, even though he might get frustrated at times.
Anything for You really caps off this series nicely. All the previously featured couples / characters are seen in some way, shape, or form and their lives are moving along nicely. When I finished I really felt like this was a send off. I have no idea if Kristan Higgins has any more stories to tell about Blue Heron or the people in Manningsport. If she does, I will gladly welcome more. I will take small updates about these characters any day of the week. But if she doesn't, I feel like all these characters and stories have been rounded out very nicely, and there has been no shortage of laughing and tears as I've read them, and Anything for You is no different.
I think if you've enjoyed other books by Kristan Higgins or other books in this series, you'll definitely enjoy this one.
But don't worry if you've picked this particular book up on a whim, you'll be able to follow along nicely. But hopefully, you'll feel just as drawn to these characters as I have felt over the course of this series and you'll pick up the rest of the books. They are all well worth your while.
Despite having received this ARC (thank you NetGalley) you can bet I'll still be curling up with this book for a re-read when it's officially out in late December.
Ever since Jessica Dunn was first on page in [b:The Best Man|15803757|The Best Man (Blue Heron, #1)|Kristan Higgins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388220961s/15803757.jpg|21365435], I knew I wanted her to get an HEA.
I should have put these two together in my mind a lot sooner than I did, but alas, I didn't. So when I first read the blurb for this book I thought two things: "Of course" and "Yay!".
The backstory: Connor O'Rourke has loved Jessica Dunn for years, first from afar and later in a secret boyfriend kind of way. Connor has determined that after ten years, it's time to make their relationship public and official. So he asks Jessica to marry him.
Jessica Dunn has way too much on her plate to even think about marriage. She has her brother to take care of, plus a lot going on at work. So she turns Connor down figuring things will keep going on as they have for ten years now. But this time Connor is not taking it. This time, it's all or nothing. But as these two quickly find out, fate keeps putting them together, but will it ever be enough?
I think Anything for You is right in line with Waiting on You as being my favorite of this series. Truly, this is very apt seeing as how Waiting on You is Colleen's book (Connor's twin). Those O'Rourkes.
Learning about Jessica's past was truly heart-breaking at times, but because we see what she's been through, her character stands out even stronger for getting to where she is today. Living in a house (as opposed to the trailer she grew up in), having a job she loves and excels at and, when she's with Connor, being happy. But her responsibilities also get in her way because she feels like there's only so much she can take for herself and the rest has to be given to other people.
I loved Connor through and through. Even though he doesn't deserve to be brushed off by Jessica, I still like that he sticks around. He understands what she has to deal with on a daily basis. I like that he never gives up on her, even though he might get frustrated at times.
Anything for You really caps off this series nicely. All the previously featured couples / characters are seen in some way, shape, or form and their lives are moving along nicely. When I finished I really felt like this was a send off. I have no idea if Kristan Higgins has any more stories to tell about Blue Heron or the people in Manningsport. If she does, I will gladly welcome more. I will take small updates about these characters any day of the week. But if she doesn't, I feel like all these characters and stories have been rounded out very nicely, and there has been no shortage of laughing and tears as I've read them, and Anything for You is no different.
I think if you've enjoyed other books by Kristan Higgins or other books in this series, you'll definitely enjoy this one.
But don't worry if you've picked this particular book up on a whim, you'll be able to follow along nicely. But hopefully, you'll feel just as drawn to these characters as I have felt over the course of this series and you'll pick up the rest of the books. They are all well worth your while.
Despite having received this ARC (thank you NetGalley) you can bet I'll still be curling up with this book for a re-read when it's officially out in late December.
derbylea's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a sucker for the Blue Heron series
Good story. Great dialogue. I always enjoy updates on other characters. I think it's on of the better Blue Heron books.
Good story. Great dialogue. I always enjoy updates on other characters. I think it's on of the better Blue Heron books.