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savvyrosereads's review
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: Death, Murder, Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Addiction
megankyle's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, and Grief
grimminthegarden's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Grief, Drug abuse, Child death, Violence, and Murder
alyse_turns_pages's review
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, Grief, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Child death, Death, and Murder
ecravens's review
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: Child death, Murder, Alcohol, Animal death, Violence, Drug abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Addiction, and Sexual content
fairytalefootnotes's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Single dad, she falls first but he falls harder
3rd Act Breakup?: Nope
Final Thoughts: I loved this. It’s up there with Juniper Hill for my favorite Edens book, which is saying something since Juniper Hill is one of my favorite books in general. Mateo was so sweet and the moments with Vera & Allie were adorable. I also really loved Vera’s relationship with Harrison & Anne and how they took her in as their own 🥹 The lack of a third act breakup was also great. Overall, it kept me glued to the page, giggling and crying and I loved every minute of it.
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Single dad, she falls first but he falls harder
3rd Act Breakup?: Nope
Final Thoughts: I loved this. It’s up there with Juniper Hill for my favorite Edens book, which is saying something since Juniper Hill is one of my favorite books in general. Mateo was so sweet and the moments with Vera & Allie were adorable. I also really loved Vera’s relationship with Harrison & Anne and how they took her in as their own 🥹 The lack of a third act breakup was also great. Overall, it kept me glued to the page, giggling and crying and I loved every minute of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Addiction, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy and Dementia
amylferg's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
lenavejar's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
seequinn's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Drug abuse, and Child death
amanda_reads13's review
emotional
hopeful
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
3.0
After 4 years on the run with her father, Vera is now chasing a stable life. Mateo has never really showed interest in her, but that doesn't deter her crush. Mateo is in over his head as he becomes a single father. He doesn't really see Vera until she makes it impossible for him not to.
This book is pretty much a continuation of Crimson River. We pick up after Vance and Vera have moved to Montana. During part one of the book, we follow Vera as she pines for Mateo and learns to reintegrate into a "normal" life. Part two jumps between Vera and Mateo's POVs as we follow their budding romance.
I liked that we didn't jump 2 years ahead and we got snippets of Vera and the Edens of that time. BUT I WISH we got Mateo's POV during that first part. I have SO many questions about him. What happened in Alaska? How was he feeling when he found out he was a dad? What happened over those 2 years to him? This was less Mateo's book and more Vera's. I WANTED MORE MATEO!
Vera is understandably traumatized from her past. We learn more about her story and exactly what she went through on that night. I WISH that therapy would have been included in her journey. She tries to wall of and hide from her past, but she can never escape it. It haunts her.
I have loved Mateo throughout the series and I was really looking forward to HIS book. What we do get of him, shows that he is an amazing dad to Allie, a supportive partner to Vera, and he is struggling to find his place and his path. Unfortunately, we don't really get much of him outside of his new relationship with Vera. I really wanted his story and I'm a bit disappointed.
Their relationship doesn't really make much sense to me, yes Vera has been pining forever, but once Mateo finds out about her feelings their relationship goes from 0-100 in an instant. He goes from not really noticing her to being possessive in no time.
Pretty much we get - Vera pining for Mateo, Vera searching for her father, and Vera ignoring her trauma.
Tropes: she falls first, traumatized past, unrequited love, small town, single parent
This book is pretty much a continuation of Crimson River. We pick up after Vance and Vera have moved to Montana. During part one of the book, we follow Vera as she pines for Mateo and learns to reintegrate into a "normal" life. Part two jumps between Vera and Mateo's POVs as we follow their budding romance.
I liked that we didn't jump 2 years ahead and we got snippets of Vera and the Edens of that time. BUT I WISH we got Mateo's POV during that first part. I have SO many questions about him. What happened in Alaska? How was he feeling when he found out he was a dad? What happened over those 2 years to him? This was less Mateo's book and more Vera's. I WANTED MORE MATEO!
Vera is understandably traumatized from her past. We learn more about her story and exactly what she went through on that night. I WISH that therapy would have been included in her journey. She tries to wall of and hide from her past, but she can never escape it. It haunts her.
I have loved Mateo throughout the series and I was really looking forward to HIS book. What we do get of him, shows that he is an amazing dad to Allie, a supportive partner to Vera, and he is struggling to find his place and his path. Unfortunately, we don't really get much of him outside of his new relationship with Vera. I really wanted his story and I'm a bit disappointed.
Their relationship doesn't really make much sense to me, yes Vera has been pining forever, but once Mateo finds out about her feelings their relationship goes from 0-100 in an instant. He goes from not really noticing her to being possessive in no time.
Pretty much we get - Vera pining for Mateo, Vera searching for her father, and Vera ignoring her trauma.
Tropes: she falls first, traumatized past, unrequited love, small town, single parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, and Sexual content