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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Gah this story!
I feel like I'm slightly broken,
This book covered some serious and heavy subjects and it made my heart hurt.
Lily's character was undeniably a strong and resilient woman that has not had the best luck. Probably ever.
Definitely the darkest out of the series but probably my favourite too.
Lily and Mason have so many struggles they need to over come but they seemed to be exactly what each other needed.
This series is full of twists and turns.
Heartbreak and wholesome moments.
Will turn your life upside down and you just need to hold on and trust the process.
I feel like I'm slightly broken,
This book covered some serious and heavy subjects and it made my heart hurt.
Lily's character was undeniably a strong and resilient woman that has not had the best luck. Probably ever.
Definitely the darkest out of the series but probably my favourite too.
Lily and Mason have so many struggles they need to over come but they seemed to be exactly what each other needed.
This series is full of twists and turns.
Heartbreak and wholesome moments.
Will turn your life upside down and you just need to hold on and trust the process.
This book was by far my favorite in the series. I’ve been waiting for Lily’s story since I read book 1. I started crying in the first chapter and it was an emotional roller coaster from that point forward.
Mason and Lily both have dark past stories and it is by far the darkest of the series. The spicy scenes in this book were amazing and I loved hearing their stories.
I adored the ending of the book and how we got to see all the updates on each character from each book. Chase is my favorite character in the series by far and I loved seeing more of him. This was a perfect ending to one of my favorite romance series. I’m sad it’s over!
Mason and Lily both have dark past stories and it is by far the darkest of the series. The spicy scenes in this book were amazing and I loved hearing their stories.
I adored the ending of the book and how we got to see all the updates on each character from each book. Chase is my favorite character in the series by far and I loved seeing more of him. This was a perfect ending to one of my favorite romance series. I’m sad it’s over!
Listen...Emily McIntire...I just want to talk...
Beneath the Surface was an absolutely fantastic end to the 4 book series of Sugarlake.
It follows Lily, who we know disappeared in Beneath the Stars (book 1) as a teenager. In Surface, she an adult who has fought to survive her demons. In comes Mason, the PI hired by Lily's brother Chase (book 1) Mason has his own past he is running from. Together they have fantastic chemistry and every time they were together on page I was begging for more.
Beneath the Surface has everything a powerful book should need, plus more. It has the ultimate steam, and a lot of tears were shed on my end.
The ending has two epilogues that wrap up not just Lily and Mason's story, but every couple we have met and loved throughout the series. I can't wait to see what Emily McIntire brings us next now that Sugarlake is ended.
Beneath the Surface was an absolutely fantastic end to the 4 book series of Sugarlake.
It follows Lily, who we know disappeared in Beneath the Stars (book 1) as a teenager. In Surface, she an adult who has fought to survive her demons. In comes Mason, the PI hired by Lily's brother Chase (book 1) Mason has his own past he is running from. Together they have fantastic chemistry and every time they were together on page I was begging for more.
Beneath the Surface has everything a powerful book should need, plus more. It has the ultimate steam, and a lot of tears were shed on my end.
The ending has two epilogues that wrap up not just Lily and Mason's story, but every couple we have met and loved throughout the series. I can't wait to see what Emily McIntire brings us next now that Sugarlake is ended.
It’s four days now since I finished this roller coaster of a story and I can stop thinking about…
“I understand hiding your past beneath the surface—under pretty colors and inked up skin.”
I feel like we waited so long for Lily’s story, and while it was hard to see her fall so deep, it was beautiful to see her come back from that too. Her story is dark and gritty, and she has some dark scars on her soul, but Mason is the exact person she needs in her life to hell her understand how much she deserves a better life.
“Fireworks dance through me like the fourth of July, and while the feeling is scary, the sparks making my insides jump with nerves, the view is too beautiful to step away. So I’ll stand in their shower and risk getting burned.”
I highlighted SO MANY quotes in this one. I really connected with Lily and fought for her to find her way back to Suagrlake! I really enjoyed seeing all the characters of the series again, this is I believe the final book. It was a beautiful ride and I definitely cried a few times!
“Sometimes, I wish I could reach out and grab the hope I used to have tattooed on my skin. Wrap it around myself again, and wear it like a cloak.”
“I understand hiding your past beneath the surface—under pretty colors and inked up skin.”
I feel like we waited so long for Lily’s story, and while it was hard to see her fall so deep, it was beautiful to see her come back from that too. Her story is dark and gritty, and she has some dark scars on her soul, but Mason is the exact person she needs in her life to hell her understand how much she deserves a better life.
“Fireworks dance through me like the fourth of July, and while the feeling is scary, the sparks making my insides jump with nerves, the view is too beautiful to step away. So I’ll stand in their shower and risk getting burned.”
I highlighted SO MANY quotes in this one. I really connected with Lily and fought for her to find her way back to Suagrlake! I really enjoyed seeing all the characters of the series again, this is I believe the final book. It was a beautiful ride and I definitely cried a few times!
“Sometimes, I wish I could reach out and grab the hope I used to have tattooed on my skin. Wrap it around myself again, and wear it like a cloak.”
Another incredible book from Emily, this series will always have a special place in my heart. Lily’s story is one I have been waiting for since Beneath the Stars and it lived up to every single one of my expectations! Emily’s writing is as incredible as always, and the emotional journey she puts you on is tough but so worth it!
Lily has been running for years, from her past, her family, her ex. She finally feels settled, with her son, in a town in the middle of nowhere where no one asks questions, and she can blend into the background. Until Mason enters her life, first as an occasional visitor the bar she waitresses at, and then suddenly more permanently when she’s in a bind with childcare. But little does she know that Mason is actually there for an ulterior motive, as a PI who’s been hired to track Lily down by her older brother Chase. But the more involved Mason becomes in Lily and her son’s life, the more he realizes he doesn’t want to betray her trust and give her up. In the meantime, Mason’s own past comes back to haunt him, and he’s faced with a big decision, but which will he choose?
Mason and Lily could be their complete selves with one another, with no judgement on either part and know that they would be accepted, darkness and light. But that didn’t mean they didn’t keep secrets, and parts of themselves hidden, slowly dismantling their walls that past hurt has meant they’ve constructed over the years.
Lily’s journey of recovery was one that was heart-breaking but had hope too. Emily wrote about the realities of a recovering addict so well, how the craving will never go away, but that learning what’s more important in your life than giving in, and what you could lose by making that choice. Mason was running from his own demons, solving other people’s problems instead of his own, but when he found Lily and realised what he wanted from his life, he knew he had to face his past before he could have a happy future. At times, their story felt quite separate, both dealing with their own lives before they could be a real couple, but I quite like that aspect as although it’s good to lean on each other when going through hard times, sometimes it is something you need to do on your own.
The Sugarlake series is one that will stay with me for a while. Each character is flawed, which makes them real. They aren’t a perfect version of themselves, and one of the things I loved most about the entire group was how after I turned the final page of each couples’ book was that I knew they would continue to grow as people, and couples, forever. Because that’s reality, you are never the same people throughout a relationship, but you develop and change together, adapting to life and what it throws at you as a unit. You support each other and love each other for every flaw. Emily did these characters justice in their stories, tackling difficult subjects with sensitivity and respect, but not sugar-coating anything. In the epilogue, it was amazing to see them all happy and settled, but still work in progress versions of themselves, indicating no one’s perfect, but they all have their own dreams and fears that they will never stop chasing or fighting. The stories were raw and real, and that’s one of the main reasons I would recommend anybody to read this series.
Lily has been running for years, from her past, her family, her ex. She finally feels settled, with her son, in a town in the middle of nowhere where no one asks questions, and she can blend into the background. Until Mason enters her life, first as an occasional visitor the bar she waitresses at, and then suddenly more permanently when she’s in a bind with childcare. But little does she know that Mason is actually there for an ulterior motive, as a PI who’s been hired to track Lily down by her older brother Chase. But the more involved Mason becomes in Lily and her son’s life, the more he realizes he doesn’t want to betray her trust and give her up. In the meantime, Mason’s own past comes back to haunt him, and he’s faced with a big decision, but which will he choose?
Mason and Lily could be their complete selves with one another, with no judgement on either part and know that they would be accepted, darkness and light. But that didn’t mean they didn’t keep secrets, and parts of themselves hidden, slowly dismantling their walls that past hurt has meant they’ve constructed over the years.
Lily’s journey of recovery was one that was heart-breaking but had hope too. Emily wrote about the realities of a recovering addict so well, how the craving will never go away, but that learning what’s more important in your life than giving in, and what you could lose by making that choice. Mason was running from his own demons, solving other people’s problems instead of his own, but when he found Lily and realised what he wanted from his life, he knew he had to face his past before he could have a happy future. At times, their story felt quite separate, both dealing with their own lives before they could be a real couple, but I quite like that aspect as although it’s good to lean on each other when going through hard times, sometimes it is something you need to do on your own.
The Sugarlake series is one that will stay with me for a while. Each character is flawed, which makes them real. They aren’t a perfect version of themselves, and one of the things I loved most about the entire group was how after I turned the final page of each couples’ book was that I knew they would continue to grow as people, and couples, forever. Because that’s reality, you are never the same people throughout a relationship, but you develop and change together, adapting to life and what it throws at you as a unit. You support each other and love each other for every flaw. Emily did these characters justice in their stories, tackling difficult subjects with sensitivity and respect, but not sugar-coating anything. In the epilogue, it was amazing to see them all happy and settled, but still work in progress versions of themselves, indicating no one’s perfect, but they all have their own dreams and fears that they will never stop chasing or fighting. The stories were raw and real, and that’s one of the main reasons I would recommend anybody to read this series.
Literally skipped everyone else’s story!
Lilly was my favorite character even before i read this book! I knew my girl had been through some things and was struggling! I’m glad mason didn’t move on! Glad they found love within each other! This was a really great book! It’s a must read
Lilly was my favorite character even before i read this book! I knew my girl had been through some things and was struggling! I’m glad mason didn’t move on! Glad they found love within each other! This was a really great book! It’s a must read
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape
Minor: Drug use, Abortion
A Beautiful Ending!
Emily, you smashed this. Talk about tie everything together in a gorgeous little bow! I think Mason might just be my favourite too.
Emily, you smashed this. Talk about tie everything together in a gorgeous little bow! I think Mason might just be my favourite too.
Title: Beneath the Surface
Author: Emily Macintyre
Publication date: July 6th, 2021
Series: Sugarlake (#4)
Summary: Lily
We all have scars.
Mine are hidden beneath ink and smiles,
hard to see and easy to feel.
But the most painful ones are deeper.
Branded on my soul, reminding me of what I've lost.
I'm broken.
Sick.
Disturbed.
Then he shows up, and loves my jagged pieces.
But monsters linger long after they're gone,
and sometimes you can't outrun their shadows.
No matter how much you ache to forget.
Mason
We all have secrets.
Mine are hidden beneath ink and lies,
hard to find and easy to fake.
But the most painful ones are bigger.
Branded on my soul, reminding me of what I've lost.
I'm an enigma.
A mirage.
A liar.
Then I find her, and she loves my hidden pieces.
But history lingers long after you've gone,
and sometimes you can't outrun your past.
No matter how much you want to give her forever.
*Beneath the Surface is a full-length, interconnected standalone and book four in the Sugarlake Series. The series can be read in any order, however it is highly recommended to start with book one (Beneath the Stars) to enhance your reading experience.*
*Beneath the Surface features strong language, explicit sexual scenes, and mature/disturbing situations that are triggering for some. Reader discretion is advised.*
Review: Honestly this is one of the last four books that I wish I had read the series because this book is amazing. I will have to go back through and read the first three. Seriously though absolutely amazing. This is a romance sub-genre that I just don't read very much but goodness this book alone is making me rethink that. I literally do not want to put the book down but I've had to a few times just to not finish it and want more. I can't tell if I cried towards the end because I'm pregnant or because the ending just hit me that hard. I love Mason/Alex he is a man I'd want in my corner. I can't wait to see what Emily Macintyre comes out with next!
Author: Emily Macintyre
Publication date: July 6th, 2021
Series: Sugarlake (#4)
Summary: Lily
We all have scars.
Mine are hidden beneath ink and smiles,
hard to see and easy to feel.
But the most painful ones are deeper.
Branded on my soul, reminding me of what I've lost.
I'm broken.
Sick.
Disturbed.
Then he shows up, and loves my jagged pieces.
But monsters linger long after they're gone,
and sometimes you can't outrun their shadows.
No matter how much you ache to forget.
Mason
We all have secrets.
Mine are hidden beneath ink and lies,
hard to find and easy to fake.
But the most painful ones are bigger.
Branded on my soul, reminding me of what I've lost.
I'm an enigma.
A mirage.
A liar.
Then I find her, and she loves my hidden pieces.
But history lingers long after you've gone,
and sometimes you can't outrun your past.
No matter how much you want to give her forever.
*Beneath the Surface is a full-length, interconnected standalone and book four in the Sugarlake Series. The series can be read in any order, however it is highly recommended to start with book one (Beneath the Stars) to enhance your reading experience.*
*Beneath the Surface features strong language, explicit sexual scenes, and mature/disturbing situations that are triggering for some. Reader discretion is advised.*
Review: Honestly this is one of the last four books that I wish I had read the series because this book is amazing. I will have to go back through and read the first three. Seriously though absolutely amazing. This is a romance sub-genre that I just don't read very much but goodness this book alone is making me rethink that. I literally do not want to put the book down but I've had to a few times just to not finish it and want more. I can't tell if I cried towards the end because I'm pregnant or because the ending just hit me that hard. I love Mason/Alex he is a man I'd want in my corner. I can't wait to see what Emily Macintyre comes out with next!
Just when I though Emily couldn’t hit me in my feels anymore with her books, she went and did just that. She took me on an emotional rollercoaster, one that I’ve still not quite recovered from since finishing this book. Beneath the Surface is the story we’ve been waiting for since the very beginning. This is easily her best work yet and what a way to end the Sugarlake series.
There are a thousand different things to feel and I don’t know which one to grasp onto, so I surrender to all of them instead.- Lily
Lily and Masons story is one of the most raw and real stories I’ve ever read. Drugs, manipulative parents, hiding and running from your past, and starting over all are what ultimately bring Lily and Mason together. It wasn’t suppose to happen, it was never the intention for the Mason to fall in love with Lily but he does. And Lily, she is busy taking care of her son and working at a diner in town where you go to hide. The last thing on her mind is falling in love with someone but she does. But secrets are kept, threats are made, and all good things must come to end when it comes to keeping those you love safe.
There are a thousand different things to feel and I don’t know which one to grasp onto, so I surrender to all of them instead.- Lily
Lily and Masons story is one of the most raw and real stories I’ve ever read. Drugs, manipulative parents, hiding and running from your past, and starting over all are what ultimately bring Lily and Mason together. It wasn’t suppose to happen, it was never the intention for the Mason to fall in love with Lily but he does. And Lily, she is busy taking care of her son and working at a diner in town where you go to hide. The last thing on her mind is falling in love with someone but she does. But secrets are kept, threats are made, and all good things must come to end when it comes to keeping those you love safe.