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A review by arlettesheyla
& Then They Loved: Ampersand Love 3 by Riya Iyer
4.25
4.45 stars ✨
The best MF romance stories are the ones where the man is more in love with the woman. This is exactly that, and I ate it up.
Vera is an absolute boss. I can’t remember the last time I read an FMC this impressive. She’s smart, loyal, caring, responsible, and hardworking. She’s just a total badass—she doesn’t let anyone stand in her way and does everything with intention. I admired her character so much.
Vihaan was adorable with his golden retriever energy. However, he also knew how to get serious and create some steam. He demonstrated a lot of character growth, but what I appreciated most about his development was how he always gave full credit to Vera for making him a better person. From the time they were kids to when they reconnect as adults, she’s effortlessly keeps him in check just by being herself, and he gives her his entire soul in return. He’s so devoted to her and fights so hard to be there for her in every way. I love it.
I’m always a little skeptical of second-chance romances, but I think it felt valid for this story. It’s easy to see where the misunderstanding happened because, yeah, it did not look good. Could a proper conversation have solved things for this situation? Sure. But 1. How many 18 year olds have great communication skills? And 2. I still don’t think young Vihaan fully understood how much money was about survival for Vera—not only for herself, but for her grandfather, the only family she had left. She couldn’t abandon her responsibilities for anyone. Even if they had the chance to talk things out, I think he was still too closed-minded at the time to see where Vera was coming from and understand her choices. He didn’t fully grasp the differences between his lifestyle and Vera’s, or why they mattered.
Speaking of which, I love the way that social class is addressed throughout the book. Young Vera gave Vihaan his first wake-up call by telling him to check his privilege. Fast forward to the present day, Vihaan had wealth, but he wasn’t happy. While money itself may not bring happiness, it’s worth having because it has the ability to relieve stress. Vera was so happy to be able to spend time with her grandfather without worrying about working nonstop just to survive.
Even when they first discuss a second chance seriously, I don’t feel like Vihaan fully grasped that Vera didn’t want money for the luxury of it, or that she would ever accept job opportunities she didn’t earn. Her heart isn’t for sale. While he had reason to be confused by her past actions, his assumptions were insulting and humiliating—and they just proved that he didn’t really know her.
Once we got into the actual groveling, I WAS SAT. I love, love, love that Vera stood her ground—she wasn’t putting up with ANY bs from him. “I don’t hate myself enough to love you again”— OMG that line goes HARD. It was so devastating, but as much as I love Vihaan, he did not deserve quick forgiveness. Obviously, this man was COMMITTED to being with her. She was the only one for him, and he really put in the work to become worthy of her. I must say, his behavior at the end broke my heart a little (in the best way). He is SO in love with her and just knows all the right things to say with the actions to back it up.
That being said, something still felt like it was missing. I wish we got a little more clarity on whether he truly understood Vera’s point of view—everything she’s lived through and how it has influenced her decisions. I think we got a glimpse of it when he finally had a moment to take care of Mr. Talwar on his own and saw firsthand some of the work Vera had done alone, but I wanted a couple more moments demonstrating this level of understanding. This was a powerful story, and while I enjoyed the romance, this aspect holds me back from fully embracing it as a strong romance book.
I appreciate how the author discussed Parkinson’s disease with such a thoughtful approach. My heart shattered during Mr. Talwar’s interaction with Vihaan. There was so much care and intimacy in the writing—this moment really stood out to me.
I wish Vihaan’s relationship with his father had gotten a little more attention, though I liked how their future is left open-ended. Relationships take time to genuinely repair. One good conversation doesn’t heal years of hurt, and I appreciate how this is directly acknowledged.
The writing was lovely, and kind of poetic at times, with some really great metaphors. Although, what stood out most to me was how much vocabulary I was introduced to. This book had me looking up so many new words 🤓😭
Overall, this was an incredible story with great commentary on social class. Vihaan is DOWN BAD for Vera and miss girl KNOWS her worth. I love this couple, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you very much to Riya Iyer and Luna Literary Management for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.
The best MF romance stories are the ones where the man is more in love with the woman. This is exactly that, and I ate it up.
Vera is an absolute boss. I can’t remember the last time I read an FMC this impressive. She’s smart, loyal, caring, responsible, and hardworking. She’s just a total badass—she doesn’t let anyone stand in her way and does everything with intention. I admired her character so much.
Vihaan was adorable with his golden retriever energy. However, he also knew how to get serious and create some steam. He demonstrated a lot of character growth, but what I appreciated most about his development was how he always gave full credit to Vera for making him a better person. From the time they were kids to when they reconnect as adults, she’s effortlessly keeps him in check just by being herself, and he gives her his entire soul in return. He’s so devoted to her and fights so hard to be there for her in every way. I love it.
I’m always a little skeptical of second-chance romances, but I think it felt valid for this story. It’s easy to see where the misunderstanding happened because, yeah, it did not look good. Could a proper conversation have solved things for this situation? Sure. But 1. How many 18 year olds have great communication skills? And 2. I still don’t think young Vihaan fully understood how much money was about survival for Vera—not only for herself, but for her grandfather, the only family she had left. She couldn’t abandon her responsibilities for anyone. Even if they had the chance to talk things out, I think he was still too closed-minded at the time to see where Vera was coming from and understand her choices. He didn’t fully grasp the differences between his lifestyle and Vera’s, or why they mattered.
Speaking of which, I love the way that social class is addressed throughout the book. Young Vera gave Vihaan his first wake-up call by telling him to check his privilege. Fast forward to the present day, Vihaan had wealth, but he wasn’t happy. While money itself may not bring happiness, it’s worth having because it has the ability to relieve stress. Vera was so happy to be able to spend time with her grandfather without worrying about working nonstop just to survive.
Even when they first discuss a second chance seriously, I don’t feel like Vihaan fully grasped that Vera didn’t want money for the luxury of it, or that she would ever accept job opportunities she didn’t earn. Her heart isn’t for sale. While he had reason to be confused by her past actions, his assumptions were insulting and humiliating—and they just proved that he didn’t really know her.
Once we got into the actual groveling, I WAS SAT. I love, love, love that Vera stood her ground—she wasn’t putting up with ANY bs from him. “I don’t hate myself enough to love you again”— OMG that line goes HARD. It was so devastating, but as much as I love Vihaan, he did not deserve quick forgiveness. Obviously, this man was COMMITTED to being with her. She was the only one for him, and he really put in the work to become worthy of her. I must say, his behavior at the end broke my heart a little (in the best way). He is SO in love with her and just knows all the right things to say with the actions to back it up.
That being said, something still felt like it was missing. I wish we got a little more clarity on whether he truly understood Vera’s point of view—everything she’s lived through and how it has influenced her decisions. I think we got a glimpse of it when he finally had a moment to take care of Mr. Talwar on his own and saw firsthand some of the work Vera had done alone, but I wanted a couple more moments demonstrating this level of understanding. This was a powerful story, and while I enjoyed the romance, this aspect holds me back from fully embracing it as a strong romance book.
I appreciate how the author discussed Parkinson’s disease with such a thoughtful approach. My heart shattered during Mr. Talwar’s interaction with Vihaan. There was so much care and intimacy in the writing—this moment really stood out to me.
I wish Vihaan’s relationship with his father had gotten a little more attention, though I liked how their future is left open-ended. Relationships take time to genuinely repair. One good conversation doesn’t heal years of hurt, and I appreciate how this is directly acknowledged.
The writing was lovely, and kind of poetic at times, with some really great metaphors. Although, what stood out most to me was how much vocabulary I was introduced to. This book had me looking up so many new words 🤓😭
Overall, this was an incredible story with great commentary on social class. Vihaan is DOWN BAD for Vera and miss girl KNOWS her worth. I love this couple, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you very much to Riya Iyer and Luna Literary Management for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.