The Young brothers love hard.
Jacob is the sweet and sexy Young brother who knows how to make your body ache until youâre practically begging him to end your suffering. Itâs the side to him that he keeps hidden away, buried beneath his nice guy reputation.
I havenât seen Jacob since we were kids, throwing mud at each other and swimming in the lake. Iâd held those memories close to my heartâwhen the middle Young brother would grab my hand and help me runaway when things at home were bad.
Now weâre together again, all grown up and on very different paths. Jacobâs made it clearâhe isnât the scrawny kid that broke my heart when he moved to another state. But Iâm different, too. And Iâve had to surrender some of my dignity to survive over the years. Will Jacob be another sacrifice Iâll have to make?
Not if he has a say in it.
This is the first book of The Young Brothers series. It is a standalone contemporary romance.
Please note: Content intended for mature audiences. **Trigger warning: This book contain a short scene about sexual assault and/or violence which may be triggering to survivors. Please practice self-care.**
The Young brothers love hard.
Jacob is the sweet and sexy Young brother who knows how to make your body ache until youâre practically begging him to end your suffering. Itâs the side to him that he keeps hidden away, buried beneath his nice guy reputation.
I havenât seen Jacob since we were kids, throwing mud at each other and swimming in the lake. Iâd held those memories close to my heartâwhen the middle Young brother would grab my hand and help me runaway when things at home were bad.
Now weâre together again, all grown up and on very different paths. Jacobâs made it clearâhe isnât the scrawny kid that broke my heart when he moved to another state. But Iâm different, too. And Iâve had to surrender some of my dignity to survive over the years. Will Jacob be another sacrifice Iâll have to make?
Not if he has a say in it.
This is the first book of The Young Brothers series. It is a standalone contemporary romance.
Please note: Content intended for mature audiences. **Trigger warning: This book contain a short scene about sexual assault and/or violence which may be triggering to survivors. Please practice self-care.**
I glanced at the arm draped across my naked chest. It felt likeâŠwhat was that bird from Brit Lit? An albatross, thatâs it. I couldnât see his face, but his deep breathing told me he was fast asleep. It was funâand he was decent in bedâbut now the fun was over. And there was no way I was sleeping here. I picked up his hand and gently laid it down as I slinked off the twin size mattress. The coils squeaked and I froze, hoping it wasnât loud enough to wake him. I didnât have time for pillow talk.
I kicked away the blue comforter that had fallen on the floor and found my clothes. Where the hell were my shoes? I dodged around the room as the sleeping body shifted around the bed. The sheet was barely covering the lower half of his body. His limp arm reached out among the empty space.
Stay asleep. Please, please, please.
He rustled some more and then lifted his head from the pillow.
âWhat are you doing?â he asked, his eyes barely opened.
Damn. Why did this part have to be so awkward? Getting naked in front of someone I barely knewâno problem. Engage in normal conversation afterwardânot so much.
 âI have to go.â I pulled my jeans on and slipped on my tank top.
His biceps bulged as he propped up on his elbows. The years he spent on the football field certainly paid off. Weâd been eye-fucking for weeks all around campus. Heâd been an itch that I was happy to scratch. A few times.
âOkayâŠâ He continued to watch me search through the cluttered floor for my shoes. âCan I call you sometime?â
Oh, screw it. They were just some cheap flip-flops anyway.
âI donât think so.â
His eyebrows lifted a little. âSeriously?â He let out an uneasy chuckle.
âSorry, Iâm supposed to be somewhere in a few hours.â I made my way to the door and stole one more look his way. âSee you around.â
I closed the door behind me and paused a minute in the dark hallway. Nothing I said ever felt right. Thank you? No. It was fun? Not always the case. It was always easier just to be gone before they even realized Iâd left.
I fished out the car keys still in my pocket and hoped I didnât run into anyone else wandering the frat house at this hour. My hand slid over the wooden bannister of the staircase, the familiar smoothness reminding me of the barre exercises Iâd practiced so much when I was younger. Excellent extension, my teacher used to say.
My bare feet froze to the step when the doorknob started to jiggle.
Rich walked in and shut the door behind him before noticing I was there.
His eyes lit up when he finally noticed me, like I was just the person he wanted to see.
âSneaking out, are we?â he said with a smirk.
âYouâre one to talk.â I slid the mood ring I always wore around my finger with my thumb. Black as usual. It hadnât changed color in years. Not since the day my best friend had moved away, and I had been forced to fend for myself.Â
âI was out with my girlfriend, actually.â
âGood for you,â I mumbled, walking down the last step. I tried to shrug past him to leave, but he stood in my way. I crossed my arms. âCan you let me pass, please?â
âYouâre still doing this?â He was so close I could smell the remnants of his cologne. The same one he used to wear when weâd been together. âAt least I know it wasnât just me.â
âYou know the only bed I sleep in is my own.â
He smirked and glanced down at the keys he held in his hands. âIsnât it getting old for you, Maeve? This wholeâŠslutty thing you got going on.â
âFuck you.â
I shoved past him and made a break for the door.
I didnât look back. Didnât want to see the snicker on his face. Because I was doing just thatâsneaking away.
I wouldnât have time to sleep before I left for the dreaded potluck BBQ. It was a long drive, and I promised Aunt Meg that I would be around. And Iâd never hear the end of it from Kasey if I didnât show up. If I crashed in bed, there was no way I would wake up in time. In the car, I lit a cigarette, put my phone on the charger, and found a decent radio station.
An hour into the ride, my eyes ached. I pulled the car into a gas station to fill up and grab a few Red Bulls. Shit, I needed a pair of shoes. I told the gas attendant to fill the tank and handed him my card. He grabbed it, glancing first at my chest, and then down at my bare feet.
Not a chance in hell, buddy.
I carefully treaded inside the mini mart, my eyes combing the black asphalt for any shards of glass. I made it inside unscathed and prayed I could find something for my feet.
I said a silent prayer of thanks when I saw the little section dedicated to cheesy T-shirts and thin foam flip-flops. I ripped the tag and slid them on my blackened feet. They were a little big, but it was better than nothing. Three Red bulls and some snacks later, I approached the register to pay. The cashier looked about my age and had a sleeve of tattoos on either arm. His gaze met my cleavage before my eyes. I didnât mind as much as I did with the guy outside.
âAnything else?â he asked.
Was there anything else?
âNope,â I said, accentuating the P sound. âThis is it.â
God, I hope this isnât it.
He told me my total and slid my stuff into a bag.
Once I was back on the road, I felt the buzz from the Red Bulls kick in. Thatâs what I seemed to be living off of these last few months.
I managed to make it to Aunt Megâs without falling asleep behind the wheel. I jostled up and down in my car as it negotiated the bumpy dirt driveway. I parked the car next to Uncle Jimâs pickup truck and found a stray hair tie in the glove box to throw my hair in a ponytail. I pinched my cheeks to give them some color and surrendered to the dark circles under my eyes.
I lit one more cigarette and got of the car to grab my bag in the trunk. Maybe Aunt Meg would still be sleeping. Fat chance. That woman never slept-in a day in her life. Jack, Uncle Jimâs sheepdog, came barreling out of the house in my direction.
âI can smell that cigarette from here,â Aunt Megâs voice boomed.
I scratched behind Jackâs ears as he pounced on me with a wagging tongue. I turned around to face her, my bag slung over one shoulder. âHey, Aunt Meg.â
âDonât think youâre coming in this house with that cancer stick still on your lips.â
I threw it on the ground and smashed it with my cheap foam shoe.
âDidnât think youâd be here this early,â she said as I walked toward her.
âI told you I would be.â I opened my free arm and gave her a hug. âBesides, Kaseyâs been texting me non-stop for the last two days.â
âIâm glad you decided to come,â she said, patting my back.
I followed her inside the old farmhouse. It smelled like maple syrup in the kitchen. âWhereâs Uncle Jim?â
âChecking on one of the goats. Sheâs about to give birth.â She poured a cup of coffee and handed it to me. âHave you eaten at all?â
âI picked something up on the way.â
âYour sisterâs still asleep. She had another bad attack last night.â
âAgain?â Itâd seemed like her asthma had worsened these last few months.
Her pediatrician kept insisting sheâd grow out of it. We werenât convinced. But when you have subpar state-based health coverage, youâre lucky if they even listen to you long enough to get your health history.
âDoctor put her on another medication. Hopefully, itâll help.â
 âHow come no one told me about it?â I said.
Aunt Meg rummaged through the cabinet with all of the prescription medications. Between her, Uncle Jim, and Kasey, they could open up their own pharmacy. I should be thankful that Kasey had health insurance; I had trouble enough affording her out-of-pocket costs.
âHere,â she said, handing me the bottle. âThis is what sheâs taking.â
I read over the label and recognized it as an oral steroid.
âThe copay for prescriptions has gone up,â Aunt Meg said.
âDonât worry. Iâll take care of it.â
She gave me a onceover. âYou look like you havenât eaten a decent meal in a month.â
âWhat timeâs everybody coming over?â I slid into one of the wooden chairs.
âAround three.â She grabbed some eggs from out of the fridge.
Iâd have to collect some before leaving. The eggs from the grocery store didnât compare to the ones Aunt Meg and Uncle Jimâs chickens produced. Uncle Jim had handcrafted this special feed that took years to perfect. As a kid, I loved to dunk my toast into the deep yellow yolk.
âIâll make you something to eat, and then you should go back to bed for a little while.â
âIâm fine.â I didnât want to tell her that Iâd gone a lot longer than twenty-four hours without sleep. With enough caffeine, I could run a marathon. âI came early to help you set up.â
âThereâs not much to do. Everyoneâs bringing a little something. Tables and chairs are already out.â She eyed me as she cracked two eggs into the hot cast iron pan. They sizzled, and the smell snaked to my nose. âAre you nervous?â
âAbout what?â
âSeeing Jacob again.â
 âWhy would that make me nervous?â I ran my fingernail in the small groove in the wooden table.
âI donât know.â She reached for a spatula. âItâs been a long time since youâve seen each other.â
Eight years to be exact. Iâd thought about him a lot. Wondered what kind of person he turned out to be. âIâm sure he barely remembers me.â
âOf course he does. You two were inseparable since the first day you met.â
âThat seems like a lifetime ago.â
âHis mom said he was looking forward to coming back. Iâm sure heâs dying to see you.â
 The eggs popped in the pan as Aunt Meg peered over her shoulder to look at me. What was I supposed to say? That I was afraid I wasnât going to measure up?
âIâm going to wake lazy up.â
 âOkay. But donât think youâre getting away without eating breakfast first.â
I inhaled breakfast, remembering how much Iâd missed a homecooked meal. Aunt Meg put another load of laundry into the washing machine, and I scurried up the steps to Kaseyâs room.
I knocked on the door but opened it when no one answered. She lay in the bed, a mess of dark hair covering half of her head. It was hard to believe she just celebrated her tenth birthday. It seemed like yesterday when I was putting her hair in pigtails.
I jumped up and landed on the bed with a thud.
âHey!â I said.
She groaned and flopped over on her stomach. âSummer vacationâs not over yet.â
âTime to get up!â
 It took her a minute to realize it was me, but when she did, her eyes widened.
âYouâre here,â she said, sitting up. âItâs about time.â
I scooted up so that I was lying next to her. âI drove as fast as I could.â
âWhat time is it?â She stretched her arms over her head.
âTime for you to get up. Company will be here soon.â
âUgh,â she groaned. âI hope Uncle Will doesnât show up. If I have to hear about his chronic groutâŠâ
âYou mean gout.â I chuckled.
âWhatever.â
It was a favorite pastime of our family. Arguing over whose medical problems were worse.
âYou know youâre looking forward to it,â I said.
âNot as much as you are.â Her round light blue eyes twinkled. They reminded me so much of our father.
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
âIsnât your old boyfriend coming today?â The freckles over the bridge of her nose danced when she smiled.
âHe wasnât an old boyfriend. Just a friend.â
âI donât remember him.â
âWell you wouldnât. You were just a baby when he moved away.â
âAunt Meg showed me the picture of him. Do you think he still looks the same?â
I got up from the bed and tinkered with some of the things on her dresser. âOf course, not. People change.â An opened music box sat in the cornerâa ballerina on pointe, her arms in fifth position.
âThatâs so true. Like Aaron McGregor, Rileyâs old boyfriend, when he came back from summer camp.â
I closed the box and reopened it, but the music didnât turn on. The ballerina twirled in the middle of the box; her fading face fixated toward the sky. It had been a gift from Jacob for my thirteenth birthday. âWhat do you mean?â
Kasey stuck her finger in her throat and made a gagging sound.
 I laughed. âGet up and get ready. Iâll meet you downstairs.â
* * * *
As soon as the rain let up, I walked to the barn to find Uncle Jim with Jack trotting beside me. I inhaled the smell of wet grass and ran my hand against the sheets waving in the breeze on the clothesline. As I got closer to the barn, the sweet dewy smell of the damp earth was soon replaced with the smell of goats and chickens. I unlatched the gate and swung the heavy door open.
âUncle Jim?â I called.
The faint bleating of goats resonated toward the cavernous space.
âIn here,â he called back.
I stepped inside, following the sound of his voice.
I walked past the empty pens until I found him hunched over a pile of hay.
âHey, Uncle Jim.â
He smiled wide. âLook who it is.â He stood up to give me a hug. âYou came just in time. Could use another hand around here. This girlâs gonnaâ pop any minute now.â
I chuckled as he pet the goatâs head. âShe looks like sheâs about to burst. How many does she have in there?â
âHard to say, really. One for sure. Maybe two.â The doe wobbled down on her front legs to nestle into the hay. âHowâve you been? Itâs been a while since weâve had you home.â He pulled out the handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his flush face.
 âI know. Iâve just been busy with school and work.â I followed him out of the stall and watched as he locked the gate.
âThatâs okay. Youâre all grown up now. Hard for us old people to understand that. And by old people, I mean your Aunt Meg.â
I smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.
He ran the handkerchief over his face again.
âYou feeling okay?â I asked.
âSure,â he said. âHas your aunt gone into crazy mode yet?â
âSort of,â I replied. âShe sent me out here to come get you. She doesnât think itâll be good for the party if you show up smelling like the animals.â
He chuckled as we walked. âAre you ready for this BBQ?â
I shrugged. âEvery relative within a five-hundred-mile radius all together in the blazing heat? Sounds like a great time.â
âOh, it wonât be that badâŠhopefully.â
I sighed. âI know.â
Back at the house, Uncle Jim and I did a few more last-minute tasks while Kasey picked wildflowers for the tables. After everything was ready, I snuck away to take a shower and wash the sweat off. Iâd spent the last two hours arranging tables and chairs under the tent in the backyard in the disgusting humidity. Not to mention, I could still smell whatâs-his-nameâs cologne on my skin from our romp last night.
I left my hair wet, braided it, and threw on the shorts and top I packed. The foam flip-flops were already falling apart, so Iâd be barefoot for the rest of the day. Not that I cared. Iâd spent plenty of time as a kid running around this place with no shoes on.
Downstairs, Aunt Meg and Uncle Jim were bickering. I stopped at the top of the steps to eavesdrop. They were talking so low, but the walls were thin in this old house.
It wasnât the first time Iâd overheard them bickering about money. The farm had been struggling for the last few years, and things were only getting worse. Earlier, when Iâd been searching for the scissors, Iâd come across a few past due bills tucked away in a drawer.
I crept downstairs, and they stopped when they noticed me.
 âWhatâs going on?â I asked.
They both froze, their mouths open. They looked to each other, probably hoping the other had a better explanation.
âNothing, dear,â Aunt Meg said.
âCome on, guys. You still think I canât hear you arguing when Iâm not in the room.â
âWeâre not arguing,â Uncle Jim said. His face had grown a shade redder than before. âWeâre just having a discussion.â
They were still talking low, and I knew it was because they didnât want Kasey to overhear the conversation. I glanced out the window over the kitchen sink and saw her arranging the flowers in a vase at one of the tables outside.
âIs the farm in trouble?â I asked.
Uncle Jim and Aunt Meg glanced at each other.
Uncle Jim cleared his throat. âThings have been tough around here. Seems like every year gets a little harder.â
âWe didnât want to bring this up today,â Aunt Meg said. âBut weâre thinking of putting the farm up for sale. The bank is threatening foreclosure if we canât make up the missed payments.â
My stomach flopped. âYou want to sell the farm?â
They couldnât do that. The farm was my home. Kaseyâs home. The only sense of stability we had left in this world.
âWhat about the money Iâve been sending?â I asked. It was every last dollar I could spareâsometimes even more. Those were the months Iâd live off instant noodles and tap water. But it took care of whatever Kasey needed.
âOf course,â Aunt Meg said. âYou know we appreciate all the help, really.â
âWe are proud of you, Maeve,â Uncle Jim said. âYouâre a good girl.â He kissed the top of my forehead. âWeâll talk about it some more later.â
The kitchen door swung open and slammed shut.
âOh great,â Kasey said. âI guess they told you, too.â
My heart skipped a little. It didnât seem like Aunt Meg and Uncle Jim to share this news with Kasey. They shared my mission of protecting her against as much conflict as possible. Sheâd already been through enough.
âWhat is she talking about?â I said.
 âWellâŠâ Aunt Meg looked to Uncle Jim for some help.
âYour mother called,â he said.
I rolled my eyes in disgust. The good news just kept coming. âForget I asked.â
Aunt Meg gave a warm smile. âShe wanted to know if it would be all right if sheââ
âNo,â I said.
âI vote yes,â Kasey said.
I squinted my eyes at her. âTraitor.â
I didnât share her same affection for our mother. Then again, Kasey did see her a lot more often. It was easier for her. She was so young when Iâd started running away from home. And she definitely didnât remember the one time Iâd brought her with me. She had been just a few months old. I carried her wrapped in blankets all the way to Aunt Meg and Uncle Jimâs from my house.
Aunt Meg opened her mouth to say more. Probably to try and convince me to change my mind. It was her sisterâI got it. But it still didnât change the fact that I couldnât stand the sight of my own mother.
Uncle Jim took a few steps closer to me. âWe already told her no.â
* * * *
The relatives started to trickle in, bringing pies and potato salads. Jack darted around the tent, his nose following the smell of food. I tried to fade into the background and keep myself busy with helping with the food or getting more ice from the freezer. Living near campus had made me soft. I was quickly reminded of the hardship of farm life every time I came here for a visit.
âMaeve,â Aunt Meg called as I refilled the cooler with ice.
I shook the bag to empty out every cube before tossing it in the nearby trashcan.
âLook whoâs here.â She reached out for me with one hand as she gestured to the tall guy beside her.
He towered over the crowd. His dark, messy hair flopped over his hazel eyes. The scruff on his face definitely added to his I-just-rolled-out-of-bed look. I knew this face. Those eyes behind the glasses.
âHi, Maeve.â He gave me a timid wave of his hand.
âHey, Jacob.â
My heart drummed in my ears. Sweat pooled in the creases of my palms. I almost couldnât believe he was standing in front of me. The last time I saw Jacob Young I was flat as a board. His mother and Aunt Meg were best friends, so he spent a lot of time with me here.
âJacobâs just moved back to start veterinary school,â Aunt Meg explained to the few others who were standing nearby. âHeâs going to be staying here and helping us with the animals until the semester starts.â
âReally?â someone asked.
He pushed his black-framed glasses higher on his nose. âYeah, just got here from the airport, actually.âÂ
âMaeve, why donât you get Jacob something to drink? I know you two have a lot to catch up on.â She gave me a smile that told me she was up to no good before scurrying away.
 I wiped my hands on my shorts. âSo, what do you like to drink?â Looking him in the eyes was proving difficult.
âUm, Iâll take water if you have it.â
God, his voice was deep.
I rummaged through the cooler and picked out a cold bottle from the bottom. I twisted the top off and handed it to him. âHere you go.â
He thanked me before taking a sip, his gaze scoping out the plethora of geriatric company.
âSo, graduate school, huh?â I popped open a beer for myself.
âYeah, I took a bunch of summer classes to finish my B.S. early.â
That was no surprise.
He took a sip of water. âWhat are you studying?â
I smiled. âUndecided.â
We stood feet apart. The conversation dead. Itâd been so long since we talked; I didnât know what to say. I swatted a fly away from my face and crossed my arms. This was beyond awkward.
âDo you live in the dorms?â he asked.
âNo. I rent an apartment close to campus.â Another incident Iâd never told Aunt Megâgetting kicked out of my dorm last year for âsexilingâ my roommate too much. I couldnât help it if I needed so much privacy with my guests. She had it out for me, anywayâconvinced I was after her boyfriend.
He nodded and took another swig from his water.
âWhat about you?â I asked.
âI was supposed to stay with a buddy of mine. But thatâs not happening anymore.â
âWhyâs that?â
âSomething about his girlfriend moving in. Itâs too late for me to get room and board from the school, so I guess Iâll be staying here until I can get it figured out.â
I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand. âI can show you around campus one day if you want.â
âYeah, maybe.â
That answer wasnât exactly brimming with enthusiasm.
Kasey weaved through the tables and chairs and stood beside me.
âHello,â she said.
âHi,â Jacob replied.
âYouâre Jacob, right?â
âYep.â Jacob looked at me for a quick second.
âIâm Kasey.â She held out her hand and Jacob shook it. âDo you know who I am?â
âMaeveâs little sister, right?â
 âIs that a tattoo?â she said, reaching for his bicep. She pushed back the sleeve of his t-shirt and revealed the rest of his toned arm.
He didnât have to answer since she was already examining the ink. My eyes glazed over his broad shoulders.
âKasey,â I said. âDonât be rude.â
âWhat?â she asked, a little annoyed. She focused back on Jacobâs arm. âHow many do you have?â
âA few.â His body stiffened.
I tugged on Kaseyâs shirt, and she backed off.
âI want to get a tattoo. Maeve wonât let me.â
âBecause youâre too young,â I said.
She rolled her eyes. âExcuses, excuses.â
âWhen youâre eighteen, you can do whatever you want.â
She smiled and cocked her head. âHow about Maeve?â
âExcuse me?â Jacob asked.
 âHow does she look?â Kasey said.
I elbowed her just a little. âI think I hear Aunt Meg calling you.â
She looked behind her shoulder. âI didnât hear anything.â
I widened my eyes at her.
âRightâŠIâm out of here.â She scurried off and sat next to Uncle Jim.
âSorry,â I said. âShe likes to ignore peopleâs personal space.â
A shrill laugh broke the conversation as another aunt I hadnât seen in years barreled toward me. She wrapped me in a hug and pulled back to examine how much Iâd grown.
âLook at you,â she said, her cheeks rosy from the heat. âYouâve got your motherâs great figure and brown eyes.â I did an internal cringe at the comparison. She looked at Jacob. âIs this your boyfriend?â
I almost laughed. Boyfriend.
âNo,â I said. âThis is Jacob Young.â
She gasped. âCarolâs boy?â
Jacob gave a tight-line smile and slight nod of his head.
âIs your brother here?â she asked.
âNo.â He readjusted his glasses again. âHeâs still back home in Florida.â
Jacob got caught in conversation with the aunt, whose name I couldnât remember, and I slinked away. For weeks, Iâd obsessed over the moment Iâd see Jacob again It all seemed so anticlimactic now.
 I walked back to the house to see if Aunt Meg needed any more help.
âWhy donât you just relax and enjoy yourself,â she said to me.
I twirled the sunflower Iâd picked out of the vase.
âItâs nice having Jacob home, isnât it?â She kept her focus on the fruit she was rinsing.
âHeâs different,â I said.
âThatâs what happens when you grow up. Itâs not a bad thing.â
I laid the sunflower on the counter. âI forgot to mention that I canât stay long. I could only get a few days off from work. I need to get back soon.â
âHowâs work at the drugstore, anyhow? I hope youâre leaving yourself enough time for school.â
âFine. Boring, but fine.â
I still hadnât gotten around to telling her Iâd been fired from the drug store months ago. Iâd slept with the floor manager, and he blabbed to one of our coworkers..
 I took a vow when I turned eighteen that I wouldnât call home to ask for help. Not that it was even an option. And asking Aunt Meg or Uncle Jim was out of the question. Theyâd already given me so much, and now they were on the brink of losing everything.
âAll right,â she said, handing me a piece of cut fruit. âBut make sure you exchange numbers with Jacob before you go.
Releases January 6, 2021
I received an ARC thanks to the publisher through Reedsy in exchange for an honest review.
Content warning: domestic abuse, child abuse mentioned, sexual content
Review: This is definitely an Adult book. There is no âmaybe it could be New Adultâ, which I have been struggling with for other romance novels. This isnât one of them. And I love that. I love this book. The dark parts and the fluffy parts. I love Maeve and Jacob and their chemistry. The slow build up to the first kiss was perfect. The story was paced well as was the relationship development. There was emotion packed into every decision Maeve made and she always had a focus of protecting her family. Sheâs âdamagedâ and brilliant and snarky. Jacob is a sugar cookie that has the perfect balance between gooey center and crispy edges that results in 24 cookies vanishing and still craving more. I honestly wish the story was so much longer. I wish the scenes that were mentioned where fully explored (a day a Disney? Hell yes! The night back at âthe restaurantâ? Yes please!) which is the best complaint I can give a story. I wanted MORE. If there were another 50 pages I think it would have been perfect. The end felt slightly rushed so I really hope their is a follow up for their story and that a second book isnât about one of the other brothers tbh. I mean, Iâm here for that too but I want more Maeve and Jacob.
Also there are cute animals and the sister has my name. I really is just an all around perfect book! âșïž Iâm not biased or anything. But seriously, the first scene is Maeve trying to sneak out of the one-night-standâs apartment.Â
Itâs cheesy and I am here for it all!