I’ll just get straight to it. I really really enjoyed this novel. I loved the interviews and learning about Margaret Ives. I loved the present-day scenes with Hayden and Alice. I honestly loved everything. My top Emily Henry book is Happy Place (and still is), but this one came really close to topping it. 

Emily Henry’s writing style is beautiful as ever as she describes this Georgian island that Margaret, Alice, and Hayden are staying on for the time being. The oak trees and the sprawling mansions and the sweet tea… Everything immersed me in the story and it was so well described that I could almost feel the humidity on my own skin (even if I definitely sat in the AC the whole time I read this). The palpable tension between Hayden and Alice? Wow, you’ve got to be a talented writer to make that romance feel so… urgent. Not the mention all of the little details that went into each characters’ storyline. 

With our characters, Hayden is a typical grumpy MMC and Alice is our sunshine FMC. Margaret is obviously a broken and distrusting octogenarian, but you really can’t blame her once you find out everything that she went through. Margaret’s sister, Laura,  Margaret’s husband, Cosmo, and honestly everyone in the Ives family felt so real. It’s honestly rare to come across character family trees that feel so detailed and thought through and I loved every second of it. I can’t say that there was a single character I disliked (as far as development goes, but I’m pretty sure we all hated Theo a little bit). 

SO MUCH went on in the plot that my mind was constantly racing. I couldn’t wait to get back to Margaret Ives’ story to find out her whole history, why she was lying, and what could possibly be her motive for finally telling her story. The reasons? I didn’t guess it at all, but maybe that’s just because I was so pulled into the story that I wasn’t even worried about what the ending would look like. I only wanted to stay in the pages I was reading!! I didn’t find any loose threads and I wasn’t left questioning anything at the end. 

Spoilers ahead.

Y’all know I had to do it. Let’s talk about allllll the crazy revelations that we get in this novel. First off, Jodi being Margaret’s niece was not expected. I seriously thought she was a maid or a live-in nanny of sorts for the older lady. Then finding out that HAYDEN IS MARGARET’S FREAKING GRANDSON???? And that the paparazzi were the reason Cosmo died 🥲. My heart will not heal for this. I honestly wanted revenge and was somewhat disappointed that Margaret didn’t go after them 😂. But like, Margaret giving up her baby girl because she didn’t want her to have to be scrutinized at every turn??? That should not happen. Period. We should not be causing actual HUMAN BEINGS who have thoughts, feelings, and emotions just like everyone else to feel so trapped by the tabloids that they can’t live their own lives. I understand this is fiction, but it honestly feels so relevant despite that. I feel like people nowadays get so obsessed with influencers, actors, writers, everyone that we make them live under a microscope. Why can’t we enjoy their art and creations without making them pay for it with their privacy? Alright, rant over. 

Overall, while this didn’t top my all time favorite Emily Henry book, it came seriously close. I loved every second of the characters, the writing, and the plot. Y’all know I’ll always pick up an Emily Henry book the second it comes out and this was no exception 5/5 well deserved stars 👏🏻.

Source: Personal Copy

(P.S. You can read tons of books—including ones written by me—by trying a free trial of Kindle Unlimited!)