What I love most about reading this series is that you really get to know the characters within various circumstances. You have the opportunity to run the gambit of emotions and life situations – witnessing the Lawrence, Cooper, Knight crew at their highs and their lows. Over the last three books, I have grown to love and adore the energy of this family. They have gone through so much and yet they are stronger than ever, a gravitational pull bringing in yet more love, hope, and family. This time around we have a chance to dive into the foundation and heart of the Lawrence clan. Having hung out with Cassandra in two previous stories, you have to wonder if life is as fun, easy, and carefree as she makes it seem. Cass’s story takes us beyond the insane antics, the loyalty, and reveals a side we never saw coming.

Cassandra Blackstone is the embodiment of feminine energy, control, and power. Gorgeous, successful, and always up for a good time – her best friend Darian and her goddaughters idolize the essence that is “Crazy Cassandra”. A partner at her law firm and three times divorced, Cassandra always presents her life as satisfying, fulfilling, and dedicated to those she loves most. She helped her best friend survive the worst time of her life, she stepped in to assist with raising three wonderful girls that she loved as if they were her own, and she has met life goals that many could only dream of. Unbeknownst to most, behind that smile lurks a sadness shielded by years of practicing to be “on” for those around her.  Deep down, only she knows how she once dreamt of having a man look at her how Brody looks at Harley and how Jackson (and Scott) look at Darian. The horrors of her past have put a padlock on her heart, never again will she even allow the possibility of a man getting close. Sure, if they can’t get close – they can’t love her but they can’t hurt her either. She has seen what “love” for her is like and she would rather not ever endure that heartache again. Instead, she would rather keep having fun with a certain Knight that makes her toes curl and mind explode. Trevor may be the joker of the group but he is all man when and where it counts. The problem is Trevor keeps wanting more and more from Cassandra. With a 24 year age gap, that isn’t going to happen. Even if she allowed herself to be delusional for a second, no one would ever accept them being together. He is old enough to be his mother, she knows – she’s met her! She just needs to make sure he understands that they can never be more, even if she finds herself feeling things she has hasn’t experienced since she shut the door on possibilities.

What I like about this book: As this is only the second age gap sub genre I have read, I wasn’t sure where it was going to go. We “know” Cassandra and from our time with her, we are certain of what her relationship with Trevor is and what it won’t be. We have also had the pleasure of hanging out with Trevor and know he takes nothing serious in life. It was flooring how the story blew what we thought we knew out of the water. Through each page, we realize how little was actually know about Aunt Cass – our knowledge is only what she has cared to share and for the sake of her family, it was always light and fun. Scott was the only one who saw the darkness. 

For Trevor, old soul doesn’t even begin to describe the insight and capabilities of that man. Sure, he has his moments but we would have never imagined who he really was (or capable of being) with half of the worldly wisdom came out of his mouth. A quick reminder that age is nothing but a number.

What I love about it: The wedding! I want to see that wedding! I would not have expected anything less from those two. I actually had to stop reading and look up the Beyoncé song which made that part even funnier! I loved the overall message that you live for you, not for others. Trevor was determined to help Cassandra see and understand a message she had preached to so many others. 

I also enjoyed the flashback of Harley! Seeing her as a ten year old – priceless and I wouldn’t have expected anything else from her. She was smart as a whip as a kid and while we assumed this from her story in Book 2, the vocabulary and sass from her as a child was insanely hilarious!

I LOVED how we got more of Scott in this book. He has been incorporated so well into the story that it took me a minute to realize, when they went back to graduation day, that he was alive! We have been hearing his words through letters thus far so having him back in the flesh felt surreal. You already understood why Darian loved him so much but to get a first hand dose of Scott, why did that make his death even harder to bear?! He was such an amazing man, not just to Darian and his daughters but to “Cassie” as well. 

As far as the heat – seriously, where does AK come up with these scenes. I am three books in and feel like I need to start taking notes. I swear she could write a nonfiction book alone on different ideas to spice up your sex life. Between the first and second book, I honestly went into this one thinking “Ok, there is no way she can top what she has come up with already.” There were three scenes that stood out. To prevent spoiling them, I will keep the descriptions generic but the first one, pretty average. The second – creative but nothing out of the ordinary. That third one though towards the end, I will admit right here and now that I have never been more jealous of a woman in my life! 

Like the first two books, the depth of this story is unbelievable. Between the lost of a loved one, her father/daughter relationship, dating age gap, emotional abuse, Cassandra is a therapist’s wet dream. She has gone through so much in her life but instead of processing it, she just pushed it down, built a defense wall to counter it, and kept going. When the wall came crashing down, only then was Cass able to finally take the steps needed to heal and move on (and properly mourn a huge loss in her life she failed to recognize). 

I will give AK credit, she snuck the drama up on me in this one. I should have known better! Everything was going so well – that should have been a red flag right there. When the crap hit the proverbial fan, I don’t even remember doing anything else but focusing on the story – I was pulled in and fully vested. You know this family, you love this family so when they hurt, you hurt and you want to be right there with them – waiting to exhale. You don’t even realize you are holding your breathe, that is just how captivating AK’s writing is. You are unaware you’re all in until you find tears streaking your chin and because thankfully AK is not a masochist, relief consuming your body when it is all over.

I have said in each review and I will say it again here, I love and adore this ever growing family. I can’t wait to continue reading and watching each member come into their own. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read Darian and Scott’s story (Book #6 – but technically a prequel; however, having a taste of Scott in this book – I realized the letters don’t nearly do him justice and I want to be a part of their beginning – even if I know how it ends.