Happy After All by Maisey Yates

 

"It's a truth universally acknowledged--at least, in a romance novel--that the moment the main character has her life in order, the exact person she doesn't want to meet will come along and knock all that careful order into disarray. For example, when a respectable motel owner who has decided to focus on her writing career and her own personal happiness is beginning to feel satisfied with the way she's rebuilding her life, a disastrously gorgeous man will walk in and disrupt everything."

Amelia fled to Rancho Encanto to rewrite her life. She's not looking for romance. Then Nathan Hart comes to her motel to write for the summer. He's aloof and keeps to himself, but Amelia can't help feeling a spark of attraction between them. Not only are they both writers, they're both grieving loss and trying to move forward and heal. But heartbreak is hard to overcome. 

"We would never have met if our lives hadn't crashed and burned. But it doesn't feel like something that happened because of tragedy. It feels like a small miracle. An oasis in the middle of the desert, which in many ways is what Rancho Encanto is."

This is such a good book! I loved how Yates starts each chapter with a romance trope, and how Amelia, a romance writer, uses that framework to narrate her own story. I thought it was very clever and fun. But this is not a simple summer romance. There's a range of emotions in this one: laughter and loss, hurt and hiding from that sadness, grumpiness, joy, lots of tears, and love. Both Amelia and Nathan had to navigate their own grief in order to find healing and hope. I also loved Amelia's found family full of quirky characters living in this small desert community. They made me smile. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne

 

The plot:  Dr. Miranda Reed, PhD, is a popular astrophysicist and professor at Nova University, with a high IQ and a long waiting list for her astronomy classes. She's bright and pretty and has been on Jeopardy! seven times; she's also a star when it comes to talking science on the morning shows. And she always has a plan, especially for her life's trajectory. So when she's denied tenure she's stunned. And confused. And a little lost. 

Granted a yearlong sabbatical, she decides to explore another side her life besides the science side by studying astrology, figuring out her rising sign, and following her horoscope for one year. What Miranda doesn't predict is how her Horoscope Project will bring her not only new experiences and a new perspective, but a new friend in the cute artist next door, the possibility of a new dream for her life, and maybe even love. 

My thoughts:  What a charming romance! Miranda is such a fun character. I really enjoyed her love of science and her personal journey to explore a new side of herself; I especially enjoyed her slow burn friendship with Archer (the artist next door). Their interactions were humorous and entertaining. And I appreciated that there's no sex in this one...just a few sweet and swoony kisses. With both stars and art this story truly sparkles.  

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

 

From the blurb:  "It's bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard's workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly. It's a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is...you.  Gav isn't really sure how he ended up with a castle full of goblins, or why he has a princess locked in a cell. All he can do is play along with his own evil plan in hopes of getting his memories back before he gets himself killed. But as he realizes that nothing is quite what it seems, Gav will have to answer the hardest question of all--who does he want to be now?"

A few favorite quotes:

• So, this was shock. It seemed terribly inconvenient that the brain's reaction to being placed in mortal jeopardy was to become much stupider. 
• He was a coward, there was no way around it, and he was pretty sure he could live with that. Fundamentally brave people didn't become Dark Wizards.
• He didn't know what that made him, if he wasn't evil enough to be a villain or good enough to be a hero.
• He wasn't a hero. And he'd failed again. But that didn't mean he couldn't keep trying. So he could look himself in the eye, even if no one else would.

My thoughts:  This book is a magical adventure with humor and heart. Gav (formerly known as the Dread Lord Gavrax) knows he's not hero material, but he doesn't want to be a dark wizard any more either. So where does that leave him? Gav is such a great character! I loved his interactions with his scared goblin servants, as well as the banter between him and the spunky and disdainful princess. And seeing him trying to figure out how not to be a dark wizard any more without ending up getting murdered by all the other dark wizards, or all the heroes trying to rescue the princess, was very entertaining. There's just so much to like about this book including a very funny garlic festival and some great magic.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

The Big Fix by Holly James

 

First line:  "An estate sale at a dead guy's suburban mansion was not how I'd planned to spend my first Saturday of summer break."

The plot:  Penny Collins did not plan on finding a dead body at the estate sale, either. But now she's involved in a murder investigation along with the mysterious and brooding Anthony Pierce, who knows more about the dead guy than he's admitting. And it all connects somehow to a billionaire's missing wife. Penny's supposed to be finalizing her case for tenure this summer, instead she's running from bad guys, arguing with Anthony, and just maybe falling in love.

My thoughts:  This book has the feel of an amusing cozy mystery with lots of action, humor and romance. Penny's a bit impulsive--which gets her in trouble sometimes--but she's also tenacious and resourceful. She got on my nerves a little at the very beginning, but by the end I enjoyed her enthusiasm. And Anthony's great. I liked how the two of them problem solved, bantered, and rescued each other. And their madcap adventure trying to escape the bad guys? Very entertaining! This is a fun summer read.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

 

First line:  I'd love to say I became famous because of my excellent writing skills.

Setting:  Isle of Mull, Scotland

The plot:  Katie Campbell is a popular travel writer known for her misadventures. Everywhere she goes something goes wrong. But she somehow always manages to turn it into something humorous and positive. But while she's happy traveling the world, there's something she's missing:  Home.  "Sometimes it's a place. Sometimes it's a person. Sometimes it's both."  So when Katie meets Graeme MacKerrow, and the tall Scot not only rescues her more than once, but makes her feel seen, she starts to wonder if she's finally found it. But she's afraid...of falling, of failing, of not being enough. And of Graeme not loving her back.

Favorite quote:  "Love is always an act of faith because we cannae see the future...But love gives you the strength to leap, and faith gives you the vision to believe that the one you love will be on the other side to catch you."

My thoughts:  I love this book! More than a simple lighthearted romance, this is an engaging novel about finding family, finding home, taking chances and believing in oneself. Basham truly knows how to craft a story with layers and humor, depth, hope, faith and love. And her characters are so delightful. I loved Katie and Graeme and their journey. And I loved the picturesque setting. This book made me want to travel to the Isle of Mull. (And maybe meet my own handome Scot.) I found it captivating. And the ending made me smile. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Another fun summer romance...

 "Adventure awaits."

Emily Edwards is not adventurous or outdoorsy, but she's made a promise to scatter her dad's ashes on Isle Royale, a remote National Park in Michigan that her dad always wanted to visit. So she hires Ryder Fleet to be her guide. Only it was Ryder's older brother, Caleb, who was the outdoorsy one, not him. He doesn't even know how to use a compass. But he needs the money, so he agrees to be Emily's guide. What happens to them on this remote island is some crazy kind of fun that includes getting lost in the woods, a bear spray incident, a pirate shipwreck, some bad guys, and a legendary lost diamond. I thought The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea was laugh-out-loud funny. I loved how Emily and Ryder are total opposites yet connected because of their grief over lost loved ones; I also loved how they found a way to let go of past regrets and move forward with laughter and love together. This book made me smile all the way through. And for that:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Two quick recommendations....

 

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

True crime podcaster, Ben Owens, is looking into the unsolved murder of Savannah Harper. His investigation brings Lucy Chase, the prime suspect, back to her hometown of Plumpton, Texas. It's the last place she wants to be, but Savvy was her best friend and Lucy was with her the night she died. Everyone thinks she did it, but no one can prove it. And Lucy can't remember what really happened that night. But it's time for her to find out the truth...even if the truth points to her. 

What a gripping twisty thriller! I loved the format and how each of Ben's podcast interviews brings out another piece of the truth. Then there's all the lies and contradictions and Lucy's own unreliable memories. It's great storytelling that kept me guessing until the very end.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ornithologist's Field  Guide to Love by India Holton

"Birds are easy; people are utterly bewildering."

Set in England in 1890, this captivating historical fantasy has wild avian magic, cutthroat ornithologists, and a ruthless competition to capture the rare and magical Caladrius bird. At stake? Being named Best Birder of the Year...and winning tenure! Beth, a serious, smart, and shy professor from Oxford reluctantly teams up with Devon, an irreverent, good looking, and intelligent professor from Cambridge who finds out his competitor is not only spunky, but sassy, too. 

"Who knew that racing across the country, being attacked by deadly magical birds and kissed by a handsome rogue, would be so transformative to one's character."

I loved Beth and Devon and their competitiveness, their love of birds, their wit and banter, and their enchanting romance. Holton writes with a tongue-in-cheek humor that I thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, I loved everything about this book.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"All any of us want, bird and birder, is the freedom to find our own skies, our own magic."

Happy Reading!

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

 

The plot:  Her mom died two years ago. Her husband asked for a separation one year ago, and now he wants to finalize their divorce. Professional organizer Ali Morris's life is a mess. She's juggling grief and her three kids. Who needs love? But then her dog pees on Ethan Hogan's foot at the dog park and instead of getting mad, he smiles at her like she's the best thing he's ever seen. And Ali's summer suddenly starts to look a lot brighter. 

My thoughts:  Summer Romance is deliciously sweet and delightfully humorous. I loved it! I could relate to Ali and her very real struggles to deal with everything in her life from her messy kitchen to mediation with her soon-to-be ex-husband. And Ethan was awesome...so kind and admiring of Ali, and such a great listener. I enjoyed their interactions, especially when he takes her skateboarding and dresses up in a crazy suit to go with her to her mediation meetings. He's hilarious. I'd love to meet a guy like him. From start to last, this was such a fun book. It's a perfect summer read. Annabel Monaghan has become one of my favorite authors. I love the way she writes and crafts her characters and their happy endings.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

In Good Company by Jen Turano

 

Everett Mulberry has recently, and very unexpectedly, been named the guardian to three young children, which is severely curtailing his courtship of the elegant Miss Caroline Dixon, and his latest nanny just quit. Now what is he going to do? He could hire the fun-loving Millie Longfellow, who was just let go from her latest nanny job, but the thought of taking Millie to Newport with his three wards for the summer has him hesitating. 

"...and it had absolutely nothing to do with her lips. It all had to do with the lady's eyes. That they were a perfectly ordinary shade of green was not in dispute. But that ordinary green, framed by dark lashes, always held a distinct trace of...mischief."

"That mischief exactly explained why he wouldn't, or couldn't, consider hiring Miss Longfellow to watch after his wards, because everyone knew that where there was mischief, trouble was certain to follow. (And) ever since he'd become the unlikely guardian to three unruly children over five months before, Everett had witnessed more trouble than he'd ever thought possible."

This is a delightful romance! Turano's books are cute and clean and always have a lot of humor in them; and I love that Gilded Age time period. The banter between Everett and Millie was fun, and the way she handles his three wards had me laughing out loud. There's even a nod to Pride and Prejudice in their romance that I enjoyed. Plus, Millie carries a pocket dictionary around with her and is always looking up words like execrable and disparage. What's not to love?

Happy Reading!

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

 

From the blurb:  "Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitue teacher living with his two cats, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle, Jake, dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had a lot of enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie."

My thoughts:   John Scalzi knows how to write inventive novels that will make you laugh out loud. And Starter Villain is uniquely fun. I loved the whole idea of an average guy like Charlie inheriting his uncle's supervillain business. And I loved how he dealt with everything from super smart spy cats to assassination attempts with self-deprecating humor and aplomb. I especially loved his interactions with his cats. (He handled the surprisingly snarky dolphins well, too.) Charlie is smart and nice, and not exactly supervillain material. Which made for some very funny moments. Fast-paced and full of action, this whole book was awesome. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

P.S. I also really enjoyed Scalzi's book The Kaiju Preservation Society.

The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith

 

The plot:  October, 1893. Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer, Sherlock Holmes-loving cowboy detective, and his younger brother, Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer, are on another case. Only this time it's personal. Five years ago Gus's sweetheart was murdered, but back then he didn't know how to 'deducify' the truth about what happened to her. Now that he knows Sherlock Holmes' Method for solving crimes, he's hoping to track down  the real killer. Only San Marcos, Texas, is not the same town it once was; and no one there is glad to see the Amlingmeyer brothers. But they're about to stir up some trouble, because Gus isn't going anywhere until he finds out the truth. 

My thoughts:  What a fun read! Otto, who narrates their adventures with amusing sarcasm and homespun humor, and his much more serious, even grumpy, brother, Gus, are the best characters. I loved getting a glimpse into Gus's past in this book. And the way these two get into and out of impossible situations is always entertaining. They're such a great team. And the time period is one of my favorites. Plus, I find the whole premise of these two cowboy sleuths acting like a Western version of Holmes and Watson irresistible. This is the fourth book in this series (though it could easily be read as a standalone), and just as good as all the others. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Other Steve Hockensmith reads:

Holmes on the Range

The White Magic Five and Dime

The Penguin Pool Murder by Stuart Palmer

 

First line:  Two little black penguins were the first to know the secret.

First published:  1931

The plot:  Hildegarde Withers, 39, pragmatic, no-nonsense, single teacher of third graders, teams up with New York City detective, Oscar Piper, to solve the murder of Gerald Lester, who she discovers floating, dead, in the penguin pool at the New York Aquarium. And playing detective is what she's always wanted to do.

"I can get a substitute for a few weeks," suggested Miss Withers eagerly. "I'm having the time of my life. ... That's why I came to New York ten years ago, instead of keeping on teaching school out in Iowa. I wanted a little excitement, though it's little enough I've got at Jefferson School. This is great fun, and better than any detective story I ever read....It's the ambition of my life to play detective."

 My thoughts:  This is not a mystery to be taken too seriously, but it is an entertaining step back in time. Oscar Piper and Hildegarde Withers are amusing characters. I enjoyed how they worked together to figure out the murder; their disagreements and arguments were equally amusing. Derbys and hat pins, the stock market crash, guesses and interrogations, all play a role in this fun 1930s mystery. I liked it, and wouldn't mind reading some of Palmer's other Hildegarde Withers mysteries. 

Happy Reading!

Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

 

What it's about:  Lila Merriweather is an orphan. And a thief. She carries her mother's black blade and knows how to placate the magical faeries and monsters that live in and around Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia. And she has a rare magical talent that she keeps secret. She's also been roped into playing bodyguard to Devon Sinclair, only son and handsome heir of the powerful Sinclair family. Because someone's trying to kill him. And her, too. 

What I thought: Talk about a fun mix of modern and magic! There's intrigue and mystery, action and adventure. And I loved Lila and Devon; they're great characters. Lila is sarcastic and smart and can beat Devon in a sword fight, while he's got his own secrets and talents. Plus, he likes her. Lila's also determined to find out who murdered her mother...and to get revenge. The second book in this fantasy trilogy, Dark Heart of Magic, is equally well-written and compelling. I loved both books and can't wait to read the third.

Happy Reading!

 

Home Sweet Homicide by Craig Rice

 

From the blurb:  "Unoccupied and unsupervised while their mother is working furiously on her new book, the children of widowed mystery writer Marion Carstairs find diversion wherever they can. So when the kids hear two gunshots at the house next door, they jump at the chance to launch their own amateur investigation into the murder--after all, why shouldn't they? They know everything the cops do about crime scenes, having read all about them in their mother's novels. They also know what her literary sleuths would do in such a situation. Plus, if the children solve the mystery before the police, it will do wonders for the sales of their mother's novels. And maybe, they can hook her up with the lead detective on the case at the same time."

My thoughts:  I don't always enjoy reading books about precocious children--I often find them annoying rather than funny--so I wasn't sure I was going to like the three Carstairs children. But Dinah, the most responsible and also oldest at 14, April, the dramatic and all-knowing middle child, and Archie, their impish and active 10-year-old brother, quickly grew on me. Despite their bickering and disagreements, I loved how they worked together to solve the murder of Mrs. Sanford and get a date for their mother with Detective Bill Smith. Their King Tut alphabet language and 1944 slang sprinkled throughout the book was also fun. And their meddling in the investigation, from lying to the police to hiding clues and interrogating suspects on their own, led to some very entertaining antics. This classic mystery was unexpectedly comedic. And I enjoyed every page of it. 

Happy Reading!

P.S. Craig Rice is the pen name of Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig who, in 1946, became the first mystery writer to appear on the cover of Time magazine.  

Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond

     This Fonz was supposed to be a knockabout guy, a man of few words, rough around the edges. Confident. A guy who could make things happen with a snap of his fingers. If this wasn't the diametric opposite of who I was in the fall of 1973, it was pretty close. I was twenty-seven years old, a short Jew from New York City with a unibrow and hair down to my shoulders, confident about next to nothing in my life.

    The one exception was when I was acting.

    When I was on stage, playing someone else, I was transported to another world, one where pretending made you successful. What I was miserable at was being myself. 

My thoughts:  I was too little to watch Happy Days when it first aired, but when it went into reruns I watched it for one reason: The Fonz. He was always my favorite character. Which made Henry Winkler one of my favorite actors. And his memoir is full of humorous candor and charm.  He tells about his foibles and flaws, his struggles with anxiety, and his severe dyslexia and how he nearly flunked out of high school because of it. He talks about getting into Yale's School of Drama and his love of acting onstage with an ensemble. And how he made the leap from New York to California and landed the role of the Fonz on only his second audition in L.A. A role that changed his life.

I had fun reading about Henry's life and his love not only for acting, but for his wife and kids, his friends, his dogs...and fly-fishing. I related to his fears and insecurities. And I loved his honesty and humor. This memoir is conversational, personable, and as entertaining as Henry Winkler himself. 

Favorite quote:  "...you really don't know what you can accomplish until you try. All you have to do is try. And you will amaze yourself. So simple. But so crucial. And so true."

Happy Reading!

Frank & Red by Matt Coyne

 

FRANK:  a cantankerous, irreverent, grumpy and sarcastic curmudgeon. He's also grieving the death of his wife and the love of his life, Marcie. Her death has left him estranged from his son...and unable to leave his home. The farthest he ventures now is his own backyard. And he's not at all interested in meeting or befriending his new neighbors!

RED:  a talkative and inquisitive six-year-old boy who's "all snot and jabber". His dad is living with a new girlfriend, and Red and his mom have just moved in next door to Frank. Now Red is facing a new school with no friends; and he doesn't feel like he can tell his mom about the bully who's picking on him because he doesn't want to make her feel sad. His only hope is Frank.

My thoughts:  This book was a delight! Both Frank and Red are going through some hard things, and there are definitely a few heartbreaking moments along the way, but there were many more moments that made me laugh out loud. Red's kind heart shows in his concern over Frank's sadness; and Frank's responses to Red's persistent offers of friendship were SO funny. I loved these two characters and their poignant interactions. Matt Coyne has written a humorous and heartwarming novel. It's my first 5-star read of 2025.

Happy Reading!

Similar reads:

The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey

Bear Necessity by James Gould-Bourn

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

A cryptic invitation.

A trip to Mistletoe Manor.

A Christmas snowstorm.

And a puzzling locked room disappearance. 

It's up to Maggie Chase and fellow author, Ethan Wyatt, to solve this mystery.

First line:  It wasn't until the elevator doors were sliding open that Maggie realized she was about to come face-to-face with her three lest favorite things in the world:  Christmas. A party. And Ethan Freaking Wyatt.  

My thoughts:  This entertaining novel is a great combination of mystery and romance. And I loved it. There's fun banter, and lots of action and humor. Maggie is a very engaging character; she's clever and funny, but also vulnerable and alone. I liked how Ethan really saw her, and how he wanted to help her, and protect her. I enjoyed their swoony kisses, too. They made a great team (even though she saw him as her nemesis at the beginning of the book). And the mystery was very Christie-esque. If you want a fun holiday mystery/romance, check this book out. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Runaway Bride and Prejudice by Emma St. Clair

 

"People say when one door closes, another one opens. And maybe that's true. but I wanna know what people say when one door opens and you find the groom hooking up with someone who's not the bride--less than an hour before the wedding. In a church, no less."

Van's known as a bad boy in hockey. He's no one's hero. But he can't let Amelia marry her cheating fiancé. Because he cares about her. Not that he can admit that...to anyone. 

"As for how I know Amelia...it's a simple story. We met randomly. Talked. Thought she might be my soulmate. Then I realized she was my coach's daughter. The quintessential Romeo and Juliet story. But with more hockey and hopefully less death and mayhem."

As Amelia's wedding ends before it begins, Van ends up running off to Florida with her on her non-honeymoon...just to make sure she's okay. He definitely did not plan on what happened next.

"We laughed. We flirted. I started to think maybe this could be something--the kind of something I'd never had. I mean, it was way too fast and definitely stupid to think about that, but Amelia stirred to life the kinds of feelings I've never had. The kind of easy enjoyment mixed with potent attraction that left me feeling woozy." 

What can I say? Van is the best! And I loved this sweet, closed-door, hockey romance. Amelia and Van have great chemistry. And Emma St. Clair knows how to write clever banter, fun and humorous interactions, and swoony kisses. And I love the Appies hockey team. This book made me happy. Here's one more favorite quote from it:

"She and I argued over whether rereading a book should count toward your reading goals for the year. She nearly took my head off arguing about keeping your reading tally 'pure' with only first-time reads. ... And she's wrong, by the way. Rereads totally count." 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading!

Two quick recommendations...

 

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

She's a Vampyre; he's a Were.  They're supposed to be enemies.

She's grown up without love or family. He's never found his mate.

Their arranged marriage is a political alliance. 

They're not supposed to fall in love. 

But then their worlds collide and everything changes. 

This paranormal romance is such a fun read! Misery Lark is a sympathetic and spunky character. And I loved her swoony relationship with Lowe Moreland. There's also great banter and humor.   4.5/5 stars.

Midnight Movie by J.L. Bryan

Ellie Jordan is a ghost trapper. She and her partner, Stacey, are investigating the strange paranormal phenomena happening at a local Drive-In movie theater that's being renovated. Is it being haunted by the ghost of the previous owner? A murdered actress from the old movies that they used to show there? Or something more sinister? This is another fun ghostly mystery with humor, atmosphere and a suspenseful ending. Though it's not as scary as some of his other Ellie Jordan books. Ellie and Stacey and their boyfriends, Jacob and Michael, are great characters. I really like them....and this series.    4/5 stars.

Happy Reading!

Two fun reads...

 

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

"Here's the thing about waking up with no memory in the middle of the night, in the middle of the street, in the middle of Paris: at least you're waking up in Paris."

She's not a spy, but she gets caught up with one. And Sawyer's the only thing standing between her and all the bad guys chasing her. There's a lot of action, banter, suspense, and some great laugh-out-loud moments between Zoe and Sawyer in this one. This is such an addictive and fun novel; I couldn't put it down. I loved the combination of spies and romance.   4.5/5 stars. 

Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren

"For as many books as she'd read in her lifetime, Ren had never found one that taught a woman like her--raised away from society and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years--how to live in the real world. Still, she was so ready for the change, she could practically taste it."

Ren is naive, optimistic, eager and full of sunshine. Fitz is streetwise, charming when he wants to be, but hiding some dark secrets from his past. The two of them together? Magic. From Ren's first weeks at college to their road trip across the country, I ate this book up. It's a charming read with lots of humor. I liked how spending time with Ren made Fitz open up and want to be better. And Ren's journey had some unexpected surprises in it, especially at the end.   4/5 stars.