I am such an idiot for starting this series that the beautiful Devney Perry is still writing rather than one of the other series she has already finished because I have absolutely no chill. I can't handle waiting between books because my goldfish memory promptly forgets all the cute little inside knowledge I've acquired from the previous books. And although this works as a standalone, I want to be in the know damn it.

 

That said I did remember bits and pieces of the previous characters as they floated in and out of this book so that was enough to pull me off the ledge. And this book was so much about Jasper and Eloise that at times I forgot about everyone else. And I was so unable to put it down I grabbed the whisper sync so I could keep listening while I adulted.

 

I adored this book and Eloise was perfect. Sometimes too perfect as she tried to prove herself to her parents. But I loved her. Literally everything about her was great, she didn't play games, she said what she was thinking, and she genuinely cared about everyone around her. Jasper, I had moments with. And honestly, I think it's just things my brain decided to focus on that caused me issue.

 

Now I'm going to be vague so as not to spoil anything here, but I need to vent. Firstly, he expected Eloise to know how he felt when he really didn't give her a lot to go on. And when there was an incident in regard to a ring, he didn't use his words. And for me that was a big issue that I felt needed to be resolved and just wasn't. Which is sticking in my brain like a splinter. "What about the ring, Devney?" Then there were his inner thoughts on why he was an arse at family dinner. Yeah, he was using it as an excuse, but it was still a genuine issue he should have addressed. And I kept waiting and then, nothing.

 

I know that those things were me issues more than story issues, but I can't stand it when people expect you to know what they are feeling or thinking. Use your big boy words. Luckily Jasper did get better at communication. But honestly it was all Eloise having the patience of a saint and the stubbornness of a bull. and the ability to use both to perfection.

 

Now we have to wait forever for crimson river. Which sounds freaking amazing and I can't wait. Gah, I hate waiting.