“Do you remember what you promised?”Maverick: I haven’t been back to Rabbit Island, South Carolina, since my parents died and my grandmother, Mimi, rejected me. I’m only returning now to attend her funeral and sell an estate I never wanted. But the moment I step foot on the island and fall into Beau’s arms, I realize it might not be so easy to say goodbye after all.Beau Talmadge was always the … to say goodbye after all.
Beau Talmadge was always the boy next door, but now he’s no longer a kid. The man is hot as hell and pushes all my buttons in the very best way. I’m supposed to leave in a week. Sell everything, close the door on my past, and walk away forever. So why am I letting myself fall for someone who lives thousands of miles away? And how the hell am I going to break it off when it’s time to go?
“That I’d come back.”
Beau: It took one short summer to fall in love with Maverick Mitchell and fifteen long years to forget him when he left. I’d never expected to see him again, but when he shows up at Mimi’s funeral looking lost and lonely I can’t resist doing anything I can to comfort him. Falling into bed with Maverick is easy and the nights we spend together are as hot and steamy as a South Carolina thunderstorm.
I know it’s not smart. I know it’s not what he planned. But dammit, Mav belongs in my arms, in my bed, and in my life. So how the hell do I get him to stay?
“Took you long enough.”
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Oh the feels in this book – one minute I was laughing, the next I was swooning, then gasping, and then I was crying. The way the main characters’ feelings for each other were portrayed was palpable and heart warming. Maverick Marian is a veterinarian in San Francisco. He’s also gay and was adopted by the Marian family after living with a foster family following the death of his parents and the refusal of his grandmother to care for him. Beau Talmadge is a GC who lives on a small island off the coast of SC. When Maverick’s grandmother dies and leaves her estate on the small island to Maverick, he and Beau, who were childhood friends, reconnect. Thus the beautiful dance toward their HEA is restarted after a 15 year separation. There is a lot of past stuff that they both have to unpack on the way and this is portrayed perfectly with witty dialogue, characters with depth, and an engaging storyline. This was a swoony, hilarious, fun, sweet, steamy, heart warming story with low angst. I am still adoring this loving, quirky family and I am excited to read about the next Marion sibling.
I don’t know how Lucy manages to keep writing such deep characters while still making them so different from each other. This story is sweet and deeply moving while having lots of fun elements to lighten the emotions. Almost on the angsty side, but the wonderful HEA is made so much sweeter for the drama.
CW: Sexual Content
“I love you so much, Maverick.”
My stomach tumbled, and my breathing sped up again.
“You’re drunk,” I said.
“You’re right,” he said. “But I still love you.”
This book was an enjoyable read. The setting was gorgeous, the pacing was great, and the writing style was good. However, there were some conflicts that stopped from enjoying this book more. The first was that Maverick and Beau abruptly started having a physical relationship. I wanted to see more build-up in their friendship before they got into the dirty stuff.
The second one was Beau not letting Mav sell the house. He was seducing and manipulating him into not selling the house; he was literally getting on my nerves. Also, their relationship felt so unrealistic and dragged, in my opinion.
You really Can go home!
I love the Made Marian series! This fifth book is fantastic. It follows Maverick, one of the Marian’s adopted sons. Going back to Rabbit Island, South Carolina, for his grandmother Mimi’s funeral, the last thing he exerts is to run right into the arms of Beau… The one who got away. As Maverick deals with the inheritance, Beau tries to make Mav fall in love with the island all over again. And if he falls back in love with Beau, well…Come. Join Maverick & Beau on their journey of discovery. Aunt Tilly, Granny & Irene show up at embarrassing times, just as unfiltered as ever. See, there is an outdoor shower & no towels. The Rabbit Island Book Club ladies, Morman boys at the door, and the whole crazy Marian clan give a new meaning to “sprint of shame”. Don’t worry; even a death & a hurricane can’t stop HEA. Ooh. Did I mention a puppy? You will love this book!
Please read the first four books in order. Much needed background. Plus, they’re damn good reads.
This book contains adult themes and language, mm sex and is intended for mature readers only.
I liked Maverick, but I didn’t fall in love with him the same way I did with the other Marians at first. But he wormed his way into my heart and felt his pain as he had to address some hard issues dealing with his past. Feelings of abandonment are hard to deal with, especially when that abandonment comes from someone who was supposed to love and protect you. Beau was a wonderful character. He was hurt by his family but he’s been building his life into what he wants, not what anyone else thinks he should want. The relationship between Beau and Maverick was sweet and lovely, and they had a real connection.
Michael Pauley really made this book come alive for me and I ended up liking the characters so much more when I heard him voice them and inject so much emotion into them. Once again, he did such an outstanding job.
Overall Rating: 4.25 Stars. The writing was wonderfully done, but I had a little harder time getting into the plot of this book. I think it’s because there wasn’t as much humor as I’ve been used to with some of Lucy Lennox’s other books. HOWEVER, I soon overcame that and was sucked into the storyline and invested in the characters.
I loved Maverick and Beau and this sort of friends to lovers/second change romance! I loved how there was no big break up scene, just a couple of bumps that would happen in a real relationship and then move on. I was sad to see a Marian leave California but it seemed Rabbit Island was the perfect place to settle for the two of them. Another fabulous story in this series!
I absolutely loved this book