As we head back into the world of Maxton Hall, Ruby and James are yet again facing turbulence in their on-again/off-again relationship following the release of incriminating photos taken by James, but widely dispersed by a third party. With Oxford now appearing to be more out of reach, Ruby all but blames James for her constant hardships. That is until she sees his determination to make amends no matter what it takes. Lydia and Graham face a new chapter in their lives following her big reveal; and Ember and Wren explore a deepening friendship. 

While book one remains my favorite of the trio, Save Us had all of the juicy drama I have come to adore from this series. These characters experienced quite a few growth arcs along the way, and I really enjoyed the place they ended up when all was said and done. While Ruby and James did steal the show for me during the entirety of the series, Kasten gives us quite a few characters that are also pivotal to the experience, including Lydia and Graham, and of course Ruby’s sister Ember, who by now has developed a close relationship with another bad boy of the crew. 

Overall, this is a very solid conclusion that felt as fun as it was satisfying. These are very easy books to get lost in and offer both pure entertainment and a bit of escapism that is even more needed these days. I think it’s finally time to hop into the television adaptation and see if they live up to the books. Spoiler alert— no adaptation is better than the book, with rare exceptions; however, I have heard the TV series is almost as good. 

🎧 By the third and final book of the series, Save Us, I have really come to appreciate the narration, especially with the beautiful British accents that ultimately made the fact that this is a translated work feel less obvious and choppy. While I do maintain that the narrators made the characters feel quite a bit older than they actually are, I have grown quite attached to their portrait of these really engaging characters. 

👉🏻 Read if you like: new adult romance, prep school setting, coming of age, all the angst, ensemble casts, Gossip Girl vibes

| #gifted @berkleyromance @prhaudio |