Life in Rook & Ronin’s world has been bliss for fifteen
years. Rook, Veronica, and Ashleigh are still BFF’s raising their kids
together. Ronin, Spencer, and Ford have managed to go legit and stay out of
trouble. And they have a pack of kids running around the eight thousand square
foot Vail mansion they all share for the holidays— begging for gifts, and fun,
and love.
But every HEA has
problems.
Five is fifteen and getting ready to go off to college. He’s
put it off as long as he could in order to stay close to Princess Shrike, but
his stay of execution is over and in three weeks he’s off to Oxford. But Five
can’t leave until he gets the only thing he’s ever wanted. The heart of his
Princess.
Ford and Ashleigh never had any more children after Five.
And now that Kate is sixteen, Ashleigh is out of her head with desire for just
one more chance to have a baby in the house.
Rook and Ronin have two beautiful daughters, but Sparrow is
growing up too. And she just got a job offer that has Ronin crazed with
paternal worry.
And Spencer is the father of a fifteen-year-old princess who
looks way too much like her Bombshell mother for his comfort level.
Join the whole Rook & Ronin gang for a Team Christmas
you will never forget.
The first book I read by Julie Huss was Tragic. I don’t know why I picked it up to be
honest. At the time I only read murder
mysteries. I didn’t like romance novels
because I considered them unrealistic. A
romance novel brought to mind the Harlequin novels, Barbara Cartland, etc. that
my mother read. For me they were ridiculous fairy tales and I couldn’t relate. In addition, I never read coming of age books
for the same reason. I couldn’t relate
my coming of age to the characters--ever.
Anyway, a group of women I worked with were reading a
romance book at lunch, I joined them and actually liked the story. When we finished Tragic was recommended. I didn’t even read the synopsis I just bought
the book and started reading. I was
forever captured by Julie’s writing. I love her characters as much today as I did
back at the start. So, when she
announced that she was going to revisit Rook, Ronin and company I grabbed
it.
I love, love, love Rook, Ronin, Ford (sigh),
Spencer, (another sigh), their wives, kids, and struggles. Happily, Ever After: A Day in
the Life of the HEA is everything I hoped for and more.
We are fifteen book years passed since the series ended with Guns. The setting is Christmas Eve at the Vail mansion
where the team gathers for holidays. Each
couple has an issue they are working through.
Ronin is a workaholic. Ashleigh
wants a baby. Veronica has a baby and is
experiencing little post-partum. Their
children are growing up and presenting their own set of challenges to their wonderful
but sometimes over-protective parents.
These are all normal family issues told in a beautiful and touching
way.
The writing is captivating and fast paced. It is told from the alternating points of
view of the men Ronin, Ford, Spencer, plus Five. The chemistry between Five and Rory is a
perfect teenage crush with the promise of more to come.
The tenor reminds me as the reader catching up
with a group of friends after few years’ apart. There are so many touching scenes in this
short novella that you must read. The love is still intense
and the couples are solid. There are
some memorable scenes with the children, friends and spouses.
“Every
Christmas Eve since then I go out into the night after everyone is asleep and I
wish on my star again. Only instead of begging for a change, I beg for more of
the same.” “I don’t ask for perfection,
Ronin. I don’t ask for more money or a bigger house. I don’t ask for pretty
things or gifts. I don’t ask for anything but more of the same. Because every
moment with you is perfect, even when it’s not.” -- Rook
I said it
earlier and I’ll say it again—I love these characters and I am over joyed that Ms.
Huss still loves them enough to give us another glimpse into their lives. I like where the team is now. Each member is struggling with their own
personal challenges while still friends with the team and support one
another.
“Because
if you’re not happy, then I’ve failed you, Veronica Shrike. And I’m not a guy
who likes to fail.” – Spencer
There is a scene
with Spencer and Five that is a perfect father/boyfriend scene. Aww!
Finally, I
have to comment on Julie’s “End of Book Shit”.
What can I say? The EOBS is almost
as good as reading the story. Julie is
promising a Five and Rory story in 2016.
Like Ford, his father, Five is a very unique individual and I’m excited
to read more about him.
So here I
sit once again with a tear in my eye saying goodbye to these friends and
waiting for the next book by Julie Huss.
I highly recommend this novella but only after you read the other books
in the series. Thanks Julie!
5 STAMPS
http://www.amazon.com/Happily-Ever-After-Day-Life-ebook/dp/B0197T7F3O/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
The Rook and Ronin Series has SEVEN books TOTAL
(1) TRAGIC
(2) MANIC
(3) PANIC
Spin-offs
(4) SLACK: A Day in the Life of Ford Aston
(5) TAUT: The Ford Book
(6) BOMB: A Day in the Life of Spencer Shrike(7) GUNS: The Spencer Book
http://jahuss.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJAHuss
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187251-happily-ever-after?from_search=true&search_version=service
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