ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

This is the 3rd in the Darling, VT series, and whilst the characters lives do intertwine, each can be read as a standalone.

Rory Gallagher is the town's single, hot vet, and one one of the Gallagher brothers, who seem to be a bit legendary in Darling.

Oaklee is his best friend's little sister, the PITA little girl who used to follow them around.. until suddenly she's not

"Suddenly she was everywhere, and he was noticing."

Both have enough emotional baggage to fill a 747, but I loved how they - eventually - fought against all that baggage.

There was a part of the story (I don't want to spoil things by saying what) that had me in tears, and it kinda sorta was close to something that happened with me not too long ago.

I totally get the small town vibe of the series, as I live in a small town, where you can't sneeze without someone two streets over saying bless you. This made the fishbowl feeling that Oaklee had all the more relatable to me.

Rory and Oaklee's love is a slow burn with hurdles (mostly of their own creation!) thrown into the mix.

There is just something about this series that has drawn me in. I think it is the characters, their troubles, their lives , any of them could be us. From the first book to the last, I have enjoyed every moment in Darling, VT.

Now I am waiting to see what Ms Alward brings us next.