I think I'll give this author one more try, because the actual writing style was enjoyable and it could be that I just didn't connect with this group of characters. The character motivations and main "misunderstanding" that was preventing the two lead characters from getting together felt too flimsy. Brendan as a side character continued to irritate me throughout the story, making me glad I chose to skip his book. Even each of the main characters' individual arcs felt surface-level and just there to serve the story instead of feeling authentic to the characters.