Something Sacrificed by Erin FitzGerald Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Cowboy romance

➮ Friends to lovers

➮ Single mom

➮ Angst/painful pasts

➮ Age gap

➮ He falls first

➮ Small town

Synopsis

Some people would call this a midlife crisis, but I know better. Pulling up my shallow roots, I decide on a whim to move from Texas to Montana, leaving what I've known for the past three decades. The woman I cross paths with is one I've known for 20 years, someone to whom I've grown close: My best friend's widow, Genesis, who's running the family ranch after her husband's tragic death. Startled by her unexpected appearance, I create a situation I can't seem to fix. But a bigger problem is that her ranch is under threat. Can I mend what I've broken and convince her not to make the biggest mistake of her life?

Best Quote From the Book

“I'm so angry with you-furious-stop trying to confuse me with your stupid wonderful lips."

My Thoughts

Oh gosh, where do I begin? Unsurprisingly, I totally adored this story. Bestie Erin, you did it again what can I say. Y'all nobody has emotional romance mastered the way she does, truly no one. I will try to keep this review from purely being a rant about how much I adore Erin and her stories but no promises!

I have admittedly been chatting with Erin a bit about this story as part of her arc and overall support team and I wanted to share a bit she told me about this story in particular as I totally noticed it myself while reading and it added exponentially to the emotional strength of this story. Will's story is inspired by one of her close friends who wasn't in this world long enough to get a happy ending of his own. This story is a gift to him that creates a happy ending that he deserves. I could absolutely tell while reading that this story had more of a personal touch than the others in the series. There is this unspoken depth to the characters that makes this one additionally hard-hitting. I'm honored to witness both a healing experience for Erin and a lovely ending for her dear friend. There were also just general moments where it was obvious that more of Erin's personal touches were shining through. For example, as a Food Network girlie myself, I could tell Erin actually watches those shows too. Those little sparks of her are what make the book feel special. 

Now that we've gotten the sappiness out of the way I can dive into my thoughts about the story itself. The way the characters are described is particularly beautiful. I could feel Genesis and Will's pure awe towards each other. It was refreshing to see two strong characters fall for each other. Neither of them pulled any punches. Their headstrong attitudes feed into the angst perfectly. I also love how the angst is prominent but doesn't come off as juvenile. 

There were a few moments that made me fall in love and Will and Genesis. These include Will's adorable happy dance, Willa's disaster sushi fascination, Jud's brutal honesty that he knows exactly what his mother is up to, and Genesis' moments where she stands up to Ford. Ford, all I will say is that I hope you continue to have the future you deserve (no spoilers here). I also want to shout out that I am so happy to see more of the softened version of Mark. He has absolutely rounded out as a person since being with Lana for an extended period. They are from Something Lost if you were unfamiliar. I am shocked at how well Erin incorporated characters from past books this time. Every time someone we recognize met Will, it was for a legitimate reason and didn't feel forced. 

This story most definitely includes spice scenes that are very spicy. If you don't like spice, I would suggest skipping this book. The spice was giving and most definitely had me blushing while reading. 

Overall if you couldn't tell, I adored this book. Everything about it hit and felt so authentic to Erin and the series as a whole. I will be sad to read the last book and conclude the series later this year so prepare for a sob fest when that happens. I will be constantly recommending this book and the series as a whole!

I received this book as part of the Erin Fitzgerald arc team. My review is honest and voluntary

Something Gained by Erin Fitzgerald Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Age gap

➮ Friends to lovers

➮ Single mom

➮ Reverse grumpy x sunshine

➮ Cinnamon roll MMC

Synopsis

My plans and dreams have been put aside in favor of survival. The cowboy who finds me walking home offers me a ride and food. He has demons of his own, stating he doesn't expect repayment as he understands the struggle. When my son and I are in danger, Jacob provides us shelter. Both of us are hiding dark pasts. After a lifetime of feeling like I'm not enough, the thought of not being enough for him scares me the most.

Best Quote From the Book

“With a little effort, I could pour all the anger, mistrust, and hurt into the snow to leave behind."

My Thoughts

The magic is back! I love the callbacks to the characters in the previous books. They still give Mark flack for how protective he is of Lana which was well-deserved. Both Jacob and Emily go to Ashley for therapy which is cute and very fitting. Fitzgerald is excellent and weaving the stories of characters together without making an overly complicated web. Not everyone has to know everyone incredibly well and she does this perfectly! That said, I would've loved to see at least a little cameo from Travis, not just Ashley.

I loved the character of an ass-grabbing old lady so much. There were truly moments where her boldness made me chuckle. She is one of a few side characters that bring a little bit of light to a much heavier story. Their inclusion is much needed. 

I will say, Erin... I hate you a little for killing off the cutie horse. That poor baby did nothing to deserve that pain and suffering. At least it actually propelled the story forward and gave Jacob the push he needed to confront his feelings. 

This story is absolutely filled to the brim with heartbreak and teary-eyed moments. I definitely sobbed more than a few times with all they went through. The trauma was so authentic. I am unbelievably amazed at Fitzgerald's ability to express raw and deep emotion through her storytelling. The way they had to work through it all and the setbacks they endured are very reflective of the real lives of people who went through challenging times. Fitzgerald creates characters with deep deep trauma and then actually makes them put in the work to grow and move on towards happiness. There is no fast-forwarding through Jacob and Emily's respective traumas, they confront it for the long term. 

By the end, I was incredibly happy for Emily's son Riley. He went through so much so young and he came out at the end all the better. The bond he creates with Jacob is so heart-warming and gave me the warm fuzzies. I really appreciate how while Emily is a single mom, she isn't desperate or trying to fling her responsibilities onto someone else. Riley isn't just a character that is there to be there. He gives depth and significance to the bond between Emily and Jacob. 

This book has some open-door spice. It does contribute to the plot and how the characters are growing. That said, it can probably be skipped without missing all too much. 

Overall this was another incredible cowboy romance. The characters and depth of the story are by far the best aspects. I loved the cameos from the characters in the earlier books. I highly advise looking at the trigger warnings before reading this book because there are many that can be very raw and deep for those with similar experiences. 

I received this book as an arc and am part of the author's arc team. My review is honest and voluntary