REVIEW: Last Call by Staci Hart

Once Rose Fisher makes a decision, that’s it. End of story.

Like when her ex, Patrick, dumped her out of the blue, then showed up with a super hot, tatted up sex kitten on his arm. Then it was over for good. The end. Poof. Dead to her. Except he was everywhere — down the hall, at the bar with their friends, worming his way into her dreams.

But with their friends paired off, they’re left alone more and more. Rose is determined to keep him friendzoned — doesn’t matter that he stares at her with a smolder that drops all panties in a ten foot radius. She’s over him, and she’ll prove it by getting back into the dating game, Patrick be damned.

Patrick Evans is no stranger to consequences. When your mother walks out, your dad drifts away. When you leave home, you’re on your own. And when you run away from the girl you love, you lose her. He finally has an opportunity to rebuild the bridge he burned, and it’s not one he’ll take for granted. But he’ll have to fight for her, even if it hurts. Even if it means he’ll walk away brokenhearted. Because deep down, he knows that she’s it for him. 

The trick will be to get her to admit she feels it too.

Publication: February 15th 2016

Source: Author

Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon

OUR REVIEW: 

Shel: I read Last Call when I should've been packing for Disney World and I was so pissy when I had to put it down that it's a wonder I actually packed enough of the right clothes for our trip. I read Last Call in the airport, on the airplane, and between flights. I read it on the shuttle from the airport to the resort and when I put my head on the pillow, I could smile because I finished it and it was the best travel companion ever. 

Shel: There are so many reasons to love Last Call and the most obvious and important reasons are Rosie and Tricky. I loved how much of a fight Rose puts up against Patrick; some may think I'm nuts but I love how hard and strong and fierce she was. I loved her walls and her stubbornness and I really felt like she put up a good fight. I know I'm a lot like Rose in my stubbornness and my prickly ways and I guess I recognized some of me in her (or some of her in me?) and so as much as I wanted her to find her way back to love, I also kinda liked how hardcore she was. Of course this wouldn't be much a love story if we didn't have love and romance, and Tricky knows exactly how to love Rose (even if she doesn't want to admit it). As much as I loved Rose's prickly exterior, I loved Tricky's willingness to resort to subterfuge and trickery to make his move. Watching these two dance around each other like two wary boxers in the fight of their life was entertaining and agonizing. On the one hand you know in the back of your mind that somehow they'll end up together and you're all "yay!". On the other hand, though, it's the sweetest agony to see how far Rose will go to NOT be with him. GAH. Shel: IT WAS AGONIZING! And the Lily in me was seriously all for the shenanigans that might mean that they got their heads out of their behinds and got on with it. And I really liked these two from the beginning of this series...and I knew their book would be last. And I knew that their plight would be harder than the others. They're artists, and they feel so deeply, and they just...are lone wolf types that we would be hard pressed to find people who love going their own way more. I just hate them as much as I love them, is all I can say because their angst just about did me in! But...Patrick being Patrick...kept me hanging on. 

Shel: Rose + Tricky are the obvious reasons to read Last Call but there are so many more:

• The funny dates--dude those were epic, and that's all I'll say Court: OH THAT WAS FUNNY!
• Joel--he needs a book and a love interest, STAT Court: Amen
• Seth. Court: Sad.
• Ellie and Lily and Maggie and their drunken romps Court: Ellie needs a book stat! Maybe her and Joel! 
• The bar scenes Court: I wish I knew of a place like Habits! 
• Wasted Words!! OMG I want to go there! Court: Dream job.
• The apology + the stubborn pride + the feeling of unworthiness Court: Being honest is so bloody hard. I felt their pain. 

Shel: Throw all of those things in and add the always funny banter, steamy sex scenes, NYC, and the ensemble cast and this book is a fantastic escape from the daily grind. This entire series has been a blast and it's so very evident how much Staci Hart pours into these characters; I can feel her affection for them on every page. I hope this isn't the last of this cast of characters because I am not ready to let them go quite yet but if this is it, I know it's because Hart has something even better up her sleeve.

Court: Amen. I really enjoyed these books because the friendships meant so much to them. Even as they fell in love, their group was so tight knight, and wanted to keep that. There were a few parts that stalled out for me in the 70%ish range, but that didn't last long. Next scene I was deep in the throws of serious talks and tears on my part, so the plot moved quickly after that. I can't wait to see what Staci brings us next!