Review: I Do by A.J. Pine (If Only... #3)


Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

"Keeping everyone at a distance for years is one hell of a lonely place to be. I know. I invented that game. But if you don't risk your heart again--if you don't trust that someone can love you for your heart and soul no matter what--then it's worse than getting your heart broken again because it'll never be quite whole. Not all by itself."


After their first kiss three years ago, the time has finally come for Scotsman Duncan McAllister to marry his Greek spitfire, Elaina Tripoli in her hometown of Thessaloniki, Greece. Attending the wedding are their friends who have been happily paired off for some time--Noah Keating and Jordan Brooks and Griffin Reed and Maggie Kendall. Add to that Maggie's best friend, Miles Parker, and it looks like it's going to be a weekend to remember and what better backdrop could these guys have than a gorgeous Greek isle?

Except things don't go according to plan--what with Duncan missing his connecting flight, Elaina assuming Duncan has gotten cold feet, Noah's surprise for Jordan going awry, and Griffin's news that he's been keeping from Maggie coming to light. Then there's Miles, who wasn't expecting to meet The One but does in the form of Alex Karas, but they live in different countries, so it's not meant for anything more than a temporary tryst, right? These four couples are about to make choices that will change their lives forever.

Another beloved series is coming to an end, but if there was an ideal way to bring author A.J. Pine's If Only... series to a close, this was the way to do it. I Do is the third and final book in what has become a series that has put my heart through the wringer three times over. Duncan McAllister and Elaina Tripoli are about to tie the knot with a wedding in Greece, but it looks like they, along with Noah Keating and Jordan Brooks, Griffin Reed and Maggie Kendall, and Miles Parker and new addition Alex Karas are about to unravel as assumptions are made and secrets are kept, leading to our cast of characters forced to confront their fears and hang-ups when it comes to love, commitment, and their respective relationships. 

I adored how the love stories of the three couples fans of the series have grown familiar with have come full circle with this book. We've seen the ups and downs specifically that Noah and Jordan and Griffin and Maggie had to contend with in their respective stories, and Duncan and Elaina are definitely not immune from their own set of issues and insecurities. This book also shows that while we thought the first two couples got their happily-ever-afters in the first two books, life has gone on and hasn't been a bed of roses for either one. They still have their struggles and try to do their best when it comes to making their relationships work. It's a true reflection of real life because life does continue past that happily-ever-after.

Miles was a revelation in this story because the last time we saw him, he was in a relationship with Paige, Maggie's neighbor. He was an amazing friend to Maggie and was more than supportive of her in the second book, and while I was surprised that his thing with Paige ended, I was thrilled that he got his own chance at happiness here and that it was with Alex definitely gets bonus points because I'm always one for diversity in all forms. With everything this book had to offer, my sadness at seeing the series come to an end is tapered off by the fact that I got more than I was expecting with this conclusion. I grinned, I giggled, and I fell in love with these characters all over again. Read the full series, people. Five-plus stars for I Do. ♥

Read my reviews for the If Only... series:


 If Only (book one) - three stars - My Review

What If (book two) - five-plus stars - My Review

I Do (book three) - five-plus stars - My Review (posted above)

Release Date: 16 November 2015

Date Read: 16 November 2015

Learn more about A.J. Pine.

Purchase I Do on Amazon | B&N | Kobo.

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