Review: The Wicked Aftermath by Melissa Foster (The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside #2)
Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
She was quiet for the longest time before saying, "For being you."
I'm only me because of you.
Maybe they were fated to be after all.
When I first read the blurb for The Wicked Aftermath, I had an inkling I was going to need a tissue or two. Welp, I was mistaken; I needed more than a couple of tissues! Waaah! Melissa Foster more than exceeded my expectations, and if I was pressed to name my all-time favorite Foster-penned book, it would have to be this second in the Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside series (sorry, Tempting Tristan, which is the third Harborside Nights novel, but you're still my sentimental favorite). This gave me all. The. FEELS!!! Also, Benson Wicked, aka Tank, sits grumpily atop my list of all-time favorite book boyfriends.
The Wicked Aftermath is more than Tank Wicked and Leah Yates's story because it's one that they share with Leah's precocious daughters, Juniper Lily and Primrose Blossom, aka Junie and Rosie, as well as Tank's immediate and extended family and close-knit circle of friends and Leah's younger brother, River. There's a theme of love, loss, and family in this book, which results in both a heartrending AND heartwarming read. In terms of their romance, Tank and Leah were all about the slow burn, and I think that it wouldn't have worked any other way. I honestly feel that their journey to a happily-ever-after wouldn't have translated well as insta-anything. They needed to travel the path Fate put them on.
There were things about this book that resonated with me and that I empathized with. There were moments that I recognized as being similar to my personal experiences. The beautiful thing about this story and these characters is that it isn't all that difficult to relate to and feel for anything and everything between the covers. Dare I say that this is some of Melissa Foster's most inspired writing to date? She's certainly raised the bar even higher for whatever she publishes next. I'm giving The Wicked Aftermath five-plus stars.
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Read my reviews for the Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside series:
A Little Bit Wicked (book one) - five stars - My Review
The Wicked Aftermath (book two) - five-plus stars - My Review (posted above)
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Release Date: 09 June 2021
Date Read: 09 June 2021
Learn more about Melissa Foster.
OMG! Your review...amazing! Where do I begin? I'm so happy you loved The Wicked Aftermath so much and that you could relate to the characters. Thank you so much for sharing! XOXO
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