By Lauren Asher
Book is rated 5 / 5 stars.
Well, shit, you guys. The final installment of the Dreamland Billionaires series has my heart and my soul and anything else it wants. This book was a long one, but no part of it seemed unimportant. This book was everything I wanted in a standalone book and a closing novel to a series that has gripped my heart for so long. No one can tell me that Cal isn't incredible. I will fight you. There are spoilers ahead, so if you haven't read the book, be prepared.
Book Tropes
Substance Abuse. Addiction. Second Chance Romance. Friends to Lovers. Found Family.
Dual POV.
This book definitely has some serious trigger warnings concerning substance abuse and addiction, so please be warned. It's focused on a lot throughout this book.
Spice Level: 4 / 5
The Characters
I -- don't even know where to start with this book and, specifically, Cal. He broke my heart, time and time again. Seeing him struggle and fight himself at almost every moment, and then seek peace in the only way he knew how, was gut wrenching. Rowan and Declan, each had their own problems and they often mentioned Cal's addiction. But, to see it through his own eyes and then through the eyes of someone who has experienced it and has been hurt by it first hand was incredible. Addiction is a terrible, awful thing and to see it done in this way was wonderful. Ultimately, his choice to get sober had to be his and he did it. Beautiful.
Alana was confusing to me at times; I understood where she was coming from, at times, but it frustrated me that she wasn't willing to just give him a chance until she was forced to and then blamed him in the end. The entire town was against him because of her - forgetting that the version of Cal they knew was six years ago and people change. I wanted to see a little bit more coming from her, a bit more character development. Her focus was solely to be the guiding light for Cal and that was interesting to me. I loved that she battled having two sources of addiction who were both close to her - with her sister and Cal. I wanted to see a bit more with her sister; maybe she fight her sister off officially. But, most of her decisions were justified. I understand where she was coming from.
The closure I felt with the brothers - the resounding bond that they shared by the end - was beautiful. I was craving that from the start, and to see it all come to such a beautiful close was great. I want a book that just has the six of them all on vacation together, or something. I'll settle for a novella of it. Fanfic. Something. I just need it. I love that the girls are friends, I love the group chats, I love the forgiveness and the need to fix issues. I love this series.
The Storyline
I wasn't committed to this storyline as I was to Declan and Iris based on just the back cover. It seemed like a cute storyline, but it didn't grip me the way Terms and Conditions did.
Till I started reading it.
"Nothing has ever compared to us, nothing ever will."
Then, this quickly became my favorite book in the series and I only got halfway before I made that official statement. The progress of this storyline seemed normal, natural and it flowed so well. The book is rather long, but no point did I feel like it was too much. This was a movie playing in my head that I wanted to go on forever. There was no other way to show the battle and demons that Cal had to fight on the daily unless he had to endure this. The timeline wasn't super quick and jumpy, and it took him a while to win back the trust of the people in the town and Lana, too.
Plus, the flashbacks were really integral to the story; without them, it wouldn't have made sense. Cal had to endure so much from start to finish, and in the beginning, he had Lana. Until he left and I understood why he left. I wanted to see more about his hockey life, but maybe we'll find out more at some point (Lauren, please!). From the moment he arrived to the guest house, to the renovations of the home and the sale of it, and finally to his going to rehab, it was all just so well done that I had no choice but to binge this book as much as I could.
"The only reason I want to buy the house is because I want to buy into the future you want. . ."
Cal struggled so much to prove himself to everyone around him, but most importantly to himself, that it had me wanting to hug him. I think the only person who really saw him for the hero that he was was Cami. Their relationship throughout the book was sweet, and Lana was right - it made me fall in love with him, too. I found myself crying so much at parts, begging him to see reason. "Noooooo" was marked so often - all over the margins when Cal drinks at the birthday party and a few times after that. But, he still made up for it all in the way that he so badly wanted to do. But, he grew - he was smart, proved himself at the company and with Lana and he made his brothers proud!
"The worst mistake you could have made was underestimating me."
The final closure on this whole series with the lawyer really affirmed just how well thought out this series was. From start to beginning, I was invested. I understood, and supported, when Rowan and Declan voted no against their father. I hated that the man thought to never even consider Cal's position. It showed so much growth in Cal that he voted yes - that he believed in second chances, and fresh starts. He found his family, and fixed things with his brother. Cal's journey was my absolute favorite.
I'll miss my boys...
So, the series is done. What do I do now? I have no idea. Wait for Lauren Asher's next book? While I wait, there is a good chance I'll be re-reading Declan and Cal's journeys, and wishing that somehow, there were a few more pages within the book. God, I love this series so much and I highly recommend it to anybody who loves a good storyline and incredible writing.
What did you all think? What was your favorite part? Let me know in the comments!
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