Rose and Patrick’s story has been a highly anticipated read of mine ever since they first appeared in With a Twist. Second chance romances are one of my top favorite tropes to read, so Last Call seemed like it would be PERFECT for me. While I enjoyed this book, I can’t say that I loved it like the previous two books in the series. Maybe I had too high expectations, maybe I hyped myself too much about Rose and Tricky, but Last Call didn’t go the way I expected it to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but throughout the book, I kept having the feeling of wanting and expecting more. Still, I adored the ending of this book, seeing how everyone ended up, and the second chance romance was more sweet than anything.

Sometimes, you have the whole world in your hands, and you don’t realize it until it’s shattered, left crumbled and sparkling in your palms. That you don’t know you’ve lived your best days, not until they’re gone. Not until you look back. That day – the day I walked away – was one of my greatest mistakes, and I’ve made more than my share. It’s the only one I counted as a regret.

The main thing I was expecting in Last Call was ANGST. Angst is why I love second chance romances. But sadly, for my angst-loving heart, there was very little of it in this book. You’ll probably love Last Call much more if you’re not a fan of angst, but I was just really hoping for some of that pain in my heart while reading about Rose and Tricky’s fallout and how Tricky tried – and still continues to try – to win Rose back (usually with his sexy-as-hell smolder). The flashbacks of their first relationship aren’t that detailed, focusing the story more on their present relationship… which is pretty non-existent. At the very most, Rose and Tricky are cautious friends – she’s determined never to hand over her heart and trust to him again after he broke them, and he’s giving her space so she doesn’t completely kick him out of her life. And yet these two are still as head-over-heels in love with each other as they were seven months ago. Can they ever move past their hurts and mistakes and actually work on having a relationship again?

“Being with her was like …” I looked away at nothing in particular. “It was like seeing in color for the first time after a lifetime of black and white.”

When Rose finds out Patrick has been secretly sleeping over in her roommate Lily’s room, now that Lily has been sleeping over with her boyfriend West (who is also Patrick’s roommate), Rose gets pissed. Mainly because she’ll be in close proximity to his gorgeous self and her body is weak when it comes to him. But her mind is made up and won’t fall for Tricky again, no matter how much he looks at her with want and longing.

For the majority of the book, there’s not much going on between these two besides lust-filled looks and the occasional glare. Oh, and Rose is trying to date (and hilariously failing). She and Tricky have called a truce for the time being while they’re roommates, but really, nothing develops in their relationship. I could feel their regrets, their heartbreak, how much they still love each other, how much they want to try again, but they don’t DO anything about it until the second half of the book. Then they try building a relationship again, but the thing that caused them to break up the first time gets in the way of their second try: the fact that they don’t communicate.

“I just can’t fuck it up this time.”
“No, you can’t. I suspect if there is a chance for you here, it’s the last one. Last call.”
“Last call,” I echoed, knowing it was the truth. I had to step up and order or walk out. And I wasn’t ready to leave.

It sucks to say that while I did like most of the book, especially all the sweet, tender parts between Tricky and Rose, the parts I didn’t like were the slow ones that bored me. I wanted a little more angst, a little more drama, and definitely some more communication so that the pace would pick up. Still, I was honestly rooting for these two the whole time because really, Rose and Patrick are perfect together and for each other. Tricky is sexy as all get out with his gorgeous tattooed bod, and Rose is a badass bartender who takes her life day by day. I loved their characters but I really wish the pace of their romance moved quicker.

I adored the ending in Last Call – it was the perfect way to end the series. Even though I didn’t love this book, I was still left with a bittersweet feeling at the end because I loved this series as a whole. I loved getting to know Rose and Tricky, Maggie and Cooper, and Lily and West. This group of six almost feels like old friends to me, so it’s sad to say goodbye to them. I’m excited to see what else Staci Hart will be writing, because I’m definitely looking forward to it!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Bad Habits series

#1 ~ With a Twist: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Chaser: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Last Call: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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