Member Review

If I Don’t Ask, the latest book in the Ask, Tell series, is absolutely fantastic. Noyes wraps up the final book of the series brilliantly, ending almost where she began. She displays a real mastery of her craft in this series by playing with point of view. This makes the series not only interesting, but compelling. In Ask, Tell, Sabine delivers the narrative. In Ask Me Again, the narrative is shared, alternating points of view between Sabine and Rebecca. In If I Don’t Ask, the storytelling circles back to the beginning of Sabine and Rebecca’s journey, with Rebecca telling the story from her perspective. This writing style is perfect for this series. It has impact and weight, giving the storytelling an overall complexity and depth.

Because this is a complex and layered series, I would not recommend picking up If I Don’t Ask without reading book one first. Ask, Tell helps shape the series arc and define the inner conflicts of the main characters, especially Sabine’s. In Ask, Tell, readers learn what makes Sabine tick. They are presented a sympathetic character that has relatable desires and fears. Most importantly though, her perspective in Ask, Tell is the counter point to Rebecca’s narrative in If I Don’t Ask. It’s necessary for a full appreciation of not only If I Don’t Ask, but Rebecca and Sabine’s journey as well.

This is a character driven series and because it is, Noyes takes real care to meticulously construct her characters. She pays close attention to the details of their development. Because she does, her character work is phenomenal. She gives enough backstory to create a picture of what these women believe and trust. She does this with carefully crafted scenes and splendidly structured dialogue. In addition to that, she gives each of these women a distinct and identifiable voice, one that’s fitting with their personality. Because her character development is exemplary, these women jump off the page. Readers love Rebecca and Sabine; they care deeply about them. And because they do, their story—their journey—matters.

Final remarks…

I love this series, and I’m ecstatic that If I Don’t Ask gives readers an opportunity to get to know Rebecca as intimately as they did Sabine in Ask, Tell. Being privy to Rebecca’s thoughts and inner logic is especially enlightening. She’s a gorgeous character and If I Don’t Ask dovetails her perspective beautifully with Sabine’s point of view. Most significantly though, it proves to be essential in rounding out the series. These two characters are two of my favorites in lesfic. Their love story is incredible and ranks in the top 3 for couples in series for me. If you’re one that likes romance, then there’s no way you will want to miss out on If I Don’t Ask or it’s companion books.

Strengths…

Captivating main characters
Heartfelt and moving romance
Engaging secondary characters
Engaging themes
Immersive story world
Well-scripted dialogue
Engaging writing style