Lars and Susie have been friends through proximity. Due to her now defunct relationship with his best friend.
So when she needs work done on the house that she has inherited from her namesake aunt. She has no problem hiring him to do some much needed renovation.
No problem until...
The divorce decree...
With both their names and a future date...
In a wall...
And the adventure begins.



This is one of the best sort of friends, to best friends, to forever. That this reviewer's had the pleasure of for quite some time.
Seeing these two navigate feelings, realizations, personal growth, friendships and family situations. Both alone and as a burgeoning couple. Is the sweetest of romantic treats. Decorated with the realism and humor that keeps pages turning and reader's emotions high.
Even as one wonders if the divorce decree is both real, and if it will be the true end for the couple that one comes to love.
Leaving one to wonder...
Would you still read the story if you thought you knew the ending?

Reviewer's Note
End Of Story is the first offering of a related series.
It may be read as a standalone. But reading it as part of its series is strongly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Graydon House for providing the review copy upon which my honest review is based.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really clever way to tell a love story – I am a big fan of stories with a twist, and this one is definitely a different way to introduce two people to their future!

Susie is prepared to investigate the unexplainable document that they discover in the walls of her house. Lars is not convinced at all but as the story develops he has to expand his beliefs – be ready for some really, really funny scenes.

This is a hugely enjoyable and engaging read – if you need cheering up, then the kooky in the story could do it!


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Susie is renovating the house she inherited from her aunt and the contractor that shows up to her house is her ex’s best friend, Lars. The mysterious certificate with a date ten years in the future, discovered during renovations, makes for some entertaining conversations and an interesting story.

The pace of the story is unhurried without feeling slow and it was a pleasure following Susie and Lars’ journey. I loved their honest conversations and Susie’s blunt way of asking questions. I loved how good Lars was to Susie. I kind of felt like he was the reward for the rubbish boyfriends she’d had in the past.

END OF STORY is an excellent adult romance with a unique plot device that I loved, and I think worked really well. Also, Lars and Susie are pretty hot together too. A solid four stars from me.

End of Story by Kylie Scott is a fun and quirky opposites attract/grumpy and sunshine rom-com with a magical twist.

When Susie inherits her aunts house she decides to renovate it, only to find herself working with her ex's best friend. Will they be able to move past and work together...or will they be doomed from the start...when they find their marriage license from 10 years in the future?

A fun read for the month of romance 💖

Rate : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Author : Kylie Scott

Thank you to Valentine PR, Harlequin Publishing, Graydon House and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

End of Story is a quirky, opposites attract romantic comedy with a hint of paranormal mystery thrown in to keep the readers hooked. Within the first chapter, intrigue takes over your mind as soon as Lars and Susie find that mysterious divorce certificate with no rhyme or reason as to why it’s there.

Upon first glance, the dynamic between the two main love interests is quite a weird one. The best friend’s ex girlfriend and the ex boyfriend’s best friend. It’s something that most people wish they’d never be involved in. You can imagine the awkward moments and the cringeworthy dialogue that could occur within this situation. However, Scott has written it in a way that works!

Within a matter of pages, you fall in love with both Lars and Susie. Lars with his big teddy bear persona and Susie with her eccentric, happy vibes. Upon paper, they’re perfect for each other. Their chemistry just bounces off the pages making the reader realise just how much these two characters love each other.

I have to admit, while reading, I would often forget how long I was reading for. This book just sucks you in and keeps you hooked on every word because of how easy it is to read! I couldn’t believe in my first sitting I was already more than halfway through! Kylie Scott just has a way of writing that just entraps you in the world of her characters.

A little irk for me is the random novella stuck at the end of the book. Why wasn’t it at the beginning to introduce what happened to Susie in the first place? We end on a happy note and suddenly we’re thrown head first into angst randomly. It just didn’t make sense to me.

Despite that, the book on a whole is amazing and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves some friends to lovers with some extra pining involved. It’s a fast paced read with some cheeky smut as well as a relationship to envy!

CW/TW : Grief, sexual assault, toxic relationship, car accident and background character death mentioned

End of story was a very different story from Kylie Scott's usual romance. This story focused on a strange mystery and accepting yourself for who you are, flaws and all. Both Lars and Susie bumbled their way through accepting themselves before they could accept anyone else's love. Watching their love grow and blossom was a treat to read.

There is a drop of paranormal/magical realism in End of Story (the ten years in the future divorce certificate Lars and Susie find in the wall), but other than that it is a delightful contemporary romance.

It's a bit of an awkward situation. Susie ends up with Lars working on her house. Lars is her jerk of an ex-boyfriend's best friend. So basically "hands off". Then they find the divorce certificate in the wall with both their names on it. As they think about and try to unravel that mystery they start to bound and form a wonderful relationship. It definitely takes some time getting there (especially on Susie's part) but it was very realistic.

Besides the jerk of an ex-boyfriend the rest of the characters are wonderful and supportive and I would jump into their friend group in a hot minute.

Lars and Susie have plenty of super cute and funny moments between them, this is not a story to be missed.

End of Story was a quirky romance with a bit of a supernatural mystery

Susie is fixing up an old house when Lars - her ex's best friend - turns up unexpectedly as the assigned contractor.
They are both adults though - They can be professional

Things go from uncomfortable to downright hostile, then take a turn toward curious as a mystery unfolds -
All this is layered in a building smexy romance

Susie was all in when it came to life and taking chances whereas Lars was more reserved. The saying about opposites attracting definitely applies here.

An entertaining read that I would recommend
The story flows at a steady pace and the angst is easily resolved
I would have liked a bit more closure with regard to certain events
But that is a me thing
Looking forward to checking out the author's other books

A very intriguing idea here - what happens when your ex’s bestie comes to do some renovations on your newly inherited house, and you both discover something impossible hidden in the wall… a divorce decree for the two of you, dated 10 years in the future, and even the experts can’t refute the authenticity? Taken to psychics, same thing. Nobody can figure it out. The two of you have a hard time being in the same room because one, this is your ex’s best friend and he has his loyalties, and two, he still has a girlfriend… right?

As the days and renovations go by, the situation and idea becomes more uncomfortable, but you become closer, and things get more uncertain. Why couldn’t it be true? But, how could it be true? Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Is it her late aunt reaching out from the great beyond?

Susie and Lars have a very interesting story and relationship, and it was fun reading it! I’d recommend this for anyone who likes a little bit of mystery along with their romance (it’s not paranormal, and nothing spooky, just some extra fun).

I’ve enjoyed the Kylie Scott books I’ve read and plan to go back through more of her back catalogue. I liked that the prequel (The Beginning of the End, Susie and her Ex’s short story) was included at the back of this - might have made more sense if it started off the book, or if I’d known it was included or existed, I’d have started with that. A definite recommendation for all romance readers!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and this is my honest feedback.

Lars is Susie’s ex’s best friend, and is renovating her home. He finds divorce papers inside her wall, with their names on it! From ten years in the future! Is it a prank, or is it something more? Lars would never break the bro code and get together with Susie anyways.

This was a great romance, a perfect valentine’s day read. First off, it was really funny, I laughed out loud so many times. It had many likable characters, I especially liked the bestie and the brother. Plus the romance was so very sweet AND steamy. It was such a breeze to read, I couldn't put it down, and basically finished it in one reading.

I found the premise very cool. It added an interesting twist to their relationship; before they were even a thing, they were discussing what they would want from a marriage to figure out why it would even fail. Also, if they did get together, would their relationship be doomed? Overall it caused them to be very communicative from the get go. No miscommunications in this book!

Susie has been burned by a few too many bad relationships, trying to mold herself to be what the other person wants. By the beginning of the book, she’s sworn off relationships and especially marriages. As someone who was also against marriages, but is now married, I really liked her character growth in this area, and how her perspective on things changed throughout the book, her journey seemed very similar to mine.

I loved the two of them together, and their friends to friends-with-benefits to lovers romance. They were so cute together from always sharing their food, to their late night chats. It was definitely one of those cases of everyone else can see they’re actually a thing but them.

Plus, I loved the HGTV vibes in the first half of the book.

One part I enjoyed less in the book was after they actually start their relationship, and start to commit more to one another. At this point, a lot of other people start to get involved like family and exes and Lars goes through some grumpy asshole phases (his words, not mine). I thought Lars could have done more here to show Susie mattered to her, especially when it came to introducing her to family. He kinda threw her to the wolves.

Something else weird was how the author only referred to men and women as male and female instead. I’ve only seen this done in fantasies before where the characters are not human.

Thank you to Valentine PR, Graydon House, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Only Kylie can make a piece of paper cause such a ruckus.

Susie inherited her aunts home and decided to give it some upgrades. What she hadn't plan on was her ex's best friend showing up as the handyman. Regardless she needs the work done and at least knows Lars wont screw her over with the construction.

Lars does his thing, going through the place, taking down drywall and getting and idea of how this project is going to go. If this wasn't awkward enough, a divorce paper for Lars and Susie sure as heck won't make this any better. Understandably Lars is having a WTF moment and Susie didn't put it there. How does a really old divorce paper travel back in time and behind some drywall? Needless to say this causes a lot of questions, issues, and so on.

Despite all that, Lars still agrees to handle the construction for Susie. He will do it right and is such a good guy that he wouldn't want someone else to come in and screw her over. So they talk, have drinks and lunch as Lars works and start to become friends.

Some bumps in the road in the friendship and her ass of an ex causes some issues as well. It really only took Lars getting hit by a car for them to admit things. At least for Lars but that could have been the meds talking...

The ending is a true Kylie ending. The love between them, creating a family and even making through what would have been their divorce date. Who knew a piece of paper could cause all of this to happen.

Read this book if you like: HGTV shows, friends to lovers, romance with a bit of magic, opposites attract, steamy 🔥

This is very unique. I love the concept of them finding their divorce degree before even being a couple but eventually, it fell flat. It was a bit rushed at times. I would have preferred more character-building. It just didn't get deep enough. I also struggled with believing them as a couple. There were many funny, cute, and sexy parts. Overall I enjoyed it but it needed more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Valentine PR, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the gifted e-book! ❤️

END OF STORY – Kylie Scott

Graydon House

ISBN: 978-1-525-80479-3

February 14, 2023

Contemporary Fiction



Seattle, Washington – Present Day



Susie Bowen inherits a fixer-upper from her late beloved aunt and moves into it with the plan to get it repaired. The timing of the inheritance comes at the right moment as Susie has been dumped by her ex-boyfriend, Aaron. Susie hires a home construction company and when she opens the door the first day they are to be there, the man who greets her is her ex’s best friend, Lars. She begins to wonder if she hired the wrong company, especially since Lars witnessed the public breakup between her and Aaron. But Lars insists that they can still work together.



While tearing out some walls, a curious piece of paper is revealed. It’s a divorce decree showing that Susie and Lars are divorced—and it’s dated ten years in the future. Both accuse the other of “planting” it but the more intriguing question would be why. Lars and Susie have never shown the slightest interest in each other. Of course, the mere presence of the document is unsettling, and they agree to see if they find out who put it there. This means that Susie and Lars will now be spending time together…



Readers might wonder if END OF STORY is a fantasy or a romance, but to be honest, it is a bit of both. A divorce decree dated ten years out doesn’t magically appear out of nowhere. Susie and Lars are confused and concerned about it, enough that they pay visits to psychics and the like to find out if there can be some light shed on where it came from. She is determined to find out the answers. Meanwhile, the work on the house gets done, but Lars is still around. Their relationship is that of good friends once they got past the awkwardness. Heck, they even share each other’s meals in a restaurant. Readers sense that it won’t be long before Susie and Lars are hitting the sheets.



In END OF STORY, there is plenty of fun banter between Lars and Susie, but she is the center of this tale. Her best friend Cleo is there to provide a shoulder to lean on. But soon, Cleo is finding love herself…with Lars’ brother, Tore. Susie isn’t sure whether getting involved with Lars is a good thing, especially since he is still friends with Aaron. Will he have to choose where his loyalties lie? Neither is looking for love or anything long-term, yet they are perfect together, and the sex is even better. Meanwhile, Susie is also dealing with the dynamics of her family. She is seen as the lesser one of the two siblings. Her brother feels like he should have gotten half of the house, or at least the money part. Yet, there was only one person who stood by and visited their aunt: Susie.



Will Susie and Lars figure out where the divorce decree came from by the final pages of END OF STORY? I will say there was a bit of a twist that even I didn’t see coming. If you love an intriguing read with two likable and dynamic characters, then don’t miss picking this up.



Patti Fischer

I really enjoyed this story, it gives you all the feels you want to experience in a book! 5 stars for this one!
When Susie's aunt leaves her her home, she's sad that her aunt passed but she left her something that brought so much joy to Susie growing up. She spent a lot of time there so what better place to be. It needs work and when Lars, her exes best friend comes to the door, she's less than pleased to have him working on the renovations. What he uncovers during the work sets off a flurry of questions, and starts the relationship between these two. She starts to like having him around, and he is definitely enjoying his time with her, but that darn divorce decree keeps coming between them, not to mention the sparks also!
This was a great and fun story, I enjoyed their banter and their attraction to each other, and the touch of the mystery behind what brings them together. And let's not forget Kat the cat! Don't miss out on this one!

I really enjoyed this book, I didn't know what to expect and had forgotten entirely what it was about when I opened it to read. Very unique story line. What would you do if you found a divorce decree in your name from ten years in the future?

This is the story of Lars and Susie, it takes place in Seattle, which is a dream location, honestly. We need more books that take place in the Pacific Northwest.

This is my first read by this author but it will not be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely looooooooved END OF STORY! Susie was fantastic--her sense of humour had me constantly laughing, and I absolutely loved Lars! The premise behind this book with the touch of magical realism was so intriguing, and I was extremely curious to see how everything played out...and boy, did it deliver! This book was funny, steamy, and sooooooo wonderful! I loved every page and didn't want to put it down...in fact, I stayed up much later than I'd planned because I just couldn't stop. The banter, chemistry and dynamics between Susie and Lars were phenomenal and I adored them so, so much!!! I also loved Tore, Cleo, and the other secondary characters--they really rounded out the story well!

Note, that the novella that introduces Susie, Lars, and Susie's ex-that-shall-not-be-named, Beginning of the End, is included at the end of this book, so if you want to read it first, I'd suggest flipping to the back of the book and starting it. I did read End of Story first, but I wouldn't have minded reading Beginning of the End beforehand, so sharing in case that helps anyone else out. :)

Overall, I adored this book, and I think it'll be one I definitely pick up again because Susie was so wonderful, and I loooooove Lars...considerate, capable...rugged...what's not to love? ;) Highly recommend this one to any and all fans of rom-coms!

This is a sweet, lighthearted, and entertaining rom-com with paranormal vibes and likable characters, contrasting the steamier, angsty, and twisty romances of Kylie Scott. Instead, it falls more under the genre of women's fiction, offering a clean and swoon-worthy romance with an intriguing plotline.

Susie Bowen is exhausted from dealing with unexpected challenges, such as being publicly humiliated by her ex-boyfriend, and trying to start fresh by inheriting a fixer-upper to renovate for her new life in the HGTV world.

However, her contractor is none other than Lars, who just so happens to be the best friend of her ex and a witness to her worst breakup experience. Although she hates the idea of working with someone from her ex's side, she doesn't have another choice. Surprisingly, they learn to tolerate each other and even become friendly. But things take a strange turn when Lars discovers a secret document hidden behind the wall - a divorce certificate that is dated ten years in the future and lists him and Susie as the couple. They may be friendly, but that doesn't mean they're getting married! It must be a terrible prank, right? But what if it's not? Lars doesn't believe in this type of paranormal activity, but will he learn to be open-minded?

I enjoyed the paranormal mystery that was blended with the sweet friends-to-lovers trope. Susie and Lars feel the temptation and palpable chemistry between them, but Lars holds back to respect the "bro-code." However, as the saying goes, the heart wants what it wants.

Overall, this is a quick, enjoyable, and extremely swoon-worthy romance with lots of hilarious moments, making it an excellent choice for Valentine's Day reading.

Many thanks to Kim Cermak and NetGalley for providing me with a lovely digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Book Summary:

Susie Bowen needs a reset in life. That's why she jumped at the chance to live in a new home, thanks to a lucky inheritance. Unfortunately, this life will not be the perfect change she imagined. It doesn't help that her ex's best friend is apparently her new contractor. Embarrassing much?

That would have been awkward enough if not for the divorce certificate said contractor found – dated ten years in the future. You can guess whose names are on that contract. Is this real? Some sort of sick prank? Or a warning from the future?

My Review:

Okay, I must admit: End of Story has a lot of charm. The whole magical intervention combined with the opposites-attract trope makes for a solid foundation. Also, I simply love the name. Can't help it!

End of Story is a quick and fun read. It doesn't get all that deep, which is fine. The otherworldly elements weren't a surprise (since they're hinted at during the description and early parts of the novel), but it still broke some illusion for me. I can't quite explain why.

If you're looking for something sweet and fun for this time of the year, End of Story is perfect, especially if you don't mind a bit of odd magic thrown into the mix.

Highlights:
Opposites-Attract Romance
Contemporary Romance

So this was definitely not the way I expected it. I was so excited to read this book but after finishing it, it has left me clueless, annoyed and frankly bored.

So the way this book started, and if I hadn't read the prequel novella, was so abrupt, without any solid opening or explanation. Most of the times it felt like reading a screenplay where the scenes were cut abrupt & landed on another abruptly.

As far as the chemistry went, it felt more lust than love.

And the thing I was looking forward to discovering the most- the divorce paper mystery- was..... well... what was that?

Safe to say this book wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

End of Story is a delightful friends-to-lovers romance with a touch of the supernatural to speed things along. Once again, Kylie Scott creates engaging characters readers want to spend more time with, and who always have the right quip at the right time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Susie knows Lars as her ex’s bff. But when he shows up as the contractor who’s going to renovate her late aunt’s home, she’s unsure what to do. Then the two of them find their names on a divorce decree behind a wall, dated 10 years in the future. Neither one knows what’s going on, it’s just too odd and unexplainable. They try to figure it out while working on the house, and they get to know each other better. But Susie can’t fall for her ex’s buddy, right? Even if he’s gorgeous, listens to what she says, and is completely competent?

The house construction initially gives Susie and Lars a kind of forced proximity, which works really well. Since this book is only in Susie’s point of view, the reader has to count on Lars’ actions to show that he will do anything for her, and it’s obvious he is falling hard.

Like all my favorite Kylie Scott heroines, Susie is curvy, straightforward and banters like a pro, but has some baggage and insecurities. Given her history, it takes her a long time to trust Lars’ feeling and her own. The payoff of watching these two tiptoe around each other is great, especially while his brother and her bff clearly see that they are smitten.

I enjoyed the clever premise of End of Story, but it’s the charming yet sarcastic characters that made me keep reading past my bedtime. I always enjoy Kylie Scott’s romances, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

Susie + Lars

We already met those two in the prequel novella [book:Beginning of the End|61305293]. You don't have to read that - but it was a cute introduction.

Susie is thirty years old. And she just inherited a fixer upper house in Seattle from her aunt.
Enter Lars. He's the best friend of her idiot ex. And he'll be working on her house.

Can she be friends with someone who likes her ex?

And that's not the only complication between Susie and Lars!

Let the fun times begin...

══════════════════

ADORABLE!
That was soo cute!
I could've lived without the weird divorce papers in the wall. That made it all a bit silly. I just don't know why it had to be in the book at all? Either make it all really magically or supernaturally mysterious or just leave it out completely!
But the rest of the story was so adorable. I just loved those two together. I especially loved their meal-sharing thing. That would be SO me with the right person!

I really loved reading this. Cutest romance with the cutest cover!

A tiny thing that I noticed in Kylie's books. The stories just ... start. We open the book and we're right in the first scene with both main characters.
There's no prologue/intro/a first page describing the location or situation. No IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT ...
We're just bam! Right in the story.
It's not that I hate it. But it's a bit weird, right? I hate unnecessary bla bla and drama and too much redundant stuff in books, but the way Kylie does it somhow bothers me a tiny little bit... no idea why.

But pfft - I loved this book!

END OF STORY was a super adorable rom-com-HGTV love story.
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Lars - this one is MINE!