I'd like to thank Netgalley and Bloom Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the Benevolence duo and follows the romance between Gloria and Aldo. This story coincides with the first book but seems to still keep your interest. The down side is that it can feel repetitive at times. This is a great book about second chances and overcoming obstacles. Trigger warning due to domestic violence.

Definitely thinking this series isn't for me. I didn't love how the issues in this book were handled (domestic violence and losing a limb). I know it was initially written several years ago, but I don't think it holds up in 2023.

I already love Lucy Score’s books, but every-time I read another one of her books, I love her even more. This book is no different. I loved it. It was a beautiful and inspiring story of healing and love.

Gloria just recently broke free of her abusive relationship and is starting to put the pieces of her life together. Aldo is a home town hero who has loved Gloria from afar since they were in high school. Now is Aldo’s chance to be with the girl he loved for years but life has a way of changing things in an instant.

This was a beautiful journey healing the from the darkness life can bestow. Both Gloria’s and Aldo’s journeys were beautiful. I loved how they both overcame the trauma they endured and realized that they were strong and brave and worthy of love. That they were not broken and they deserve to be happy. They leaned on their friends, family, and each other. It was beautiful to read and experience along side these characters. Benevolence is a town I would love to be apart of.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Lucy Score, for this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a DNF @ 50% - I was so disappointed because I adore books by Lucy Score. However, this one was extremely triggering to me with toxic relationships & domestic violence that almost felt romanticized.

I will definitely read Lucy Score’s books in the future, with the exception of any future books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lucy Score's Finally Mine is getting a rerelease with a new updated cover, and I am here for it! Gloria has just escaped an abusive long-term relationship and she is focusing on healing and rebuilding her life. Aldo Moretta has loved her from afar since high school, and before he deploys for six months, he asks her out on a date--when he gets back. While overseas, he's injured in an IED explosion, and he returns home a shell of the man he was, and Gloria is forced to be strong enough for the two of them.

Lucy Score once again delivers a gentle, slow burn second-chance romance. I love that the path to their happily ever after isn't perfectly smooth. Instead, it's realistic. There are always bumps in the road, and when dealing with trauma (both new and old), healing isn't linear. Lucy does a wonderful job of not sugar-coating their experiences, while also providing that satisfying conclusion her readers love her for.

This one made me cry--full on ugly cry--while on a camping trip. I listened while I walked the dog around the state park, and I'm sure people were wondering what was wrong with me. The answer? Lucy Score. Her books wreck me in the best way every time.

I felt like the overlap between the start of this book and the scenes in the first book left me not overly excited for the book since you already had an idea of what was happening. The romance being built off of Gloria’s freedom after years of abuse was also a little off putting.

Overall, this was an okay read.

Finally Mine is the second book in the
Benevolence series. The overlapping timeline can get repetitive but Lucy does a good job with providing enough new plot to keep it interesting.
I loved the addition of new characters. I will be interested to read book 3.

Special thanks to Net Galley and Sourcebooks/ Bloom Book for providing an advanced reviewer copy to me in exchange for my honest review and opinion!

OMG! I completely, utterly and fervently loved this book! Gloria and Aldo's story is a story of pain and loss but also a story of overwhelming love for each other! I cried in some parts of the book but I also smiled like an idiot in others! I just love Lucy Score's book so much that I always can't wait for her next!

Lucy Score does it again. I love her writing and story telling so much l.
She is truly one of my favorite authors! loved the first book in this series, but I fell more in love with this town and it's people even more in this book. Aldo and Gloria had great character development and this story answered so many questions I had from the last book. There story showed true pain but also immense strength. I can't wait to read the next one.

I've decided that Lucy Score is one of my favorite authors. I especially enjoy her heartwarming small-town romance novels. I was thrilled to learn that the second book in the 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 series, 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆, runs parallel to the first book. This time, the focus is on the romance between Aldo and Gloria, which we caught glimpses of in 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆. I was excited to witness their emotional journey towards finding true love. What really struck me was the character development of Gloria, who had endured almost a decade of domestic abuse before finding the strength to break free. Seeing how she learned to love and value herself despite her past was inspiring. And Aldo was endearing and oh-so-hot and sexy. He was patient and understanding with Gloria despite the fact he was dealing with his own trauma. The man could make a girl swoon! I absolutely loved 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆. It's a beautiful story filled with hope, love, and growth that will have you feeling all the emotions. Make sure to grab a copy and prepare to be taken on an unforgettable journey. Don't forget the tissues!⁠
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Thank you, @netgalley and @Read_Bloom, for the opportunity to read a copy of this phenomenal book!

"You look at me like… like I’m something incredible. You look at me like I’m a hero.”
"You are, Aldo. You’re my hero.”

I knew I was going to love this book! Knew that it was going to be my favorite in the series! ( I haven’t even read book three yet! ) Yup, Gloria and Aldo have taken my heart. The two of them have been through so much. I love town Aldo show Gloria that even though she has scars she’s not broken and she’s worth everything. I loved how Gloria made a little realize how much he is a man with what he’s lost. This book starts out with Gloria getting out of a very long, abusive relationship. I love how Aldo let the relationship blossom slowly. Intimacy was even taken off the table at first so that it could be a slow process of them getting to know each other. I freaking loved that! I loved how caring Aldo was with Gloria. The things that man did for her! He truly showed her what it was like to be loved by a good man. Be still my beating heart!!! Once the sexy scenes started man did things start to burn! Aldo in the bedroom? Perfection!!! I really liked that for the most part the two of them communicated with each other. Making sure the other was happy and pushing through the fears and struggles. There were some really funny moments with Aldo’s mom, Mrs. Moretta! Omg that woman is hilarious. Overall there was nothing I would really change from this romance! While this book is number two in its series it can totally be read as a standalone.

Read if you like:
3rd person dual POVs
Childhood crushes to lovers
Hero falls first
Military hero
Hero with prosthetic
Slow burn romance
Open door romance
Swoony hero

I absolutely loved this book. I love how Lucy Score can take characters from a story and give them their own time to shine. Aldo and Gloria's journey was heartwarming. Aldo is such an amazing man and it was great to see Gloria work through what happened to hear. I think it's a story that needed to be told and was done right. I read both Pretend Your Mine and Finally Mine back to back and still want more of Benevolence. Her writing style and character development really makes you fall in love with the town and the people. I'm so excited to see if there is another in the series and what characters we get to learn more about!

Lucy Score is one of those authors that I trust with any and everything. She never fails to write books that are beautifully written and have such heart behind them.

This is a series by her that I’ve been wanting to read and was so happy when this book landed on my kindle. This was such a character driven story (which I always LOVE). Seeing the dynamics between the characters as they grow was such a beautiful thing to read about. Lucy always writes characters that draw me in and make me fall in love with them so easily because she writes them with so much love and care. You can feel it in the words she writes.

Overall, this story was beautiful and I highly recommend to any Lucy Score readers and just any reader who loves a great romance that gets you swept up in everything.

Lucy Score is one of those authors that I trust with any and everything. She never fails to write books that are beautifully written and have such heart behind them.

This is a series by her that I’ve been wanting to read and was so happy when this book landed on my kindle. This was such a character driven story (which I always LOVE). Seeing the dynamics between the characters as they grow was such a beautiful thing to read about. Lucy always writes characters that draw me in and make me fall in love with them so easily because she writes them with so much love and care. You can feel it in the words she writes.

Overall, this story was beautiful and I highly recommend to any Lucy Score readers and just any reader who loves a great romance that gets you swept up in everything.

This enchanting tale follows the journey of Gloria, a woman who has emerged from a toxic relationship and is now on a path of self-discovery and healing. When she crosses paths with Aldo Moretta, the charismatic hometown hero, sparks fly, but their blossoming love faces challenges as Aldo's deployment draws near. Lucy Score's impeccable storytelling skills shine through as she delivers a tale filled with laughter, tears, and moments that tug at the heartstrings.

What sets "Finally Mine" apart is the remarkable depth and authenticity of the characters. Gloria's growth and resilience are beautifully portrayed, making her a relatable and inspiring protagonist. Aldo's unwavering support and undeniable charm make him the perfect swoon-worthy hero. The chemistry between them sizzles off the pages. Lucy Score skillfully balances light-hearted banter, tender moments, and emotional depth, creating a narrative that is both captivating and uplifting.

Gloria is due a happily ever after. She's lost ten years to a toxic, dangerous relationship. Now that she's finally free—and medicating with makeovers and margaritas in her mother's kitchen—she has a long road ahead of her remembering who she really is. She's scarred. But scarred doesn't mean broken.

While Gloria's deciding to take the next decade off from men, along comes larger-than-life, hometown hero Aldo Moretta. He's saying all the right things and flirting in all the right ways. He's deploying for six months and wants a date...with Gloria...when he comes back. Swoon. Panic.

One kiss, one dazzling, remember-for-a-lifetime kiss and he's gone. But life and happily ever afters don't always take the straight path. When Aldo's deployment is cut short by an injury, it's up to Gloria to be the hero for them both.

I loved Gloria and Aldo's story and their history. This was a great book about second chances.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finally Mine is the second book in Lucy Score's Benevolence series and it focuses on Aldo and Gloria, two of my favorite secondary characters from the first book, Pretend You're Mine. While Harper and Luke take center stage in that book, Aldo and Gloria's budding relationship can be witnessed in the background. In this new book, it's their time to shine!

Gloria's backstory broke my heart because she spent way too many years in a toxic and dangerous relationship before she was finally able to break free. She is clearly scarred by what happened to her and just wants her life back. She's hesitant to open herself up to love again, even though she can't deny she has feelings for Aldo. I admired Gloria's strength and resilience and was rooting so hard for her to get the happy ending she truly deserved with Aldo.

I adored Aldo too. Like Luke, Aldo is a hometown hero, He has a bigger than life personality and a heart just as big, and he only has eyes for Gloria. I loved the way he interacted with her too, gently flirting but always mindful of what he knows she has been through. I was definitely cheering him on every step of the way since he's exactly the kind of man Gloria truly deserves. Someone who worships her.

I was also intrigued by the fact that while I went into this book expecting a sequel, Finally Mine actually runs parallel to Pretend You're Mine in the same timeline. Where Luke and Harper's relationship was front and center, with Gloria and Aldo in the background, now as we follow Gloria and Aldo, we get glimpses of Luke and Harper's budding relationship in the background. That perspective shift made for a unique reading experience that I quite enjoyed.

If you're looking for a heartwarming, swoony, slow burn romance that is also an inspiring tale of strength and resilience, you'll want to check out Finally Mine. Available now!

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) in exchange for sharing my honest opinion about the second book in the Benevolence series. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first book, I couldn't resist delving into the sequel. Usually, I tend to stay away from series unless each installment can be enjoyed independently.

To be frank, I had somewhat tempered expectations for this book, not anticipating it to captivate me as much as its predecessor. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the story it presented. It intimately followed Glo's journey as a survivor of domestic abuse and her terrifying encounter with her soon be ex-boyfriend in a public setting. It was the timely intervention of a kind-hearted stranger named Harper that prevented her injuries from escalating further.

Witnessing Glo's strength, she ultimately breaks free from her abusive partner and takes refuge with her mother, embarking on a healing process that is both inspiring and courageous. While there was some repetition from the previous book initially, I noticed a gradual reduction as the story unfolded. The use of multiple perspectives in the narrative added a captivating dimension, seamlessly weaving together the different threads of the story.

To my delight, this book surpassed my expectations, resonating with me on a deeper level than I had anticipated. Importantly, it stands strong as a standalone read, making it accessible even to those who haven't read into the first book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the world of the Benevolence series once again, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this compelling second installment.

If you have read any of the books in the series or this one I would love to hear your take on the story.

Wow!!! I lived for this book! Aldo and Gloria were a match made in heaven. I really love the community of love that Lucy Score created in this series. I'm hoping for a part 3 because I am in love! I could not put this book down. All of the characters kept me so engaged with just enough drama, just enough romance and just enough comedy. A must read!

I love Lucy Score but wasn't the biggest fan of this one. Maybe because the ending was spoiled in the previous book? I really like the characters but wish there was a little more mystery around their whole plot and ending or maybe if something big happened to them outside of the plot from the last book. But it was still a fun read!