Finally Mine was a nicely written book. Aldo and Gloria’s story was a gentle ride in many ways. They both are dealing with scars, although different types, but manage to find love with each other. The side characters made the book interesting and the overlap with Luke and Harper’s story was woven together well.

I was pulled in by the first chapter but honestly after that this book just didn't do it for me. I finished it but it was a huge struggle. I loved the author, and I loved the length of the book but that's basically about it. I read the first book in this series, and I liked that one a lot better.

First and foremost: if you came to this from the first book in the series, like I did, it is decidedly less spicy/smutty. The story focuses much more on the personal growth and love story between Gloria and Aldo, which to me was really enjoyable. It also has a TON of cross over dialogue: this is great, BUT I would have enjoyed some scenes that weren't just straight copies from the first book. That made those scenes almost skim worthy.
I've seen some people complain about the view on domestic violence promoted in this story: while I'm sure triggering, I think its actually pretty authentic. theres a lot of criticism that Aldo never 'saves' Gloria despite always crushing on her: I think its more realistic that a domestic violence victim goes through trauma alone than anyone really coming in and rescuing them. That didn't bother me at all, and I actually thought gave some real depth to the story as both leads had to deal with conquering internal, and external, scars.
Overall a good read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloom Books for an ARC of this book.

Oh... My... If I loved Pretend your Mine than I ABSOLUTELY LOVED Finally Mine. Wow. I'm struggling to get the words out.

Welcome back to Benevolence! Finally Mine overlaps with Pretend you Mine - It's the exact same timeline and the stories happen in tandem. We get to see things that happened in Pretend you Mine from a different view point.

I connected immediately with Gloria and Aldo - pretty sure I connected with them in them in the first book - their story is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I laughed, I cried... my heart shattered.

Gloria's backstory is heartbreaking but her personal growth and becoming the woman we see at the end of the book is amazing to read. It's hard to imagine someone going through the abuse she did, and coming out to turn into a strong, independent woman - but it does happen in the real world and Lucy Score did a fantastic job writing this.

Aldo is.... Aldo is... Well he's just everything. To see him go from put-together, to broken, to better than he was was so heartwarming. My heart honestly went out to him when his life came crashing down around him.

Lucy Score has a way of taking things that happen in real every day life and putting them on paper in a way that captures your mind and your heart. This book made me laugh, cry and swoon constantly. I don't think I've fully recovered from this book yet!

Hauntingly beautiful! FINALLY MINE touches on all the heartstrings in the best way. Swoony romance and deep feels - what more could you want?

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5
🌶 🌶 🌶 /5

Lucy Score can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book as I read nothing about it before I picked it up. The story of Aldo and Gloria was so painful and yet so beautiful. Their stories were so painful and would definitely be triggering for some. Lucy didn't hold back in explaining and exploring their pain.

I loved Gloria and how she was fighting so hard to regain herself after a horrifically abusive relationship took so much from her. Aldo's gentle care and pure support of her was just beautifully written. When the roles switched as he returned from his deployment in pieces Gloria's newfound strength was everything.

They were a couple that grew and healed together. Finding strength and allowing their darkest moments to slowly fade. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. I need to revisit every one of the characters.

Also Ivan the Terrible is a fantastic kitten name.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this wonderful book.

There's a reason I spent about a month reading only Lucy Score books. :) Not only are the romance main characters and their chemistry something I'll keep coming back for, but the small town secondary characters really add to each story.

3-3.5 ⭐️ | 🌶️
TW's: domestic violence, abuse, SA, PTSD

So I probably made the mistake for reading this book immediately after Pretend You're Mine (Benevolence #1)... this one followed Aldo & Gloria and it was told in the same timeline as book 1 but from these characters' viewpoints. Aldo and Gloria interacted a lot with the main characters in Pretend You're Mine, so many scenes and dialogue were literally verbatim, just in a different viewpoint. It felt like reading the same book twice...

This book was a lot heavier, in terms of content. Gloria is a long-term DV survivor (10+ years of abuse) and Aldo is a wounded war vet. Two very different "broken" individuals with scars both internal and external. It was easy to root for and empathize with the characters- I especially loved seeing Gloria's growth throughout the book... only to watch it slip in classic Lucy Score third-act break up fashion. 🥲 *sigh

I've loved Aldo and Gloria since Benevolence #1 so I was very excited to read this one! But essentially the repetition had me skimming too much of the book.. I'm a bit intrigued with the idea of a book about Linc so I'll willing to give it a chance. This one was neither a hit or miss for me, and that's ok.

Thank you to Sourcebooks (Bloom), netgalley, and Lucy Score for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Love, love, love – this is more a 4.5 than a 4. Like I was obsessed and normally I don't like 3rd person romance or a sort-of-second-chance. But I felt for Aldo and Gloria so much and wanted nothing but the best for them both.

The trauma and difficulties these two characters experienced felt so real and raw, especially in the ways they offset each other. They each had their own issues going on but their love and affection for each other overpowered any insecurities they might have.

The story was engaging, the relationships between all the characters felt so real, and I wanted to be friends with almost everyone (even grumpy Luke).

Everything felt so earned too, the romance, the love, the sex, it was all done so well.

I hadn't read the first book in the series before this but I have intentions to now, AND I wanna read the third as well. So excited and this is a MUST READ.

I’m not going to read this book. I got the ARC for the first one and did not like it one bit. I’m not putting myself through the agony of a second one.

Finally Mine brings us back into town of Benevolence, MD - this time following the story of Gloria & Aldo.

I was excited to dive into this one after finishing Pretend Your Mine, but it unfortunately fell flat for me. I don’t feel like this book would work as a stand-alone given how much it references characters from the first book without fully introducing them. However, I don’t really feel like it works as a sequel either. Finally Mine picks up at the same scene Pretend You’re Mine started with and ends at the same place as well. It was fun at first, but quickly grew redundant as I realized more and more that this was a story I already knew. I really enjoyed Aldo and Gloria as characters and it was satisfying to see their love story play out, but it wasn’t enough to keep me interested. The last half dragged for me. All that being said… I’ll probably read Linc’s book because I do enjoy this small town and I don’t know much about his story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this ARC! Finally Mine releases with its new cover on June 13th, 2023

I wish I didn’t bother picking this up after the first — I truly cannot fathom how this has such high reviews. The abuse Gloria went through is disgusting & and the fact that not a single person including law enforcement ever stepped in is mind boggling. 0/10 would not recommend

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I felt like this book was very unnecessary if you’ve read Pretend You’re Mine. I don’t know what I was hoping for but you already know how their story goes if you’ve read the other one. And this was basically the exact same!

Was it a good book…yes.
Would I recommend it if you’ve read Pretend You’re Mine…no.

I really love Lucy Score but I felt like this book just didn’t need to happen.

Finally Mine is the second book in the Benevolence series and follows the story of Gloria and Aldo. Aldo has always been the hero. He fought hard for his country and now runs a successful business. The only thing he's missing is Gloria. Gloria fell for the wrong guy, but now that she's single again, Aldo isn't about to miss his shot...

Finally Mine is a terrific read from beginning to end. Fans of small-town, slow-burn romances won't want to miss this fabulous read.

So usually I’m a big fan of series where every book is a different couple. However with this one it’s so intertwined with what is happening in the first book that I felt like this wasn’t “new” since we already knew what happened with Gloria and Aldo from the first book.

On the other hand I really liked the deep themes and introspection that the characters had. I think it’s a great story line and deserves it’s own timeline. I did have an issue with Gloria forcing Aldo’s hand in the sex department when he was clearly not okay with it. I think with some editing that part could feel more supportive from the beginning instead of forceful.

Congratulations to Luke for messing up not only his relationship but also his best friends.

Lucy Score has done it again! Finally Mine is a can't put down winner! I didn't read book 1, and you don't need to. This book stands alone, but I will be going back to read the whole series now! Aldo and Gloria had the slow build romance that just made you want to yell at them to get together already, but in the best way possible! Five stars!

Truly enjoyed this book and fell in love with the characters. Honestly, I was questioning how Aldo and Gloria's story would be told since a good portion of it was in the first book Pretend to be Mine with Harper and Luke. However, I was blown away with the way this story filled in all of the cracks from Pretend to be Mine.

Aldo is a hometown hero that has always loved Gloria, his high school crush. Gloria was in an unhealthy relationship but she finally decided to fight back and leave. Finally Mine explains how these two finally see the possibilities of a loving relationship with a lot of work and effort along the way. This was a beautiful HEA.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for letting me read this story.

I loved reading Gloria and Aldo’s story. At first I was a little disturbed that everyone knew she was being abused and no one seemed to do much to stop it but I was able to get past it. Aldo seems like such a genuine guy, I connected to their love story so much. She deserved so much love and I really enjoyed reading about how it came to life. it was a bit long, took me much longer to read than I thought it would but I always love Lucy Score’s books. Perfect amount of spice with the romance.

So glad we got Gloria and aldos story. A fast read - couldn’t put it down. Definitely enjoyed book two more, and looking forward to 3.

Finally Mine by Lucy Score is a touching and emotional romance that will leave you feeling all the feels. The book follows Gloria, a woman who has escaped an abusive relationship and is now trying to rebuild her life, and Aldo, a war veteran who is struggling with PTSD and a leg amputation. The two come together in a slow-burn romance that is heartwarming and realistic.

While this is the second book in the Benevolence series, it can be read as a standalone without any issues. The author does a good job of revisiting events from the first book without making it feel like a replay. That being said, it's worth noting that the book does deal with heavy topics, so be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in.

What I loved most about this book was how real and believable the characters were. Gloria's journey to healing and finding herself was beautifully told, and I appreciated that the author kept it raw and honest. It's easy to judge survivors of abuse, but abusers are expert manipulators who make their victims feel like it's their fault. Gloria's story was a reminder that healing takes time, patience, and a support system.

The romance between Aldo and Gloria was a slow burn that allowed the characters to truly get to know each other and heal together. The author did a great job of showing that love and understanding can help us overcome the obstacles in our lives and find true happiness. The book was full of heartwrenching emotion, family, and so much love.

Finally Mine is a beautiful story of taking control of your life and facing your fears. It's a reminder that even when we are broken and scarred, we can still find love and happiness. Highly recommended for fans of second-chance romance and emotional reads.