This book was okay - I thought it was good but there were some parts of it that I didn't like. I wish that Aldo had waited longer to court Gloria, I thought he went in too fast, considering that she just got out of an abusive relationship.

I wish Gloria had taken time to be on her own - I mean I know Aldo had given her 6 months but in the back of her mind, she was still going to be with Aldo.

Anyways, there were some aspects of the book that felt like it was really slow and by the end, I just wanted to wrap it up but it went on with Harper and Luke, which I didn't think was necessary because the book wasn't supposed to be about them.

But I did enjoy the characters - I think if you're a fan of Lucy Score, to definitely check it out - especially if you have read the first in the series.

Trigger warnings: this book does contain abuse - physical and emotional

After reading the first installment of this series, I was so excited to see Gloria and Aldo’s relationship but my enthusiasm kind of fell flat.

A lot of the book is just rehashing the first book in the series from different point of view’s. Which makes it kind of boring because you already know what is going to happen if you read the first book. It almost seems like this book is about all four characters instead of just Gloria and Aldo.

The aspects I loved:
- Seeing a women come from a 10 year abusive relationship and finding happiness herself instead of jumping into a relationship immediately. Going to therapy and talking through her issues.
- Seeing a war veteran who struggled with PTSD/leg amputation also overcoming that with the help of therapy and good friendships
- them both over coming traumas and seeing they could still be loved even though they both had baggage, scars and were “damaged goods”

Tropes:
Small town romance
War hero
It’s always been you
Friends to lovers

Spice:
🌶️🌶️

ARC provided by net galley

Finally, Mine is the second book in the Benevolence series and happens simultaneously as Pretend You're Mine, focusing on Aldo and Gloria, who sided characters in the previous book. This book has themes of second-chance love and childhood friends; both characters were going through mental struggles, with Aldo adjusting to life outside of the national guard and Gloria learning to live outside of an abusive relationship she had lived in for the last 10 years in. I enjoyed the growth those two had both separately and together.
I really loved the setting of these two stories; it feels very small towney with everyone's business spreading like wildfire and many prolific side characters appearing in both Finally Mine and Pretend You're Mine. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet small town romance and people looking to see the same story from multiple perspectives.

“I thought I was too damaged to know what real love was. But I was wrong. I know what it is because of my scars, because of my past. I know what love is. I know that I love you and that I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you if you let me.” Her voice trembled. “Hell, I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you even if you don’t let me.”

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Finally Mine.

Gloria Parker wasted ten years with the wrong man – one who almost cost her her life.

Arlo Moretta’s life seems fulfilling from the outside looking in but has always been missing something – the right girl.

This one was a little hard for me to read but I am SO glad that I stuck it out despite being lightly triggered from Gloria’s past. I do wish that SOMEONE would have spoke up for Gloria, helped her out, etc.. but as someone who’s been in that type of situation (not on the same scale) I know that it’s hard to listen to those outside of the relationship.

I was introduced to both Gloria and Arlo in Pretend You’re Mine and I wanted to go deeper and that’s exactly what Finally Mine did for me! You’re seeing the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s all there. Lucy did an amazing job with this story.

Please read the TW in this book. I almost couldn’t finish it. I am glad that I did, however your mental health is much more important than any book.

Finally Mine by Lucy Score, is the second book in her Benevolence series.

Unfortunately, I found this to be really slow. I wound up skimming lots of sections just to get to the end.
I loved the characters, and the whole idea of the story, but I think the constant repetitiveness of discussions had in the previous book really dampened the whole book for me.

I still look forward to reading book three in this series, Protecting What's Mine.

2.5 stars

I don’t know what to say (again) about this series. When I saw books 1&2 available to review, I was excited! I’ve enjoyed Lucy Scores newer releases. However, sometimes when older titles are re-released, they don’t always land the same way. I expected these books to be heartwarming small town tales. I don’t know if I’m the problem but they were both pretty toxic. It’s surprising. In this book, Gloria is in an abusive relationship for a decade. Both her mother and the male romantic interest in this book were aware of the abuse. The whole town was aware of the abuse. Apparently no one ever tried to help her? There were some big hurdles to climb in the first half to get on board with how everything turned out in the end. I did like this second one more than the first so that’s a plus!
*Thanks to Bloombooks and NetGalley for this advance review copy of the republished book.

This is the second book in the Benevolence series, and I think it’s just not the series for me. I don’t enjoy the military storylines and the blatant abuse that is ignored by many of the characters and the town. I normally love Lucy Score’s books, but this series is not one I’d recommend. This book has a large amount of overlap with the first book, and I really don’t enjoy that with a series. It feels like you are reading the same book twice. However, if you enjoy a military romance, this may be the book for you!

Thank you to Lucy Score, Bloom Books, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Book 2 in the Benevolence series. I LOVED Aldo, and seeing Gloria face down her demons and grow into the person she wanted to be was beautiful. I think book 2 was drawn out considering the timeline overlapped with book 1 so several events were repeats from a different POV. I probably would've enjoyed this more as a novella. Also- shame on the townspeople for allowing obvious abuse to go on with no one stepping up. Ivan the Terrible was a fantastic supporting fur-character.

I like this book. There was alot of repeating since i read them back to back. I do love Lucy Score. I cant wait to read more from her.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I am a HUGE Lucy Score fan. I had actually read this series back in 2018 and it one of my least favorites. There was something about the times lines being intertwined between book one and two I ended up DNFing book two at the time. It was just not one of my favorite story lines. When I saw the ARC because it was being republished I was excited to try it and see if I liked it a couple years out from book 1.
I really enjoy the authors use of strong female character. I feel like Gloria was a start to some of her peak characters (think Rock Bottom Girl and By a Thread) but I had such a hard to reconciling my views of her as an abuse victim to how she was once she left Glenn _ it was so hard to see how she got herself into the situation. I know she said she missed her dad and was looking into a replacement figure, and she said the abuse was slow but she was just so vibrant and had such an amazing mom. It was hard to remember she was an abuse victim when she was so fearless with most things.
I loved Aldo, I loved Aldo in the 1st book and I loved him here. He knew what he wanted and he was going to get it. He was sweet and kind and hot. I really enjoyed his unrequited love and how he was going to win her back. I loved his competative attitude, his friendships with Luke and Harper and I loved his weird crazy relationship with his mom. It reminded me of Howard Wolwitz from the big bang theory. LOL
This is a small town romance and I love the zany kookie characters that Lucy Score tends to have. I could just start to see the town folks when Gloria was dealing with the 4th of July Parade. These type of scenes really flush out the small town setting and it makes me love Lucy Score books. . These weren't perfect but they were close and I could see where they were going. I can almost see the progression in her books.
That being said this book was 40% too long. At the 60% mark the climatic action scene where Gloria stands up for herself understanding she doesn't need Aldo but she love him, She has friends and family and a small town that is going to be there for her. They had amazing spicy scene and I was so happy at that point. Then the last 40% happened. Why - he had her, she had overcome so much. The HEA was perfect and then it was all messy.
Anyway. If you love Lucy Score, Small town romance, Strong female characters this series (and book) are for you.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me reread this book. I love the new covers.

Lucy Score does it again!
This is a republication for a new cover and I think it's a slay. The previous cover is not one that would've caught my eye in the stores. This one.... totally will! The colors and design is beautiful!
As for the storyline, Score did an amazing job telling the story of Gloria and Aldo. Two victims of some kind of tragedy trying to overcome their fears, wounds and scars together. Score does a great job dealing with some trigger points.
This book does follow closely her book Pretend You're Mine, but doesn't need to be read after in my opinion.
I can't wait for the new cover to come out so I can scoop it. I will also totally be recommending this book to everyone. The series to be honest.
So, so good!

I struggled with this one a bit…not because it wasn’t good but because, for me, it was disturbing that no one did anything to lift a finger to stop the abuse Gloria endured. Truly everything she went through was gut wrenching! Like how is everyone okay turning a blind eye. And Aldo didn’t do anything because she wasn’t “his”?! It takes $0 to be a good human and no one has to be long to you to do so. I’m usually a Lucy Score fan but this one was too much for me trigger wise.

I requestd this book from netgalley. Thank you netgalley and publisher for accepting my request.

This book was not for me. I found the dialogue and the actual story boring. It was drawn out. why so many chapters? So unnecessary.
The story drags and the characters are bland.
I feel like the author just wrote this story for the sake of writing a story and didn't put much thought as to the true experience of what veterans and domestic abuse victims go through. Overall, I didn't feel this story was authentic and I was not drawn in or felt a connection to the characters.

After Gloria has the strength to finally leave her physically abusive relationship, she gets a second chance with dreamy local athlete and soldier, Aldo.

I love Lucy Score and her writing style so much and this was not an exception. This was fantastic and one of the few I haven’t read yet but I loved it so much and kept turning the pages.

Ehhh another swing and a miss for me. I didn’t love how Gloria and Aldo’s story was told. I didn’t love their whole story. Half of the book was boring to me and felt like it was filled with unnecessary details.

It felt like an exact retelling of “Pretend You’re Mine” with added in fake feeling drama to try and make it interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Aldo is the hero, the good guy. Gloria is the one who got away. And now she is fresh out of an abusive relationship, trying to establish herself and break her old patterns. He knows it's time to make his move, but suddenly his life takes and unexpected turn as well.

I was excited for Aldo & Gloria's story after meeting them in book 1 but for some reason I just didn't connect. Aldo is so likable, but I never felt the chemistry between them. Or, not as much as I wanted to. I'm glad I read it, but just isn't quite as good as some of Lucy Score's other books.

NetGalley & this author/publisher provided the ARC I read for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the second book in the Benevolence series. I have read the first book in this series, but I think you can read this book as a standalone without any problems. I normally do not love books that go over the same things as the other books in the series. This book does that, but you get the events through Aldo and Gloria's point of view. This book has the same time line and the same events happening that the first book as in it. I did enjoy getting it through Gloria and Aldo's point of view. I really fell in love with the characters in this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (That's What She Said Publishing) or author (Lucy Score) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

This book had so many heavy topics but was done so thoughtfully and beautifully. I felt like I was right there in the town of Benevolence with Gloria and Aldo. I was cheering for their happily ever after from the very first pages.

Finally Mine is another wonderful installment in this series by Lucy Score. I continue to love the character development as the characters seem to jump off the pages and into my mind. It was great getting to relive some scenes from a different angle compared to the first book in this series. I recommend this book for sure!