Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I have to say, I liked this book slightly more than Pretend You're Mine.
While I didn't love this book, I still liked it enough to keep reading.

With Pretend You're Mine, I felt there was a lot of unnecessary filler, but not with this book. I feel like the amount of filler was pretty good and wasn't excessive.

Aldo and Gloria were great characters and have to deal with some tough things but come out better and stronger in the end. It's so clear how perfect they are for each other!

This book in no way made me want to stop reading Lucy Score books so I think that's a plus.
I'd say I'd still definitely recommend this book to fans of Lucy Score.

Also, make sure to check for trigger warnings before reading. This book does have mention of domestic abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book as much as I loved the other part.
Superb plot, characters and writing

After reading the first book, I was highly invested in seeing Gloria get her happy ending. This book did not disappoint! I actually enjoyed it more than the first book, even though a lot of the storyline was repeated. It was really cute to watch Aldo and Gloria… and now I’m wondering where this town full of hot, strong, attentive men is.

Unfortunately, I DNF this book. I couldn't seem to get I to it. I'm very much a mood reader so maybe another time I might have felt differently.

I DEVOURED this book! I love Lucy Score's writing, but this one was one of my favorites. I can't wait to order copies for my library and see them fly so quickly off the shelves. This one was a winner in my book.

Lucy knocked this entire series out of the park. I had some reservations at first but found myself completely ignoring life until I could finish the series. Military wife approved!

Huge fan of Lucy Score... But this one fell short for me. I just couldn't get through it. I guess this series just wasn't for me.

*Thank you @read_bloom for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF.*

DNF. I tried reading this like 5 different times. I couldn't do it. I love most of Lucy Score's work, but apparently tly not this one.

I decided to DNF this book at 30%. I felt like it was the same story as in Pretend You’re Mine but with added triggers and some back story. Overall, I didn’t feel like it was a new story. Both should have been combined in my opinion.

"Finally Mine" by Lucy Score is a beautiful and powerful story that explores themes of resilience, love, and overcoming personal challenges. The book follows a military man who has lost a leg and a woman who has endured an abusive relationship for too long.

One of the notable aspects of the book is the central question of whether these characters can let go of their emotional baggage and allow love to guide them forward. The story delves into the complexities of their pasts and their journey towards healing and finding happiness together.

While "Finally Mine" runs in the same timeline as "Pretend Your Mine," it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel without missing any crucial details. Whether readers are familiar with the previous book or not, this story is set to captivate their hearts.

The book offers a well-rounded reading experience, combining moments of angst, humor, and heartfelt emotions. It presents strong female and male characters who navigate their individual struggles and come out stronger on the other side. The journey of overcoming personal damage is a central theme, adding depth and substance to the story.

Overall, "Finally Mine" is a book that will resonate with readers who appreciate compelling stories of love, personal growth, and triumph over adversity. With a perfect blend of emotions and compelling characters, Lucy Score delivers a poignant and empowering read that will leave a lasting impact.

I adored Pretend You’re Mine so much and knew Gloria and Aldo were the subject of book 2 and I was hesitant to start this one due to the domestic abuse plot line. However, as usual, Lucy takes such care with her characters and their healing journeys from past trauma. Aldo also loses a limb in military service, and together, Gloria and Aldo develop a slow-burn second chance romance. I also liked the unique way this book follows the same timeline of book 1 so you get to almost re-experience that romance as well from a different perspective. This series is not my favorite of Lucy’s but I am excited for new readers to get to experience these stories!

Following Gloria and Arlo’s story overlapping with the first book we find how the two finally started a relationship after a decade of pining. If you read “Pretend Your Mine” you know half of this story. It did seem repetitive and I wish it would’ve skipped ahead further to start, but I understand the overlap was to give those who didn’t read book 1 some context. I liked how the trauma for our MC’s was addressed, but realistically they wouldn’t have been so open and accepting to help, and seemingly fast-healing (at least on the surface). But it’s a romance book and not the proper format to dig into the complexities of healing from trauma so I think the way it was described was fitting.

Overall I just couldn’t love this book. It was mostly repetitive and I didn’t want to root for these characters as much as book 1.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞
𝟒⚡️ 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

**Domestic abuse

I really enjoyed this book! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll route for both Gloria and Aldo. Gloria’s story of building a new life after an abusive past is inspiring and will have you cheering for her until the end. Two amazing supporting characters in both Gloria’s and Aldo’s moms! The kind of moms you definitely wouldn’t want to piss off. Don’t worry, in true LS fashion this books is filled with spice!

Gloria has lost ten years to a toxic and dangerous relationship, but that ends today. She is finally free and begins to search for who she really is and what her life can become. Gloria made be scared but she isn’t broken. And she sure as hell isn’t “poor little Gloria Parker”.

As Gloria begins her new life and vows to write off men for awhile, in walks Aldo Moretta, hometown hero. Aldo has had a crush on Gloria for a long as he can remember. Just when he thinks he is going to get his chance at stealing her heart, he is deployed for six months. When Aldo’s deployment is cut short by an injury, it’s up to Gloria to be the hero for them both.

Cheers⚡️

#Romance #FinallyMine #LucyScore #bookstagram

This one was not as great as the other Lucy Score books. For me, it's a 3/5 if we're rounding up. It is definitely a different heroine compared to other ones Lucy has written. Gloria was not your strong female character and the love story was not as well developed. I may have been biased about the storyline because I did not agree with the choices Gloria made and comparing her to other heroines that Lucy Score has written.

Small town romance, damaged hero and heroine. I love Lucy Score's writing and the characters she creates. Finally Mine has some heavier themes than some of the other books of hers I've read, trigger warning for DV. Overall a good story with a solid plot and an engaging romance

This is the 2nd book in the series but you could read as a stand alone. Definitely not as easy as a read as Pretend You’re Mine due to the domestic violence that Gloria went through….but I am glad Aldo came into her life. It was interesting to see the same timeline through another charter’s perspective. It didn’t read the series back to back so to me it didn’t feel redundant. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series. Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Be beautiful. Be fun. Be busy. Be excited. Be you. Everyone else will eventually catch up. You just have to give them something else to see.”

“You can’t put your worth in someone else’s hands like that. Whether those hands are stroking you or hurting you. It doesn’t matter. Your value comes from inside. Whether you mean something to him or not has nothing to do with how inherently valuable you are.”

“Talk to someone. Get it out. If you keep it in, it’ll eat at you from the inside out.”

“Most of my ugly scars are on the inside, and I’ve presented every last one of them to you. You’re still here. I think you owe me the same chance. Show me your scars, Aldo.”

Thank you NetGalley for an e-book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a phenomenal book. The cover was perfection, and anything by Lucy score is always a win in my book. The characters are beautiful and flawed and wonderful.

FINALLY MINE A Small Town Love Story Benevolence Book 2 by Lucy Score
This is the story of Aldo Moretta and Gloria Parker. Aldo has had feelings for her since she was a sophomore in high school and he was a senior. He was ready to make his move when he saw she had hooked up with Glenn Miller. He left and joined with the National Guard instead of staying around town to watch her with Glenn.
After years of abuse, Gloria finds it in her to escape the beatings, and plan out her own future. She is determined to loose the poor little Gloria moniker and reinvent herself. The night before Aldo ships out for 6 months, he tells Gloria he wants a future when she is ready.
One of the "stars" of this story is Ina Moretta, Aldo's mom. This story has plenty of angst, heartbreak, fortitude, and great chemistry. I very much enjoyed the way this paralleled the last book, except by Gloria and Aldo this time instead of Harper and Luke. I give this 5 stars.

I liked the first book and I struggle so hard to get into Lucy Score but unfortunately I had to force myself to finish this book. I think she is very talented but maybe her writing style isn't for me. Maybe I'll come back in the future and read more of her stuff and have a different opinion at that time. But I feel like everything I've read of hers is something I've read before and nothing out of the ordinary

I love this authors work with every fiber of my being, but this is not my favorite of hers. I should have looked at the trigger warnings more closely before I started reading that is completely on me.