I really enjoyed this book. This was the first book I have read of this author and now I want to read the 2 other books that precede this one.

ARC Review

5⭐️

Tropes~ Age gap, intern/supervisor, family friend, slow burn

✨ I was so excited to read this book but also gutted because I don’t want this series to end. The writing was absolute perfection in this book and had my emotions going through a rollercoaster , some moments were beautiful whilst others were heart wrenching but it made into the most perfect story!!

✨ Lila was such a different character to read about who was solely dedicated to her studies but had so many insecurities and she felt so relatable to me. I deeply understood her worries about what others thought of her and I loved watching her grow into herself . Reed was amazing and I loved seeing how despite the background he had he was doing positive things in the world, him and Lila were perfect for each other and I loved seeing the obstacles they had to go through to be together because it made it feel more realistic, these two stole my heart and honestly might be my favourite of the series💖

✨ I loved that we got to see all of the family again and the ending was perfection. I’m so sad this series has ended but it was the perfect ending and I can’t wait to see what Lisa does next!!

I think this was a perfect end to this series, even though I'm sad that it is over. Lisina Coney doesn't miss. She finds a way to make all of her leads so relatable, and it pulls you into the story. I also love that each book in the series includes a time jump, so we still get the chance to see the past couples but can focus on the new lead.

Thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

When I decided to ask for the opportunity to review this book I didn't realize it was the third in a series of three books. So I took it upon myself to read the first two books in the series and was absolutely blown away! The first book was easily in my top books I've read this year and I definitely have found a new author to follow! Since I read the first two books, characters followed throughout the series so it was easier to follow. I would definitely read them first even though this can be read as a stand alone.

Lilah is an aspiring youth counselor and needs an internship. A friend of her family, Reed, is a counselor and allows her to be supervised by him during her internship. While she hesitates to do so because she feels like she is getting ahead based on her mom's connections she pursues this program and falls in love with the youth center and a handsome doctor, Reed. Although things seem fine, word of their closeness makes it way to the university dean and threatens to derail their careers and feelings.

Lilah is the first book's characters daughter so it's lovely to see her parents in this story along with the second books main characters, which is her aunt and uncle. I just felt like this series was so well written and I was so sad that it ended with this book. I started to become so connected to characters and didn't want to finish reading about them. This was an excellent finish to a wonderful series and would absolutely recommend! Can't wait for more things to come from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley, Lisina Coney and Victory Editing for allowing me to review this ARC!

This was my first book from the series, and now I’m eager to go back and read the others! The Deepest End of Love delivered a slow-burn romance that was both captivating and deeply emotional. Reed Abner’s story is especially powerful, full of raw emotion that tugs at your heart.

The book covers some of my favorite tropes, including:
Slow-burn romance
Emotional healing
Unspoken love
Small-town charm
Deep personal growth

I’m grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early! If you’re looking for a romance that takes its time while building strong emotional depth, with a bit of spice this is definitely one to pick up.

this review will be posted on to good reads as of 21/9/24
there will also be a tiktok video next week

What a perfect ending to 'The Brightest Light' series!

Lila Callaghan (daughter of Cal & Grace from book 1) is caught stabbing her cheating ex-boyfriends tyres by Reed Abner, family friend and professor at the university. Embarrassed, Lila tries to avoid Reed as much as possible, which is difficult when her mother keeps inviting him to dinner. The two of them are pushed together when she has to take an internship in the youth centre that he volunteers for, with Reed working as her internship supervisor.

The Deepest End of Love is a slooooooow burrrrrrn. Lila and Reed circle each other for 50% of this book before anything happens between them.

Lila was a slightly frustrating character but her growth throughout this book is heartwarming. Reed was a great MMC, although my favourite will always be Cal. (Sorry not sorry).

I loved seeing Cal & Grace as parents, along with Maddie and James from book 2. The ending had me tearing up, especially Grandpa Cal with his grandson Samuel.

A fabulous ending to a cute series! Excited to see what else Lisina Coney writes!

Book includes:
- Age Gap (24/36)
- Grad student x internship supervision
- Slow burn
- Dual PoV

I received an advanced copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First of all I would love to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me wirth an early copy.

What a beautiful story between Professor and a student. The forbidden and inappropriate relationship, yet full of mindfulness and support.

They were meant to be together from the very beginning. They learned to work against self doubt, stand for themselves and fight for what they wanted, although never have expected.

The age gap works fine for Lily and Reed, to even become a better person, to share their experiences and to learn from each other.
I also loved the twist, their beautiful souls and hearts.
I can only recommend this book to everyone who loves this kind of story.

The Deepest End of Love is the third in a series of standalone books, and this story captivated me from the first moment. We meet our protagonist Lila who has just found out that her boyfriend is unfaithful to her and that she will have to work with her teacher, Reed, whom she permanently avoided since he was a friend of her parents. Well, with that you can imagine the accumulated tension that there will be between the two of them, as it is a forbidden relationship. But it is not only the physical attraction that will make you scream but also all of their interaction, as the pages turn we will see the problems they have, their fears, insecurities, and how they will overcome little by little. I also loved all the stories of the children at the center, because this book will make you think about many situations that many children experience. So in conclusion, I believe that this book is amazing that is why I recommend it to everyone because of the incredible evolution of the characters and also because the book will make you think, scream, cry laugh, and above all enjoy reading.
Also, I published my review on Goodreads, and Instagram (@booksmar6)

I haven't read the first two books, but this one was so good. I love a good slow burn. What I especially liked was the fact that Reed actually acted like an adult. The only thing I don't understand is why he isn't in therapy. He literally advocates for children's mental health, but doesn't realize he has some issues from his own childhood that need to be fixed.

Lila was such a fun character, I really liked her relationship with her aunt. I thought it was fun to read about a girl who doesn't have a dysfunctional family, but has created all the problems inside her head. If she had gone to therapy much earlier in her life, there wouldn't have been any problems.

Basically, I enjoyed the irony in this book about mental health advocates who clearly need a lot of therapy themselves.

I was a little nervous going into this one because I'm always wary about a professor/student dynamic being a teacher myself. That was not this book though, thank goodness. There was so much joy in this book that it made me smile so much. Lila and Reed were absolutely meant to be, and I loved watching their relationship develop. I especially loved how Reed fell equally as in love with Lila's mind as he did the rest of her. We love a man that lifts his queen up!

The only stipulation I had for this book was the age gap. Not because I thought it was a problem, but because I really did think that Lila had some growing up to do before jumping headfirst into a relationship. This was shown towards the end, but I would have liked a little more.

I will post my review for this book on my social media on 9/20.

Wow, just wow! Honestly, this series was in my TBR for a very long time — I was waiting for the right moment to start it, and let me tell you, I found that right moment! First things first, I haven't read the first two books, so I kind of went in blind and got to know where the couples from the previous books ended up. But if you're afraid to start this series from this book, please don't be. It could be read as a standalone, and I definitely understood the family dynamic, which was basically the heart of this book. This warm feeling cocooned me from the very first interaction between Lila and her parents, and it didn't let me go until the end. It was perfect, you know? I absolutely adored this book and the message it sent. That message found me when I needed it the most, and I don't know if it's the universe telling me something or not, but this book felt like a hug after an exhausting day, like a breath of fresh air after being in a crowded room.

I was really hesitant to request it because I read that it's a forbidden attraction between an intern and her supervisor, and I'm not really a fan of such dynamics as I feared it could be another Aria x Ezra situation (yes, PLL traumatized me for life), but in no way did it feel like that. The age gap is quite big, but both characters are so mature and thoughtful; they absolutely understand the dynamic between them, and their bond is explored with such a care. It felt so layered and complex, so intense and powerful. I absolutely loved the connection between Lila and Reed and how their story evolved. The chemistry shone through the pages, and I was fascinated by it, but most importantly, I loved how strong and captivating they both were.

This book sends such a beautiful and empowering message, and I'm so, so, so thankful for it because I read it when I needed to hear those words of affirmation.

Lila is written for girls like myself — for girls who don't believe in their worth, who tend to minimize their achievements to not offend other people, for the pathological people pleasers. I felt so seen when I read her POV; it felt like Lisina Coney just wrote everything that I felt: every insecurity, every intrusive thought, every uncertainty. I absolutely loved Lila and how real she felt. My heart was literally breaking, and I wanted to scream whenever Lila doubted herself and couldn't believe that she deserved to be praised for her extraordinary mind, that she was valued because of who she is and not because of her parents or privilege.

The last 20% of this book showcased the real growth for Lila, and I absolutely loved how the healing was explored. How Lila needed to discover herself outside of her dreams to be able to move forward and accept that she was worth it, that she deserved the spot she fought for. Would I have wanted to read more about the time Lila spent in her aunt's city? Yes, sure, but even with this small amount of self-reflection, I believed in Lila's journey. I saw how she changed and matured throughout it all.

As for Reed, look, give me a man that doesn't believe in love until he meets that one girl, and I'll eat it up every time. He was perfect, and I don't even know where to start. His story broke my heart, but throughout the progression of this book, his story also mended my heart bit by bit. I loved how calm and collected, but at the same time so emotional, Reed was. How he acted with those kids from the youth center really made me want to cry because he never knew unconditional love and support, but he was still able to give those kids everything they needed.

Also, him and the puppy? I'm not even kidding, but when Reed and Lila were taking care of Ginny after the kids found her, I cried like crazy. The scene in the vet clinic? Please, I was on the verge of a mental breakdown because of Ginny. However, it was so beautiful to see how Reed finally was able to deal with his previous trauma by taking care of the puppy, how he understood that it wasn't him who was responsible for Daisy's disappearance.

Reed's healing story was absolute perfection; I loved how the traumatizing events from his childhood were explored with such care.

Now, Reed and Lila.

When he cares for you more than he cares for anything else >>>>>>

Honestly, I had my concerns because of the big age gap and the potential dynamic, but I swear I've never been so happy to be so wrong. Their chemistry? Amazing! Their dynamic? Absolutely mesmerising! Their scenes? I wanted more! And it's not often I can say such things about similar couples.

I loved how the story between them evolved in parallel to their own stories — how they needed to heal individually before starting their journey together. It was absolutely beautiful and captivating. The hesitation between them was completely understandable, and I honestly had quite a few moments where I thought that maybe by the end of this book they could stay separated, as with all that moral stuff, it would have been understandable too. But also, I absolutely enjoyed the ending and how things were handled. The message of finding yourself before entering any relationship is the one that a lot of people need to hear, and I loved how this was explored in this book.

Along with some really swoon-worthy scenes from both Reed and Lila, throughout this whole book, I wanted more! I wanted them to finally get together, to finally follow their hearts, but let me promise you that the wait is one hundred percent worth it! It was so, so, so good; by the end, I was really a mess, but I loved every bit of it!

So, in conclusion, I can say that this book was absolutely perfect! With complicated dynamics, some beautifully written storylines, and perfectly crafted dynamics between the characters. As I haven't read the first two books, I'm definitely going to get back to them because I need to know the full story of Cal and Grace and Maddie and James. And I know I'm going to cry when reading Maddie's book because I already feel so sympathetic toward her.

Anyway, if you're having doubts about whether this book is what you need, please just try it. I know I did, and I don't regret it at all!

Lisina Coney has done it again.. Three times in a row. As a chronic over-thinker, I adored Lila and getting to be in her head. Reed is just as swoon-worthy as Cal and James. I also can't ignore the value of the subplots and topics Lisina threads throughout her stories. Sexual education via bibliotherapy, trauma informed care, men who go to therapy, how to teach kids about consent.... *snaps fingers*

I literally couldn't put this book down. The story is well written. I loved the connection between Lila and Reed - I felt butterflies in my stomach. This was my first book in this series for me. It can be read as a stand alone, but I am going to read the other two books before this one. This was my first book by this author, and she is a favourite of mine now!

I absolutely love Lisina’s slow burn, tender romances and this was no different! Reed and Lila truly found a home in my heart. The age gap, family connection, forbidden romance aspects were very well done and the tender unfolding of love and trust was seriously gut wrenching. As with the other books in the series, the themes around healing, in particular, were thoughtfully explored and I really appreciated how both characters treated each other with such grace and respect. The epilogue of all the characters back together really sealed the deal as one of my favourite romance trilogies ever!

I loved this book. The story between the FMC and the MMC was so beautiful. The struggles and trauma added so much to the character development. I don’t normally love age gap where they know each other but this was so good. I ate this up. A stunning and beautiful story.

I absolutely loved the healing process that took place between the characters in this book. The stories of the children from the youth center were also very interesting. The author has created a diverse cast of characters, and there were moments in the book that made me stop and think. The love story between Reed and Lila was absolutely beautiful and tragic at the same time. It showed that time and distance can bring people closer together through healing and self-reflection. The character development of both Reed and Lila was amazing, and I found myself completely absorbed in their journey throughout the book. Not only was the relationship between Lila and Reed intense, but so was her struggle with self-worth and identity. This made me turn the pages quickly, as I was eager to see where her journey would take her. Reed, on the other hand, went through his own difficult childhood and had his own journey to complete. Together, these two characters formed an incredible pair that I couldn't help but root for.

Such a full circle moment to have the final book in this series be about Grace & Cal’s daughter. What I loved the most was how Lila and Reed’s relationship developed so naturally. The tension, angst, and slow burn were done so well.

This book was the perfect conclusion to this series.
Lila and Reed have a very unique dynamic. Forbidden, yes. Immoral, no. The author writes age gap perfectly. In this latest book, I found a lot of what I loved in the first. Cal and Grace have raised a young woman to be proud of. Reed's backstory broke my heart, the man is a walking green flag. I loved it all.

This book was the perfect conclusion to this series.
Lila and Reed have a very unique dynamic. Forbidden, yes. Immoral, no. The author writes age gap perfectly. In this latest book, I found a lot of what I loved in the first. Cal and Grace have raised a young woman to be proud of. Reed's backstory broke my heart, the man is a walking green flag. I loved it all.

what a great conclusion to this series. Lila and Reed’s story was truly breathtaking. I am a sucker for an age gap but I don’t usually like professor student… The way this was handled was well done although it’s not my favorite. Lila was at times, annoying to me when she was talking about her people pleasing tendencies, but I understand that it was a real issue for her that she was trying to work through and appreciated the growth that she had in the end. Reed’s story was heartbreaking and I’m glad he also got to have some redemption at the end. I love how the epilogue had all the characters from the series altogether and happy and I’m glad things ended the way that they did.