Rhett | Riley Hart
The Swift brothers so very quickly captured my heart, and I really wanted to dislike Rhett in the previous books but I KNEW that he was hurting as much as his brothers- and I was not wrong. Riley took us on quite the journey with these three Swift brothers, but oh boy was it worth it. Rhett is the oldest of the Swift brothers and to me always felt as an outsider looking in with his siblings and family had the most pressure to be just like his father, Gregory. At almost forty Rhett decides to take his life back and make it his own, and it is scary- especially since he is also so very lonely. The way Riley wrote Rhett I felt like was right next to him feeling his emotions pour out of him. The self doubt that he could not shake over almost every interaction almost broke me. Rhett’s anxiety all but seeped out of his pores- it is clear that Hart has a deep understanding of anxiety and how it impacts people in different ways. Rhett was often short with people when things didn’t go the way he thought they would in his head, second guessed himself almost constantly, struggled to relax, and the feeling that he didn’t belong in any situation. All that being said, it was also so amazing to get to watch Rhett transform, learn and grow through therapy and surrounding himself with people that genuinely cared about him. Rhett dives head first into his hobby of woodworking, which lands him a job with a friend. He is happy for what feels like the first time in his life.
Tripp has been one of my favorite characters in this series, and I was so happy to see that he was getting the love that he deserves. This man is just so kind, genuine- and seriously SUCH an amazing dad. The way he loves his child, the work he put into becoming the best parent for a trans child, and the love and patience he gives others is simply amazing. His daughter, Meadow is also such a special part of this series. She was always so intune with other people’s feelings and emotions, knowing just what people needed. She loves with her whole heart. Tripp and Meadow embraced Rhett, pulled him into their orbit and loved him fully just as he is. Tripp was so understanding and patient with Rhett. They complement one another so well- Rhett is serious where Tripp is laid back but together they are something so special. I wrapped this book up almost two weeks ago and I still am thinking about these characters! The emotion, love, and growth the characters have is very special. If you love emotionally gritty books, with dynamic characters this definitely needs to be on your TBR list.
