Last on the List
by Amy Daws
My review:
I’ve enjoyed every book that I’ve ever read by Amy Daws, but I must say that I think this one, “Last on the List”, is my absolute favorite. The characters are wonderful and are people, not just two-dimensional words on a page. It’s one of those books where I wanted to keep reading because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next, but I also wanted to slow down so I could make it last as long as possible. This is the 5th and final book in the ‘Wait With Me’ series. You can read and enjoy it as a standalone, but you do yourself a favor and go back to enjoy the rest of the series as well if you haven’t already.
Millionaire Max and his wife had their daughter less than a year after college graduation. By the time little Everly was two, the marriage was over. Max successfully co-parents with his ex. His beloved daughter is only with him from Friday evening until Monday morning three weekends a month, except when his ex is traveling on business. Max is totally devoted to Everly, and when she’s not around hes totally devoted to his business – which is the key factor as to how he became a millionaire. When his ex takes a job assignment that will have her out of the country for the summer, Max needs to hire a nanny. After a disappointing array of applicants, he gets to the last name on the list … Cassandra, who prefers to be called Cozy. From her tie-dyed interview clothes to her hippie vibe ideas about a summer of doing nothing, she’s completely inappropriate for the job. The problem then is that Everly is sitting in for the nanny interviews and is desperate to have Cozy be hired. Against his better judgment, Max gives in to his daughter’s wishes. Even Cozy is startled that she gets the job, but she’s genuinely happy about it. She’s trying to reset her life and is certain this summer is going to help.
The story is told primarily from alternating points of view, so we have a window into what’s going on with the main characters. Even so, the author does a terrific job slowly revealing key information about both Max and Cozy. There is some serious angst within the pages, and you should probably keep a tissue handy when you read. There are also plenty of hilarious moments, and when things get steamy between them, it’s like a five-alarm fire. I thought the author did a wonderful job conveying the truth of Cozy’s battle against feeling insecure because she wears a plus size (although I didn’t think her size as given was all that big), and very legitimate concerns she has about her future. I also thought it was excellent how well Max’s understandable insecurities were expressed. For both of them, the struggle is real. Everly is a great character in her own right and added so much to the story. If you’re familiar with other books in the ‘Wait With Me’ series, you get to see the main characters from each story make appearances in this one. I thought the ending of this story was perfect, but I have to take a moment and make a plea to the author … Please tell us that Max’s brothers will get their own series because it would be cruel to introduce us to them and never let us see them again!