three for three, i adore these books.

i think the books decrease in “plot-ness” as you get through the series, this one is 90% “will they, won’t they” and it’s not enough to carry the whole book. i was really worried that martian would die at the end because given the first two books, the last chapter saves the entire book.

in book one and two, while they’re not strictly sequential this one feels like the only one you couldn’t read alone because it’s lacking in non-relationship plot. book one has philip and ben with the children and the threat returning to sea then hartley and sam have the paintings, hartley’s trauma and the pub but if this book was going to be martian and will plus martian’s health it just wasn’t enough.

i absolutely loved the tattoos at the end, it completely filled my heart. i want a fourth book to see everyone in their relationships and all domestic.