Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Skye Warren’s Hiding Places begins where her Best Kept Secret, the final book of her Rochester trilogy, left off: with Jane and Beau reveling in their happy ending. This story invites us into their life post-Emily revelation and as Jane determines where she intends her life to continue. Hiding Places weaves the points of view of Beau, Jane, Emily, and Mateo. Beau struggles with his undying love for Jane and his concern that he is derailing her plans. Jane juggles her love for Beau and connection to Paige with her future college plans. Of the two, Jane seems the most settled in her decision whereas Beau berates himself as her aged paramour. Their story is placed in contrast to Emily’s involvement in her brother’s court case and her burgeoning interest in Mateo, Beau’s best friend and a successful movie actor. Each chapter reveals each character’s struggles in the specter of the trial and the future.
I will never say no to an update from readers’ favorite characters. Warren continuously surprises her readers with epilogues and short scenes to allow us back into her favorite worlds. And I enjoyed catching up with Jane and Beau while being enticed by Emily and Mateo’s growing love story. However, Hiding Places reads a bit messy as Warren tells two stories, vacillating between the two. I ended this book unsatisfied. It simply ended with lots of questions about all four characters. While I enjoy returning to the characters’ stories, I would have loved separate spaces for these two couples. I know that Hiding Places was initially intended for Kindle Vella, and I wonder if it should have remained there with Warren adding to it until both couples’ stories reached fulfillment.
Again, I will always love Skye Warren’s capacity for developing worlds of stories, but I think Hiding Places needed a bit more…and I hate leaving a world feeling unfulfilled.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Professor Romance 