When I first saw this book added to the Montague Siblings series, I was beyond excited. I’d completely forgotten about the third child, only a baby when the last two books had taken place. And as I watched the synopsis get tweaked every few months, I could hardly wait for its release. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long, and I must thank Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandals and Shipwrecks begins with Adrian, an up-and-coming political writer with a promising future ahead of him. So much younger than his older siblings, without even a clue of their existence, Adrian is brought up as his father’s only son, the heir to the estate. Adrian, however, has extreme anxiety that colors every part of his life. When his mother unexpectedly dies, that mental illness he’s had all his life threatens to reveal itself to everyone he knows.

When a mysterious relic of hers falls into Adrian’s hands, in pursuit of answers, he comes face to face with Monty, the older brother he never knew he had. They journey to locate their sister, Felicity, and the Montagues embark on one final adventure in pursuit of answers to a haunted legend that threatens their family.

While this third installment keeps the humor that the first two books so dearly captured, this one also deals with hard topics. While some things discussed in the first two regarded epilepsy, aromanticism, and other things, this book deals heavily on the reality of general anxiety disorder and the crippling effect it has on so many lives. Mackenzie Lee herself expresses her desire in the author’s note that she wants to show that although anxiety as a mental illness wasn’t defined until 1980, it is something that people have had to struggle with throughout all of history. She has also written this disorder from a place of commonality with Adrian, as she has lived with GAD as well.

Adrain’s thoughts are packed full of metaphors, and always a lot to get your mind around, but they are beautiful, and so, so interesting to read. He is also such an endearing character that lets the reader into every corner of his crowded mind, someone readers can relate to and care about. His thoughts overflow with no barrier, and yet, that level of having his guard down even among his own mind and the reader makes him the most lovable out of the three siblings, in my opinion.

I really enjoyed getting to see the siblings interact with each other, and eventually seeing them expose their hearts to one another. In the end, sibling love is a truly deep thing, and Monty, Felicity, and Adrian envelop that desire to love one another beautifully, going so far as to outright express it in words and actions with each other.

While the previous two novels held a light-hearted adventure-type storyline, this one was heavier, but did not disappoint. The characters each go through major development to become the people we’ve always loved and become more and more proud of.

I was afraid about having to go through such a big time skip between the second and third books, but it was so well done, and the characters we know and love, like Monty, Felicity, and Percy, are the same, only older, and with more life experiences under their belts. I so enjoyed the banter that continued between Monty and Felicity, and I also really enjoyed seeing Adrian able to make his way into being a part of that.

In all, I was very pleased with this conclusion, and I will be sad to see the end of this series behind me. These characters are so raw and real, flawed but loveable, historical and witty, relatable in real-life issues, and just downright charming to read about. It truly has been a pleasure to read Lee’s intricate, fun, and real writing, and the Montague siblings won’t be easily forgettable for anyone.

The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee is an absolute gem of literature. The main character’s, Adrian Montague’s, anxiety is written beautifully and scarily accurate. As someone with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) the descriptions of fidgeting, overthinking, and touch aversion are very well written, and I feel did justice to the feeling of anxiety. The plot itself is also a wonderful journey, everything that makes the Montagues...well the Montagues, is displayed in this book. Monty’s constant chaos, being a wonderful older sibling, overdramatic reactions, and undying love for Percy is shown in full light throughout the novel. Felicity is just as witty and smart as ever, and her banter with Monty is a comforting thing to read amongst the madness of the adventure. Though let’s not forget the fact that all characters have their faults, each character (pre-existing or new) is shown with their heart on their sleeve. The new characters are fantastic, and Lee has a wonderful way with words and setting up scenes, whereas the reader you feel like you stepped into the book. The only issue I found was descriptions of characters. The descriptions were few and far between, even though it could be because Adrian himself doesn’t describe people heavily, it really takes a reader out of an experience when you’re not sure how they look. Specific instances are, Adrian’s fiancée and George (Georgie), it’s never explicitly stated what they look like. Though that doesn’t make the book horrible or the plot hard to follow, it’s mildly irritating to not know something as simple as a hair/eye color. Overall, the story is a beautiful end to a series. I highly recommend the entire series but especially The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks; it’s an adventure novel full of pirates and ghosts and 1700s travel, but it’s also a wonderful story about family, mental health, and how not everything is always perfect but as long as there is love, support and sheer force of will, there is hope. I give The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee a 9/10, a perfect end to series with exquisite writing and a brilliant story.

I just loved this! Adrian is a really endearing narrator. His anxiety just oozes off the page, as well as his good intentions and difficulty in achieving them. And I really loved seeing the elder Montagues in action. Really satisfying character and plot work! I couldn't put it down.

I'll freely admit to finding Adrian the least charming of the Montagues. But, this is a good opportunity to come across some old friends (I'm looking at you Johanna, Percy, and Johanna's puppies) and definitely felt like an organic addition to a series I'm pretty sad to see end.

This book was a good wrap-up to the trilogy. I enjoyed seeing characters like Monty and Felicity all grown up as well as seeing their youngest brother as a full character of his own.

I am so happy with this book! The Nobleman's Guide focuses on the youngest Montague sibling, Adrian, who must deal with the aftermath of his mother's mysterious death while also battling his anxiety/OCD.

The book (like it's predecessors) is adventurous, funny, and emotional, bringing the reader on another adventure overseas. Adrian meeting his older siblings was raw, silly, and heartwarming and I loved that Monty had become wise and kinder, while also realizing he still had flaws and vices he was working through. ALSO PERCY. So happy to see him!

I'm in awe of how well the mental illness portion of this book was accurately represented. As someone with anxiety and OCD I was able to connect and understand Adrian's struggles and it's written so that neurotypical readers can empathize as well.

If you enjoyed any of the other books in the series you NEED to read this. It's a perfect ending to the siblings stories.

My favorite quote:
"I would not say I’m well, but I would say I’m better, which feels more important."

This was a fantastic fun ride with all the charm and adventure of an old timey high seas pirate story but with a modern storytelling style. It had endearing characters and touching relationships. It managed to strike an effective balance between all the action sequences and the quieter introspective moments we get from narrator Adrian. I enjoyed this a lot and thought it was well-written. The mystery that drives the story was compelling and satisfying; revelations are made along the way, then immediately followed by new questions, and it never felt too predictable.

Right from the outset, the characters got me hooked. Adrian’s fiancée Louisa is a wonderful secondary character. She understands him in a way no one else does. They make a good team. His burgeoning relationship with his brother Monty is so fun to watch develop and very touching. Adrian wants nothing more than to get to know Monty and it’s impossible not to root for them to become close as the story progresses - then the same thing when his sister comes into it. The scenes with all three of the siblings are some of my favorites. (I definitely plan on going back and reading the first two books in the series now.)

I really loved reading the book in Adrian’s perspective. He is a very kind, lovable, and intelligent guy who experiences debilitating anxiety. The first person POV allows you to be privy to his every overwrought thought. It’s an incredibly intimate (and impressively accurate) look at the inner workings of someone experiencing anxious/intrusive thoughts and self-doubt. Kudos to the author for doing justice to the mental health aspect of the book.

Adrian is also struggling with grief over having recently lost his beloved mother under circumstances he doesn’t fully understand, while his relationship with his father, who has no patience for his emotional or psychological needs, is more strained than ever. Adrian writes treatises (under an alias) promoting progressive reform, in direct opposition to his own father’s conservative political agenda in the House of Lords. It created an agonizing tension that I think is actually super relatable especially considering our current political climate.

This is a plot-driven book with loads of drama, amazing characters, and a compelling mystery at its heart that kept me turning the page. For all intents and purposes I read this as a stand-alone and it works really well as such, though I bet it’s even better for those who have read the first two in the series. Whether you’ve read the others or not, this is an excellent read. (And the final chapter was **chef’s kiss**.)

4.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Much thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the DRC.

Ever since The Gentleman's Guide To Vice & Virtue was published years ago, Mackenzi Lee has kept me waiting in anticipation to join The Montague Siblings for at least one more adventure on top of adventure. It comes with bittersweet joy that she has premised us one last adventure with the youngest Montague, Adrian. Heir to title and fortune, Adrian Montague seems to want for nothing, but not everything is as it seems. After the death of his mother -the only person who understood him- and the thinning patience of his father (who stands against everything political Adrian believes in), Adrian sets off on a quest to gather answers about the mysterious death of his mother while also fighting the crushing tide of his own anxiety. When he unexpectantly discovers he has a long-lost older brother, Adrian and Monty set sail only to be met with pirates, betrayal, and more hidden family secrets. This last encounter with the Montagues is a bittersweet ending to a family's saga of acceptance and adventure. While it may be the end of the line for the Montagues, I do hope Mackenzi Lee keeps surprising us with unique and clever stories for years to come.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Katherine Tegen Books for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Adrian Montague is adrift. He has both feet firmly planted on the ground, but since his mother’s sudden death, his tentative and slippery grip on life is beginning to go. His anxiety is eating him alive, his father’s endless disappointment is making him want to turn inside out and disappear, and his ghost writing of “radical” pamphlets for workers’ rights is not helping his already struggling mental health. So just imagine what finding out he has a secret older brother does to his already unsteady outlook.

When a box of his mother’s personal affects is delivered with half of a spyglass inside it, Adrian will embark on a journey that includes surprise siblings, pirates, and a ship that ferries the dead from this world to the next…or would if Adrian’s mother hadn’t stolen The Flying Dutchman’s spyglass and sent the sea and its sailors into absolute chaos. Adrian might be able to resolve things if he can just hold onto his sanity a little while longer.

I can’t believe I am about to type this, and, believe me, I am shocked by this, but…I actually liked Monty in this book. I guess eight and ten years have made him, if not a fully functioning adult, then at least a somewhat mature older brother. He’s actually a rather good brother (considering of whom we are speaking here) and is much less self-involved. Perhaps it is the sobriety. Whatever the cause, he is a much improved character in this finale to Mackenzi Lee’s Montague Siblings trilogy.

I spent most of the book wanting to hand Adrian a Xanax. My God, that poor boy and his crippling anxiety was almost too much to comprehend. How horrible it must have been to have such a disorder in a time when no one understood it. And to have such an affliction with a father like that. It is a wonder Adrian survived in the aftermath of his mother’s death, being left alone with the awful Henry Montague (senior – not to be confused with Monty).

That being said, I did grow tired of the repeated anxiety spells and descriptions. Not because I lack empathy, but because I thought they slowed the plot to a glacial pace. Every time I thought it might pick up a bit, I got another long explanation of Adrian’s self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness and pending failure. In a book of 464 pages, these scenes could have been cut back without affecting the portrayal or severity of Adrian’s mental health issues. To be honest, I did start skimming some of these just to get to some actual plot advancement.

I was glad that the supporting cast of characters from the first two books had roles in this one as well, and I was happily surprised that I ended up liking Saad and that he wasn’t a one-dimensional villain. However, there was not enough Percy for me, and I still think he should get his own book.

I do hope some editing can take place before this goes to publication as there are many mistakes, missing words, or extraneous words that all detract from the overall reading experience. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable, if overly long, end to the series, and I look forward to what Mackenzi Lee will write next.

This was such a good continuation of the series! I loved seeing more of Adrian and getting more of this enchanting world. Mackenzi Lee writes some phenominal books.

Just about a perfect end to this series. Flawlessly executed with meaningful plot and characters existing in perfect harmony

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for this advanced readers copy. I am especially grateful to have gotten this book before November, so that I had the time to fully experience it before the school year began. This review is somewhat spoilerish- but nothing that will ruin the fundamental plot points.

At its core, each book, like each Montague sibling who narrates it, presents a fairly common dilemma faced by YA/New Adult readers- when you are square peg in a round hole, what's the best way to survive? In Gent's Guide, Monty is both bisexual and (seriously undiagnosed) ADHD., which results in behavior unacceptable to his peerage family, particularly his father. This book is the more popular than the second in the series because Monty's pain at his father's lack of acceptance and his own resulting self-hatred and acting out is so very intense and for many readers, so very relatable. Felicity, the heroine of the second book, takes basically the same journey because she must also decide whether the pain and loss of life as a social outcast is worse than the consequences of a life of minimizing your selfhood. However, Felicity's arc seems less dramatic because she is of a more scientific temperament; however, that doesn't mean her choice to follow a career and forge a solo path follows that she gives up less than her brother to be herself.

Now we have Adrian. Toward the end of Nobleman's Guide, Monty tells Adrian, "You may be the best of us." He's right about Adrian's book too.
Monty expects Adrian is the son his father always wanted, but Monty could never be, and Adrian does try. He tries so hard. From the outside, it probably looks like he has succeeded. He is tall, handsome, rich, intelligent, noble. He's even engaged to a remarkable woman who actually loves him. However, Adrian suffers from anxiety which has lead to depression which in turn has led to OCD as a coping mechanism, and he is facing an emotional exhaustion that does view suicide or death as a potential escape. Adrian is not really at all equipped when grief over the loss of a beloved mother and the trauma of discovering the existence of two older siblings is added to his issues.

But here's the thing I love about Adrian. He just keeps trying, which is an example that the target audience for this book needs to see- especially as mental illness diagnoses continue to rise. Lee does not pull punches in describing what Adrian's experiences in fighting his internal battles. I'm not sure what it will be like for readers who do not suffer from anxiety and OCD to read this book, but those who can relate like me will find a disturbingly realistic portrayal of an anxious mind that gets stuck on the daily gerbil wheel of wondering what you did wrong, who is mad at you, why weren't you better, what if someone criticizes you. Adrian discovers he's actually good in near-death. crisis situations because he's able to hyperfixate on a specific urgency, but his mind unravels and paralyzes him with any little uncertainty of everyday life like whether the water he drank was unsafe. I'm anticipating Lee getting some criticism for this not being realistic, but it's actually the nature of the illness. In fact, I had to put the book down and walk away a few times because Adrian started taking me down the spiral with him. If it was that hard to read, I can't imagine the strength it took to write Adrian's experiences. It's not a fun headspace to live in.

Like his brother and sister before him, Adrian has to look in the mirror and accept that he's just. ... always going to be different. His fiancé and his siblings accept this about him even before he himself does. Once he does accept this, he has a decision to make. Will he accept a difficult life on life's terms, keep trying to get the joy as well as the agony? Or will he chose death which while it might be easier or even more peaceful, is ultimately bleak?

Monty and Felicity are in this book as well. In their thirties and with greying hair, they both still make mistakes and have setbacks. Adults do that sometimes. They're not perfect. They let people down too, even after they've had their epiphanies of spiritual growth. But like their brother, they have kept trying. They set that example for him. It may not get easier. There are days where you won't do better. But they show Adrian how to get back up, no matter how low you've fallen backward, and keep trying so that you can find the people who have compassion for you and care about you and help you to the joy.

In nit-picking news, some spelling errors need to be corrected before the book officially goes to press. Also, Lord Montague's reaction to Adrian's absence and what Adrian tells him about his siblings gets glossed over more than I'd like, especially as he has a strong presence at the start of the narrative. (And there's never enough Percy in all three books). But the important messages of this book- what it's like, you're not alone, it's worth it- are very well done.

4.5/5 for me. I have never, ever, read a book that so accurately portrays mental illness, specifically anxiety and OCD. This author captured it so vividly, and I especially appreciate that she didn’t save her magic author wand and magically make it go away at the end, and instead focused on how to make it manageable.

This book follows Adrian Montague, the youngest Montague, who feels both hopeless and helpless against his own mind. He is determined to solve the mystery of how his mother really died, and in so doing, believes he has found evidence that his mother - and this himself - was cursed by none other than the Flying Dutchman. He sets off on an adventure that has him crossing oceans and continents in search of a lost shipwreck, racing against time and pirates to figure out what really happened.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, even though I had to put it aside at times because I felt as exhausted as Adrian described himself as feeling at times.

I'm probably not the best person to be posting an early review of this book, because I'm a casual fan of the series at best (I read The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and gave it 3.5 stars, didn't read Felicity's book). But for better or for worse, Net Galley gifted me with an ARC, so here we are.

The Nobleman's Guide is narrated by Adrian, who was just an infant when Monty and Felicity left home; in fact, he doesn't know they exist. His mother has recently died under mysterious circumstances, and the lifelong anxieties and compulsive thoughts that have plagued him have worsened. When his cruel, autocratic father gives him a box of his mother's belongings, including a spyglass that she always kept with her, Adrian decides to track down its origin, hoping it will give him a clue to how and why she died. That leads him to the shocking discovery that he has an older brother, who is not at all happy to see him, and starts him on a journey of adventure and discovery.

Adrian is a sympathetic character but at times being in his head is almost too much. He is wracked with anxiety and self-hatred, catastrophizing everything possible and apologizing profusely for his very existence. In 18th century England, there is no name for his illness and no sympathy for his odd behavior. Yet he is also a brilliant writer of radical political treatises, and somewhere along the line he managed to become engaged to a smart, understanding woman. The gradual development of his relationship with the still outrageous Monty (and to a lesser extent Felicity) is at the heart of the book, as is his realization that he is worthy of love, anxieties and all.

The adventure plot is fun, as the siblings travel to Morocco, Portugal, Amsterdam and Iceland, facing natural and human dangers. I assume that many of the people they encounter were first seen in Monty and Felicity's books, but although I don't remember many details about #1 and skipped #2, I didn't feel lost. I don't think this book entirely stands alone, though; if I hadn't read Gentleman's Guide I would have been horrified at Monty's behavior (I still find him less charming than Lee thinks he is) and the epilogue would not have had the same emotional impact. There is a touch of paranormal flavor, although it's never fully clear if it's real or part of Adrian's mental illness (perhaps that's the point). Lee's writing style is energetic and humorous, but serious enough to inspire the reader's investment in the characters.

The book did suffer from a few nagging weaknesses. First, we never learn how Adrian met his fiancé Louisa, or how he overcame his self-doubts enough to get close to her. Secondly, Monty's beloved Percy is absent for 95% of the book. While that allows the focus to be on the siblings, I missed his presence and his singular ability to keep Monty from being The Absolute Worst. Finally there is a missed opportunity for the siblings to bond that inexplicably doesn't happen.

But overall Nobleman's Guide was truly enjoyable; a rollicking adventure helmed by a hero whose mental illness doesn't prevent him from achieving his goals and finding a flawed but definitely loving family.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.

It’s not often that one comes across a series that is well researched and written, thoughtful, and sweet, but also just completely and totally BONKERS.

But here we are at the conclusion of Mackenzi Lee’s Montague Siblings trilogy, which ends every bit as well as it started, and maybe even better.

There’s a big time gap between the second and third books in this series, enough to allow Adrian to grow up sufficiently to narrate the third novel in the trilogy. The baby brother who Felicity and Monty said goodbye to when they went to make their own way in the world is now an adult, engaged to be married, slated for a seat in Parliament, and filled with crippling anxiety.

Let’s pause a moment here to discuss how well Lee handled the topic of Generalized Anxiety and the way it affected the protagonist and those around him. I really admire this honest and at times brutal portrait of anxiety that pulls back the curtain in a knowledgable and empathetic way about an oft misunderstood mental illness without ever getting too precious about it. Adrian’s struggles are beautifully woven into the type of madcap adventure story that we’ve come to know and love in this series.

And what an adventure it is. The pirate republic of Salé makes an appearance (yay and double yay!) as do Dutch Golden Age vanitas paintings, and—gasp—the legend of The Flying Dutchman. I felt like this book was written to satisfy my own very specific dorky historical and fantastical enthusiasms, and I’m betting I’m not the only one who will feel that way.

That, right there, might be what Mackenzi Lee does best. These books feel like home when you read them, no matter who you are or what you seek, because they so beautifully illustrate the importance of acceptance of others (warts and all) and that we all deserve love and loyalty, even during the times when we don’t love ourselves all that much.

Extra points for historical accuracy any place where it was possible in this one, and just for creating the best dang fictional family out there in the Montagues.

Felicity is still my favorite Montague and the first book was my favorite plot-wise, but I think the third and final installment in the series may be the best one overall. All three were an incredible joy to read, and I will miss them dearly.

The thrilling conclusion to the Montague Siblings trilogy! Adrian Montague has it all: wealth, a title, and a devoted fiancee. He is has debilitating anxiety, and is buckling under the expectations placed on him by his father and the fear he will be found out as a secret activist who writes pamphlets in support of reform. Then he finds out that he has a brother and sister he never knew about, Monty and Felicity (protagonists of the previous novels). When he suspects his mother's own mental illness lead to her untimely death, Adrian sets out to find out the truth behind the curse of the Flying Dutchman and his mother's role in it. He, Monty, and Felicity set out on a swashbuckling adventure, full of family drama, mystery, and secrets. Full of heart and characters you will want to root for, this is a satisfying end to the Montague siblings' story.

I'll admit, I was nervous about such a large time skip in-between books (of about 18-19 years), but I really shouldn't've been. Mackenzi Lee pulled out all the stops for this final entry in the Montague siblings series, and she delivers. The same style, humor, and pacing carried over into this installment, with the added bonus of a main character we've seen before, but haven't truly met. Adrian is slightly older than Monty or Felicity were in their POV entries, and in a much different place in his life, as he's soon going to be married and take over his father's seat in the house of lords. A year prior, their mother committed suicide, but a chance encounter with her recovered belongings, namely a spyglass she carried everywhere with her, sends Adrian on a mad dash to uncover the truth of her death. Along the way, he runs into Monty and Percy, who are running a struggling shipping company, learns he has not one, but two siblings, helps save Felicity from being marooned, and leads his siblings on a wild adventure that only he seems to fully believe in. We also get some very good representation in Adrian, who's mental illness is likened to general anxiety and OCD in Lee's author notes. As someone who deals with both in varying capacities, having a character like Adrian who's so fantastically written is a wonderful thing. While i'm sad the series is over, this book is a fitting end, full of adventure, sibling shenanigans, and a satisfying end to all three Montagues' stories.

I have never related more to a character that I did with Adrian Montague. That line, which happens towards the beginning of the book, sold me on his character, his anxiety, and pretty much most of the book. Unfortunately, the ending wasn't as strong as the beginning, but we'll get into that.

I just want to start by saying that the wait for this book is worth it. As the author noted, this book was heavily revised. In fact, I truly hope that the summary for this book is updated on Goodreads because the summary that's there as of today (17 July 2021) does not match the final product at all. Like, I sincerely wonder if Lee wrote two different books and then just picked one to be the final product. Pretty much the only thing that remains the same is that Adrian has a mental illness and that he grew up not knowing his siblings. He ends up going on an adventure, and it's in the course of that adventure that he meets his siblings and realizes his destiny.

As noted above, the book starts off really strong. I love Adrian, I adore him. I suffer from anxiety, so I felt the spirals he goes on on a soul deep level. Lee's writing is witty and fabulous. The characters are well-developed and multi-faceted. Unfortunately, after meeting Monty, the story just kind of goes on this weird ass tangent/saga where Lee tried to merge the original story she had written with the new one that had emerged (at least, that's my best guess). It.... sort of works? But it mostly doesn't. I was ready for a swashbuckling tale and pirates... the actual story kind of took a turn into the paranormal that just didn't quite fit the rest of the story. Additionally, it's like 200 hundred pages of Adrian being angsty at sea. As much as I love Adrian (and Lee's writing style), I was beginning to have PTSD flashbacks to the camping chapters in the seventh Harry Potter book.

For those of you who were wondering, yes, Percy is in the story and he is still up for sainthood. Honestly, while I know this story is supposed to focus on the Montagues, I wish we could have had about 400 more chapters with Percy in it. He's delightfully wonderful.

If you liked the other Montague sibling stories, then definitely pick this one up when it comes out later this year. It's a solid end to the series.

SPOILERS AHOY

3 stars

I've enjoyed the Montague books so far and I did mostly like this one as well, although it feels a little awkwardly tacked on since Adrian is so much younger than Monty and Felicity; there’s a big time jump between Lady’s Guide and this book.

If my math is right, Monty, Percy, and Felicity are in (or very near) their thirties but they certainly don’t come across that way. In this book, they all act much like they did in the first two books when they were literal teenagers, so it feels weird that the main character of this book is the baby Goblin from the first book because the other Montagues don't seem much different than they were fifteen years ago or however long it's been.

That being said, I appreciate that we got to actually meet the youngest Montague, who is barely a footnote in his siblings' stories. I'm also very happy that Lou turned out to be a good partner for him; I was waiting for the reveal that Adrian's fiancée was a jerk and he'd fall in love with someone else on the journey but I'm glad to be wrong! I think Lee does a good job portraying Adrian’s struggles with his mental illness, and I particularly appreciate that the book shows that abuse can be more than just physical harm; Henri Montague might not have hit Adrian like he did with Monty but he’s still an abuser.

(This book must have gone through some major rewrites because the original summary was only vaguely similar to the actual book; I see they've since updated the description to more accurately reflect the current plot)

I liked this book for the most part, but I honestly think I'd only recommend it to people who REALLY enjoyed the other two books of the series. In my opinion this is the weakest book of the trilogy.