Cover Image: Final Offer

Final Offer

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

*sigh*
This series has a certain appeal for me. I really enjoyed Asher's previous books, though her writing style isn't really anything special in my opinion. I think she leans on cliches frequently and ultimately most of her characters are pretty similar.

I liked the two previous books, but I think this one was underdeveloped. It has some solid ideas behind it, but ultimately it didn't come up to snuff in the final product we got.

Cal is an interesting guy, and I would have liked a book that actually had him deal with his problems. We do know he's in therapy by the end, but aside from his ADHD meds, do we see him seeking medical intervention for the clear anxiety and panic disorder he exhibits? No. By the end, it seems like he made it to sobriety by just putting in the time, not the work. Cal also says he's pursing sobriety for himself, but it's not fully articulated why. The reader can see that his life is empty without Alana and later Cami, but we don't get that played out on-page.

Lana is an interesting character to me, and I liked a lot of the bones we saw with her. She has a family history of addiction, so she has reasons not to trust Cal or let him into the life of her little family. Honestly, her whole life felt like lazy writing. She's a Spanish teacher? We don't even know when she went to college, her life is only written about to fill blank spaces in her relationship with Cal. It'a as though she ceases to exist when he's not in town.

I am usually not anti-kid in romance books, but this one really annoyed me. Cami is the worst kind of kid in a contemporary romance: she's precocious, she can't pronounce words, and her only interests are princess related. She's a full-on moppet.

I had a few other small complaints about the book, but they don't really fit anywhere.
- How is Alana paying property taxes on this house? She doesn't even have the money to fix the roof!
- Alana is always moved when Cal does stuff that is literally just spending money. Spending money isn't automatically being thoughtful! Just because a guy buys you a trip to Disney with your kid doesn't mean he loves you!
- Alana's sister is a plot device who only appears briefly and is never mentioned again.
Was this review helpful?
thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of final offer by lauren asher. this was the 3rd book in the trilogy so not going to spoil but it was fantastic and its a good seller
Was this review helpful?
I don’t think anything will top Rowan and the first one. But man I am sad that this series is over. Few issues I had was the excessive ness of talking about Cals addiction like we get it stop saying the word addiction and bringing it up. And I get the kid was smart but her being in 1st well kindergarten it just felt that she was older than that. However, Lauren really knows how to wrap everything up and put a fucking pretty bow on it. Between the cameos and the last 20% I knew I was not going to sleep until I finished it. I loved that his and Iris’ friendship continued on. And even the interactions with his brothers all of it was a great amount and didn’t feel like it was pushing cameos. Again I’m very sad that this series is over but I’m so glad I picked it up.
Was this review helpful?
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

When I read the synopsis for Final Offer it immediately caught my attention that I didn’t notice it was the third book in a trilogy! Hahaha, I guess I’ll have to read the previous books to get to know the other two Kane brothers I’m already in love with. I was also amazed by the playlist the book comes with! I think this is the first book I’ve read where the author so nicely included a printed playlist to go along with the story. (laurenasher(.)com/laurens-mixtapes) 

The story begins with a dangerous late-in-the-night encounter between our lovely couple, Callahan Kane and Alana “Lana” Castillo. Cal has returned unannounced to his grandfather’s summer house in Lake Wisteria, where Lana has lived in for years since her family moved to the USA. Lana inherited the house from Cal’s grandfather and believes to be the rightful and only owner until Cal shows up claiming the house.

To Cal’s surprise, Lana has been living in the house for the past years with her five year old daughter. As soon as Cal hears this he immediately starts counting the days, months, and years to when he last saw his ex-girlfriend for what he thought would be the last time before promising to never return. Lana assures him that her daughter, Cami, is only hers and not Cal’s. Cal is somewhat hurt that Lana moved on, but he really can’t blame her after how things ended between them.

Cal and Lana learn that grandfather Kane’s inheritance wasn’t exactly the way he made it sound. Both were under the impression that each individually was the owner of the house, Lana to live in it and Cal to sell it in order to receive the rest of his money. For Lana, selling the house would mean losing everything she has worked for and taking Cami’s home from her, along with losing the memories of her mother. For Cal, having Lana as co-owner means not fulfilling his grandfather’s will and losing to his father, along with making his brother’s lose their inheritance as well. Lana will never agree to selling the house, especially knowing that Cal is still the spoiled rich boy she grew up with and that not even his drinking habit hasn’t changed. But after struggling to pursue Cal, Lana goes along with his plan knowing that if they raise the price on the house no one will buy it.

Lana was not expecting Cal returning to Lake Wisteria, especially after going through that terrible breakup, her mother passing away shortly after, and having to raise Cami on her own. Luckily, Lana has good friends Violet, Delilah and Wyatt to help her, keep her sane and protect her. Lana’s love for Cami also keeps her going and looking for the best options to raise her child. Another reason to not trust Cal once he returns. Lana knows Cal still has a drinking problem and does not want Cal intoxicated near Cami, especially when Cami begins to attach herself to Cal’s father figure. Cami is adorable, and Cal starts falling in love with her immediately. Not to mention how cute Cami is when she starts charging people money for her Swear Jar.

“Sorry, kiddo, but I don’t have any dollars.” “How about that?” She points at the stack of hundred-dollar bills with big eyes. “Do you even know how much these are worth?”

“You owe the swear jar!” Cami jumps out of her seat and walks over to Declan with her hand held out. “Billetes, por favor.”

Cal is still struggling to put his childhood behind him and is having a difficult time moving on. His father’s disapproval fuels his drinking and any hope to get sober, but once Cal realizes that he may have a chance to get Lana back, he finally gives his all to be a better person. Cal is also helping his brothers win over their father, which motivates him even more. Cal’s brothers both have their own tasks to fulfill before their time is up, but the dynamic between the brothers is so cute, they’re all trying to be more brotherly towards each other and helpful, yet it looks awkwardly cute. 

"Rehab might have helped me start off on the right foot, but not having access to alcohol isn’t the same as choosing to be sober. At least not to me. I want to be tempted by alcohol and resist."

Apart from Cal’s brothers, we also have their adorable wives Iris and Zahra. You can say they are Cal’s best friends and confidants. The trio has their own family chat with funny interactions and advice for when Cal needs help understanding Lana’s feelings. While Cal is awkward with his brother, he is adorable with his sisters-in-law. 

Lana and Cal have grown up and matured for the better of their loved ones. It took Cal a little longer to find a reason to be better but with work and determination he found his own piece. If you’ve been following the Dreamland Billionaires series you definitely have to finish the trilogy with Cal. If you are new to the series like me, then I recommend you start from the beginning for more adventures with the Kane brothers, but no book order is necessary.
Was this review helpful?
I have never read a book by Lauren Asher.  But I had seen a lot of praise for her books.  I do appreciate the opportunity to read one of books.  However, I found it very difficult to read this book.  It's possible that this is a series that needs to be read in order.  I don't know.

I'm not even sure if characters from the previous books in the series make an appearance in this particular book.  This is because I find it difficult to get past Chapter Four.  I was unable to finish this book.
Was this review helpful?
Struggling alcoholic Cal is the last Kane brother to tackle the terms of his grandfather’s will and receive his inheritance. He is tasked with spending the summer at his grandfather’s house in Lake Wisteria before selling it, but when Cal arrives in Lake Wisteria after spending six years away, he is shocked to discover that Lana, his childhood best friend and only love, lives in his grandfather’s house with her young daughter. Cal’s chances of obtaining his inheritance are put in jeopardy when he discovers that Lana, who hates Cal for breaking her heart, co-owns the house and doesn’t plan on selling.

Final Offer is a new adult romance featuring the forced proximity, second chance romance, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and single parent tropes. This is the third and final installment in Lauren Asher’s Dreamland Billionaires trilogy, so if you’re new to this series, you should start with book one, The Fine Print, to avoid spoilers. This would be perfect for fans of romance novels like Twisted Love by Ana Huang, Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score, Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings, and In the Weeds by B.K. Borison. Some themes present in Final Offer include loneliness and isolation, growing up, family, wealth, desire to escape, love and heartbreak, death, mental health, and addiction, but be aware of the following trigger warnings for absentee parents, alcoholism and addiction, and death of a family member (prior to story).

Cal is totally swoonworthy; not only is he a committed cat dad, but he is also so sweet to Lana’s daughter, Cami, and it was very cute to see Cal develop an almost instant dad-like connection with Cami. Seeing how Cal learned to use books as a healthier way of coping with some of his mental health struggles was great to see and I think that other readers will connect with this as well. My favourite part of Final Offer was the epic trip to Dreamland (the Kane family’s Disney-esque theme park), which included a princess makeover and fireworks! Asher included some comedic elements in this novel that were brilliant; for example, Cal unknowingly volunteers to dress-up in an embarrassing costume for the community Strawberry festival. It was great having the other Kane brothers (and their significant others) still part of the plot in Final Offer and made regular appearances throughout the novel. Without spoiling anything, I felt like the ending, both of this story and the series, was very fitting.

On the downside, this book seemed somewhat long as it was over 100 pages longer than the other two books and Final Offer was slow to start too. This made the book hard for me to get into since Cal and Lana have a history before the events of Final Offer, the beginning of the book required a lot of preamble and background information.

Overall, Final Offer was enjoyable and would recommend it to fellow contemporary romance readers, especially those who love second chance romances!
Was this review helpful?
I read this super long book so quickly that I can’t fathom giving it anything less than five stars. While this book did have problems, namely the pseudo-bullying of Cal due to his alcoholism and some continuity errors, I absolutely loved it! I think I looked at my phone only like ten times in the past three days while reading, which is saying a lot. So I feel like it would be a disservice to give it anything less than five stars. I love this series overall and I still feel like my favorite couple is Declan and Iris, but I feel like this book had the best plot.
Was this review helpful?
I had high hopes for this book as I had heard many good reviews... but I think it would have hit different for me if I had read the other books in the series. I thought I could read this one as a standalone, and technically it can be read that way, but I couldn't help but feel like I was missing elements of the story without all the background information. I love the bad boy with a soft spot for love, but Cal was just a little *too* bad and bordered on dangerous, IMO. I didn't feel any chemistry between the MCs and this ended up being a DNF for me. Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Bloom Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Was this review helpful?
Probably my favorite of the series. Just enough spice and just enough sweetness. Cal's story was the one that I had been waiting for and didn't even know it.
Was this review helpful?
<i> They just had to save the best for last huh? <i\>

Cal is my favorite Kane brother, so it’s no surprise that this book is my fave from this series, but i loved his story so so much it hurts.
His addiction was really well portrayed: it was glorified or romanticized, and the challenge of overcoming an addicted was well written.

I also really loved Alana (Iris is still my main girl tho🫶). Her love for Camila, her daughter in every way that matters, was very heartwarming. The whole family aspect of the book was so cute honestly.

Anyways, I’m still grieving the end of this series, but will carry it in my heart<3
Was this review helpful?
“Falling in love with yourself is ten times harder than falling in love with someone else”

Synopsis:
Callahan
I’m the Kane brother that everyone gossips about, washed-up athlete, trust fund brat, high-functioning alcoholic. She is the only one that knows the real me. Alana Castillo–my childhood best friend and the only woman I have ever loved. Six years ago when I broke her heart, I promised to never come back. Until my grandfather’s will changed everything and I had to break that promise. The way to receive my inheritance, my task was to spend the summer at the family lake house before selling it. In theory the request is simple, until everything blows up on the very first day. Lana doesn’t just live in the house, but she claims she owns it too. 
Alana
Falling in love with Callahan Kane was a mistake. He told me this before ripping out my heart and destroying our friendship six summers ago. When he promised to never come back, I believed him. Then Cal shows up again, to sell his grandfather’s lake house. His biggest problem? I own the house too. 

Thoughts:
Final Offer is the Perfect Ending to an amazing series! I absolutely loved every second of this book, in my opinion it was a masterpiece. Cal is this beautiful broken golden boy that I want to hug so badly. Everything he did for Lana and Cami, literally so caring and loving. I related to Cal in so many ways, his struggles made me cry. It was beautiful to witness his growth and development of overcoming his addiction, loving himself, and becoming the man that deserves Lana. Cal is by far my favorite Kane brother, not just for his mouth, but he is sweet, funny, and will do anything for those he loves. I loved Lana, I loved the banter between her and Cal, also how much she pushed him to be better and unwilling to settle for less. Also appreciated the brutal honesty and depth that was taken to demonstrate experiencing addiction and the effects it has on oneself, those around them too. It wasn’t romanticized or glorified, it was written in my opinion very accurately depicting addiction. The angst, the love, the laughs, the inspiration, the struggles, and the successes. This book has it all! 

This book includes:

✔️Billionaire romance
✔️Second chance romance
✔️Childhood friends to lovers to strangers to lovers
✔️Small town romance
✔️Single mom
✔️Dual pov

5/5 stars
3/5 spice

Thank you Lauren Asher, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books,  and NetGalley for providing an arc for an honest review.
Was this review helpful?
OK LAUREN ASHER YOU GOT ME

firstly, everyone knows how I feel about a damaged man who wants to be better 😩😩😩 !!!!!!! cal is so dreamy and so genuine and special and I just wanted to hug and kiss brim and tell him it’ll be ok

MEANWHILE I wanted to tell lana how special she was and give her and cami kisses and just show them so much love.

these characters were so lovable and genuine and their experiences were so deeply rooted in reality. I found myself relating to them SO much. I absolutely adored them and I couldn’t stop reading. I was hooked from the start!!!!!

lauren asher always creates characters and storylines for jag get me emotional and so invested so early on. i was rooting for them the WHOLE time.

miss asher I love you THANK YOU
Was this review helpful?
The wait for Callahan’s story and the final story of the Dreamland Billionaires was well worth the wait. Callahan Kane is the brother that “no one takes seriously.” He’s the brother battling an addiction that he just can’t seem to win. Until his grandfather decides to turn his life upside down. In order for Callahan and his brother’s to receive their inheritance’s- he has to complete a task he’s been avoiding for years. He has to go back to a small town and face the love that he left behind- Alana. Although he never really moved on from her and she never moved on from him- neither of them is willing to trust the other. Alana is a tough-as-nails single mother trying to do her best for her and her daughter. She has to decide if that means letting Cal in- or turning him away forever. This second chance romance did not disappoint. The chemistry and banter between Cal and Alana is amazing and realistic. The final book of this series has by far been my favorite. I’m happy to see the conclusion and happy endings for all the Kane brothers, but I did not want it to end! #NetGalleyArc #NetGalley #LaurenAsher #ARC
Was this review helpful?
600 pgs for this???? Girl I wouldn’t want to be associated with this book. I didn’t like the characters. There was no chemistry or any passion. 
Also you really changed the covers halfway thought a series like why would you do that???? My covers don’t match which makes me hate the book even more.


Thanks netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for a review.
Was this review helpful?
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

This may be the end of an era, but Lauren Asher ended it with a perfect bang. 

Only she can make me sob several times in a billionaire romance. Cal Kane’s journey and seeing him overcome his struggles really touched my heart and had me rooting for him through it all.

Just like her other two book this is a 5 star read.
Was this review helpful?
The perfect story for the end of this series! I have loved to see the development of Lauren Asher’s writing and storytelling from ‘Throttled’ all the way to now, and how much growth she has had as a writer along the way. This book was 500 pages of pure joy. This was my favorite book of Lauren’s so far, and I cannot wait to see what she releases in the future!
Was this review helpful?
This is my favourite of the series.  You had a build up to Callaghan’s story in the first two books and  we finally get his.  He is the typical middle child.  

Callaghan is so different from Declan and Rowan, he’s more in touch with his feelings and they hurt.  Those emotions are so hard for him to deal with that he tries to drown his sorrows at the end of a bottle.  The way the author describes his addiction and doesn’t sensationalize it or romanticize it is great.

The fact that he learns to love and heal himself so he can be a good partner for Alana and a father a healthy and positive father figure to Camila.

Wonderful
Was this review helpful?
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for providing the ARC.

After reading Rowan and Declan's story, I knew that Cal was the one I was likely to be the most interested in. Completely irreverent and charming, it's easy to like him. Getting to know his backstory and his struggles make it so incredibly easy to love him. Lana never really stood a chance.

Addiction is an ugly disease that affects not just you, but everyone around you, too. I'm glad to see that Asher did not shy away from the ugly parts of Cal's story, but instead embraced them. It's what made the payoff so much sweeter in the end, knowing the hell that Cal had to battle to get there. And I love and appreciate Lana for her convictions, that sometimes love isn't enough, and she made the choice to protect herself and her family until Cal was able to demonstrate reform. It can be so hard reconciling love of a person and hatred of a disease, and realizing that you have to make the hard choice to remove them from your life. 

This book was sad and uplifting at the same time, really honing in on a very difficult topic to write about and do justice. It has something that I feel was missing in the first two books - a bit more heart.
Was this review helpful?
Final Offer is the last installment in the Dreamland Series and I absolutely loved Calalana. Can we first take a bow for Camilia ??!! That girl is literally angel, they don't lie when they said children are god sent. Camilia really made Callhan Kane life better by justi existing. 

Now coming to our main couple, they're really good and the way there is so much angst between them makes the book more interesting. I would say Cal have dirtiest mouth among the kane brothers. ROWAN KANE really made me love him more in this book. God he is so perfect. Seeing DeclanIris, RowanZahra crumbs had me in literally crying mess. 

Alana the strong girl you are handling so much grief  but also wanting to give best for her sister's daughter had me sobbing. 

and Also That billionarie ??!! are we gonna get a new series based on him and others ??!! I hope so
Was this review helpful?
Lauren Asher is a queen. Protect her at all costs. Seriously. Wrap her in bubblewrap.

A beautiful ending to an amazing trilogy.
Was this review helpful?