Title: The Truest Thing
Author: Samantha Young
Series: Hart’s Boardwalk
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Publication: 8/18/2020
Read: August 2020
Format: Digital
Pages: 392
Rating: 3 Caffeinated Stars
Trigger Warnings: Drunk driving, cheating, mention of murder, rape, victim blaming, emotional abuse, physical abuse, statutory rape, spoiler CW

Hart’s Boardwalk Series Order:

Book 1 – The One Real Thing – my review
Book 2 – Every Little Thing – my review
Novella 2.5 – On Hart’s Boardwalk – my review
Book 3 – Things We Never Said – my review
Book 4 – The Truest Thing

Goodreads Summary:

New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young returns to Hart’s Boardwalk in this emotional new story about taking chances and finding redemption…

Nine years ago, Emery Saunders moved to Hartwell to start her life over as a bookstore owner. Her inability to trust people made it hard for her to find a place in the small community until Jessica Lawson moved to town and befriended the shy beauty.

But there was one person in Hartwell who tried to befriend Emery long before Jessica arrived…

Jack Devlin has his secrets. One of them is that he fell hard for Emery the moment she appeared in Hartwell. Another is that his father blackmailed him into covering up a dark family tragedy. It forced Jack to sever his relationships to protect the people he cared about. Yet, staying away from Emery has not been easy throughout the years and he hasn’t always succeeded. When Jack’s mixed signals hurt Emery once again, she puts him out of her heart for good.

Until the Devlin family secret is finally revealed, freeing Jack from his father’s machinations. What Jack wants more than anything is to repair his relationships, starting with Emery.

However, Emery isn’t ready to forgive and Jack’s not ready to give up.

And when the town’s latest scandal ties Jack and Emery together, Jack is not above using their new reality to prove to Emery once and for all that their love is worthy of the legend of Hart’s Boardwalk.

My Thoughts:

Samantha Young has been a staple author for me. I’ve been reading her books since 2012 when I found her book, On Dublin Street. I’ve been an avid reader since. The Truest Thing is the 4th book in her Hart’s Boardwalk series and features a character that I just couldn’t like.

Jack Devlin and the Devlin family have been the villains of the entire series. I was incredibly skeptical when Jack was going to get a book of his own, primarily due to Jack’s betrayal in the series’s first book. I know that there are shades of grey, but Jack’s actions are on my list of unforgivable offenses.

To say that I struggled with this book would be an understatement. The writing was beautiful, the character development was good, but this book couldn’t capture my attention like all of Samantha’s other books. Once I hit the 30% mark, I will admit that I started to feel more comfortable with Jack’s actions and choices.

Even though I was not too fond of Jack, I liked Emery, so I was happy to see her happy. As always, the plot was beautifully woven and masterfully crafted. I love how Samantha Young can create stories that are both touching and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ultimately, this book was well written and enjoyable, but my personal dislike of Jack was hard to overcome. If you enjoy romance and can forgive a character for past deeds, this would be an excellent book for you.

Want to try this book for yourself? Here are the buy links!

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, The Ripped Bodice, Goodreads