I knew I needed to read this entire series as soon as I finished The Inn on Sweet Briar Lane. And I breezed through book one and two until I could dive into the third! Keep reading this book review to see my full thoughts on this series ender.
Summary
Between helping at her family’s inn and teaching painting, Elizabeth Wu has put her dream of being an artist on the back burner. But her plan to launch an arts festival will boost the local Blue Cedar Falls arts scene and give her a showcase for her own work. If only she can get the town council on board. At least she can rely on her dependable best friend Graham to support her. Except lately, he hasn’t been acting like his old self, and she has no idea why.
Graham Lewis has been secretly in love with Elizabeth forever, but it’s past time that he faces the cold, hard truth: vivacious, amazing Elizabeth will never see him as anything but a platonic pal. He’s going to help her get the festival off the ground, but after that he needs to forget his one-sided crush. Until one impulsive kiss changes everything. Can they really rebuild their entire relationship—and the festival—from the ground up? Or will it all come crashing down?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I will always love friends to lovers. While 2022 was the mood of enemies to lovers, I have fully committed to friends to lovers this year. And what I love about Elizabeth and Graham is how much history they have. It’s also not like one of those stories where both friends have always kind of eyed each other, for Elizabeth an impulsive kiss has her questioning everything she thought.
Of all three, Graham has to be my favorite love interest of the series. He is one of those firm believers, stand by my side through it all, characters. Seeing through his perspective allows you to see the depths of his feeling and how committed he is. I love a committed character! Additionally, Elizabeth is struggling to process the past and the expectations and ideas people have of her. Haunted by her past mistakes, Elizabeth has to figure out who she wants to be. She keeps saying that everyone thinks of her as a screw up, the black sheep of the family and town, but what about her?
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
Part of trying to change the ways people see her is believing it herself. Of holding her own and being firm in her convictions. The House on Mulberry Street is about feeling worthy of someone. Even if that’s just ourselves. To know that the importance is in the journey, in the transformative process not the end result. Find The House on Mulberry Street on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.