In the previous books, Sophia appeared to have it all. She was happy in her career and marriage, or at least that’s what everyone thought. But by the end of book four, we discovered that the picture-perfect life was nothing more than a facade. Behind closed doors, her husband had broken her mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. It was heartbreaking to see just how much she had endured while trying to keep everything together.
In Pretend It’s Forever, Sophia is trying to navigate her new normal. She is rebuilding her life, finding herself again, and adjusting to being a single mother to her beautiful twin girls. I felt for Sophia because she has been through so much, yet she is determined to keep moving forward. I enjoyed watching her slowly find her strength again, which allowed me to appreciate her story.
And then there’s Carson Woods.
Carson witnessed Sophia at her absolute worst on the night he rescued her, and from that moment, protecting her became important to him. He wants to keep her safe, but his feelings go much deeper than that. He wants to be more than her protector. The problem? Carson doesn’t believe he is worthy of her.
Oh, Carson! I really liked this man. His desire to protect Sophia never felt like he was trying to take control of her life. Instead, he wanted to be there for her while she found her way back to herself. And while I understood his insecurities, there were definitely moments when I wanted to tell him to stop selling himself short and see himself the way Sophia did.
I loved watching these two find their way toward each other. Sophia needed someone who would give her space to heal while reminding her that she was worthy of love, and Carson needed to realize that he was worthy of being loved too. Their relationship wasn’t just about attraction. There was an emotional connection that grew as they learned to trust each other.
Of course, this is a Cage family story, so the family makes its presence known. I enjoyed those moments because they added the warmth, support, and occasional chaos that I’ve come to expect from this series.
A few things prevented me from giving this five stars, but overall, I really enjoyed Sophia and Carson’s story. It was emotional, romantic, and, at times, had me wanting to reach through the pages and give both of them a little push.
Another enjoyable addition to the Cage Family series, and now, of course, I’m left wondering about the couple that will be featured in the next installment. Because apparently, I’m not ready to let go of the Cage family just yet!
| Story Evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
4 |
| Characters |
4 |
| World Building |
4 |
| Writing Style |
4 |
| Pacing |
4 |
| Cover |
4 |
| Enjoyment |
3.5 |
| Ending |
3.5 |
| Overall: |  |
About Carrie Ann Ryan
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Wilder Brothers, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over one hundred novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.
My love of reading started at an early age when a family friend gave me a copy of Wuthering Heights. That was all it took. I was hooked, and I’ve rarely been without a book since. I’m not particularly picky when it comes to genres. Give me a good story, characters I can connect with, and a plot that keeps me turning the pages, and I’m happy. Books have taken me on countless adventures and allowed me to experience so many different lives, places, and stories. I created this blog to share my love of books, connect with other book lovers, and hopefully help you find your next addictive read. If a book keeps me up way past my bedtime, you’ll probably hear about it here!
When I’m not reading, I enjoy cooking, listening to music, and watching television.
