I read my first Tammy L. Gray book about five years ago when another contemporary romance author I enjoy promoted Gray on social media. The book was My Hope Next Door, which won a RITA Award in 2017. I was immediately hooked on Gray’s rich, multi-faceted characters and the realism of them living out consequences of past hurts and mistakes. The story resonated with real life: imperfect, messy, and broken, but hopeful. I quickly read the next book in the series then moved on to her Bentwood books. The first two books in the Bentwood series were published in 2018, but we had to wait four long years for the finale covering Beck and Caroline’s story. Was it worth the wait?
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The chilling conclusion of the Bentwood Series will leave you breathless…
Caroline Crawford has spent the last five months rebuilding her life in Bentwood, Texas. Surrounded by a group of unexpected friends and potential new love she can’t seem to walk away from, Caroline starts to believe she may have truly escaped the man who’s terrorized her for years. That is until small, inexplicable things have Caroline questioning her own sanity.
Beckham Kinder has spent a lifetime being judged by his last name and family’s wealth, and while it’s brought great advantages, he wants nothing more than to stand on his own in business and in his personal life. When a new business partner gives him an opportunity to strike out on his own without his family ties, Beckham jumps at the chance. For the first time in his adult life, he sees a wide open future, not just with this venture, but with the woman he has secretly adored since childhood.
But traps are often most effective when two people want a prize so much they ignore the obvious, and Jeremiah Ellison is counting on that very thing. He is a man who always gets what he wants… and he will stop at nothing to get her…
MY THOUGHTS:
I really liked Caroline as a character from the first two books and was excited to finally read her and Beck’s story. Before launching into After We Say Goodbye, I reread Until I Knew Myself (Bentwood #1) and The Truth Between Us (Bentwood #2). I’m so glad I did. It refreshed the characters and their stories in my mind and helped with continuity since After We Say Goodbye picks right up where book two left us.
Caroline was a beautifully complex character. She’s a woman growing stronger through her faith after escaping a terrifying relationship while still struggling with fear and insecurity because of that past. Caroline works through ups and downs as she explores her feelings for Beck and attempts to sort out whether or not she’s imagining disturbing occurrences reminiscent of her nightmarish past. Her friendships with the Bentwood Brats deepen in this book, and her faith begins to spread through the friend group in the sweetest, most genuine way.
I loved reading Jeremiah’s villainous POV. He was diabolical and despicable. He could have easily become a caricature, but Gray painted him realistically as a narcissistic man of extreme wealth and entitlement who is unhinged enough and has the means to stop at nothing to get what he wants. Jeremiah’s thought process and emotions were interesting to read even though he was a total psycho. Having his point of view was a nice counter to Beck’s POV, especially because Caroline struggled often to not compare the two.
Speaking of Beckham, I confess he was my least favorite of the three leading men in the Bentwood series going into this last book. He was a little hard to love, so it was a relief to finally see more of his vulnerable and tender side. That’s what made Caroline such a good match for him, and I adored the sweet ways she brought out the best in him. The deeper dive into Beck’s insecurities and jealousy regarding Tyler and his father felt very authentic. Beck was the classic older brother a la the Prodigal Son parable. He couldn’t truly see how much his father loved him because Beck was focused on his father’s love for Tyler. Beck’s reconciliation with the two men came at a high cost, but hope and healing won in the end.
One more tidbit: there’s a great little twist at the conclusion that tied up loose ends from a previous storyline. I suspected I knew what was coming, but it was different – which made it even better!
Bottom line is I loved this book. It was a satisfying conclusion to the Bentwood series and well worth waiting for. If you like tension-filled romance with realistic characters and a bit of suspense, you must add After We Say Goodbye to your TBR list! Now I’m just over here impatiently waiting for the final book in Gray’s State of Grace series (Love and the Dream Come True), dropping August 2, 2022!
p.s. Tammy, I grew to adore intimidating security guard and secret nice guy Chester! He deserves a little story of his own. Perhaps a Christmas novella? 😉
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tammy L. Gray lives at the edge of the hill country with her family, and they love all things Texas. Her many modern and true-to-life contemporary romance novels include 2021 Carol Award–winning Love and a Little White Lie and the 2017 RITA Award–winning My Hope Next Door, showing her unending quest to write culturally relevant stories with relatable characters.
When not taxiing her three kids to various school and sporting events, Tammy can be spotted reading her favorite authors and supporting her husband’s ministry at their hometown church. Learn more at tammylgray.com.