A Reader Lives A Thousand Lives: You Think You Know (Fangirl Series #3)

Rose Parker never put much thought into the word "necessary".

Food, water and oxygen are "necessary".

Divorcing her ex-husband was sad, but "necessary".

Leaving a great life behind in Atlanta to move back in with her mother wasn't exactly ideal, but it was "necessary".

And working at a job that barely pays a single bill is "necessary" because her boss happens to be better than ice cream on a summer’s day.

That is how Rose would define "necessary"…at least until she met Nix Taylor.

Before Rose realizes what’s happening, Nix becomes more "necessary" than the beating heart in her chest. But when the strength of their love is tested, they quickly find that "necessary" or not, the past can still define your future if you let it.

Or maybe this time, Rose and Nix have finally found a love worth fighting for.

***

Welcome back to the down of Delia, Georgia. Melinda Harris brings you back to your favorite town in Georgia to help Rose find herself after years of being married to a man she just aimed to please. Freshly single, but not quite sure she will ever be ready to mingle - she is focused on her Mom's recovery from her own Deee-VORCE and working at Geoffrey's for David - her savior when moving back to Delia.

Enter David's godson, Nix. Strong, silent type. I will admit, he was an odd one. Following her home to ensure her safety and never really interacting the way a normal man interested in a woman would. Luckily, I wasn't alone in finding these actions out of the ordinary. Rose thanked him for his concern, but ensured him she was ok. And from there, a friendship formed. Feeling forced at first, but the emotions were always there. And Melinda's never fail banter was present throughout this 3rd installment.

"And I guess I can be revealed that you don't think I'm completely revolting."

Nix laughed as intended over my little tension breaker. "I think you're only mildly disgusting. No worries."

Suffering from trust issues from a past relationship and PTSD from 7 tours in 10 years, Nix wasn't the easiest man to love. Unable to form a coherent dialogue to explain what he was feeling to Rose. "I'm not even sure I understand it myself. I just know that from the moment we met you become... necessary." What he did offer is something Rose needed. Individuality. A voice of her own. So natural for her to put everyone else ahead of her, with little actions like picking up her obviously well-worn Ed Sheeran cd to listen to in the car to pushing her about how she likes her eggs - Nix helped her find herself behind all the people-pleasing layers she constructed.

No romance is complete without the ups and downs needed to build the complex connection we all crave. And this one does not disappoint. We are talking cross-country flights, hand-written letters, a misunderstood and unwanted kiss from a well-known actor, threats of bodily harm from well-intended friends,marriages, babies, proposals, hoping over bar tops, meeting the family, death and heartache.

It is the way the Melinda weaves her stories together that gets me everytime. You care about everything going on. David and Lila are not just a couple of supporting characters to Rose & Nix's story - you are rooting for them to find their way with each other. You are just excited for the wedding shower - you want to go back and RE-READ the story of how they got there. You aren't just excited to see Ollie's name in print - you are back to harassing the author for more Ollie! The pain, the mistrust, the tears (happy and sad) the good times, the bad - they are all equally important when they flow out of Melinda's fingertips. And the music. It is always there. From the hums to the confessions of love through lyrics while sleeping to choosing the driving playlist.

With Nix & Rose, it is the little things. The little things that make up the grand gestures. I will not give away the story - but if I was to plan their wedding, it would be by a lake... there would be a jon boat in the center and the cake...EPIC. It would be a towering masterpiece made up entirely of blueberry Munchkins from Dunkin Donuts.

"You had me at blueberry Munchkins."