Books, Boots and Bakeries

Ava’s little brother finally got a book. And honestly? I know the Lauren Gilley fandom had been calling for it, but I’m glad she took her time. That boy needed to grow the fuck up. And even by the end, I could still see that he needed more time.

You know those people you look at and think, “They’d be a fantastic friend, but I wouldn’t want to be responsible for them as a spouse”? That’s Aidan for me. He’s charming, he’s got a good heart, and he tries—but responsibility has never been his strong suit. Enter Sam.

Sam doesn’t fix Aidan. That’s not the kind of story this is. But Sam sees Aidan for who he is, both the mess and the potential, and he chooses to love him anyway. And through that love—sometimes exasperated, sometimes tender—Aidan starts to pull himself together. He doesn’t become perfect. He doesn’t suddenly transform into a whole new man. But he learns, he grows, and he tries harder. And that’s why their story works.

And then, there’s the club. There’s always drama, and the stakes get higher with each book. Aidan chafes at being the President’s son, the weight of expectations pressing down on him while he’s still unsure if he even wants to step up. But at the same time, he does want and need the club—it’s in his blood, even when he feels lost within it. My feel is that he’s not ready to step up, and honestly, with Ghost as a father, I’m not sure he ever would get there. But yet, the club isn’t just a family—it’s a proving ground, a place where every member earns their keep, and Aidan’s struggle is figuring out where he belongs in that world. He’s caught between resentment and obligation, the love he has for the club warring with the fear of never measuring up.

Lauren Gilley excels at writing complex, messy relationships that feel achingly real. Aidan and Sam’s journey is not an easy one, but it’s one worth taking. It’s about patience, about knowing when to push and when to step back. About love that doesn’t demand perfection but does require effort. And about finding your people, the ones who stand by you through the wreckage and the rebuilding.

If you’ve been waiting for Aidan’s story, it’s here. It’s raw, it’s frustrating, it’s beautiful. And, most importantly, it’s exactly what it needed to be.