The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, The Frenchman Gets Outplayed, Pt 2

0:01 Welcome back to Paperback Confessions. If you've survived part one, buckle up, because this is part two of our finish line deep dive. And we're saving some of our hottest takes for the finish. Let's get into it.

0:42 I don't want to say reporting to, but there is somebody bigger than him at play that Tobias has been a part of this other world in France, this big wig, you know, mobster type of dude, where Tobias shares part of his story. Where, when he lived in France, he works for this guy, and he's sort of like the hitman for this dude, I feel like it's a fair description of his job duties. Yeah, he's like a contractor. Subcontractor. Yeah, yeah. And he leaves France to come back to Triple Falls, cleaning out that plumbing.

1:24 Sorry. I'm so sorry. You. I'm not sorry. This is why. This is why I love this. I. I love this. The unhingedness of it. I just started sweating. Now I'm sweating and red in my face because I'm like, my sister's gonna hear this and go, oh, my God. What? The candy. It's fine. We're fine. Everything's fine. As she drinks out of her mug. I like oral. It's fine. Does it taste like oysters? I'm just wondering. Oh, salty.

2:13 So it's wet. That's always how these scenes start, though. That's how wet it is. So true. T. Rex has got her. She's picking up the vibrations. You need me to come in there and give you some cpr, homie? The cherry bring you back from this one? Let's give her a minute. She's got a composer. So you are all. I heard you oral assholes is what I heard. That's the only one. You all are. Okay. We're good now. All right. I'm better. For someone who's never really been a fan of it, I was like, I'd give it a shot with Tobias. It sounds perfect.

3:04 Anyhow, so Tobias leaves Paris and this guy that he's basically working for to go back to Triple Falls. When he hears of all the that's been afoot, what's his. Celia, Sean and Dom. And in doing so, he pisses off this guy. This guy wants Tobias back. He wants to buy us to basically stay under his thumb. And Tobias, sort of his perspective on the whole thing is like, you've never really had me under your thumb. I was sort of just doing this because you served a purpose. And now I'm done with that. Right. So there's this struggle of how is Tobias going to actually free himself from this other character? And he has been keeping it a secret from Cecilia because just like before in my point of view, where he loses control when Cecilia is brought into the Ravenhood by Sean and Dom, he loses control again, where he's lost the ability to keep Cecilia safe. Because this guy's gonna come to Virginia. He sends, like, I don't know, spy hitman, if you will, to find Tobias, the weirdo at the. At the diner who's like, can you go on a date with me? No. So he had two guys then. So he had Mr.

4:18 There was like, some French guy outside that Tobias ends up like, following. Beats the. Out of this guy, takes his phone, and then Tobias is responding to this big hitman guy from this. Oh, yeah, the guy who's watching him. Yeah. So Tobias. He identifies this one dude outside as being a part of it, beats the shad out of him, grabs his phone, and now Tobias is responding to the hit guy as if he's this other dude. Right? But what Tobias doesn't see is who Cecilia had seen from day one, which was like, there's this handsome guy. He kind of looks like he's out of place. He shows up randomly at my diner. Yeah, he's there, like, every day for a week, two weeks, however many weeks. And this is like, at the very beginning of the book, like, chapter one, like, oh, maybe I'll go out on a date with this guy.

5:03 But then I really don't want to go out on a date with anybody. But. But fuckle nuts there. What's his name? Tobias. To step back. Tobias finds, like, a to do list, if you will, of Cecilia's, like, when he's first into Virginia, trying to work his way into her life. And on the very last thing at the end of that list says, entertain Mr. Handsome. And so Tobias immediately jealous, like, who the fuck is Mr. Handsome? At one point in the book, before they have sex, Dom is sitting at. In the diner and sees Mr. Handsome Girl. No, but it's. It's hard though, isn't it? You just want it to be Dom so bad, and you'll take time, Tobias. But I mean, whatever. Thank you, Toby. Yes, I did that last recording too. I kept saying dong. I was like, how many edits of this?

5:48 I need to just record myself saying Tobias and then put it on top of. Anyhow, you need. No, no, you need to record yourself saying Tobias in your sexy phone voice. Tobias. And then put that in at every time. And then everybody knows. Exactly, exactly. Just do it. Make it a thing, and then keep it. And then anytime you make a mistake, you could just. Tobias and everything going forward. We all know we're all on that page. Yeah. But I loved. I loved that you find out later on that Cecilia had identified this guy as problematic from the first time. I think she maybe saw him twice and was like, nah, I need to know what's up with this guy. Like, who's this handsome guy showing up in town, eating at my diner, trying to get with me? So Cecilia does her own investigation of this character.

6:44 Tobias never really clocks it, other than there's some guy who wants to be with my girl. He. He doesn't even put it all together until the very end, that Mr. Which is when we put it together too. 100%. Yeah. It's at the last couple of chapters of the book because we're like, oh. Because it's that dual pov. We are watching this story from Tobias's perspective. There you go. So, like, the other thing we found out in the book, about halfway through, I think it was either before the sex scene or after it. But how Tobias knew the. The new president and how they were going to the White House, and that's how things started to kind of come together for me. Oh, yeah, because they went to college together. Yes, yes. In the book, Tobias, earlier on. I like that we're doing, like, before the sex or after the sex. Before this. Yes.

7:40 You saw the tip versus you took the tip. No, I'm just kidding. So Tobias and his. He's, like, sharing parts of his past with us. We need to have a counter. How many times in an episode we can break G. Yeah. In his. In his past that he shares with us as a reader. He talks about being in college in France. And I don't know if he just met him or if this guy's his roommate. I don't remember. No, he's the rich kid. He's the rich kid that kind of takes him under his wing or whatever. Well, doesn't, like, hand him down stuff, but, like, somehow always has what pious needs. They go out. I think it's like their last hurrah as college kids to a strip club. They have their fun after the strip club. This guy almost gets schmurdered, basically, like, almost gets killed. And Tobias takes care of the situation. Right. And so they're always indebted to each other. Right.

8:42 Fast forward to where G is talking about is that this guy is now the President of the United States. And Tobias has. This really has had A relationship with this guy this entire time. And in Tobias's mind, you know, if this mobster from France comes, my plan B is to go to the president for help, right? Like, I'm going to go to my friend, I'm going to call in that favor. But his plan A, at least I think, was always that this guy will never come. Like, it wasn't really to address it. He'll just never know, right? Like, it was like, plan A, keep the secret. Plan B, let's go to the President for help. Seemed to be the game plan for. Oh, you know what else kind of tipped it off, too, is that Cecilia was watching the President on TV when she was in the cafe, and she saw Tyler and she got really, like, she got a little choke. Yeah, that was her bestie. And she got a little choked up. So then, like, when I saw that, because now, you know, all the books are starting to bleed together now, I was able to start tying things together, right? Because I would go back and read Exodus. Like, I'd go find that chapter again and read it, and then I'd fast forward back to the finish line. I'd be like, ah, now it makes sense. Dang. Next time we read a book like this, series like this, wink, wink, I need you. When you find a point in a book that you're like, I'm gonna go back and read that chapter in another book, I need you to write that down. Okay, I'll put it in our Google

10:14 spreadsheet. Yeah, because I did not. Did you? No, I was looking for the sex. This ain't going backwards. Yes, exactly. G doesn't need to think with their dick. I need to think with my dick. Follow my penis. If I do need to, I'm gonna. She follows the tip. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please don't be sorry. This is amazing. No more fucking gin for you, ever. I like it. No, I will be sending a bottle of gin. Juniper berries.

10:55 Speaking of juniper berries, got her lotion, though. Yes. Okay. I loved it. Although at the end, she's like, no, I've been wearing this since I was, like, in high school. I was like, no, I love. So Tobias loves gin. Cecilia's favorite scent is juniper berries. Tobias clocks it some point during this book is like, this brilliant queen is smelling like my addiction so well. And the thing is, too, is that she. Because I was just reading the words, chapter 27. She lotions up and the nightgown from that he got her, like, a million years ago that she keeps.

11:35 Yep. Yeah. I smell like what you want, and I look like what you want. And he says, say some eye contact. Oh, he sees. I just put that in my mouth. He sees, smells and tastes. Yeah. Oh, he did. Yes, he did. He got all three senses all taken care of. Not five senses. Feel. Oh, there's. Well, I got three of them. Here's. Oh, he did. Hear, smell, taste, taste. See here. Oh, yeah. He. He. Yeah, he got all five. You do all five. He found her.

12:16 Sorry, G. No, but I think that's amazing that you were able to put that together, because I did not. I read it, like, okay, cool. When's the next. I was like, cool. You know, the president. Great. Moving on. Like, I didn't hide it at all, but I love that she clocked that from day one. What we find out at the end is that not only did she clock it, she researches this guy from. Figures out who he is, why he's there, and then seeks the help. Because, if y' all remember, she got branded as part of the Ravenhood. She is now part of the Raven. She gets to play in the resources. Yeah. 100. And I think she goes to Sean, right? Yep. Yep, she goes to Sean. She's.

12:59 I'm calling in what I need to do here, because this guy is this person. She finds out. Who is it? Antoine is the mobster dude from France, I think is his name. Finds out all about that guy. To knows how it ties into Tobias. So Cecilia has been planning this shit for a long time, and Tobias showing up was just, like, a bonus, really. Like, you know, they. She loved. She's always loved him. They're back in love. Do we. Okay, do we think that she started clocking Antoine before finish line. Yes. Oh, yeah. That's a good question. No, it had to have been when this guy showed up at the diner, because that's what started it. She was like, who's this guy and what's he about? It felt like at the beginning that she was actually considering, like, going on a date. And that's why he was on the list. Right. So it had to have been after that. Okay. That particular Mr. Handsome guy was creepy because at first she was like, oh, okay, you're kind of cute. It'd be all right for just a second. But wait a minute. I'm still in love with dick face over here, so. But okay, so I'm trying to figure out, was that before or after Tobias killed Mr. Handsome's dad? I hadn't been after. Yeah, okay.

14:23 Because that's why he started showing up Past. Yeah, that was a. That was a. A rewind on that one. Okay. Yeah, but that's what. But that's why he's coming at him to your point. He's like, okay, I'll do it. Like, oh, you need help getting rid of this guy? Sign me up, because this guy fucked over my family. Yeah, but. But I love that she had already started clocking that, because I think her mission in that moment, once she started unraveling, I think. I think Cecilia always has wanted to know what has been troubling Tobias. Right. So I think. I don't think it, like, she was shying away from it, because, again, we end up finding out towards the end of the book that once Cecilia starts putting all the pieces together in real time was when her parents showed up in the camper. Yeah. And she was already in a bad mood, and Tobias couldn't figure it out. He just thought it was because the mom was there. But Cecilia was in a bad mood because she knew then what the secret was, and she was pissed that after you're trying to work your way into my life, you still have this huge, massive secret. And I think Cecilia is like, if you would just tell me, let me help you. And Tobias never saw, I think, honestly, her capable of.

15:31 Of helping him until she forces her way in there. Yeah. And she was. She. At the end of the book, man, she was a badass, total mic drop moment. Hell, yes. That, to me, was attractive. I was like, this said, let me figure this out. Let me call in some favors. I am gonna handle this. I wish. Honestly, though, if Kate Stewart ever hears this, I wish we could just get, like, a little mini chapter of what happens when, okay, Tobias shows up after kind of putting the pieces together. There's a brawl in the front yard with Mr.

16:12 Handsome when Tobias gets in the house, because he's like, holy Cecilia. She's not okay. She's like, if they've killed her, I'm ending the world. Right? Like, he's freaking out. He gets in the house and he sees Cecilia. A gun, she's armed, a man who had been shot. And then this Antoine character, right? Like, I just want a mini chapter. I want to know what happened, right? Like, Cecilia's in there. She clearly shot a guy. She just got out of the shower. She's not afraid. Like, how did that. How did it happen? What happened? See? Okay, I feel like homegirl knew a lot more than what she let. Like, a fuckload more than what she let on for, like, the longest time. I think she's pissed at Tobias because she knows all this and she's just waiting for him. I think from like the beginning of the book, she knows.

17:06 I feel like in those months that she was gone, I feel like she did some research. She did her homework, right? And like she knew before he even stepped foot in that diner about Antoine or whatever his name is, the gangster. I feel like she knew all that in this whole time. She's like, no, you not gonna tell me? Not gonna tell me. Really? Still not gonna tell me? Really? Yeah, yeah. She might not have known about Mr. Handsome specifically, but I absolutely believe that she knew way more. And I think that's why. I also believe that's why we get all of Tobias first. Because she's busy.

17:55 This is busy. She's out researching. They're not a hundred. That's what I'm saying. Kate Stewart, you are a goddess. That's a valid point because you're so right. You're so right. Because we don't get to see what she's up to, because we are. Can I just tell you how turned I on I am right now? Because you just said I was right like multiple times in the row. I might as well have just had an emotional or. Yeah. Oh, my life. I'm gonna need that on repeat for my prior times. It. It's such. Oh, God damn. God damn. You're so. I think. I think she's just waiting for him. Like, she knows she's gonna do the thing. She knows she's going back, but she needs him to know that you ain't gonna play with me no more. Because I am not some 19 year old little. That you're gonna. Yeah. Do dumb to me. What's tickling my brain, Nacho, is.

18:51 Is. Do you think she doesn't show her cards sooner? Because she's still planning it out. Because it definitely. She doesn't show her cards until literally he's about to be shot. And she's the one calming him. Like, hey, remember the fireflies? And she's like talking in code. She's like you. We've never been alone. Like, she's. She's having to communicate to Tobias in this moment. Like, calm the down, bro. Because Tobias trigger warning. Essentially realizes he's right. He thinks he is the one with all the cards in his hand and that he's protecting Cecilia. And so he realizes he's fudged there.

19:32 She's either going to shoot off around and get killed or there or I'm going to try to do something. They're Going to kill me. Like one of us is going to die. How do I save this? And decides he's going to take his own life. That's his mind. Like, well, if I'm gone, then they won't want her because I'm the prize. This Antoine guy wants me back in. In France. So if I just take myself out, she'll be okay. Completely unhinged. And so Cecilia is having to talk him off that ledge in code so that this gangster. Because there's guns. I imagine that Spider man meme where they're pointing at each other. Like there's guns pointed at everyone. Right? Yeah. Yeah. And so she is trying to calm him down to say, dude, don't do anything stupid. I got.

20:15 And so she uses fireflies, which has been their thing. There's fireflies. We've never been alone. Open your eyes. And at that moment, Tobias looks over at Mr. I don't remember if it's Mr. Handsome. It's somebody who has lasers pointed everywhere. Yes. And that's when Tyler. Because they did call in a little favor from the President and Tyler sent all the FBI dudes down and there were lasers all like pointed at the bad dudes. So let's actually. Can we talk about that? Do you think that Tyler showed up because Tobias called in the favor? Right. Okay. I'm happy. No, because he's. He wasn't going to get there in time if when Tobias called, he wasn't gonna get there. He was already on his way. Sean calling into Tyler. Yes, that's how it happened. The way it happened. Okay, I'm. I'm fully on board. They. That Tyler and Cecilia have always been tight like a tiger. Yeah.

21:16 And tight like Sean and Cecilia were right. As up as the storyline was and how, you know. Yeah. Not really taking advantage of a 19 year old, but sort of kind of taking advantage of a 19 year old. But, you know, as we get to that third book, this is where Cecilia finally grew up. Right. It was several years later. She. She knew what she wanted and she knew she wanted to bias, but she wasn't sure how to get it. And when she finally had him in her court, it's my way or no way, and I'm going to protect your ass because they, they really, you know, they're actually that whole like, fucking push me, pull me action. Really actually pull them closer together because that, that whole sex scene, like, did it for me. Told you. I think part of me thinks that Cecilia, Cecilia even goes through this much trouble because she feels like this is the One thing in their way of happiness is whatever secret, secret.

22:24 When I start slurring my words, secret. We're gathered here. Sorry, God bless. God bless. But I think that's what it was, is like her driving force is like, whatever's. Whatever's in our way, I'm going to rectify it because I want my man. And so she does. She goes into this planning. She's the one that saves them. And I loved it. I. I loved that she did it. And she didn't need his input or his help. She was like, I got this. And I don't remember what part it was. Where at the end, she tells Tobias, like, you almost this up. Like you almost up this plan.

23:18 Because I don't remember if he got mad or like, whatever happened that. She was like, we. This almost didn't happen because you wouldn't. You wouldn't leave well enough alone. So she had this in motion for a minute and I loved that. I was like, God damn it, boss ass bitch. I think she had like a structure, like a. Like a big picture, and that it was put in place in between Exodus and finish line, and then it just sort of unraveled and it kind of happened that way. And I think that's. I really believe that that's why we have so much Tobias also, because there was way more development on Tobias part, like character development on Tyler's part or Tobias part.

24:12 And she not drinking. I'm not. But yeah, there's just like so much more. Yeah, so many more layers. So much more character development on behalf of Tobias in this book that I was. Disappointed because I like my fantasy men to be impenetrable. Like, I'm just a cold, miserable, hard ass bastard. And you're my one sweet spot. You're my one piece of sunshine that I get to keep. Whether it's, you know, under my thumb or whatever that looks like for whatever book you're reading. But I like my problematic men in my books. Did it force you. Did it force you to see him in a human way? Like, I was.

25:03 I was really upset about it because I. I didn't want to know that much about him. I found myself, like, skimming some of the chapters or some of the pages or whatever that I was like, God, more about the childhood, more about the. It was until. It was until the. The scene with the mom in the car and the sick Dom, the baby Dom, that I was like, oh, I've been missing some pieces. So then I went back and I reread the beginning of every Chapter and all those little memories, and I was like, oh.

25:46 And then I saw these, like. Like, actually problematic things. Yeah. With the character. Like, I mean, some. Some depend. Some dependencies. Right. Yeah. Like, a lot of alcohol to numb the pain. Deal with a lot of things. Yeah. Yeah. It just made him really human for me. This leads to some of the questions I had for you both in and around Tobias. Do you think Tobias was worth the wait for Cecilia? Yes. Because I think if you just read through all the three books, you could tell that they really loved each other and that, you know, love is hard. You know, it doesn't come. Come, you know, in a nice package wrapped in a bow, like you had to work for it. And so I think.

26:41 Yes. That they were. They were meant to be together. I don't know. Okay. I don't know. I think, like, irl. Absolutely not. But for the book's sake and for the storyline and for all the things. One million percent. Thank you, fantasy. A billion percent. There's no way. There's no. No way I would live through that and still be like, yeah, let's. Let's be in love. No, you, dude. And it was great and all, but still. You don't get to treat me like that when we're not. Yeah. Do you? My next question is. Kind of. Might be. I don't know if I'm gonna word this right.

27:26 Do you think a lot of what he puts himself through or, like, when I. When I say that, I mean, like, he sees himself as, like, the father figure? Yeah. Do you think that that's him being selfish or selfless? Like, does he. Do you think he needs to be that character because he's so insecure? Or do you think he really is putting himself on the line to protect everybody else? At the beginning of the book, I would have said that it was selfless. And when I started, like, middle, I guess, of the book, I was, like, insecure. I think insecure is, like, a really appropriate way. A really appropriate word for that is. Yeah. I saw him as insecure, as unable to, like. Well, because he's going through all these changes, trying to implement all these changes in his life anyways.

28:24 But, yeah, I think at first he just doesn't. I think he just does it because it needs to be done. Yeah. That's how I see it. So I actually have a question. One question for you, Dirty Skittles. And one for you, Nacho. So, Dirty Skittles. At what point do you feel that Tobias stopped being romantically tortured and started needing real Consequences. Did he. Did he actually earn Cecilia back? Or did Kate Stewart just make us emotionally vulnerable enough to forgive him? Oh, that's fucking brutal. I think I. Okay, this might be more of a reflection of me than anything else. That's what this whole podcast is, baby. Let it go.

29:16 I think, think that he did earn her back. Here's why he did things that were so fish out of water to make her happy. I think a side effect or a consequence of that was he learned about himself, but he would have never willingly, I think, done any of that on his own. I think he does it because he wants to be with her to. And as, like, Hallmark movie as it was when they were, like, bobbing for apples, when they were celebrating holidays together, the two of them, he wanted those memories with her, and he wouldn't have done that on his own. He ain't gonna make a snowman, just Tobias solo doo outside, you know what I mean? Like, and it meant so much to her that I think, little like that he was willing to do it. So I think he earned her back. Okay, I see. I like that.

30:17 Okay, Nacho, I'm afraid, did Cecilia. Okay. Did Cecilia finally standing up for herself make the romance hotter for you? Or were you more invested in the Tobias emotional damage redemption to her? Okay, I like. I liked a lot of both of it. Did that come out right? No, I don't think that was the right words. Hold on. I. Okay, I.

31:01 I liked watching in my brain. It's watching, right? So I read it and then I see it in my brain, right? So there's a whole, like, screenplay happening in my brain. I enjoyed reading and watching the dumpster fire that Tobias was willing to be to satisfy or attempt to satisfy the. The boundaries that that Cecilia had set for herself. I liked both sides of it.

31:42 Do I enjoy watching people grovel? No. Do I enjoy watching people or knowing, reading, whatever. People willing to make themselves vulnerable for the ones that they love. God, yes. God, yes. I think more people should be vulnerable and be willing to say dumb shit and be willing to, like, be wrong. And I think in the same vein, it's important for not just women, but anybody who, If you're. Okay, so if your best friend is telling you, or your sister, your brother, cousin, whoever's, your. Your person, your whatever is telling you you're being taken advantage of, or your brain or your heart is telling you you're being taken advantage of, I think it's important and hot for you to be like, okay, I don't want to be. And taken Advantage of.

32:55 What does that look like for me? What boundaries can I put? So it's all. I mean, it's all sexy to me, but you can't tell me an emotional roller coaster of feelings isn't hot. Yeah. Especially when it keeps me reading through that many pages in a book. A series of books. It was a long book. But I will say, for me, like, the hottest thing in the book is not, you know, broding. Tobias. It was Cecilia filing saying, you know what? You don't get access to me without accountability. And, you know, for me, it's all about accountability. And the older I get, it's about accountability. Like, you know what? You've kicked me over in the past. Unless you're willing to, like, show me the fuck that you've grown up, you don't get to touch this. Yeah. And so, I mean, that. It was a. It was a good reminder for me, but I'm in a stable relationship, too, so. Yeah, but that doesn't mean that it can't apply to, like, other relationships.

33:56 True. In your life. Right. Because we all have at least one person in our life that refuses to be honest. Well, okay. I imagine in my brain that we all have at least a person in our life that wants to be close to us, but refuses to respect boundaries and refuses to be honest and refuses for what they perceive to be great, solid ideas and. And feelings. Right. Like, not to say that they're not valid, but if that's a boundary that you set for yourself, not just in a physical or romantic relationship, but in any relationship.

34:48 Sorry, I got really. I'm awake now. Can you tell? I have a question for both of you. Who. Who do you think sacrifice the most out of these three series, out of the entire trilogy, which character sacrificed the most? Dom. His actual life. Yeah. Dom. His actual life. His actual brother. His. The love of his life. He sacrificed everything for the Raven Hood. He sacrificed happiness in many, many levels.

35:29 Right. He knew he wasn't going to last till. Live till 30, so. Right. Like, he. Did all these things knowing that I don't know that. Dom. Dom's the one. Dom's the answer for me, G. Yeah. Do you agree? I agree. Yeah. Because, you know, Dom kind of brings it all together, but, like. And he. He's the kind of guy I would have hung around with if I was. If I was that much into guys, which I'm not. So it's okay. I would agree. My. My last question is, in this book, the finish line having finished it, is there anything you didn't get closure on the characters or the story.

36:21 No, there were so many pro. Like, the. The chapters, the ending. There were so many chapters afterwards, I was just like, there's only so much happiness I can handle. It was great. But, like, at that point, I was like, are still on an emotional overlook. I was still feeling my feelings, but it was great. Like, there was a lot of happy ending. And I like a happy ending. I call me old fashion, call me pretentious, whatever. I don't care. Call me whatever you want. I like a happy ending. I like a nice, neat little bow. Everybody lived happily ever after. Yeah, I loved it because at the end of the book, love. Love actually did win. And, you know, just looking at it from, like, my, you know, my standpoint as a lesbian, you know, whenever, like, couples can get together and actually marry, and I don't care, you know, what gender you are at the end, love wins. And to me, that. That made my heart sing. So, okay, what about you? Yeah. Yeah, I think so. I think. I think so.

37:30 I definitely got closure on the characters. The only thing I wish I could remember better was. I know at one point the topic of Tobias being afraid that he would suffer the same illness as his dad. I don't remember us finding closure there. Yeah. I don't remember whether or not we know. Yeah. Because didn't his dad. His dad had schizophrenia? Like, I remember there's a conversation where Cecilia is reassuring him like, no, you don't have it. But I don't remember. I just remember him still kind of fearing that that would be something he would battle. How many. How many chapters at the end of the book do you have in. Because you read the paper, right? I think it's just the.

38:18 Because there's a bonus chapter. Yeah, there was a bonus chapter with Sean. Or is there something else? Hold on. In this book, there is a chapter with Sean. Let me go past this. Yep. Two years later, Sean. My phone buzzes again on the nightstand. I silence it to sit stretching my neck. Yeah, no, I don't have anything after Sean's prologue or epilogue or whatever the it's called. Yeah, well, I have bonus chapter Tobias. Oh, is that on my arms? Is that compelling my arms? Yep. Against the incoming wave, I tunnel through the and emerge. I turn in time to watch it roll towards the shore toward where my life now begins and ends. Just ahead sits a mansion perched on a cliff rock, which was once a time capsule, a home that was once a destination but is now a dream realized. Turning back towards the sea, I measured against the Clear blue summer sky. Knowing the relentlessness, Restlessness is not quite exhausted for me. Yeah, it goes, it goes on for. Yeah. Is that where it ends with him talking to Dom and he's like, I'm tired, Dom. And he, like, has the car in the ocean or some.

39:37 That's how it ends for me, at least in the book is Tobias, you know, at some point, Tobias tells Cecilia throughout the birth control, I want to be a dad. Then he, like, goes to say his final farewells to Dom at the beach. He's got, like, a toy car in his hand. He kneels by the water, and he's just talking to his brother. And he basically is like, I'm tired, Dom, so help me watch over us, okay? And then he says, we did it, brother. And that's Tobias's last line. And so I'm like, I hope he's okay. I'm scrolling right now. I, I, I will tell you, this book, like, on the emotional damage rating was a five out of five for me. Yeah, Yeah, I agree. I'm still fucking mourning Dom's loss. It like, me up. I won't read. Side note, listeners, there is what, what Kate Stewart calls the Raven Hood universe or something like that. And there is a book written from Dom's POV called One Last Rainy Day or something like that. Might have to check me on that. But I will not read it. Yeah, because I'm so emotionally, like, I can't. No, I can't. And like, and then, like, my final, like, spice rating is 4 out of 5. Not for the sex scenes, but because Cecilia, being a woman, finally brought agency into the room. Right. She finally stood up for herself. She grew a set of balls. And for me, when women do that, when they, when they are tired, you know, being driven by narcissistic and misogynistic men, she grew a set of balls. And for

41:11 me, when any woman can do that, good for you. Yeah. This for me was a two. This is like a halo without the angel wings. It was sweet, it was sexy, but it was more focused on love and less about three ways on a lake. Yes. Yeah, I'm gonna stick with my PG, PG 13 rating. Yeah. Isn't even a 13. Yeah, yeah, 13 probably because you'd have to really be as a, a little bit older to get some of the. I'm sorry, no more, no more gin for you. No, we won't be sending gin to the house.

41:53 You are feral and I'm here for it. Yeah. How long are you going to be there for? Can we just have Total Wine send you a. Like, a whole case. Sponsorship. This episode is sponsored by gin. Gin and herbal tea and smart water. Yes. This was. This was so much fun. Ladies, I'm looking forward to the next book series that we're going to read. Should we get. And yes. Spoiler. Come on, tell us. All right, the next series we are going to dive into and dissect is A Court of thorns and Roses, Season 2. Go all the way. All the way, baby. All the way. We're getting deep in that fairy smut. Yes, bitch.

42:48 Do it again. Damn, man.