Review: Camelot book 4
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 10, 2013
I loved Tony and Amber's novella How to Misbehave so when I found out Ruthie Knox was writing a new story about the couple I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It's not often that I come across stories that focus on keeping the magic alive between a couple after 12 years of marriage and three children. We've seen glimpses of this couple in the last two stories so we know that they're still together but we've not really had the opportunity to see how they are getting on as a couple so I was excited to read more of their story.As it turns out they're like most long term couples, they still love each other but they've kind of lost sight of each other a little bit since everyday life has got in the way. Amber has been focused on raising their family and looking after their home, she feels a bit lost now that her youngest has started school and she's feeling lonely because Tony is spending so much time at work. Tony is working stupidly long hours because he is trying to make enough money to pay all the bills. He hates being away from home so much but he wants to be able to provide everything his family could wish for. He doesn't realise how lonely Amber is feeling or notice how sad she is, not because he doesn't care but because he just isn't there to see it.Ruthie Knox has a way of creating characters you feel connected to and that is why Making It Last packs such an emotional punch. This story is gut wrenching to read in places, my heart broke for Amber and everything she was going through but I felt just as much for Tony and the pressure he was putting himself under. They are obviously crazy about each other but they have forgotten to make time for each other, like so many of us find in long term relationships they have let other priorities take over and now they're unsure about how to reconnect. Ruthie has really captured the fact that relationships take hard work and commitment, it isn't a case of get married and you'll automatically have a HEA - you actually have to put the effort in if you want your relationship to survive. If you truly love each other then it is worth fighting for your relationship and that is exactly what Amber and Tony do here.I don't want to go into details about the story so I'm just going to tell you that watching them reconnect with each other is beautiful. Making It Last ripped my heart out and shredded it into tiny little pieces but thankfully by the end it had been put back together even better than ever - just like Tony and Amber's marriage. I loved this couple after How to Misbehave but that is nothing to how much I care about them now I've read Making It Last and I can't recommend reading their stories highly enough. While each of the stories in the Camelot series works as a stand alone I would definitely recommend reading these two novellas in order. The other books are both just as good though so really I think you should devour the whole series!