Tailgates & Twists of Fates by Haley Rhoades

Tailgates & Twists of Fates is the fourth and final book in Haley Rhoades’ enchanting, sweet and heart-warming series following a group of High School friends in small town Athens from graduation until adulthood.
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It’s almost impossible to write a review of a fourth book in a series without making any spoilers, so for those that haven’t yet read this series I want to say congrats for having this wonderful experience still to enjoy and that I recommend it with all my heart!

For those that have read the previous three books, we all know that it ended with Madison’s and Hamilton’s wonderful “first” date. I loved this part from the third book:

“We’re going to the spot where we began.”
The weight of his words warms me. We began that night I asked him for a favor; we met in the cemetery and it changed my life forever.

So, now Madison and Liberty have moved to Chicago to be with Hamilton and everything should be perfect, right? It should be time to enjoy the happy ending, but instead life continues to throw them curveballs… Trying to build a new life in a new town, while her book release approaches and Hamilton prepares to leave for spring training, Madison finds herself struggling.

Spoilers coming up…
The happy news about a new baby on the way are squashed when Hamilton is injured on the field and gets a concussion that leads to a personality change. Even though he starts to practice again his mood doesn’t improve. Madison worries that while he’s focused on physical workouts, he hasn’t healed mentally. She’s sure he’s depressed when he starts to withdraw from her and Libby. He’s irritable and has little patience with Liberty. On top of that, Madison feels the pull of her old hometown and a wish to give her children the life she and Hamilton shared while growing up.
End of spoilers.

I loved the character developments in this book and that Haley Rhoades keeps making it hard for our beloved couple. It would have been so easy to make it all peachy and perfect, but Haley Rhoades kept it real. I also love how she involved the old friends more again, especially Savannah, in this book, and how the friends all supported each other.

And the wonderful, wonderful epilogue made me cry happy tears, it was the perfect ending to this amazing series. No spoilers, but I can say that after 15 years, Madison realizes something important about herself and the life she wants to live.

​Find out more about the book and the author here: Haley Rhoades