Maverick and Stevie grew up together, the children of best friends who did everything together. But their teenage years put some distance between them and their friendship has turned into a bit of a frenemy situation. As her dying wish, Maverick’s mom announces she wants them to date and not wanting to disappoint her as they watch cancer slowly take her from them, they concede. But what starts out as fake chips away at the walls they’ve erected between them and leaves them each questioning how they fell and what to do next.

I knew this was going to be an emotional ride, but I was not prepared for how much parts of this journey were going to gut me. My heart broke for Maverick and his family as they watched their matriarch battle her cancer. When Maverick hit his rock bottom I was devastated right along with him and couldn’t help but hope he would find a way to claw out of his pain, especially if he could realize what he felt for Stevie was not just for show.

At the same time those pieces had me in an emotional chokehold, there was something about the beginning that had me struggling to stay in the book (until the emotions took over, that is), and I think it had to do with the coldness that Stevie and Maverick shot at each other before their fake dating started. But once that fake dating was suggested, I was all in on this couple.

Merit is a best friends-to-enemies-to lovers story over the top of some pretty emotional, heavy topics. It was fun to return to the Treasure State world, especially since series readers have seen bits and pieces of this story in the wings of previous books. I love the way this series' timeline overlaps each other and happens over time but also at the same time in places. Seeing old favorite couples in the future was another nice touch at the end of this. I love the way all these stories weave together.