Parachutes Book 3 Book Review

“The people who care about us act as parachutes, making the impact after we fall and glide a little more bearable.” As if the readers of this series hadn't been through enough, TA decided to flex her pen a little more, showing us that she's really “that girl” when it comes to evoking emotions through words. Last week, readers were given the final parachute in this beautiful series, and I think I can speak for us all when I say we're elated. Not only because we missed these characters, but because all of us—readers and characters—deserved closure. “Too painful to have been a dream. Too outrageous not to have been a miracle. Real life. Real love. The kind made for parachutes.”

In the first two books of the series, our main characters, Tahli and Dalvin, went through so much, their story mirroring real-life scenarios. And as if they and the readers hadn't been through enough, the opening scene is Tahli fighting for her life. “If the world didn't have her, it would perish.” Heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, agonizing—I really could go on and on about all the feelings I experienced while reliving some of Tahli and Vin's greatest moments and wondering if she was going to live. But my sentiments were the opposite of Vin's. If these characters aren't going to be together, then Tahli can just die. Harsh... right? But the love they had for each other was so strong, I didn't want to read about them being apart. “Her face tightened in a cry, and she shrank down, resting her head on the table. Sobs shook her body as she clamped her wet lashes to her cheeks. Every kiss was tainted. Every declaration of love was sordid. There was someone else in their marriage almost the entire time.”

The evolution of Dalvin Isaiah Hayes in this book was impeccable. To literally watch him grow up on these pages was amazing. If his physical attributes didn't have you swooning, his grown-man swagger definitely did. “I'm on my fucking knees begging you. Please. Stay. Just stay, Tahli. Please. I'll fix everything.” Initially, I felt like Tahli, “I'm sick of talking about Vin. Fuck him! We ain't singing, we bringing drama. Fuck Vin and his mothafuckin' mama... 'cause her ass knew, too!” But I got off the Vin hate train much sooner than she did. Vin was accountable, remorseful, and understanding. Adding Larry, his therapist, to the equation made his growth that much more top-tier. “It's self-sabotage, man. Anytime shit gets a little scary, you go and do something to jeopardize it all. Because deep down, Dalvin, you don't think you deserve the life you've worked hard to achieve.”

Watching Tahli and Vin's love story come full circle was soul-stirring. The happily ever after I thought TA could never give me is finally here. Their story wasn't perfect, but in real life, no one's is. Tahli and her hasty decisions mirrored some of my own and those of the women I know, making her relatable. She drove me nuts half the story, but I honestly couldn't be mad at her. What Vin did was unforgivable until it wasn't. TA put her foot, elbow, knees, and toes into creating him. The raw emotions, top-tier character development, and the comedy splashed throughout this very serious story makes this book one of the best TA has ever written.

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