Can’t Get Enough (Skyland #3) by Kennedy Ryan

I have been avoiding this book because I knew it would cause me some feelings. Kennedy Ryan has a way of punching through your chest, ripping out your heart, jumping on it a few times, then putting it back together and sewing you back up. You’ll feel almost as good as new after but there will for sure be some bruising. With Can’t Get Enough there was a bit more bruising. See, I knew from the previous books that Hendrix’s mom had some kind of dementia, unfortunately dementia is something that runs on my mothers side of the family, my grandmother died as a result of it, and I have an aunt currently battling it. I was quite frankly terrified of reading this and with good reason, it wasn’t an easy read. It was a really great book though. The research was amazing (Kennedy Ryan also unfortunately had family knowledge she could draw on) and the overall story was really beautiful. As with the other books in the Skyland series, you have a love story between couples but also a love story between friends. Yasmen and Soledad were there for Hendrix when she needed them, just like Hendrix was there for them when they needed support. These three were absolute queens and their friendship was so beautiful. Each of their stories to a HEA with their men was lovely but the real star of the whole show was the power of female friendships!

“I’ve learned to block out the noise of other people’s opinions and live my life the way I want to. The way that makes me happy,”

I was looking forward to Hendrix book from Before I Let Go, she had an energy about her that I loved. She is unapologetically who she is and she is not going to twist herself into knots to please other people. She is also loudly and proudly childfree, and as someone who is proudly childfree it was all kinds of awesome to get a character who was so at peace with her decision and gave not a single shit what others thought about her choices. I try to give rich aunty vibes like Hendrix, but I’m not rich enough to spoil them like I want to. I am taking two of my nieces to Disneyland Paris in October though so I’m giving it a good try! 😀

So Hendrix is the business, obviously she needed someone amazing to fall in love with, and I will admit to being slightly concerned at the very beginning. Maverick’s situation is a little messy, and I really didn’t want that for Hendrix, but he quickly proved himself worthy of her.

“I want my love to be the most extravagant gift I ever give you,” he whispers, his voice deep and reverent. “I want it to be outrageously unconditional. I want it to overflow and spill into every crevice of your life, every corner of your heart because that’s what you do for me. You overwhelm me, Hendrix.”

The man was persistent, he was also incredibly thoughtful, and had a way of putting Hendrix first that was stunning to read. Each time he went out of his way to support her made me fall a little more in love with him. Whether that be rushing back to her when her mother was unwell, or killing a deal he was emotionally invested in because it would have an impact on her. Nothing was going to get in his way when it came to Hendrix and it was SWOON worthy! I’ve loved all the Skyland men but Maverick has to be number one.

One of the things I love about reading a Kennedy Ryan book, is that I always feel like I come away from her books with useful knowledge. In this case it was the information in the authors note about the similarities between Hendrix’s Aspire Fund and Fearless Fund (https://www.fearless.fund/), and the case taken against them by Edward Blum, the conservative legal activist, ‘whose law firm alleged Fearless Fund was in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which at its heart was intended to provide legal protection for Black people subject to widespread discrimination following emancipation.‘ A case that was thankfully dismissed.

“This court is penalizing one of the few groups actively working to close the racial-gender inequities in business, and ultimately working to close the social and economic gaps created by this nation’s disgraceful history around race.”

With the amount of information available online nowadays, news about this level of blatant ill will and racism can get lost in the ether. Being Irish based also means that information like this doesn’t always make onto the algorithm. Keeping up with how low conservatives are willing to go is important though, that shit spreads, it might not always look the same but the sentiment spreads just the same. Trumps DEI policies implemented at the start of his new term have had an impact on US companies based here in Ireland, and will likely continue to do so as things get more and more extreme with this administration. It’s impossible not to see that all these things are connected and I appreciate Kennedy Ryan for highlighting things like this so that I can do the work to stay informed.

All in all this was a wonderful trilogy and I’m sad our time in Skyland is over, but like all Kennedy Ryan books, I look forward to revisiting these characters again in the not so distant future!

Synopsis:

Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry’s rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it.

She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions—always striving upward. And in the midst of everything, she’s facing her toughest challenge yet: caring for an aging parent.

Who has time for romance? From her experience, there’s a low ROI on relationships. She hasn’t met the man who can keep up with her anyway. Until…him.

Tech mogul Maverick Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and knee-melting charm. From their first charged glance at the summer’s hottest party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match. Only he can’t be. Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired and appreciated, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself.

But when Maverick gives chase—pursuing her, spoiling her, understanding her—is it time to let herself have something more?