Train of Thoughts: All's Fair Book Review

Carina Gaskell, a Filipina romance author will be receiving the third installment book from her Invincible Summer series. And I got an ARC of it!

Tropes

🎨 artist x photographer

🌻 three dates, three chances

☀️ end of summer

💞 enemies to lovers

Carina Gaskell does it again!

Yet another novella that managed to pull me right out of my reading slump! I don’t know how she does it, but Carina has this magical way of tickling my sleepy brain with her short, engaging, and utterly loveable stories. Just when I think I’m too distracted or tired to read, her books remind me why I fell in love with reading in the first place.

This time around, I felt especially connected to Layla, our fierce FMC. She’s strong, independent, and carries the weight of being a protector—not only of herself but of those she loves. And like so many of us, she struggles to let her softer side show. There’s something so relatable about a character who’s often misunderstood because of her strength, and Carina portrays that inner conflict beautifully. You root for Layla on every page, hoping she finds the space to just be.

And Lucky, our MMC? Well—his name fits. Let’s just say: three dates, three chances, and boy, you almost blew it... but also, you didn’t. Ugh! The tension, the chemistry, and the will-they-won’t-they moments had me grinning like a fool. Lucky is the kind of character who sneaks up on you. One moment you’re thinking he’s charming, the next moment you realize you’re completely invested in his journey too.

One of the best parts about this novella is that it can absolutely be read as a standalone. But if you really want the full experience, I highly recommend starting with True North and Trust Issues. You'll appreciate the returning characters and connections so much more—it adds an extra layer of warmth to an already heartfelt story.

And I have to give a big shoutout to our talented Filipina author—thank you, Carina, for another gem of a read. Your work continues to inspire and uplift, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

If you’re like me and can’t get enough of the Invincible Summer series, stay tuned—ARCs for the upcoming books are on the horizon! I’m ready to dive in. Are you?

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Check out my book reviews and toys on Instagram: Kawaiimemos

I play cozy games and stream it on Facebook, check out: Kawaiimemos 

For collaborations, contact me at kawaiimemos@zohomail.com

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆