While it was well written enough, I both liked and had issues with this book.
I liked Ethan and Laurel when they were together. They were cute and the antics of their pretend dating were mildly fun. I liked the way he appreciated her artistic streak.
But when Ethan was facing the prospect of being with his brothers, I didn't like him as much. The thing with a series like this is I'm three books in. Three books that worked hard to make sure I liked Landon and Dillon and Jax and Preston. So as likable as Ethan is in certain moments, every time he gets put out about having to spend time with his family or feeling like it's going to be a miserable time, it 100% doesn't work because I like his brothers, even if he doesn't. I have three books convincing me they're fun to hang out with and welcoming and nice. So it's hard to see him as sympathetic in those moments. Also, all the other girls were given a chance to be welcomed into the family. And Laurel is liked by the family but she isn't given that same chance to be a part of them because Ethan keeps isolating himself and her.
And I get it, with Ethan's promise to his mom. But seriously years and years later and they still haven't talked about it? Families as close and caring as the Wyle's figure these things out by talking about them and him never coming home and never talking about it or explaining why he needed to stay in school or how it'd be good for them all is sort of ridiculous.
Speaking of ridiculous. Laurel was a lot like Ethan in that some moments she was likable and then sometimes she was pretty unsympathetic. Her mom's deal is wacko, but all of the logic around it and her practical perspective is spot on, making Laurel seem a bit immature. Then at the end she is such a petulant child. One guy tells her she needs to mature as an artist and she throws a fit and decides that she's awful and never going to get better? Like there aren't other people that have opinions? Or that anyone else's opinion matters if she loves it. It's subtle through the whole book but she really is immature in the way she reacts to things and the way she thinks everyone should throw practicality to the wind and believe unconditionally in her ability to support herself with her art. The world doesn't work that way.
I liked the way it all ended and there were moments getting to that ending which were nice and the moments that weren't great weren't terribly annoying so overall it's a decent book.