Strictly The Worst (The Salinger Brothers Book 5)

There were several instances when they mentioned Tessa is older than Linc, so I was expecting her to be like 40 and him in his 20s.Nope, she’s 3 years older than him and they’re both in their early to mid 30’s. 32 and 35…As someone in a relationship with this same “age gap”…rude. And the weird stances on single moms from... another single mom felt underdeveloped.Otherwise, I thought this book was cute.

Carrie Elks has done it again with Strictly the Worst, another fabulous addition to the Salinger series! As the fifth book in the series, this enemies-to-lovers story surprised me in the best way possible. Normally, I wouldn't gravitate towards a story like this, single mother and slightly younger male lover intrest, but my love for the Salinger series drew me in, and this book did not disappoint.I absolutely loved the characters in this story. Their relationship development was beautifully written, showing growth as they navigated their feelings. The way their personalities played off each other added a rich dynamic that kept me engaged throughout the book. Additionally, seeing snippets of characters from previous books intertwined in this story is a favorite detail of mine.As a New Yorker, I appreciated how this book was set more in Manhattan, adding a familiar and exciting backdrop to the unfolding romance. Although it wasn't as spicy as Strictly Not Yours (still spice tho), the humor and wit of the Salinger brothers had me smiling and laughing. I'm so obsessed with all the Salinger brothers and their character development, and this book was no exception.💥semi SPOILER ALERT💥The epilogue and bonus epilogue were by far my favorite parts! I couldn't sleep after finishing because reading about the characters' futures kept my mind racing. It was the perfect conclusion to an incredible story, leaving me both satisfied and eager for more.I'm seriously excited for Brooks' story, but knowing that the series will soon be over makes me sad. I'm beyond excited to read the final installment, even though it means saying goodbye to my favorite series.

This book was so good I lost sleep over it because I literally couldn’t put it down until I had read the entire thing. I’ve loved all of the previous Salinger Bros. books, but Lincoln and Tessa’s story might just be my favorite so far.Some fun Tropes to Expect:Enemies to LoversSingle MomForced ProximityOffice RivalsOnly One BedHe Falls FirstLincoln and Tessa have insta chemistry. What starts out as a rivalry turns into some fantastic tension. Linc doesn’t like Tessa simply because she seemed to take an instant dislike to him from Day 1. Tessa doesn’t hate Linc, but she resents how things seem to come so easily to him while she fights for every bit of advancement or credit. The one thing neither of them could deny was they were also both attracted to one another. All of that tension comes to a head when they are both sent to make a pitch to a client on a gorgeous island resort. A beautiful setting with of course only one bed soon leads to more, but what happens when they go back to reality?I absolutely loved watching Lincoln and Tess fall in love. They both were struggling with lots of internal baggage, but somehow they always clearly saw one another for who they were. Lincoln was such a great MC with tons of charisma and charm. His acceptance, his fear and the way he loves just hits your heart. Tessa was a fabulously strong FC who discovers that sometimes you have to trust and take a leap in order to accept your own happiness. I was shipping these two the entire book!All in all this was a 10/10. There was lots of tension, fun steamy scenes and plenty of good ‘ole Salinger Bros banter. Highly recommend!

A slightly younger man and single mother.She came with a little bit of age on him (but like a max of four years) and a teenage daughter who is superbly astute lolTessa had been burned horribly by her ex husband so she was a little scared and a little hesitant to step into a relationship but Linc simply gave her a platform to join him instead of pushing her he simply held out his hand and asked for her trust when she was ready to give it.They fell into a beautiful rhythm and blended their lives together beautifully!Linc, I think, is the swooniest of the brothers so far! He is a lot like Myles being the oldest of his parental set and having to take care of mom after dad split. Kind, strong and caring.Tessa is a wonderfully strong independent woman and steps on to Linc’s offered platform with some trepidation but finds her footing with them as a duo.Zoe is such a fun kid! Her household broke when she was 11 and yet is such a down to earth and well rounded kid it’s fun to see ❤️❤️Such a great story!

Older woman-younger man trope, this was much more serious entry with a bit of drama I wasn't expecting, it was cute but definitely for those who love the series already. Content warnings are important because of the (offpage) references to suicide.

The thing I love about Carrie’s writing is that she incorporates the small, quiet moments where love grows in her writing. Sometimes I’m reading a book and the characters admit they love each other and I think, “since when?” But with Carrie you can see it grow and I love that so much!

Carrie’s books are amazing. She never misses. I love this series, they’re all so cute! These brothers are incredible! Can’t recommend enough!

I didn’t think any Salinger would replace Liam at the top of my list, but Linc did it! Swoony, hot and with a dirty mind and mouth, he’s by far my favourite brother. Linc aside I loved this book and enjoyed every single word. It was great to read a romance without a major drama that lasts for pages and pages. The characters were fun and realistic, including the usual supporting cast. I particularly liked Zoe, the young girl who was the perfect sparring partner for Linc. There’s only one brother left and I really don’t want this easy reading, joyful series to end.

I'm not going to spoil the story but I couldn't put this book down. I love the whole Salinger series, this one is no exception. And I was super happy to see them all together in the bonus epilogue.

Linc and Tessa work together. He gets dropped onto her beloved project right at the end and it messes with her career more than she can accept. So she decides to travel with him to pitch in person.Everything changes for them both while they’re away.I couldn’t put it down!