Series Review: P.S. by Winter Renshaw

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for PS I Hate You (from Goodreads):

Dear Isaiah,

Eight months ago, you were just a soldier about to be deployed and I was just a waitress, sneaking you free pancakes and hoping you wouldn’t notice that my gaze was lingering a little too long.

But you did notice.

We spent a “week of Saturdays” together before you left, and we said goodbye on day eight, exchanging addresses at the last minute.

I saved every letter you ever sent, your words quickly becoming my religion.

But you went radio silent on me months ago, and then you had the audacity to walk into my diner yesterday and act like you’d never seen me in your life.

To think … I almost loved you and your beautifully complicated soul.

Almost.

Whatever your reason is—I hope it’s a good one.

Maritza the Waitress

PS – I hate you, and this time … I mean it.

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Author
Author: Winter Renshaw
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: March 28, 2018 – October 2018
Source & Format: Hidden Gems Books–eARC (#1); Own (#2, #3)

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Over the last year, Winter Renshaw has become a must read author for me–and this book definitely reaffirmed that.

I’ve been looking forward to this one since I read its blurb a few months ago. I couldn’t wait to learn more about Isaiah and Maritza and uncover just what had happened between them. Of course I had my theories but you never know what to expect with a Renshaw book 😉

The Concept:

This story starts from the beginning of Isaiah and Maritza’s story–starting when they meet for the first time. It’s a little bittersweet watching their story unfold because you, thanks to the synopsis, that something terrible happens to draw them apart. But that just sucks you in more as you get invested in their story.

And I just want to say that despite the synopsis format, this novel isn’t only told through letters. Just a heads up.

The Plot:

I really enjoyed the fact that we start at the beginning of their relationship; that this isn’t a second chance romance right from the get-go. As I said above, the anticipation of knowing that things go awry (all the while hating that they do because you’ve come to love these two together) adds an addicting quality to this story.

I had my theories going in about what draws them apart, but Renshaw completely threw me for a loop with her twist and that made me love this book even more.

The Characters:

The main reason I loved this book so much was our two leads. They’re absolutely great and bring this story to life in a way that just makes it addicting to read.

Maritza is honest to a fault I think but I loved her candour and approach to life. I don’t know how else this story would work if she wasn’t the lead.

Isaiah is a hard nut to crack and I loved watching Maritza slowly ebb away his gruff exterior to see who he truly is. Because as the reader, you do get his inner monologue and know his struggles. It’s just fun watching his evolution thanks to Maritza.

The Romance:

At the start, they are a little like oil and vinegar–not completely mixing thanks to their candour and stubborn personalities. Of course that changes as they get to know each other but I loved the tension their early interactions invoked.

As they get to know each other through conversations and activities, you start to see how these two would work. That was one of the things I appreciated the most about their story was actually reading the conversations these two would share. Seeing them interact on a daily basis enhanced their relationship and made their situation more realistic than not.

–September 10, 2019– Book #2: PS I Miss You

I devoured this book in one sitting thanks to its sweet and sexy nature. But unlike the previous novel—while I still loved these two together—I feel like we didn’t get as deep with this characters. I couldn’t help but feel like this book was short a chapter or two to help really cement that great relationship.

–September 15, 2019– Book #2: PS I Dare You

I’m not sure if my rotten mood made me dislike this book–or if this book brought out an awful mood in me. This book felt rushed and not in a good way. The chemistry just didn’t seem to be there and that didn’t help me get behind the romance. I also thought more could have been done with the character backstories–just seemed like a missed opportunity and an unfortunate way to end an entertaining series.