THE LAST PIECE OF HIS HEART

Ronan’s troubled past follows him to Santa Cruz, where he meets artistic and complicated Shiloh, the two finding comfort, confidence, and a growing romance.

In this third entry in the Lost Boys trilogy, Ronan Wentz leaves small-town Wisconsin—and a trail of darkness—behind him. At just 18, he’s spent 10 years in foster care; his mother, a victim of domestic abuse, and his violent father are dead. Summoned by his long-lost uncle, Ronan vows to finish high school in California. Seventeen-year-old Shiloh Barrera, who was raised by Bibi, her maternal great-grandmother, avoids her mother, with whom she has a strained relationship. Ronan works hard to escape his nightmarish past, but violence dogs him. Shiloh throws herself into her work and her passion, jewelry making, to prove her worth to the mother who didn’t want her. Through high school and beyond, the pair face setbacks that test their relationship. Tattooed Ronan is a bad boy with a pure heart, a compelling romantic lead. Shiloh is independent and motivated, yet believably—and relatably—vulnerable and insecure. Their romance is deep and emotional, and readers will connect with their growing love. Bibi is a delightful, endearing character whose presence is a highlight and anchor of the narrative. The satisfying ending is sure to please series fans. Shiloh’s “unknown father’s DNA” makes her lighter-skinned than her Black mother. Ronan presents white.

An engrossing romance with fully imagined characters.