Knew You Were Waiting (Secret Messages romance book 3 of 3)

Review of advance copy received from author

Ok, this is straight-up entertaining. The kind of read that makes you tired from laughing. The kind of story that cracks you up from the characters’ bickering and those almost-happening kissing scenes in public… while they still claim to hate each other.

Rosie hates Francesco so much that she can’t stop antagonizing him in every situation. Yes, even during her early pregnancy. But then life does its thing and turns them into flatmates… before anything else.

And as expected, the pranks become unavoidable. Someone hides the other person’s socks. The other one fights back by hiding shampoo. And then… toothpaste ends up in the shampoo.
Yeah. It escalates.

You might think these pranks just go on for the longest time hahaha. But let me tell you this… once lasagna starts spoiling, a mouth gets betrayed, and suddenly the rage begins to spin before fading away. How? Who’s the good cook here????

Right. Good food becomes the key to a softer change. This book actually made me want to feed my enemies now. Though… I don’t think they’d trust me enough hahaha. Still, I kind of love the idea of making peace through food, just like the author shows.

While the story entertains me so much that I still catch myself laughing about it even in the bathroom, I also start to notice something deeper. The story quietly highlights love in so many forms, mother and daughter, brotherhood, even the bond between a grandma and her grandson.

At its core, this book is about building a family. Creating one in imperfect circumstances. Learning what to choose before stepping into a future with a woman who is pregnant with a child that isn’t yours. Deciding between a man who sticks around just because of his duty, or one who stays because he truly sees you for you and accepts your child as part of your beauty.

By the way, Rosie feels like fire. She’s always the one who starts the fight. And Francesco? He feels like water. Calm, observant, taking his time to notice every change, the food, the feelings, the quiet shift between them. And when he finally knows what he wants, his waves move with purpose.

There’s something about Francesco’s self-control that touches me in such an unexplainably beautiful way. This line says it all:

“I’m going to wait for you to kiss me, so I can see you’re sure it’s what you want.”

What I love about Rosie, though, is her strong determination to keep her baby. Even with all the fear, the nerves, the excitement, the uncertainty all at once. Even when she doesn’t know how to be a mom. Even when she’s not financially ready. She chooses her baby because she wants to, not because she forces herself to.

Out of all the supporting characters, I love Rosie’s mom and James the most. They’re genuinely funny together, and their dynamic feels like a real family. And James, he protects Rosie like she’s his own daughter.

Here’s a line from him that stays with me:

“Families are made, sun. You don’t always get to choose the perfect circumstances.”