A wonderful ending to this series.

I really enjoyed Max and Sloane"s second chance romance. The hurdles they had to overcome from the beginning of the story almost seemed insurmountable, but somehow (how?!) they not only got over their animosity, but it happened in a believable way.

I loved Ivy's tale in the midst of this romance. Such an amazing girl, her story helped her aunt in her healing journey too.

It was also fun revisiting Fiona's challenges with her sister and her friend. I love how Ms Wade tangled all these story threads together and gave them their own outcomes, yet the process of getting from A to B created a beautiful tapestry of life.

Bravo!

NB I received an ARC of this novel.

Christy and Carol award-winning author Becky Wade’s latest enemies-to-lovers novel Uneasy Street is the perfect title for her latest work set for release on Valentine’s Day 2025. Her characters work through the pain of past betrayals and estrangements in this faith-based novel. They are uneasy when it comes to revisiting the past and revealing their vulnerable hearts to others.

Uneasy Street is the third novel in the Sons of Scandal series. Sloane Madison and Max Cirillo, the last son of scandal, will face off after four years apart. Fifteen-year-old mediator Ivy Ray acts as a buffer and a common ally as this romance unfolds.

Prim, proper, princess-in-waiting Sloane runs a company called “My Fair Lady” where she teaches classes on etiquette. (She claims Princess Kate as her emotional support princess.) Sloane returns to Maine as temporary guardian for niece Ivy. Ivy’s parents, Brooke and Jared Ray, are geologists traveling for work in the Middle East. Sloane figures she will work remotely, care for Ivy, and check in with her father while she’s visiting. No problem.

But Sloane knows she has unfinished business; she just has no plans to open that Pandora’s box. She left Maine after a personal tsunami of pain and heartbreak. Grief and pain followed her to sunny California after the overdose death of sister Harper and loss of the business she created with Max. What she doesn’t know is that wealthy, attractive Max thinks Sloane is the back-stabber. He wants answers, so he is thrilled to learn Sloane will be back in town. He wants her to explain why she left, but also how she could even think of betraying him. Max has an “I’ll show her” mentality on the surface, but underneath is a vulnerable reality that losing Sloane truly had a seismic impact on his life.

Like all great conflicts, Max worked out a pressure-cooker of a plan. First, he made sure to announce through the proverbial grapevine that he has a rental apartment available in Groomsport, Maine. Sloane and sister Harper used to dream that a prince lived at this Victorian estate known as The Gables. Ivy’s parents rent the place for Sloane and Ivy for the four-month visit. Sloane finds out Max owns the place when he turns off the water to encourage a face-to-face meeting. He does this repeatedly until she finally figures out how to turn the water back on. The back and forth between them is quite humorous in the interim.

Max and Sloane met at University of Pennsylvania as business majors and became close friends and peers. Sloane had a wonderful idea of a digital library like OverDrive or Libby, but one with a low-monthly paid subscription. Their company Libri did well until four years ago when they had a huge presentation before the board of directors, auditors, and shareholders. Sloane’s life imploded and panic attacks rendered her inoperable. If you’ve ever had panic attacks, you understand what those feel like. You feel like you’re having a heart attack with the added sensation of the walls closing in on you like you’re about to pass out.

Sloane texted Max 20 minutes before the presentation saying she couldn’t present the information, which left him scrambling to present in her place. Max let his anger get the best of him. He heard from Sloane’s then-boyfriend about her sister’s death. Jealousy and anger stoked the fires of his outrage even more. He heard from Ivy’s Dad that Sloane considered selling her 20-percent to their competitor, so Max removed Sloane through the board and took over Libri.

Max finally hears Sloane’s side of things. He realizes he may have let emotions rule him in that awful moment before she left town.

But even before then, Max and Sloane have baggage they need to sort through before they can move on together. They both come from homes with a single parent. Max’s mom Nicole is a wonderful mom, and his extended Greek family makes him feel loved. But in his teens, Max learned his father is former NFL quarterback Felix Camden who had an affair with his mother. He has two half-brothers who love him, one of whom is his best friend – Jude. Max has worked to succeed on his own without aid from his birth father. Even with all his success, Max feels less than, like he has to prove himself. He cycles through women, clothes, and cars. He’s often on the society pages and seems to bask in the knowledge that he’s made it on his own.

Sloane and her sister Harper were neglected by their father. His negligence pushed the girls to grow up too fast. Sloane became a self-reliant person and took on adult responsibilities from a young age, while Harper spiraled into self-destruction. She turned to wrong relationships and substance abuse that ended in her tragic death.

Max knows these things about Sloane, and he realizes through their time together that he only has this short window to win her heart.

Before she died, Sloane’s sister Harper became pregnant with Ivy and gave her up for adoption. Ivy had a wonderful childhood in comparison to Sloane and her sister. Harper had an open adoption with the family, which turned out to be a blessing for Sloane. She felt like the Rays adopted the sisters when they adopted Ivy.

As I mentioned, Ivy acts as a buffer between Aunt Sloane and Max as they start to mend fences. She asks them to help her find information about her birth father. The three will work together to learn all they can about Ivy’s beginnings.

By the way, Ivy has two pet rats named Kevin and Ricky. The rat boys, as she calls them, have a condominium. They reminded me of the small furry rodents of my youth. We kids used to dress up Coco-Loco, our guinea pig. My brother’s hamster Herman was the sweetest boy, while my hamster Philia was not like her name. (Mom returned her to the pet store where she gave birth eventually to babies. Maybe she just needed to settle down with a hamster hubby?) The thought of the rats rolling around in their exercise ball made me laugh.

Ivy sees what Max and Sloane are hiding. She learns Max wants a relationship with Sloane. She roots for them and tries to keep the line between them connected.

My favorite insight gleaned from Uneasy Street comes from a well-known verse in Scripture. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:12, “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Sloane reads from her Bible every morning at the café table outside the apartment. One devotional entry provides her with new knowledge about what Jesus meant by what we call the Golden Rule. The devotional writer tells her to give to others the things she needs or needed. In the case of her father, Sloane decides to give her Dad the things she needed growing up. She tells her Dad she will clean, bring food, and take him to appointments while she’s in Maine. She also promises to have someone clean and will send groceries to him when she returns to California. At first, her Dad grumbles and doesn’t want her to do any of those things, but Sloane persists. She shows him grace. Part of having good manners is to show kindness and respect for others. I love how their relationship is transformed over time.

A Missing Tiara and A Marriage

Becky Wade brings back characters from her previous two novels, Memory Lane and Rocky Road. (See my Rocky Road review here.) She takes up the mystery of the missing Empress Eugenie of France’s meander tiara that has been in the Camden family since the late 19th century. Tiffany & Co. bought the real tiara at an auction in 1887.

Felix Camden is convinced that Max’s mom Nicole took it when she fled the Camden estate after the scandal broke. He wants Max to get it back, which doesn’t help their already strained relationship. Max enlists the help of brother Jude (Rocky Road) and eventually Sloane. Felix wants the tiara back in the family so his sons’ brides might wear it on their wedding day. Hint: One Camden son and his bride (Memory Lane) marry at the end of the novel. I did find it interesting to read about another tiara. I was reminded of Cartier’s Valkyrie tiara in J’Nell Ciesielski’s The Winged Tiara.

Forgive to Receive Forgiveness

Fiona Camden from the previous novels seeks forgiveness from her sister Isobel, Felix’s first wife. Fiona’s friend and former housekeeper Nicole Cirillo also had an affair with Felix. The scandal eventually came out, and Nicole and Max were forced to leave the estate. Fiona hasn’t spoken to Nicole since then.

Fiona wants to watch the October eclipse with her sister as they planned many years ago. She seeks Isobel’s forgiveness. Isobel challenges Fiona to forgive Nicole first. Fiona and Nicole must take a selfie to commemorate the meeting. Fiona, a woman of faith, knows that she must forgive Nicole. She doesn’t relish the idea, but she agrees. When she and Nicole meet, Fiona finally understands how her sister must have felt and may still feel about her betrayal. Will the meeting be enough for Isobel?

I enjoyed my time with the Camden family. I’m hoping this isn’t the last story with these characters. Becky Wade did say this is the final book in the Sons of Scandal series, but maybe she’ll write a new series with Ivy Ray at the center. A girl can hope anyway.

I devour Becky Wade novels, and this one was no different. Her writing is compelling and Max and Sloan grabbed my attention from the get-go. The premise, that Sloane had hurt Max and he wanted closure, hooked me. But what Max didn’t understand was that he was just as much in the wrong. I loved going on this journey with Max and Sloane. I especially enjoyed the Fiona and Burke thread that’s been going throughout the prior two books in this series—it was nice to see how that wrapped up. I’m sad to see this series end. Can’t wait to read whatever Becky puts out next!
I received a copy from the author through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

I've adored each of the titles in Becky Wade's Sons of Scandals series, but without a doubt, Max's story ended up being my favorite. I had a hard time wanting to put this lovely story down, and it definitely was worth the wait and lived up to every single expectation I had for it.

This series overall has done a fabulous job of illustrating the turmoil that bad decisions can cause not only for the ones who made the decisions, but also for the children and other family members who have no choice but to get dragged into the drama. I knew going into this one that with everything Max had been through, it was going to take a special gal to break through to his heart, and I'm happy to say that Sloane was definitely the woman for the job. Not only is Uneasy Street a wonderful enemies to lovers romance, but it's also a fantastic second chance romance, and author Becky Wade effortlessly nailed both of these tropes perfectly with her signature witty writing.

Full of hijinks and hilarity, a lovely focus on family and friendship, and a faith element that blended in authentically, this romance was both swoon worthy and squeaky clean which I absolutely appreciated. Max and Sloane were a hoot together, and I loved every single one of their interactions, and never wanted to see the story come to an end.

However, as much as I absolutely adored the romance, the secondary plot lines were even better, which almost seems impossible. Readers get to see more of the story between Fiona and her sister, we get to journey along with a lovely side character (Sloane's niece Ivy) on her quest to discover her biological family, and there's also a touch of mystery surrounding something from the past.

If you enjoy sweet and swoon worthy romances with a touch of Jesus, then this title is definitely the one you've been waiting for. Best selling author Becky Wade gives this series the send off it deserves, and while this definitely could be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend picking up the other books first as they are also wonderful reads.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I can't recommend this enough, and I can't wait to see what Becky Wade has in store for her reader's next!



Thanks so much to Becky Wade for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the author via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

This third installment to the Sons of Scandal series is already one of my favorite books of 2025. I loved getting inside Max's head and getting to know him better. His love interest, Sloane, and her niece, Ivy, were great additions to the world of this family. I loved the subplot involving Ivy's long lost relative, and the way Max looked out for both Ivy and Sloane. The writing in this book is excellent, as it has been in all three books in this series. No one writes quite like Becky Wade, and I'm eager to see what she will publish next!

Loved this book! The characters had quite the journey! Fiona's point of view was so beautifully done. Max and Sloane was such a good story (a prequel would be great!). I didn't want this one to end! Highly highly recommend!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A sweet romance filled with inspirational moments, this story follows Max and Sloane as they confront their shared baggage. Sloane returns to Maine to spend a few months with her niece, Ivy, unaware that the apartment she’s renting belongs to Max. He has arranged for them to reconnect and seek closure after their friendship and business partnership fell apart due to poor decisions and a lack of communication.

Four years later, Max is determined to get answers from Sloane. This part of the story beautifully illustrates the consequences of their past choices and how unresolved issues can resurface if not addressed in a timely manner. It explores how family struggles can disrupt our relationships and future if we don’t strive to heal our wounds.

These books are best enjoyed in order, as they build upon each other....well-written, likable characters, plenty of humor, and engaging family drama.

Thank you, NetGalley and Becky Wade for the eARC.

I found it quite bittersweet to reach the end of this story!!
I have absolutely loved this book, and just really, loved this entire series! I do recommend they be read in order.
Each one is a beautiful part of this gripping series.
Becky Wade has done a fabulous job at bringing these characters to life, and I just loved reading about and getting to know them!
This book is Max's story. I don't know that I would say it is my favorite of the series, but it's gotta be close!
Sloan is the heroine of the story, and I immediately loved her. She and Max have a past, and it was quite interesting to get to know them in light of this, and see their current day lives and choices play out from this.
There is also a bit of a mystery involved, and it just added even more to the story!
For anyone who enjoys a good contemporary romance, I highly recommend this one!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Another amazing book by Becky Wade!

I adored Max and Sloane’s story. I loved Fiona’s side story from all 3 books. I loved Ivy’s(Sloane’s niece) side story in her quest to find answers.

Reasons I loved this book:
-Max’s antics in getting Sloane’s attention at the beginning.
-all the character development. Max in recognizing his feelings and deciding to be the man that Sloane needed. Sloane’s generosity and how that changed her. Fiona and what she had to learn about love and forgiveness.
-Ivy— her sweet teenage self. I especially loved seeing how she viewed Max and Sloane. She had to face some tough topics but she was fantastic!


Favorite Quotes:
“Oh? I’d no idea there were things in your world to which etiquette does not apply.” “Just one thing.” She gave him a telling look. He had the gall to wink.

He leaned near her ear. “When we sit back down, can I put my arm on the pew behind you?” The rumble of his words sent heat feathering along the shell of her ear, jaw, neck. “No.”“Okay. We’ll work up to that on a future Sunday.”

“You’re grace personified.” Max’s voice came out rough-edged. “To me.”

And none of that had made him half as content as he was right now at this small-town festival with Sloane. The restlessness that had hounded him most of his life had been quieting over these last weeks. His driving need to succeed, to win, was receding. He no longer felt desperate to prove himself. Why would he? He’d earned back Sloane’s acceptance of him. And her acceptance was better than the admiration of a thousand strangers.


**I received an ARC from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a cute book.. mostly about forgiveness and hope. Sloane is spending some time caring for her niece which brings her back to her hometown the man who was from her past. Lots to uncover here, but the their relationship went from bitter to sweet and obviously ended in love. Interesting how she went to Penn with this guy, Max, started a company that ended up becoming so successful Max became filthy rich (Sloane was asked to leave the company for reasons I won't disclose), and she became and etiquette instructor?

This was a warm and light hearted book, very Christian faith based as it has a lot of connotations regarding their faith, and in every aspect the different relationships poised in this book, it all dealt with forgiveness in some way.

3.5 stars.. but since I can't give 1/2 stars, I'll round up.

Uneasy Street by Becky Wade is the last book of the Sons of Scandal series and my favourite book of the series. I really enjoyed reading this one. Forced proximity, enemies to lovers are some of the tropes. I also loved the lessons on forgiveness and reconciliation. The romance was sweet though not spicy. The side story about the FL's niece search for her bilogical parents was also interesting. An overall great read, ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op. All opinions expressed are mine

Uneasy Street is the final in the Sons of Scandal series by Becky Wade. Max and Sloane’s friendship began years prior, came to an abrupt ending, and now the journey begins again.

Becky Wade has the perfect amount of sizzle and spice. I especially enjoy the subplot in each of her stories which contain an element of mystery that needs solving. I give this book 5 stars and can’t wait for the next series!

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley, all opinions are my own.

Another delightful read by Becky Wade! Max was a little rascal, who surprised me by how funny, caring and vulnerable he turned out to be. Sloane was strong, caring and yet fragile. I loved being too see Jude and Jeremiah again, their relationship with Max was simple but complicated with Jude being a needed support for Max. So much forgiveness and grace was needed for so many in the story, but seeing most finally accept both was so heart warming.

This was a great read. There were themes of family and forgiveness and I loved the banter and character development. I really enjoyed Ivy, and liked the sandwich and etiquette lesson nights. Though Max's actions at the beginning were quite off-putting, I grew to root for him by the end. I'm sad to see this series end.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

@netgalley thank you so much for the ARC ❤️!

As a reader who hasn’t read the other books i’m telling you, you don’t need to in order to dive into this story. We follow an enemies to lovers trope, this is one of my favorite banters! I have to admit that i really enjoyed this story, i loved seeing Sloane’s and Max’s relationship development and evolution. I honestly thought Max’s reaction in the past shouldn’t have been what it was, but I really loved how he finally admitted his true feelings and showed her his love instead of just saying words. Sloane is just a great auntie to Ivy, i’m so happy they were able to meet Ivy’s biological relatives. This story was so cute and enjoyable

This is the third book in the Sons of Scandal series by Becky Wade. It is a kisses only romance and a standalone story for the most part, but this series does have some ongoing plot thread that start in the first book and finish in this one. For the most enjoyment, read them in order.

Sloane and Max have the best banter! I loved them together. I learned some etiquette lessons from Sloane that I probably will never forget! Max is such a charmer! How could you not love him?

I also enjoyed seeing the brothers and other family members from previous books. Resolutions all around! It was very satisfying. The e-book does contain some information in the acknowledgements section about an item from the book that isn't read in the audio. That is my own pet peeve about audio. I wish it would include all content from print books.

I was given the opportunity to read and listen to an advanced copy of this book by the author through Netgalley. Many thanks to both. I am happy to leave an honest review.

What a fantastic conclusion to the Sons of Scandal series! It was so fun to finally get to hear Max’s story. I loved learning about Max and Sloane’s history and seeing them work through the hurts that they had caused each other.

Max sneakily worked out a way to have Sloane and her niece Ivy living in his garage apartment for the summer. His plan was to force her into a situation where he could get closure. What he wasn’t expecting was to find that he had possibly caused as much hurt to her as she had to him. Both characters had pain in their past to overcome, to forgive and find joy again. It was sweet to see them work through their issues all while helping Ivy who was on her own journey.

So many fun characters, new to the series and ones who have been around for the other books. A sweet fun read just in time for Valentines Day.

My oh my! Uneasy Street was just absolutely wonderful. After getting off to a strong reading start to the year in January, I really hit a reading slump at the beginning of February. I truly think it impacted how fast I read this book because I feel like I would have devoured it much faster without the slump. As I was finally coming out of the slump, I started to fly through the pages!

So I’ve been reading this series from the beginning as they’ve been released and I thought Jude’s book would be my favorite but dang Max’s book came out swinging! Like whoa. AH! The chemistry between Max and Sloane. At first, I was really unsure of how I was going to feel about their relationship because there were some pretty big mistakes made on either side (with Max arguably making the biggest bonehead move I’ve seen in a while) and I was like yeesh, how is this ever going to transition to something swoon worthy? So if you start off feeling that way, never fear! You certainly get there! Have I gushed enough? Probably not to be honest.

There were several twists and turns throughout the story that really helped to keep it interesting, which is truthfully something I can say about the whole series. That part with Fiona’s family during the eclipse, I literally stopped to give my husband a quick run down of the series just so I could tell him about the monumental moment that was happening right at that moment in this current book! I will keep it vague for no spoilers but oh my word, I teared up a bit! Then the part with Ivy towards the end, I felt the sting of those tears building back up. And the ending. Sloane really needing to dig into the lies of her being unlovable. Gosh. All the feels. I highly recommend this book!

Ever since I finished Uneasy Street, I’ve been in a book hangover. Or maybe it’s a series hangover, because this was the perfect, perfect way to bring this delightful series to an end. Becky Wade has long been a trusted, go-to author for me. Her writing is clever and fun, while also being full of depth and faith. The unique background and sizzling dynamic between Sloane and Max had me devouring this book and also dreading it coming to an end. As soon as I finished, I consoled myself with the fact that I still had the audiobook to enjoy. Yay!

Once upon a time, Max Cirillo and Sloane Madison were best friends and business partners—until everything fell apart. Now, four years later, Max is a wealthy CEO, while Sloane, an etiquette expert, is back in Maine to care for her niece and help her find her birth father. Excited about their new garage apartment, Sloane is horrified to discover it belongs to none other than Max. Thanks to an unbreakable lease, she’s now living right next door to the man she’d rather avoid.

Max orchestrated this reunion to get closure, but his plan backfires when old feelings resurface. The world sees him as a cold-hearted rake, but Sloane has always been the one person who can break through his walls. As they navigate their complicated past and undeniable chemistry, they’re forced to confront the truth about what really went wrong. Packed with humor, emotion, and sizzling banter, this sweet enemies-to-lovers romance, the third and final installment in the Sons of Scandal series, is one you won’t want to miss!