Book Review: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

by The Book Pup on March 15, 2026

Blurb (on Goodreads):

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.

My Review

⚠️ Disclaimer: If This Adventure Ends is a beloved book for you, this probably isn't the review for you! I'm glad it found its readers — it just wasn't quite the right fit for me. 🐾

Listen. The cover? Immaculate. 🌸 This is the perfect read-in-public romance subplot disguise — nothing about it says "yes I am reading a love story right now." Romance readers, your secret is completely safe with this one.

The actual romance, though? 🦊 It barely shows up until the final stretch — and when it does, it's less slow burn and more... sudden switch flip. One moment nothing, next moment feelings. I needed the buildup to actually be built. And to make it worse, a big chunk of the romantic focus goes to Vera — Sloane's best friend — which, no offense to Vera, but she is not who I showed up for. Sloane and Gabe are the MAIN characters. Main. I want THEIR story. 🐾

This is really a coming-of-age story about friendship and finding your people, with romance as a quiet afterthought. Cozy, easy, perfectly fine — just not very wow. 🌙

2.5/5 pawprints 🐾🐾

You can find the book on Goodreads here!

Who I think this book is for: Readers who love gentle, friendship-forward contemporaries and don't need romance to be the main event. Also anyone who needs a convincing read-in-public cover. 🌸📚

No content warnings — clean and spice-free! ✨

Cheers, and happy reading!

The Book Pup 🐾

P.S. The Goodreads blurb promises "shiveringly good romantic developments" and I just want to say — we had very different definitions of shivering. 🤭✨