TRULY SWEET is Book 5 in the Sweet, Texas series by Candis Terry. You can still enjoy TRULY SWEET even if you haven't read the previous books in the series. However, because the series is about a close-knit family, you feel more connected to the characters and understand them a little better if you've read the previous books. TRULY SWEET is a good book for readers who enjoy characters who have a history together. Jake Wilder and Annie Morgan knew each other while growing up. Annie always had a huge crush on Jake, but he never thought of her romantically.

A big part of TRULY SWEET involves Jake's unresolved feelings about coming home from battle, and dealing with the death of his best friend, and fellow soldier, Eli. The survivor's guilt he has impacts the way he feels about himself and his ability to move on and find love with Annie. Candis Terry makes Jake a very sympathetic and complex character. Your heart breaks for him as he struggles with his sense of loss and an inability to forgive himself. I like that Jake's friends and family try to be supportive without coming across as suffocating. One of the strengths of the Sweet, Texas series are the extremely likable and fun characters, and the strong relationships they have with each other. TRULY SWEET is very much a character-driven story that connects on a very emotional level with the reader.

Once again, Candis Terry succeeds at capturing the perfect mix of sweet and sexy with TRULY SWEET. Jake and Annie have a relationship that is everything from flirty and spicy to extremely poignant with a lot of red-hot passion thrown in. I like the evolution their relationship takes as Jake figures himself out. Annie is a strong woman and I like how she speaks her mind and is very forthright. The chemistry between her and Jake is off the charts and I love the super steamy scenes. Some of the scenes between Jake and Annie's young son Max made me tear up.

TRULY SWEET is an emotionally powerful and incredibly sexy romance, and a nice way to end the Sweet, Texas series. I have loved reading about this family and all of these textured characters. TRULY SWEET is another example of how Candis Terry can pull you in with a sexy story and characters you can care about. I look forward to reading the next new book by Candis Terry.