She flew with her own wings, and I had to let her. She’d come back to me in due time, and she’d come home, too.

Just when I thought I couldn't love an audio book more after listening to The Walshes #5, the Spire featuring Shannon and Will, boom, Dr. Nick Acevedo and Erin Walsh's story hits me right in the heart.

If you haven't listened or read any of the Walsh books yet, stop right here. Massive spoilers ahead.

Content warning behind spoiler

Spoiler

Erin was repeatedly raped by her father as a child. Erin tried to commit suicide by cutting her wrist and taking pills. Erin's accused her sister Shannon of pawning her off to her father to rape so he wouldn't rape her anymore. Erin's brother Sam tried to commit suicide. Erin used to cut. Erin asks Nick to never spank her (he listens and agrees) or to allude to "little girl" as a sex fantasy (he listens and agrees).

Okay - ready for this?

Throughout the Walsh books, we've kind of known Erin and Dr. Nick have a thing. What that thing is besides Nick having his hand up Erin's skirt at Matt and Lauren's wedding I did not know.

WELL - as Canterbary so craftily does, she gives a big hit right in the prologue. Nick asks Erin to come home for the birth of Shannon's first baby and says he needs HIS WIFE to finally come home. WHAT. HEAD EXPLODES.

Then Canterbary shuttles us back to Will and Lauren's wedding, where Dr. Nick immediately falls for Erin, love at first sight. Erin, despite her wary ways, is also enchanted. She dares him to marry her on a lobster boat. He says yes. They do!

What commences is the hottest, most drawn out courtship that starts with marriage and ends with forever for two people who are absolutely perfect for each other, but are willing to accept they can't be together just yet.

Nick loves Erin with his whole heart, but he allows her to find her way home, allowing her choices, allowing her to use him as her true north. He demands, but only ever enough to make sure she knows he'll always be there. Super hot texts and video chats, and emotional weekends together.

I stayed up way to late finishing this one and I'm just in love. Also-the narrator's southern accent for Dr. Nick is just, yes.

2nd Listen
My gosh this story just hits me in all my feelings and it makes me so happy and makes my heart ache, and just hearing the Nick say "darling" to Erin makes me want to weep with joy and my ovaries explode. The way Nick loves our prickly Erin is absolute perfection, and Erin's coming to terms with her past, with her family, and with herself is such a great journey. Plus, these two's chemistry is off the charts. I could listen to their emails all day long, and that's saying something. Perennial favorite, and the narrators are AMAZING too.