Here's the Thing

The Seddledowne Series, Book 4

Nine years isn't that big of an age gap...unless you're grading her papers.

Tally's semester checklist:

• Finish thesis
• Graduate (finally!)
• Figure out why my boyfriend of four years suddenly feels like the wrong puzzle piece
• Do not fall for Professor Dupree

Too bad my heart didn’t get the memo about that last one. When my handsome thesis advisor suddenly bows out, I’m devastated. My friends are right: these messy, intense feelings are not for my boyfriend of the past four years. And I’m in major trouble.

Professor Dupree’s Professional Checklist:

• Grade midterms
• Stop noticing how beautiful your student is
• Maintain professional distance
• Do NOT become her best friend
• If all else fails, resign as thesis advisor

Good men don’t fall for students. But apparently, I’m not the golden boy our small town thinks I am, because that’s exactly what I did. I planned to wait until after her graduation to tell Tally how I felt. Then she told me I was her person and everything changed. Now, I have to figure out how to turn forbidden romance into a happily ever after. Because letting Tally go? That’s not an option. Not anymore…

Here’s the Thing, Book 4 in The Seddledowne Series of interconnected standalones, is an angsty, emotional, contemporary romance full of banter, steam, and dark secrets. Download today and get ready for a love that’s worth the wait.

©2024 Susan Henshaw Auten (P)2025 Susan Henshaw Auten

Love this story!

I absolutely love Ashton and Tally’s story—this was my fourth time reading it, and my first time experiencing it through the audiobook. Ashton is such a green flag guy with so much heart. The way he’s completely smitten with Tally is so endearing, and his restraint and patience makes him so special. The journey they take to find love isn’t easy—it’s long, layered, and full of extenuating circumstances. This story is packed with all the feels, and the emotional roller coaster is intense.

Listening to the audiobook added a whole new dimension. The narrators brought the characters to life in such a vivid way. I especially loved how they portrayed Theo’s speech impediment—it was way cuter than the voice in my head could do! Listening was fun, and made the story feel even more intimate and real.

I was a part of the story!

I’d already read this book and absolutely loved it, but the audiobook took it to a whole new level! Oh my goodness—it felt like I was watching a movie. Brandon and Teralyn knocked it out of the park! They had me in tears and even stopping in my tracks just to soak in the moments.

Long before Ashton was Tally’s professor, he had a love-at-first-sight moment back in Not a Thing. With their age gap, it wasn’t the right time, so he stayed away.
Now Ashton and Tally are close friends, but Ashton has been suppressing his feelings for years—and Tally is engaged.
Tally’s been with Madden for so long, so why is she freaking out at her own engagement party, ready to bolt… straight into Ashton.

So incredibly swoony!!

What you'll love:
professor/student
age gap
dual pov
secret crush
hidden identity
literary quotes
banter
THE FIRST KISS!!!!!
protective hero

I am completely obsessed with this series!! The emotional rollercoaster, the bingeable drama, the messy but beautiful family relationships, and the downright swoony romance - I CANNOT get enough!! I have been waiting for Ash and Tally's story since the first book and it was every bit as amazing as I hoped it would be! That narrators truly brought this dreamy story to life and I could not get enough!

Tally's life has been full of so much pain and heartache and she absolutely deserves someone as patient and understanding as Ash. His reaction to finding out her story brought me to tears - that, my friends, is how a real man behaves. The chemistry between them was like gunpowder and when that fuse was lit, SO MUCH SWOON!!! I needed my smelling salts after that first kiss!

I love the Dupree family and their relationships with each other. They are far from perfect but that makes them real and relatable, and their fun teasing and banter is partnered with loyalty and unconditional love. They are quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional families!

If you enjoy TV shows like Virgin River or Sweet Magnolias, this series is for you! This is the fourth book in the series and can be read as a standalone but honestly, once you read it you are just going to want to start at the beginning. This author has become an absolute must-read for me and I cannot wait for Ford and Peyton's story next!

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

CW: Kisses/makeouts only, couple of mild swears, fade to black/mild innuendo between married couple

TW: rape and sexual abuse (past), depression/anxiety, attempted suicide (side character)

The most beautiful story of patience, resilience, and true love!

This is such a beautiful story. Ashton and Tally are two of my favorite characters! Their love story is an emotional roller coaster that I’ll ride again and again! I have read the book, but listening to the audiobook just made this story come to life! I don’t think two better actors could have been chosen to be these characters. Brandon Francis IS Ashton Dupree. His rich, smooth voice brought Ashton to life. I fell for Ashton more in every chapter! I hope Mr. Francis will voice future Seddledowne books as one of Ashton and Tally’s sons. Teralyn Davis was perfect for Tally’s character as well! She truly embodies Tally’s intelligence, pain, strength, and resilience.
This is a brilliantly written story! You will love the entire cast of characters and will want to read and listen to them all!

Intense Emotionally Charged Romance

This is such an intense, emotionally charged and beautiful small town romance. I’m in awe of how the full spectrum of love was written into the romance between Ashton and Tally-from heartbreak to selfless, unconditional love. Tally is strong, resilient and has so much to give. Ashton is tender, kind and also has so much to give. The character arcs were well developed and the plot moved quickly. At one pivotal point in the story, I wasn’t sure if my heart was beating faster than the tears streaming down my face. Once again, the familial relationships and side characters provided humor and support. I think this is my favorite of the series!
I was able to experience this book again on audiobook and my opinion has only improved! Narrated in dual, Brandon Francis and Teralyn Davis did a phenomenal job bringing Ashton and Tally to life. I adored their range of emotions, the pacing was great and the overall production fantastic.

Perfection!!!

This story is probably my all time favorite contemporary romance. It is phenomenal and the audiobook solidifies that assessment. This duel narration was absolute perfection!! They captured the heart and soul of this book in every way!