As I am writing this, I have just recently discovered the next and last Body Mover's book comes out next month. It has been quite the emotional journey for me over the past 5+ years. A part of me doesn't want it to end, but another part is ready find out how it will. I am equal parts excited and nervous as we enter this final chapter. But before I talk about my hopes for the ending, I wanted to do a little recap of the past three books.
Last time I made a post about this series, the eighth book had just come out. Three more books have been released since then and I have thoughts. Recap time!
In book 9, which was the least enjoyable book of the entire series IMO, very little actually happened. It was super short, the mystery was almost non-existent, and my ship continued to sink. Hannah had joined a roller derby team and someone was trying to poison them. I don't even remember who...it was so unimportant. The main plot of the book seemed to be Carlotta reconnecting with her parents and her newly discovered sister. Somehow the elder Wrens managed to slip back into their old life, fancy house and all. Coop figured out (somehow) that Carlotta's mom didn't actually have dementia and they were able to give her medicine to make her completely coherent again. Carlotta decided she was going to date, and finally sleep with, Coop. Wesley tried and succeeded in winning Meg back. And Jack only showed up to find a MIA Prissy and remind the audience that he does in fact believe in love. The main highlight of this book was that it was revealed that Liz was legitimately crazy and had never actually been pregnant. Jack is not going to be a dad! Carlotta had a brief moment of feelings about that and, though she decided she was still choosing Coop, it took her a little too long. Coop flew the...well you get it...saying he couldn't play second fiddle to Jack anymore. Carlotta and Wesley also finally opened those Christmas gifts they'd been holding onto for 10+ years and Carlotta discovered Randolph isn't actually her dad.
In book 10, Carlotta sets off for Texas with a co-worker for some sort of expo. They have offered her a job to run a new bridal boutique offset of Neiman Marcus. While there, her co-worker is found dead in her hotel room. Carlotta calls Jack to come out and help her figure out if there was a murder (the girl was supposed to be meeting some guy the night she died), though she's been avoiding him lately because he keeps trying to talk to her and she thinks he is going to profess his love and I guess doesn't know what she is going to do about that. Jack agrees with the Texas officers that it looks like an accident. They share a moment, but Carlotta pushes Jack away when he still won't offer up details about where he lives or how he feels. He tries to come back to her room later to talk to her, but she isn't there, having snuck back into her dead co-workers room to snoop. Back home, he finally fesses up that he's been wanting to tell her...her dad isn't really her dad. She doesn't seem nearly as upset at him for not telling her that as she does that that was what he'd been wanting to talk to her about. Coop decides he's changed his mind and does still want to date Carlotta. Meg goes to Europe on vacation and then goes missing, worrying Wesley. Carlotta also quits her job when they decide to axe the boutique idea. She's tired of working in retail.
In book 11, Wesley spends most of his time trying to figure out how to get to Europe (even though he had an ankle monitor and isn't supposed to leave town, much less the country). He's peeved at Randolph who is trying to get him to become a great poker player. Randolph has opened some sort of golf place, but is secretly running not-so-legitimate poker games out of it. Wes doesn't think his dad believes in him as he scoffed at the idea of Wesley becoming a doctor someday. Meg is finally recovered after Randolph sends his caretaker to look for her. Wesley starts to forgive his dad somewhat. Carlotta is dating Coop, but spends most of the book unsure if she loves him. She also decides, after a little encouragement from Jack, that she is going to become a fashion blogger. Since her dad's old company went down, the police have been looking for Walt Tully (one of the owners) but he has been hiding out from them. Carlotta discovers he is being holed up on a houseboat in Lake Lanier. She is caught snooping and is tossed into the lake. Jack, who she previously called for help, shows up and saves her from drowning. Irritatingly, he still won't answer her questions about himself. At the end of the book Carlotta discovers her real dad is actually Walt Tully, who is now in prison. Can't catch a break in the dad department. Hannah is preggo. Oh, and Peter gets murdered in prison. Carlotta then goes to a bar and gets drunk, mourning Peter and thinking about life, and then (while still completely toasted) tells Coop she loves him and sleeps with him for the first time. Ugh. Then...THEN...like a week later they go for a picnic, Coop proposes, and she says yes of course like she didn't just spend the rest of this book trying to convince herself that she loved him. Minus 10 points.
So here we are, awaiting the final installment that is annoyingly titled 12 Bodies and a Wedding. Hopefully it's 12 Bodies and Not a Wedding.
If you've read my other blogs on this series, you know I am Team Jack. And you know I am annoyed about what has happened with his character. That annoyance has only increased as I've read these last three books. Why won't he just tell Carlotta where he lives? When she showed up at Lake Lanier to look for Walt I thought 'this is it...this is the moment she finds out where Jack lives', but no.
And then she's gonna marry Coop after 5 minutes because she's suddenly decided she loves him? After her ex dies? After she has to get drunk to tell him she loves him and sleep with him? After Jack once again doesn't tell her how he feels? Yeah, this is totally legit. You should definitely marry someone you weren't even sure you wanted as your boyfriend last week. I don't know if we are supposed to believe in their love, but I don't. Not at all.
The author did post a bonus scene on the fan Facebook page from Jack's POV. He was visited at work by Marigold (Coma Girl) after hearing the news about Carlotta's engagement. Marigold encouraged him to tell Carlotta how he feels because her husband was once engaged to the wrong person too. He says he isn't sure but agrees to think about it.
Now listen, I have obviously been waiting for 10 books now for Jack to confess his feelings. If he doesn't in this final book, I am going to be unbelievably peeved. And I expect there to be a good reason for his silence too. I posted my theory in one of the other blogs and I hope I am close to right. I hope the author doesn't just try to write him off as a commitment-phobe who shies away from love for no good reason at all. I have waited this long and expect a great confession scene. And he better not freaking die.
So what are my hopes for this final book?
First, as previously stated, I hope Carlotta and Coop do not get married. I hope Jack finally confesses his feelings and that Carlotta realizes she is still in love with him and they end up together.
Carlotta will decide that even though Randolph isn't her biological father that he is still her dad and screw that other guy.
Carlotta will also continue to thrive at her newfound job and will become an official contracted helper of the APD.
Wesley will finally get out from under his dad and go to college.
Hannah stops being so judgy, Chance goes to jail and her a Coop fall in love and raise her child together. (Yes, I realize this one is a bit far fetched and probably definitely won't happen but these are my wishes okay?)
Prissy just keeps being herself because she's the best.
Until next time, when I will write up my thoughts on the end of this series that has consumed my thoughts for 5+ years. Keep a good thought and several fingers crossed for me.
