All the Rest is the final novel in the Lost in Austin series by Christina Berry.
Finished on: 21.7.2025
[Here are my reviews of the other books in the series.]

Content Note: (mention of) self harm

Plot:
Sheryl is basking in her found family, but she is realizing that she really wants a baby. Love hasn’t been on her side, but maybe she could just get a baby without the romance. Impulsive as she is, she just asks Manic, the bartender with the eternal frown who works in her favorite bar to be her baby’s daddy. When his reaction to that request is a firm no, this should be the end of it. But somehow, it deepens their relationship and pushes it past friendship. But will Sheryl want to trade her wish for a child for the possibility of romance?

The Lost in Austin series has been a consistently thoughtful, (slightly) kinky romance series that tackles some difficult topics. With All the Rest, it comes to an end in the same fashion, and with maybe my favorite of the four books. I will miss it.

I don’t think All the Rest was originally part of the series. I assume that Berry had planned books for Ari, Jacob and Greg, and that’s it. But I am very glad that Sheryl forced her way into her own book. It seems very fitting for her anyway, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss her story.

The book gives us excellent mental health rep, with Sheryl being neurodivergent – she has ADHD – and Manic being mentally ill – he has bipolar disorder. The way Berry describes both feels well lived-in. I don’t know is she has personal experience with either, but it definitely feels that way. The way the diagnosis and symptoms directly affect both is just as much part of the story as the secondary effects: Sheryl always feeling like she is too much. Manic always feeling like he isn’t good enough. I also really appreciated that both have therapists to hash things out with. We don’t get enough (good) therapy rep in general, I think, and we get plenty of it here.

Having always had my eye on Manic in the books so far, it was a special pleasure for me to finally get to know him, and he and Sheryl are just such a cute couple. Also a steamy one. Just like the other books in the series, there is no holding back regarding the spice and the result is pretty hot.

That we get a glimpse of the other characters we have gotten to know in the series so far, is a bonus that I really enjoyed. But mostly I just loved that Sheryl and Manic got their happy end.

Summarizing: great.