Outlier

Daydreamer #3

by Susie Tate

Vicky is an outlier. An outlier in society, an outlier in the business world; she’s even an outlier in her own family. She knows that people find her weird and annoying, and she’s resigned to her loneliness until she sees him. Having never been attracted to any man before, her new obsession with burly, rough and ready Mike and the fact she can’t breathe when he’s close comes as a shock.

Unfortunately, Vicky’s cold beauty doesn’t appeal to Mike. The woman they call the Ice Princess is the opposite of his type, and her obvious crush irritates him. How many times does he have to make it clear he’s not interested before she gets the message?

But there are things about Vicky Mike doesn’t know. Reasons she behaves the way she does. Loneliness, vulnerability and kindness, that she keeps hidden. And information her family should have shared with him. So when the fireworks start, and she screams, he acts on instinct, pulling her body into his. And when she buries into his chest, shaking in fear, for some reason he’s not so annoyed by her anymore…

This is a full-length, enemies-to-lovers romance with a neurodiverse heroine and a grumpy but protective hero.

Trigger warnings for assault and mentions of child abuse and neglect.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Found Family, Disability

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2025

About the author

Susie is a top 2 Amazon bestselling author who writes addictive, feel-good contemporary romance with heroes who may make you a little ragey, but who always redeem themselves in the end! She’s been a doctor in the NHS for over twenty years and lives in beautiful Dorset with her wonderful husband, three gorgeous boys and an even more wonderful dog.

Reviews

[Aya ☕︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐

Kindness should never come at a cost! What do you mean the ML treated the FL horribly until he found out she’s autistic? You should be kind to everyone until proven otherwise.

I absolutely loved the duet narration—especially the British accent! I nearly screamed when I first heard it.

I really appreciated seeing things from the perspective of an autistic person. I’m not sure how accurate the representation is, but it was meaningful to me.

On the other hand, the ML really aggravated me. Why treat people badly in the first place? Being grumpy is no excuse.

I hated her mother and sister—how can any mother do that to her own child? And why would any sister, even a half-sister, treat family like that? It’s heartbreaking.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

SKIP CHAPTER: 19, 20, 26

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Thank you Good Girl PR for providing me the ARC & ALC 🫶🏻

[PeaceOfGod]

i need them deets baby. If some1 has spoilers....give it to me

[Maya]

absolutely devastated I have to wait until August for this book are there arcs plssss I can’t wait they were the couple I was most excited to read and ur telling me their book hasn’t released yet nooo 😭😭😭

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reminds me a little of kiss quotient: genius in economics, Autistic FMC, difference in socioeconomic status, spicy lessons, she makes a grand financial gesture.
Susie is the queen of having her MMCs do their FMCs dirty or treat them like trash due to miscommunication or just willful ignorance, and then have to grovel to insane extremes. Don’t get me wrong, we love a grovel, but the level of meanness and derision is wholly unnecessary sometimes. I felt like this was extra cruel with an autistic FMC. Especially the complete change in attitude the MMC has once someone tells him she’s autistic, like he couldn’t just be an observant human and figure it out himself. It’s not like she was masking very effectively. He’s also got the shortest fuse ever, so quick to blow up… I don’t understand why they are together. He’s not emotionally intelligent enough to make her existence less stressful. I’m not quite sure why, after starting the book with such shittiness and the amount of abuse she takes, there needed to be a third act breakup. This seemed extra cruel to Vicky, and then in the end she does this huge financial gesture for him, and he doesn’t deserve it. I’m not sure how we are supposed to believe that they end up happy together in the end after everything that happened. I don’t know, I think that maybe Susie Tate books aren’t meant for me. I don’t like the bullying and betrayal before the groveling. It seems unnecessarily cruel.
I do think that you need to read the first two books on the series to get this one. You get much more background on both characters. It’s well written and has some spice, but the plot is questionable.

[Shanna Ferris · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT

• Childhood acquaintances
• Neurodivergent rep (ASD)
• Infatuation to love
• Blue collar MMC
• Fiercly strong FMC
• Found family
• PROTECTIVE MMC
• Opposites attract
• Emotional healing
• Childhood mutism
• Childhood ab*se/trauma

It’s been a while since a book has kept me up until 4am because I couldn’t put it down! And this book did that! I finished it in one evening. I was overwhelmingly obsessed. This book will be branded on my heart and soul forever, which seems to be a going trend with Susie Tate's books. I am continuously blown away by the beautiful stories she brings to life!

This one though, my gosh, I have had to sit on it for a few days. It’s one of those books that you wonder, how could I possibly put this book into words in a review? It’s brilliant, it’s stunning, and heartbreakingly perfect.

The way Susie captures these two characters is unreal. Vicky, with her beautiful neurodivergent mind and the silent battles she’s constantly fighting, is written with such perfect descriptions and heart. And Mike, with his grumpy, guarded, fiercely protective personality, is the kind of hero that quietly carves his place into your heart without you even realizing it. At first, I was so angry with Mike for his stubborn behavior (mainly because Vicky instantly stole my heart), but as the book goes on and Susie brings so much in their relationship to light, I was swooning so hard for this man!

Susie has this amazing ability to capture the most beautiful neurodivergent characters and shine a light on the struggles they face daily. This book was unbelievably relatable for me. The way she handled every sensitive topic absolutely blew me away.

She put words to every feeling Vicky faced, like the overwhelming sensory overloads that led to crippling meltdowns. And yet, despite everything she had been through, Vicky was still such an incredibly successful woman. Even in the moments where she couldn’t read people the way a neurotypical person might, Susie gave those struggles a voice with such compassion and grace. It was all so perfectly done.

I am so very grateful for authors like Susie, who are able to write beautiful books like this for us to get lost in and relate to!

This book will be a comfort read for me, which most of you guys know I take my comfort reads VERY seriously! Some people have comfort TV shows. I have comfort audiobooks, which I will listen to countless times and never tire of. I am so excited to have another one to add to the rotation.

🎧 Audiobook review 🎧
Duet Narration
Narrated by Shane East and Zara Hampton-Brown

There couldn’t have been two better narrators to bring this beautiful book to life! Immediately, I remember thinking, Yeap! This feels so right. Shane and Zara sounded so perfect together for these characters. I also love that Susie continues to use these two narrators in her books! I always know these two will deliver such a wonderful performance for her beautiful words. However, this book might be my favorite I have heard them narrate together. Especially in duet!

Shane absolutely blew me away with his performance as Mike! He brought out his protective and possessive personality so well. Mike's character felt so much more lovable and real!!

Zara's performance, just like Shane's, was absolutely brilliant. The way she delivered every struggle, every moment of vulnerability Vicky faced, as so perfectly done, in the most tender way. She brought such softness to Vicky's character.

I can't recommend this audiobook enough! I have actually listened to it two times since receiving it last week! I'm just so blown away.

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and angsty

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: brothers best friend
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥

This is my 1st book by Suzy Tate that I've read and I really did enjoy it. I mainly picked it because of the heroine, who is autistic , and really enjoyed her and her journey of self-actualization and finding love. I usually read darker romance, so this isn't really my thing, but it was cute and really hit you in the feels.

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love anything by this author - the drama, the feels, the heartbreak. Complex characters with usually something to overcome. Sensitive and vulnerable. I just devour her stories. I was looking forward to Vicky and Mike’s story - you could see it building in the books previous to this. I wish the ending had a little something more, but overall really enjoyed it.

Vicky and Mike are like oil and water. Or so Mike thinks. Having known Vicky on/off since childhood, his mind is long made up about her. He thinks she is a spoiled ice princess with no real personality who thinks she is better than everyone else. Until one day he learns about her autism. And that behind some of her eccentricities is a massive heart. Vicky has been in love with Mike for years. Obsessed with him. With her autism, she has a tendency to fixate and he’s been hers for years. Trying to approach him to propose some coaching and experience with intimacy goes horribly wrong, so she starts to give up on her crush. But when Mike and Vicky keep colliding, finally Mike starts to understand that he had it all wrong - but with Vicky having longstanding emotional issues stemming from childhood, can she let herself be loved?

[Helen Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ✨

This book was sweet and emotional, with the author beautifully shining a light on autism through the story. I really appreciated the way Vicky’s character was written, showing both her struggles and her strengths in a heartfelt way.

That being said, the one thing that didn’t quite work for me was how quickly the male lead shifted from being irritated by her to suddenly thinking about her constantly. The transition felt a little too abrupt and not as natural as I would’ve liked. Overall, though, it was a touching and meaningful read.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings:Struggles with autism and being neurodivergent, bullying, assault, sexual assault, attempted rape, sexual harassment, mutism, illegitimacy, parental cheating recounted, mental breakdowns, ableism, child abuse (emotional and physical), death of parent recounted, not eating properly

I was almost more obsessed with Mike Mayweather than I was with hedgehogs.

I’ve been anticipating this book for a year, and I’m not gonna lie, it didn’t live up to my expectations. This felt more like women’s fiction rather than romance, since it mainly focused on the FMC’s struggles. While I loved the FMC and was glad to see some representation of a character with autism and being neurodivergent, the book was a bit repetitive. The MMC was meh to me, I liked him more as a side character. We mainly see him focusing on helping the FMC, there’s not much else to him. I didn’t care for the grovel since the misunderstanding was so stupid. The romance pacing was fast. One second, the MMC was rude as hell, and the next, he’s calling the FMC “Baby,” like what? This book had nice family and friendship moments. You do NEED to read the first two books before reading this (I loved the other books a lot more):

Daydreamer
Gold Digger

There is so much background that is vaguely mentioned, reading this without the other books will be confusing. All the books take place during the same timeline.


Vicky is obsessed with Mike, but Mike can’t stand Vicky, he thinks she is an ice queen. So Vicky orders a table from his business to make a proposition to him, but it goes terribly wrong.

Now for spoilers


Vicky has had a crush on Mike since she was 6 years old, she is now 29 and Mike is 34. She’s been obsessed with hedgehogs since she saw Mike as a kid taking care of one. She is Ollie’s half-sister, the Duke of Buckingham and one of Mike’s best friends. Ollie’s mom is Margot, Vicky’s dad cheated on her with Vicky’s mom, making Vicky illegitimate (their words not mine). And Vicky has a half sister named Claire who doesn’t talk to her much. Vicky struggled with autism her whole life and is neurodivergent. She hired Lottie to help her figure out how to navigate social situations. Lottie is with Ollie and her little sister Hayley, who struggles with selective mutism, has made progress. Vicky works with Felix who is with Lucy, Mike’s sister. In Daydreamer, Felix thinks that Lucy betrayed him by working with a rival company. Lucy was actually assaulted by her boss at Felix’s company and when she tried to tell Felix, he kicked her out of their office. Vicky told Felix that she wanted Lottie to be there before they made a decision but he didn’t care. So Mike tells everyone that Lucy was assaulted and punched Felix. At the time, Felix was Lucy’s boyfriend, and he grovelled to make up for everything. What annoyed me was Mike being more angry at Vicky in this situation rather than Felix. Mike has no idea that Vicky wanted to wait for Lottie before making a decision. Felix was the one who said to kick Lucy out in the cold when she has a condition where she can get cold easily. And it’s crazy cuz Mike forgave Felix, but he is still pissed with Vicky, believing she is an ice princess. After Vicky saw Mike in the office, she became obsessed with him. Which is why she ordered one of his tables from his company. She wants to make a proposition for them to have sex after having a romantic relationship. When Mike knocks, she tells him he is late since she hyperfocused on time. I can see why Mike misunderstood her and got offended by her, but some of the things he said were damn cruel. He asks where Vicky wants the table but she keeps checking him out. When Mike realized that Vicky didn’t need the table, he asked her why she ordered one. She tells him that she is attracted to him and is hoping they can become physical. She says she is different from him and Mike thinks she is insulting him. He keeps interrupting Vicky when she tries to explain. Mike thinks Vicky wants to experiment with him since he’s not rich, and says he wouldn’t touch her with a pole. Vicky said she knows he is interested in her since he saw her in a bikini and was aroused. Mike says she is pretty but in an empty way. He leaves, saying he would never fuck her.

“You… you’re like a beautiful vase—great to look at but empty inside.”

Vicky has a breakdown and doesn’t show up to work or eat, she hides under the coffee table. Lottie and Ollie come and Ollie holds her until she calms down. Ollie was such a good brother, even if she tells him that he is just her half-brother. Vicky doesn’t like to be touched without consent and has meltdowns from different triggers. Vicky doesn’t tell Ollie why she has a breakdown, but Ollie calls Lottie to make sure that Vicky is eating. Mike overhears Ollie and is concerned about Vicky but thinks she is a spoiled princess. He would call her a princess in a condescending tone. When he tries to ask Ollie about what happened, Ollie says that Vicky is different. Everyone knows that Vicky likes Mike, but Mike says that Vicky only wants to fuck him. Ollie gets pissed off and goes off at Mike.

“If you think that Vics just wants to shag you in order to rough it, and if you think she’s lacking in personality, then you don’t know the first thing about her.” His tone sharpened then, and his eyes flashed. “And you know what, you don’t deserve to know her, either.”

Vicky meets with her mom who is so fucking rude, her step sister Rebecca is no better. The only decent person is her step-dad Gareth, but he doesn’t stand up for her enough. Rebecca has a wedding and Vicky’s mom orders Vicky to pay for Rebecca’s stuff. It was crazy how entitled they are to Vicky’s money, but Vicky gives in right away. Rebecca’s fiancé, Darrell, tries to grab Vicky but she runs away. Darrell sexually assaulted Vicky by groping her breast, but no one believed her, not her mom or Rebecca. Gareth notices that Vicky is uncomfortable and tells Darrell to leave. Gareth is tired of seeing Vicky’s mom and Rebecca be rude to Vicky, Rebecca even calls Vicky a freak. When they were kids, Rebecca intentionally took Vicky to a club where Vicky broke down. Then Rebecca left Vicky there and Vicky had help from someone else, fuck her. They tell Vicky she needs to be at the wedding. Vicky does see a therapist who told Vicky to report Darrell. But Vicky thought it would be a waste since it’s rare for the victim to get justice, which is a sad reality. When Vicky was 6, she was sent to live with Margot, Ollie’s mom, but Margot couldn’t stand Vicky since she was an affair baby. So Vicky is used to people thinking she is a burden and not liking her, saying that she isn’t normal.


Vicky is with Lucy and Lottie while Mike, Felix, and Ollie, play with Hayley and Florrie. But when Ollie tries to explain that Vicky is different to Mike, Vicky throws Ollie’s shirt on and runs away. Mike follows her, and this is when he suddenly cares about Vicky. He has dreamed about her and masturbated to her, but we don’t get a proper build up. We go from him being an ass to Vicky to him being jealous that Vicky was in another man’s shirt. He asks whose shirt it is and Vicky says it is Ollie’s. Then Mike says he is sorry for being rude. Vicky says he wasn’t wrong and brings up quotes of what Mike said to her (I love that she kept doing this) but Mike says he was wrong. Then he calls her baby outta nowhere, even Vicky is surprised. He shocks her more by kissing her. Since Vicky wasn’t warned before he touched her, she moves away which confuses Mike. Vicky explains that she needs to be warned before someone touches her and Mike asks to hug her.

“Would it help if I… held you?” I asked, then held my breath for her answer.
“I… yes, but…” she paused for a moment. “It has to be a tight hug.”
I smiled as I closed the distance between us. “Got it. Tight hug.”

You know what made no sense? We see Mike being interested in Vicky and then Margot gets involved. This whole thing was so unnecessary, especially cuz Mike was starting to show interest in Vicky (outta the blue though but still). Turns out Margot has been investing in Mike’s company with Highcliffe Investments (from what I understand). They play a huge role in Mike’s business. Margot is tired of seeing Mike reject Vicky. She told Mike to make an effort with Vicky or she will pull her investments. Mike would’ve rejected her offer if he wasn’t interested in Vicky, but since he is, he says okay. I knew this would be used for Mike and Vicky’s third act break up. But it was so fucking stupid. Especially cuz Mike was someone with pride who can’t stand rich people. He calls Margot out for threatening him and Margot is so annoying. She played a role in fucking things up for Ollie and Lottie too. So Margot tells Mike to go to an event to see Vicky. At the event, Vicky complimented Mike in front of everyone. Lottie has to take care of Claire cuz Blake is an abusive husband, she tells Vicky to find Ollie. They’re trying to rush since Vicky has issues with fireworks. But someone grabs Vicky and sexually harasses her. Luckily Mike helps, and that’s when the fireworks start. Vicky has a breakdown, she screams while flapping her hands near her ears and Ollie tells Mike to hold Vicky tight. They all help Vicky but Mike is pissed with Ollie for not being there for Vicky. Ollie tells Mike that Vicky has autism but didn’t want Mike to know since she liked him. Mike feels guilty and takes Vicky away, he says they didn’t do a good job taking care of her. Ollie and Lottie have a fight cuz of this, Ollie blames Lottie for leaving Vicky alone. They do get back together eventually. Mike drives Vicky to his cabin, he built everything himself. Vicky is fascinated but Mike thinks it isn’t up to her standards and is pissy with Vicky. When Vicky says his cabin feels like a warm hug, Mike asks to kiss her. They make out and Vicky asks if they can have sex and Mike says no, he wants to take her on dates. Seeing Vicky put herself down was just sad. She thought Lottie wasn’t her friend since she worked for her, and that Ollie found her to be a burden. She believed Felix only cared for her as a colleague. She spends the night at Mike’s place, he slept on the couch. When they meet their friends, Vicky tells them that she knows she is a burden. I loved how Lottie told her that Vicky is her friend.

“Mike, I am well aware that I don’t meet standards of normal behaviour. I’m an outlier in society.”
“Well, maybe that’s why I like you so much. Who cares about standards of normal behaviour? I like that you’re unpredictable.”

Once Ollie notices that Mike puts Vicky’s needs first, he says not to hurt her, approving their relationship. When Mike hears that Vicky had a breakdown after he met her with the coffee table, he asks Vicky if he was her trigger. He feels terrible and apologizes. Mike got instructions from Lottie on how to make Vicky’s food and what clothes she likes since Vicky needs it in a particular way. He takes her out to a fancy restaurant but Vicky hates fancy places. When she tells Mike, he is relieved, since he hates it too. His friends grew up rich but he was not. They go to a pub where Vicky enjoys herself. She hasn’t been eating properly so everyone looks out for her. When Mike’s friends see him, one casually touches Vicky on the shoulder which freaks her out. Once they all realized that Vicky was different, they respected her boundaries. Mike asks before he touches Vicky but Vicky is comfortable with him. After going on some dates, Vicky and Mike finally have sex and Mike was careful since he found out she was a virgin. He was shocked when he found out he was her first kiss. He took notes while asking Vicky how she liked to make her eggs, she used a timer. He tells her that he wants her to greet him with a kiss every time they see each other. So when he visits Vicky at her workplace, Vicky leaves in the middle of a meeting to kiss Mike. It was honestly so cute, Felix was so confused.


Vicky gets a call from her mother about Rebecca’s wedding and Mike can tell Vicky is tense. So Mike offers to go with her and is shocked when Vicky’s family is ignoring her at the wedding. Her mom told her to stay out of everyone’s way. When Vicky’s mom tries to insult Vicky in front of Mike, Mike calls her out and Vicky’s mom acts innocent. They all ask if Vicky paid Mike to be with her. Vicky asks Mike to stick with her for the whole wedding. Vicky was bullied by Rebecca’s friends who started flirting with Mike. Vicky thinks that it makes sense for Mike to be interested in someone else, but he only has his eyes for Vicky. Vicky trips and falls when Darrell bothers her. So Mike helps lift her up and when Vicky leaves for the washroom, Darrell tries to rape Vicky. He lifted her skirt and when she kneed his crotch, he hit her head. Mike grabs him, Rebecca and Vicky’s mom start attacking Vicky but Mike defends her. It’s crazy they’re defending a rapist, I don’t know why Rebecca wants to marry him. Gareth is disgusted by their behaviour and he is shocked Vicky paid for Rebecca’s wedding. Mike says there are bruises on Vicky. Vicky’s mom says Vicky doesn’t bruise easily and Mike realizes that her mom has been abusing Vicky since she was a kid. They complain to the police and Mike takes her to his cabin. I loved that Mike called his mom Hetty to help Vicky. Hetty cooked for Vicky, gave Vicky hugs, and told her to stay strong.

“You stay whole though. Don’t let him steal anything from you.” Her voice became fierce then. “It’s not his to take. Understand me?”

Mike tells Ollie and Margot that they should’ve been there for Vicky. That they didn’t get her checked for autism until later and didn’t protect her from child abuse. Vicky’s mom refused to get her tested since she didn’t want to label Vicky. I can’t blame Ollie, he was a good brother. But Margot? Nope. She did own up and said she didn’t treat Vicky well. Apparently, she told 6 year-old Vicky that she should go back to her family when Vicky went to live with them. And Vicky’s dad told Vicky that she was an accidental baby. Margot cries, saying she was wrong. Claire apologizes to Vicky for ignoring her. She had told Vicky that she is only their half-sister, which was why Vicky always corrected Ollie when he called her his sister. Vicky always wanted a real sister so this means a lot to her. And Mike helps Vicky, Hayley, and Florrie learn how to weld. He listens to her ramble about hedgehogs and stops her from putting herself down. Vicky offers to help buy him a new truck and give him money for his company but Mike says he doesn’t want to take anything from her. He says he only wants to be with her cuz he likes her. But that’s when Vicky overhears Mike talking to Margot about their deal and it was so stupid. Especially cuz they word for word spell out what happened and she just happened to be there.

“She has to think your relationship with her was completely organic, and that you came to your senses on your own. I don’t want her to know that a little incentive was required from me.”

Mike tells Vicky that their relationship wasn’t a lie, that he loves her. But Vicky leaves, her breakdowns were silent after she was 6 years old. It’s cuz Vicky had a breakdown after her dad told her she was a mistake. She wouldn’t stop screaming and Vicky’s mom hit her. Then she locked Vicky into the basement until she was quiet. So Vicky always stayed silent when she broke down. When Mike met her as a kid, she thought Vicky was stuck up since she didn’t talk to him. Gareth was the reason Vicky was sent to Margot’s home. Margot feels terrible but Vicky leaves with Claire since she doesn’t think Mike would’ve ever liked her. She thinks she is a burden to him and he deserves a better girl who doesn’t have baggage. Honestly this whole break up was so stupid. The gut punch and betrayal just didn’t hit me. Anyway, Mike tries to visit Vicky at work but she tells him to stop. Rebecca and Vicky’s mom harass Vicky into releasing Darrell, which made no sense since he almost raped Vicky. Margot threatens them, since her family is royalty, they own most of the UK. Vicky has been paying her mom money ever since her dad died. She even paid for her mother’s house. So Margot tells them to leave the house and never bother Vicky again. Gareth apologizes to Vicky and takes Rebecca with him, leaving his wife behind. Rebecca apologizes to Vicky but it was so half-assed. She’s like yea sorry for hurting you for most of your life. This is a grown ass adult who was stomping her feet for Vicky’s money. Mike gets drunk and all his friends tell him to grovel. He follows Vicky to her car but she keeps running away. So Mike sells his cabin to pay back Margot for the investments. Margot meets Vicky to defend Mike, saying everything was real, and Vicky secretly buys the cabin back. When the girls get drunk together, Mike overhears Vicky say she loves Mike’s arms, saying she also loves his cabin. Mike lifts her up but Vicky tells him to put her down, she leaves with Ollie. Mike and Vicky are at Lucy and Felix’s wedding reception and Vicky avoids everyone. Everyone tells Vicky she is important to them. When the girls need to pick out their clothes, Mike tells the worker what fabrics Vicky likes. Then Vicky saw a girl touching Mike. Vicky can tell that Mike doesn’t want to be touched and tells the girl to stop. Mike is happy Vicky is defending him. He tells Vicky that he wants to be with her cuz he loves her. So Vicky says they should go to his cabin and Mike says it isn’t his anymore. The cabin has a new truck for Mike and she reveals she secretly bought it. They both agree to move in together and marry and have kids. Mike says he doesn’t want Vicky to buy him things anymore. We see Vicky pregnant in the epilogue, Lucy and Felix have kids as well as Lottie and Ollie. Lottie is quitting working for Vicky to focus on working with kids with trauma. Seeing all the characters happy was so sweet but this story didn’t hit the same as the other two books for me.

Stay safe folks!

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨"For all the outliers"
I LOVE THIS DEDICATION SO MUCH

⭐3.75/5 |🌶️1.5/5

This book dives into such an important conversation about neurodivergence, and Susie Tate did a PHENOMINAL job portraying an autistic FMC. and I fell in love with Vicky so fast. She literally deserves the whole world.

Mike is a blue collar, rough around the edges kind of guy who drops “f bombs” like confetti 😆basically Vicky’s polar opposite. But he sees her. REALLY sees her. He fights for her, makes mistakes, and works hard to fix them so he can be the man she needs.

Susie Tate’s writing feels intricate yet warm
full of perspective, wisdom, and heart. I am truly blown away by her writing. I learn so much while also swooning over these characters. I’ve truly become a fan of her work!!!

It was hard for me to forgive Mike at times, but I do appreciate flawed characters because we’re all human

You would like this if you enjoy:
+ brother's best friend
+ she is obsessed with him
+ protective MMC (VERY protective)
+ he literally growls and grovels for her
+ opposites attract
+ neurodiverse FMC
+ tough but also beautiful family dynamics / found family feels

[Fiction Junkie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did eventually like the MMC, but he was just mean, for no reason, in the beginning.
Does read fast and easy.

[Vintage]

Damn you, Susie Tate! It's chapter 3, and I'm tearing up. I don't cry... unless there's a dog.

[asra⭑.ᐟ (vacay ⋆ hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

a five star read??? in this economy??? 😭

[ras 🔻 · Rating 3 out of 5]

there was some good angst at the beginning but i needed more, plus the fmc was too forgiving and the mmc got off way too easy

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was excellent

I loved this series. Vicki was an incredible heroine. She was autistic and very beautiful and smart. She has had a very hard.life really due to her being.illegitimate and even her own Mother is cruel to her. And her half siblings too. Well not.Ollie and the other two learn their.lesson. she has had horrible damage done to her because of her autism. No child.should be treated that way. But Mike is the perfect hero.for her. At least after the 3rd chapter. At first he's a jerk. I felt so bad for her. She has a really.big crush.on him and wants to.pursue a relationship with.him. I love the way they interacted. There is a lot og.angst but the journey is well worth.the read. And the epilogue!?!? It was priceless. So very cute with children and ponies. So many good things.in this book. I loved it.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the last time I take a rec from the Goodreads suggestions. The final straw.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I couldn't get enough of it.
The MMC, Mike, was at times a huge asshole, he had a chip on his shoulder the size of mount Everest, but when he finally had some sense knocked into him he became caring, sweet, and loveable.
Vicky, the FMC, is autistic. Her mother was a horrible mother who constantly belittled her and bullied her, to the point where at the age of 6 she became mute. Her mother refused to have her tested to find out why she was behaving in a non-typical way and therefore was diagnosed as an adult. Her mother's and sister's constant bullying and criticisms convinced Vicky that she was unlovable.
I could maybe see how some would see Vicky as weak--but she thinks differently than a typical person AND throughout her entire life she was made to feel weird, unlovable, and actually easily hateable by people who she should have been able to trust and lean on, and who should have loved her unconditionally. It made sense to me on why she was the way she was, and it wasn't due to being weak. She was conditioned to feel that way--especially since she takes comments and directions extremely literally.
But I loved seeing Vicky grow into herself, learning to love herself. Was her self esteem perfectly healed by the end of the book? No, of course not. That wouldn't be realistic. But was it realistically better? 100% yes.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going for It

Mike thought that Vicky was a stuck up ice princess. She was so beautiful and part of a wealthy and semi-royal family, she often stared at him but never spoke. One day, she informs him that she would love to have a relationship with Mike, and he thinks she is a rich girl out to get her kicks with a guy from the “other side of the tracks”.

Misunderstanding the situation, Mike barks and walks away hurt and insulted, because he was always fascinated by Vicky. He later finds out that Vicky is a high functioning autistic, and does his best to apologize. That’s harder than it sounds, because Vicky has an excellent memory and takes everything as literal.

This is a charming, if sometimes sad story about a young woman treated badly by parts of her family and about Mike, the man who wants to love her. It’s a little spicy, but very tasteful and a five star read.

[RateTheRomance · Rating 3 out of 5]

In order to enjoy books by this author you have to love reading heroines being subjected to extreme cruelty, both past and present, and sometimes at the hand of the hero. I definitely don't enjoy the hero being harshly cruel to the heroine—so this author just isn't for me.

Having said that, this book was far less objectionable (in that way) than the others in this series and I did think the portrayal of an Autistic FMC was fairly well done (I have children with Autism)

SPICE LEVEL: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
CONTENT WARNING: past physical abuse, attempted sexual assault, past sexual assault, severe ableism, extreme bullying of MC related to Autism, abusive family, parent has affair in past
POV: Dual - M/F - 1st Person

[Sundy Tr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicky and Mike. I was anticipating their story and it didn’t disappoint. Vicky is Ollie’s autistic sister and Mike one of his best friends.

Vicky is an adorable FMC. I felt so sorry about her so many times in the book and could feel her pain. I also laughed a lot with her boldness, some scenes were hilarious.
I also liked Mike. I couldn’t exactly blame him for his early behaviour since he wasn’t aware of some important facts but he did try a lot to make amends.

The pacing was nice overall, I just felt that it was slightly rushed as we got towards the end. That’s more or less my only complaint.

-Dual 1st person POV
-Spice: 🌶️.5

Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️ for me.

[Cristina]

DNF

Seeing as this didn’t work out for me, it’s best not to rate it. Whether it was the writing style or the characters, i couldn’t get into the story.

[Wildflower Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an incredibly special book and I've a fear that no words I have will do a review justice. Here goes...

I've had the privilege of reading 'Outlier' earlier this year and it far superseded anything my own imagination could ever have conjured for Vicky's story.

Susie Tate is a true gem. She blends heartfelt love stories with strong elements of medicine, humor, and emotional depth. A practicing doctor herself, she truly manages to brings a level of authenticity to her medical settings and characters that is hard to find elsewhere in the romance genre. Her writing consistently stands out for its empathy, wit, and well-drawn characters who are often imperfect but deeply relatable.

Vicky is no exception; She was imperfectly perfect. I have never read a character that felt more like home to me before. At certain aspects of the novel I wanted to pluck her from the pages and hold her, if only so she knew that she was understood and perfect just as she was. For me personally, Tate managed to articulate a large proportion of what I feel on a daily basis, what I have felt previously in my life. Through Vicky I felt seen and understood. I don't own any physical copies of books. Reading is how I self regulate and I generally read a book a day. I will however own a copy of this one. If only so I know that Vicky is real and she very much is. She is every neurodivergent person who has felt less than, every neurodivergent person who can not comprehend why they are loved, every neurodivergent person who's delay in processing social situations have led them to be harmed mentally and physically and every neurodivergent person who is worth so much more than the limited understanding of others.

The bonus epilogue was so very apt and gave me such a sense of peace. I loved it, so very much. It rounded out the book perfectly and Tate's dedication, the perfect start.

@susietateauthor thank you, for giving the literary world Vicky. (And thank you to @good.girls.pr for the ALC. It's beautiful)

[Izzie d · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good story.
Very touching.
Virgin heroine.
No details of Hero's past, just he has one.
HEA.

[Karishma Panchani · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 out of bloody 10. Read this in a day guys. Chefs kiss, absolutely brilliant. I love vicky and I love Mike even more, absolutely incredible.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes:
🧠 Neurodivergent FMC
🧎‍♂️ Grovelling
🏠 Found Family
🔥 Protective Love Interest
😔 Misunderstood Heroine
💔 toxic family
🧲 Opposites attract

This book was everything I hoped for—and more. Like so many Susie Tate fans, I’ve been eagerly awaiting this installment ever since starting the series, and it did not disappoint.

I absolutely LOVE Vicky. She’s such an endearing, well-written character who truly deserves all the happiness in the world. Watching her grow throughout the story was powerful, especially how small changes in how others perceived and interacted with her gave her the space to become more confident and comfortable in herself.

Although I don’t have the lived experience to fully assess the authenticity of Vicky’s portrayal as someone on the autism spectrum, I do have experience working with autistic individuals, and I could feel the care Tate took in writing her. Vicky’s struggles are portrayed with nuance, particularly in how neurotypical people often fail to understand the reasons behind certain behaviours or how to offer appropriate support in stressful or unfamiliar situations.

Tate’s author’s note highlights the impact of Vicky’s past trauma on her adult life, and this is woven beautifully (and heartbreakingly) into the narrative. It was gut-wrenching to read how Vicky perceived her relationships, especially knowing from previous books, just how deeply her friends and family care for her.

Mike and Vicky are perfect together. Yes, he was a bit of an arse at first, but once he began to truly understand Vicky, he became her fiercest ally always trying to support her in the ways she genuinely needed. His mistakes might not have been as dramatic as the other male leads in the series, but the emotional impact was just as strong, especially given how far Vicky had come by then.

One of the most satisfying parts of the book was seeing the people around Vicky reflect on how their past treatment of her had shaped her experiences and make real, tangible efforts to change. That kind of acknowledgment and growth felt refreshing and deeply earned.

Outlier handles complex emotions, trauma, and neurodivergence with real care and empathy. Vicky’s journey is one that stays with you. If you connected with Millie’s story in Limits, you’ll find just as much to love here.

I received a free ARC of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Silvia Hope-mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the honour of reading the ARC of Outlier. If you've read any of the daydreamer series, I don't think you will need any encouragement to read Vicky and Mike's story which we have all been waiting for with bated breath - you will not be disappointed.

If you've never picked up a book by Susie Tate, then you are missing out. I found her from an ad in fb, and I don't usually respond to ads. From the first book I read (Unperfect), I have read her library in full, twice, and listened to the books at least once.

Like all Susie's books, by the end of the book, you will adore the main characters, you will feel for them. In Outlier, the MFC Vicky is autistic. By the end of the book, Vicky's quirks will make so much sense as you hear her describing how it feels from her point of view, and you also find out about her past. You will understand why she sees herself the way she does. And if nothing else, I hope reading the book will make you understand autistic people a bit more and help you be kinder and more gentle towards them - unless you already have autistic people in your circle and get it. My son is autistic, and reading the book helped me see things from his point of view, when I was still stuck seeing them from my point of view, so although already pretty aware, it has given me more understanding. Although Vicky is probably the main focus, the MMC Mike is also equally well rounded and by the end of the book you will be rooting for them (and looking for your own muscly carpenter).

All of Susie's books are intertwined in some way and as you finish this book, you will want to go back to the beginning of the daydreamer series and start again with a new understanding of all the characters.

Don't dismiss this because it comes under the genre of romance or women's fiction or whatever other niche category. Read it because it is well written and a great story and if nothing else you will learn something from reading it.

[Kristiej · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the. Other books in this series, this book deserves and gets 5 stars. At least it does from me. We’ve met both Mike and Vicky in previous books and I’ve been patiently and then not so patiently for a while now. Vicky is on the Autism Spectrum and although she really has difficulties dealing with most areas of live, she is brilliant. Our heart breaks for her. She had a very sad and abusive childhood and as a result she has no self assurance. Although she is very good at her job, she simply can’t believe anyone could really care for her. She has no artifice whatsoever and is unable to lie. She has very deep feelings for Mike, the brother and friend of people in her network. Because she’s blunt and open, she’s unable to hide her feelings for Mike. But Mike doesn’t want anything to do with her. The circle she’s in are extremely wealthy whereas Mike isn’t. He makes beautiful custom wood furniture and is definitely blue collar. He’s aware of Vicky’s crush but has no idea of her true situation and thinks she is wanting to go slumming with him and can be quite cruel to her. But he couldn’t be more wrong. Vicky doesn’t have a lack of feelings, she has an over abundance of them with no way to handle them.

This book is everything I was hoping it would be. When Mike becomes aware of what Vicky has had to deal with, he becomes her fierce protector and it’s so heartwarming to watch him become such a strong and powerful guardian. It’s impossible to not love Vicky and to see this guy become what and who she needs makes this book very special and one I will read again and again and again. I’m not sure you need to have read the previous books in the series but I highly recommend it. It’s a progression and we have a full sense of who these people are by the time we get to their story. They are available on KU but I purchased them so I have the reassurance that I can start reading at a moment’s notice. I’m also very strongly considering getting the audio version as well. The highest of recommendation to Susie Tate’s Outlier.

[Spinster Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was unbelievably beautiful. It was smart, funny, sweet, emotional, healing, and intense. It had me so firmly in my feels and has immediately earned its place on my comfort reads shelf.

Vicky is a brilliant, gorgeous, Autistic woman who is very private and feels so deeply.

Mike is a smart, hot, neurotypical man who has a wee bit of a chip on his shoulder about the richy riches of the world.

They have known of each other forever because she used to spend part of her summer her half brother's family and said brother is his bff. Their paths cross again as adults. She is completely enraptured & fixated on him and his pretty, pretty self. He thinks she is a weird ice princess and just another rich woman looking for a bit of fun. Things get intense & difficult and then they get sweet & romantic and then we swing back to difficult. It is brilliant.

Vicky is everything. She is a beautiful representation of how neurodivergence presents for some people and I adore her. My heart broke each time words were used against her or she was misunderstood. I saw so much of me and my brain in Vicky, so her story was intense & emotional for me. And I cheered even louder than usual when she was seen and valued and got her joy.

Mike. Oh Mike. Mike has some learning & growing to do and it is a good thing he is so dang likeable. Because he is extremely likeable, especially when you get his perspective and are able to understand his thoughts & heart.

And Vicky's mom is trash. Absolute trash. I hope she always has an itch she can't reach and never sleeps more than five minutes at a time.

My heart & my brain love & adore Susie's writing. She and her characters have a way of burrowing so deep into my heart and reaching moments & memories I have forgotten or ignored. She is brilliant.

I received this as an ARC and I am beyond grateful! This has had zero influence on my review, which is based only on the quality of the story.

[Gayane♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book a million stars ⭐️ I really would. Knew this book was going to be amazing because Susie Tate always writes amazing books. 🩷
Plot: ✨
Victoria who is autistic, but a lot of people don’t know that. She doesn’t want others to think of her differently even though she is ✨special.✨ She’s has a high paying job, and is apart of the royal family. She has never cared for physical touch until, Mike. Mike thinks she’s a rich, stuck up posh lady. He is mean to her, and wants nothing to do with her. Things unfold, truths come out, and Mike if finally seeing the real Vicky. 💖 The question is? Can they move forward with one another, knowing what was said in the past??

I think EVERYONE should read this book, and I promise you, you’ll love every moment of it!!!! 💖🥰🥹

Tropes:
💖rich FMC
🩵He’s a lumberjack
💖Enemies/lovers
🩵He grovels like it’s his last breath 😅

[meags · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book?! The audio?! I never wanted to put it down. This book branded my soul in the best way possible. My first book by Susie Tate but certainly not my last.

Susie does such a wonderful job writing an amazing neurodivergent character like Vicky, she handles difficult topics with grace and wrote a FMC who literally stole my heart. Like I would go to battle for this girl.

And Mike?! Omg This man is guarded and grumpy. But he is fiercely protective of the people he loves and my god does he grovel in this one!

This book is absolutely a comfort read for me and it is one that I can see myself returning to reread in the future. I absolutely adored it.