My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3: A stormy beginning and an ending to explain

Ah yes, it’s almost fall, and you know what that means: time for some seriously comforting romance telly! Read on for my take on the third installment of Netflix's adaptation of Ali Novak's young adult romance My Life with the Walter Boys (Season 3) and that ending explained!

The Premise

The season picks us up in the bomb site where it left us; Alex and Jackie’s relationship is on the rocks, Cole is back on the scene, and the entire family is reeling from George Walter’s stroke. The writers do well to use this health scare to pivot away from the drama of young love and towards "living in the present."

Beyond the Love Triangle

By leaving the stuck-in-the-mud love triangle between Cole, Alex and Jackie behind, the show allows individual characters to flourish. But with a sprawling cast, it can be difficult to have your cake and eat it. At times the 10-episode epic felt a bit overambitious and difficult to follow, and some of the subplots felt rushed. I wish Lee and Isaac had a bit more screen time of their own rather than just appearing as a feature of Aunt Hannah's episode.

New characters and old favorites

As always, I love being along for the Walter family ride; there's just something really lovely about the hustle and bustle of a full house, the rhythms of the stunning countryside around it, and the warmth at its heart—I will always watch this show. Alongside this customary atmosphere, season three introduced elements of Jackie’s past life (in the form of Uncle Richard and Eliot). Yes, this is a bit of a plot device, but it provides a foil to life in Silver Falls and a source of outside tension to Cole and Jackie's relationship (which might otherwise feel a little claustrophobic).

The Star-Crossed Lovers

I really liked how open Cole and Jackie were in their communication at the beginning of the series, so I was pretty miffed when the teenage miscommunication trope cropped back up as the season went on… Come on guys, I thought we left that nonsense in season 2?! Overall, we saw a lot more individual character development this season, particularly from Jackie; it felt like she was taking a lot more ownership of her time (even when that meant "going off the rails").

Click Here for my Life With the Walter Boys Season 3 Ending Explained (warning: spoilers!)

If we’ve learned anything from this show, it is that My Life with the Walter Boys loves a cliffhanger ending to a season—or, in this case, three.

1. Cole is run off the road on his way back to see Jackie at her party (which he has made happen behind the scenes).

2. Jackie shares a kiss with Eliot at said party

3. And Alex goes round to Kylie’s house to confess his very real feelings, only to be met with Dylan at the door and fail to tell her the truth.

While the bridge between seasons 2 and 3 felt like it furthered the plot, this ending felt split-screened and designed to drive attention and speculation more than anything else.

I’m sure Jackie and Cole will rekindle their romance in the next season. While the Eliot plot remains a possibility, I'm not sure he's developed enough as a character for us to really root for him (yet).

As for the Alex/ Kylie/ Dylan trio? I'm less sure (and maybe more invested?!). I hope Dylan and Kylie stay together—I feel like they balance one another out in interesting ways. Maybe Dylan could use some of Kylie's authenticity while he could draw her out of her shell.

TLDR

Overall, My Life with the Walter Boys is sweet, bingeable, and heartwarming. It isn't going to revolutionize your idea of the teenage coming-of-age story, but it is a great show to unwind with after a long day.

Which storyline was your favorite this season?

Love, Eve x

P.S. If you love the intimate setting of My Life with the Walter Boys, my newest book Liquids is coming out in September! Regular readers will know that my Techboys Series is set in the Big Apple, but recently I've turned my hand to small-town romance. A local artist and a rugged outsider meet at the bar, and an unexpected spark grows between them... Find out more about Liquids here, or click the button below to preorder your copy now!

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