Review: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood

THE RECKLESS OATH WE MADE
Bryn Greenwood
Publication date: August 20, 2019
Series: No
Genres: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley



GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

Zee is nobody's fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead's temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.

Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee's champion. He's barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.

When an abduction tears Zee's family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined--Gentry--and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Okay. *deep breath* Let’s do this. The Reckless Oath We Made is one of those books that, when I turn the last page, I sit for a moment and let it all sink it. I marvel at what the author was able to convey. And then I wonder how in the world I am going to write a review that does it justice. (Confession: it’s been 2+ years since I read Greenwood’s All the Ugly and Wonderful Things and I still haven’t managed to articulate my feelings about it. In the simplest terms, it was phenomenal.) But I’m going to try.

Zee (real Name: Zhorzha) is brash and rough-around-the-edges and it seems as if it weren’t for bad luck she’d have no luck at all. A motorcycle accident left her with a shattered hip, chronic pain, and a mountain of medical bills. She also helps support her hoarder mother, her older sister and her five-year-old nephew so her waitress income is supplemented by occasional drug trafficking. She meets Gentry while at physical therapy and his odd demeanor is impossible to ignore. While their interaction is short-lived, he remains a fixture in her life over the next two years, constantly keeping watch over her.

Gentry is a knight. On the autism spectrum, he hears voices (Gawen, Hildegard, and the Witch), speaks in Middle English, spars with swords and is building his own castle. Gentry is single-minded in his duty as Zee’s champion, and the oath he has taken to protect her. When Zee’s sister is taken hostage by prison escapees, Gentry is by his Lady Zhorzha’s side, ready to aid in battle when she decides to recover her sister on her own.

Zee and Gentry were an improbable pairing that still made perfect sense. Zee accepted Gentry in every way and allowed him to express himself in the way that was uniquely him. She did not patronize him or mock him or expect him to change. Her immediate sense of belonging (or at least a wish to belong) with Gentry’s adoptive family was understandable since her own family fell apart (and did not recover) after her father died while serving a prison sentence for armed robbery. Zee wasn’t always a sympathetic character. She was single-minded in her efforts and used whatever means necessary to get what she needed. I found myself railing at her capriciousness while still recognizing the weight on her shoulders. In fact, my only quibble throughout the book had to do with Zee. (Highlight the following text for possible spoiler content: I truly wanted more atonement from Zee at the end of the book. She did recognize that others paid dearly for her decisions/actions – sometimes with life-changing consequences. Yes, she did take steps to apologize (like to Rosalinda and Charlene) but it felt so insignificant in comparison to what was lost. I wanted more from Zee, but maybe that was as much as she was capable of doing.)

In Gentry, Bryn Greenwood has created one of my favorite fictional characters ever. His chapters, written in his Middle English manner of speech, were among my favorites. With a moral compass that guided his every decision, a desire to prove himself worthy, and an innate kindness and compassion that melted my heart, Gentry is truly unforgettable. His surprising sense of humor always made me smile and his unwavering sense of right and wrong, in a world where doing the easy thing is so often chosen over doing the right thing, was inspiring.

The Reckless Oath We Made is a breathtaking mix of literary fiction, social commentary, modern-day fairy tale, and love story. Greenwood’s gift at creating utterly unique, fully-realized characters is astounding. And I lost track of the number of times I came across a sentence or phrase that captured a feeling so perfectly that I would just sit and stare at it. Like with All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Greenwood employs multiple narratives to weave her tale. Told mainly from Zee and Gentry’s points of view, there are also chapters from Zee’s nephew, Gentry’s mother, and more, which serve to create a story that comes to life and is truly mesmerizing. Greenwood is able to infuse this story with themes of family loyalty (which is stretched to its limits), mental illness, chivalry, and love in all its many forms. I could go on (and on) about all this story has to offer, but suffice it to say: The Reckless Oath We Made is among the best of 2019.

5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

____________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

BRYN GREENWOOD is a fourth-generation Kansan and the daughter of a mostly reformed drug dealer. She is the NYT bestselling author of The Reckless Oath We Made, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Lie Lay Lain, and Last Will. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Website: www.bryngreenwood.com 

Twitter: bryngreenwood 

Review: The Last Post by Renee Carlino

THE LAST POST
Renée Carlino
Publication date: August 20, 2019
Series: No
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Atria and NetGalley



GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

“See you on the other side.”

Laya Marston’s husband, Cameron, a daredevil enthusiast, always said this before heading off on his next adventure. He was the complete opposite of her, ready and willing to dive off a cliff-face, or parachute across a canyon—and Laya loved him for it. But she was different: pragmatic, regimented, devoted to her career and to supporting Cameron from the sidelines of his death-defying feats.

But when Cameron dies suddenly and tragically, all the stages of grief go out the window. Laya becomes lost in denial, living in the delusion that Cameron will come back to her. She begins posting on his Facebook page, reminiscing about their life together, and imagining new adventures for the two of them.

Micah Evans, a young and handsome architect at Laya’s father’s firm, is also stuck––paralyzed by the banal details of his career, his friendships, and his love life. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, only that there is someone out there who can bring energy and spirit to the humdrum of his life.

When Micah discovers Laya’s tragic and bizarre Facebook posts, he’s determined to show Laya her life is still worth living. Leaving her anonymous gifts and notes, trying to recreate the sense of adventure she once shared with her late husband, Micah finds a new passion watching Laya come out of the darkness. And Laya finds a new joy in the experiences Micah has created for her.

But for Laya, letting another man in still feels like a betrayal to her late husband. Even though Micah may be everything she could wish for, she wonders if she deserves to find happiness again.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

After a whirlwind first year of marriage, Laya is suddenly and tragically a widow. Retreating from work, family and friends, Laya is mired in grief and finds solace in leaving messages for Cameron, her deceased husband, on his phone and his Facebook page. Despite pleas from his family to stop the posts, which they consider hurtful, Laya can’t seem to stop.

Micah works for Laya’s father’s architectural firm and seems to be at a crossroads himself. He feels a disconnect with his friends and a sense of pointlessness to his work and his everyday life. When he meets Laya he’s immediately drawn to her. He knows she is a widow and, when he comes across her posts to her deceased husband, he feels compelled to somehow help her. Taking cues from her posts, he begins to slowly get to know Laya and a relationship (of sorts) forms.

I was excited to dive into The Last Post because I have loved several of Carlino’s books in the past. She has such a gift for emotional storytelling. Unfortunately, it was the emotion that was missing from this one for me. I didn’t feel a connection with either Laya or Micah, and at times I wasn’t even sure I felt a real connection between the two of them. In the beginning I wasn’t sure what to make of Micah or what his motivations were. It wasn’t clear to me whether he was altruistic or was trying to fulfill some need in himself.

Both Laya and Micah were living very small, insular lives – disconnected from the world and the people around them. I liked how together they both started to rejoin the world. Laya was finally able to start moving past her grief and Micah was coming out of… whatever it was he was going through. Honestly, I never did really understand what his issues were or what was troubling him. Laya struggled to come to terms with Cameron’s failings and recognize that neither he, nor their marriage, had been perfect. It was satisfying to see her come out of her shell and be willing to move forward.

While I didn’t feel emotionally invested in Laya and Micah’s story, and I missed that emotional punch that I’ve come to count on from Carlino, there’s no denying that she is a gifted storyteller. I love her writing style and I love her ability to tell a story about real people facing real challenges. Her stories always feel authentic and never gimmicky. If you enjoy stories that focus on overcoming loss, second chances and moving on, give The Last Post a chance.

3.5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

Review: Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner

MRS. EVERYTHING
Jennifer Weiner
Publication date: Jun 11, 2019
Genres: Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: Atria Books and NetGalley



GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

From Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Do You Love and In Her Shoes, comes a smart, thoughtful, and timely exploration of two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places—and be true to themselves—in a rapidly evolving world. Mrs. Everything is an ambitious, richly textured journey through history—and herstory—as these two sisters navigate a changing America over the course of their lives.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Mrs. Everything is a tale of two sisters, how circumstances fray their bond, and how they come together again. While Jennifer Weiner calls this her most ambitious work, I call it her best.

Sisters Bethie and Jo could not be more different. Bethie is pretty and popular. Jo doesn’t care about clothes or fashion, loves sports, and never seems to earn her mother’s approval. A childhood spent in 1950’s suburban Detroit leads to college in the 60’s and a time of civil rights, protests and experimentation. Their lives take dramatically different paths and their choices shape their lives in unexpected ways.

I was completely captivated by this story. Weiner breathed life into these characters and I felt as if I were experiencing every heartache, every joy, and every turn in the road with Bethie and Jo. From complicated family dynamics, to disordered eating, drug use, sex and marriage, these women struggled to find their way, both separately and apart. I sympathized with Jo who struggled for her mother’s approval and acceptance and who spent years hiding her true self. And my heart ached for Bethie who spent years running from her past.   

They lived through times of tremendous upheaval – the Viet Nam war, civil rights, women’s rights – and the roles of women changed over the years. They were redefining what it meant to be a woman in a changing world, while still being constrained by societal expectations, and with the knowledge that change comes slowly and there were still barriers to overcome. Their choices were so often colored by, and limited to, the options available at that time. They were alternately each other’s strongest supporter and harshest critic, proving that the author understands the complicated relationship shared by sisters.

Spanning more than six decades, Weiner has delivered a powerful story of sisterhood – both familial and that of all women. She strikes the perfect balance of telling Jo and Bethie’s stories while shining a light on the limitations, expectations, tragedies and triumphs of women over the past 60-70 years. Never preachy or political, but instead intensely readable, Mrs. Everything has skyrocketed to one of my favorite reads of 2019.

5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

Review: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

DAISY JONES & THE SIX
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Publication date:
Genres: Adult, Fiction, Historical
Format: Hardcover (368 pgs)
Source: Library

GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again. Daisy Jones & The Six just catapulted to my favorite read of 2019 and I’ll be surprised if it gets unseated.

Told in an unconventional format, the book is presented as an oral history of the rise and fall of Daisy Jones & The Six. The mystery author (who is eventually revealed - and was so perfect in the way it brought the story full-circle) gathered the input of members of The Six, Daisy Jones, their manager, friends, and others to tell the tale. There are conflicting details and the truth often depends on who is telling the story.

“We love broken, beautiful people. And it doesn't get much more obviously broken and more classically beautiful than Daisy Jones.” 

Daisy was a hard-partying young woman who immersed herself in the L.A. music scene from a young age. Drinking, drugs, rock stars – she experienced it all. But she’s more than a pretty face and a good-time girl and she wants her songs heard. Billy was a hard-partying singer-songwriter who headed the up and coming rock band The Six. As a recovering addict, he had a lot to lose and struggled to balance his music and lifestyle with the family waiting for him at home. When his savvy manager suggested a collaboration with Daisy Jones, rock history was made, and a rock legend was born.

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else's muse.
I am not a muse.
I am the somebody.
End of fucking story.”

I was sucked right into this captivating story from the very start. It was impossible not to draw comparisons between the fictional characters and real-life inspirations (Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, and other 70’s music icons come to mind as the story unfolds). Daisy is a character I loved and hated and pitied all while watching her collision course with disaster - because there was no doubt Daisy would crash and burn. Once Daisy joined The Six it felt like her own downward spiral slipped into high gear. Billy and Daisy’s relationship was equal parts intimate, explosive, and emotional, and the band’s dynamic shifted with every line that was crossed.

“We were two halves. We were the same. In that way that you’re only the same with a few other people. In that way that you don’t even feel like you have to say your own thoughts because you know the other person is already thinking them. How could I be around Daisy Jones and not be mesmerized be her?”

In Daisy Jones & The Six, Reid created so much more than the story of a rock band. It’s a time capsule. A snapshot of a period in time that, according to some, if you remember it you didn’t do it right. It’s a love story, it’s a character study, it’s an ode to the music and musicians of the 70’s, and it’s a mockumentary that at times had me totally convinced that The Six’s music was just a Google search away. I loved every minute of this fascinating, nostalgic, and engrossing novel.

5/5 STARS

Review: The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

The Simple Wild 
K.A. Tucker
Publication date: August 17, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Source: Atria and NetGalley

Calla Fletcher was two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when her father reaches out to inform her that his days are numbered, Calla knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.

She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this new subarctic environment, Jonah—the quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.

Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. As time passes, she unexpectedly finds herself forming a bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago.

It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.

Tucker has outdone herself. I do believe The Simple Wild has just taken the top spot when it comes to all I’ve read from this talented writer (or at least given the others a good shake-up).

I was captivated even from the prologue, when two year old Calla is taken away from her father by a mother who can no longer tolerate the reality of rural life in the Alaskan wild. More than two decades pass before Calla returns. Now twenty-six, she is very much a city girl but her life in Toronto is also at a crossroads. Receiving a call that her father has terminal diagnosis, Calla packs a bag (actually many bags) and returns to Alaska. Filled with questions about her parent’s past, uncertainty about a father she barely knows, and years of hurt over his absence in her life, Calla is unprepared for what she finds. Not only the harsh reality of life in Alaska, but also her taciturn father and Jonah, the gruff and grouchy pilot who instantly pegs her as high-maintenance, pampered and shallow.

Calla starts off as the classic fish out of water when she arrives in the fictional town of Bangor. Bemoaning her missing luggage, teetering through the mud in high heels, and annoyed without her morning latte with soy milk, she doesn’t exactly fit in. But as Calla spends time with her father, and with Jonah, she sees a different side of life in Alaska - the beauty of the land, the tenacity of the people, and a way of life that is unlike anything she has known.

I loved the evolution of Calla’s character over the course of the novel. From arriving with little more than a sense of duty and a desire to quickly return to her life, to slowly getting to know the father she barely knew and understanding the choices he’d made, Calla shows real growth and questions what she truly wants for herself. It was obvious she wouldn’t leave Alaska the same person as when she arrived. I felt her frustration as she tried to get to know her father. Watching the two of them tiptoe around each other and seeing the small, tentative steps they took towards one another touched my heart.

Jonah and Calla appeared to be total opposites. With a strong sense of commitment to his job and the people it impacted, Jonah was hard-working, adventurous and a risk-taker. He was also close to Calla’s father and understood him in ways that Calla didn’t.  He had no problem putting Calla in her place at every opportunity and their bickering and banter was priceless. As the animosity turned to attraction and then a relationship, it seemed inevitable that history would repeat itself and Calla would follow in her mother’s footsteps.  I loved the way their relationship unfolded. I’m not a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope but this didn’t feel like a trope at all. Instead it felt utterly realistic. Calla, with her preconceived notions of who and what she would find in Alaska; and Jonah with his suspicion of Calla and disapproval of her relationship with her father. The long thaw between them helped to make the eventual turn in their relationship feel completely believable.

Tucker made rural Alaska come alive and the setting felt as if were another character in the story. The imagery is stunning and brought every scene to life, making it easy to fully immerse myself in the story.

Powerful and emotional, this is a tale of coming to terms with the past, recognizing our parents as flawed individuals, acceptance and forgiveness, and having the courage to embrace a future that is unlike anything you imagined for yourself. At times so raw and real that it made my heart ache, The Simple Wild pulled me in from the very start and kept me completely invested in these characters and their lives through every turn of the page. One of my top reads of 2018.

4.5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

Review: Falling by Jane Green

Falling by Jane Green

Series: No

Genres: Contemporary, Women's Fiction, Romance, Adult Fiction

Release Date: July 19, 2016

Format: Kindle

Source: Overdrive

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

When Emma Montague left the strict confines of upper-crust British life for New York, she felt sure it would make her happy. Away from her parents and expectations, she felt liberated, throwing herself into Manhattan life replete with a high-paying job, a gorgeous apartment, and a string of successful boyfriends. But the cutthroat world of finance and relentless pursuit of more began to take its toll. This wasn’t the life she wanted either.

On the move again, Emma settles in the picturesque waterfront town of Westport, Connecticut, a world apart from both England and Manhattan. It is here that she begins to confront what it is she really wants from her life. With no job, and knowing only one person in town, she channels her passion for creating beautiful spaces into remaking the dilapidated cottage she rents from Dominic, a local handyman who lives next door with his six-year-old son.

Unlike any man Emma has ever known, Dominic is confident, grounded, and committed to being present for his son whose mother fled shortly after he was born. They become friends, and slowly much more, as Emma finds herself feeling at home in a way she never has before.

But just as they start to imagine a life together as a family, fate intervenes in the most shocking of ways. For the first time, Emma has to stay and fight for what she loves, for the truth she has discovered about herself, or risk losing it all.

In a novel of changing seasons, shifting lives, and selfless love, a story unfolds—of one woman’s far-reaching journey to discover who she is truly meant to be…

My Thoughts

Once upon a time, long long ago (in 2001), I came across a book called Jemima J. At the time a new genre was all the rage - a little thing called Chick Lit. And I was gobbling it up. Specifically Brit Chick Lit. And when I saw Jemima J and read the synopsis I knew I would love it. And love it I did. It remains very dear and meaningful to me. And in the years that followed I read everything Jane Green wrote. But then a darkness fell over the land and things began to change...  

Looking back over my GoodReads reviews of Jane Green's last four or five books there seems to be a common theme: I tend to start each review with "what happened to the Jane Green of old?" Because over the last several years her novels seem to have lost their charm and and their emotional pull. Instead they now all take place in Connecticut (not-so-coincidentally where Jane lives) and feature very similar female protagonists: women who once had high-powered careers but then find themselves living in the suburbs of Connecticut and trying to keep up with the high-maintenance ladies who lunch set. Or they find themselves divorced and starting over (still in Connecticut, of course) and trying to eschew the ladies who lunch for something more substantial. Book after book, it's all begun to feel a bit stale.

When Green's latest, Falling, was announced and touted as "pure old-school Jane Green, a return to her love story roots" I was firmly on board and ready to dismiss the last several disappointments as inconsequential blips. But, not so fast... because Falling was another disappointment. Big time.

Emma was a frustrating main character. Not only is the reader subjected to her every wishy-washy, contradictory thought but she could go from Point A to 
Point Z in 5 seconds flat in any given situation. 

"I don't mean to offend you, Emma. I hardly know you, but it seems to me that you have created a drama in your head that may have nothing to do with reality."

She consistently made snap decisions and judgments. And, despite her apparent desire for a quiet life, she had quite the flair for being emotionally dramatic. As Emma entered into a relationship with Dominic, her landlord next door, there were many references to the differences in their backgrounds.  Again and again the reader is reminded that Emma's oh-so-proper British upbringing was far different from Dominic's small-town blue collar childhood. So much was made of this fact that I began to wonder if this was really a contemporary novel or if they were actually in Victorian England where the classism would make sense. 

"Someone like you does not end up with someone like me. Even I see that."

To be fair, it wasn't all bad. In fact, with the exception of Emma's emotional histrionics and all the class talk, I was mostly enjoying the novel. Yes, it seemed to skim the surface rather than digging deep, and yes, there was an issue with telling instead of showing, but I couldn't help but be drawn into the day to day lives of Emma and Dominic and Dominic's son Jesse. I enjoyed the minutiae: the quiet evenings at home, the breakfasts they made together, the details about Emma's burgeoning design career. I found it interesting and it helped create this bubble around their relationship that made it all the more intense. 

And then came that ending. At the 90% mark I looked at my husband and said, "I am SO mad at this book. I can't believe she [the author] is doing this." But she did it, and then wrapped everything up incredibly quickly, and all my semi-good feelings about the book went poof. I think it's safe to say this will be my last disappointment from Jane Green. Whatever magic was once there is long gone.

2.5/5 Stars 

What author did you once love but finally quit reading? 

Review: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Series: No

Genres: Contemporary, Women's Fiction, Romance, Adult Fiction

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Format: e-book

Source: Edelweiss

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

My Thoughts

Warning: Prepare for much gushing because One True Loves has shot to the top of my favorites of 2016.

As soon as I read the synopsis for One True Loves I knew it was one that I had to read. I was instantly intrigued and wanted more. So imagine my delight when I began reading and found that it was even better than I had hoped.

"You are my one true love. I don't even think

I'm capable of loving anyone else." - Emma

Emma had loved Jesse since high school. From her crushing on him from afar in her freshman year, to their first date over two years later, I loved seeing the start of their relationship. Getting to know Emma and Jesse, and being a witness to Emma and Jesse getting to know one another, laid an incredible foundation for the story to come. Ten years of love and laughter - until suddenly it was gone.

I cried for him, and for what I'd lost, and for 

every day left of my life that I had to live without him.

Reid does an amazing job of leading the reader through Emma's very emotional journey. The angst-ridden adolescence when she yearns for more from her life, the heady excitement of first love and the contentment in a relationship she cherishes, the shock and devastation over Jesse's apparent death, the overwhelming grief, the acceptance and eventually the willingness to move forward - and then the feeling that her entire world has shifted yet again when she learns Jesse is alive. Through every event, every phase of Emma's life, I was completely invested and felt such an emotional connection with her. 

I don't think that true love means your only love.

I think true love means loving truly. Loving purely. Loving wholly.

With Jesse's return, after Emma has finally found her footing in her new life and also found love again, Reid created a situation with no easy answers. There was no bad guy and no matter what choices were made, everyone involved was hurting. About halfway through the book I knew what I wanted to happen. I knew what choice I hoped Emma would make. The fact that it didn't happen that way (was, in fact, the exact opposite) and that I was still so completely satisfied with the ending is a testament to Reid's amazing storytelling.

One True Loves wasn't just the next book I picked up - it was a reading experience. One that was bittersweet but completely worth the journey. And I hope you'll experience it for yourself. Because in case it isn't obvious, I highly recommend reading this amazing story. It moved me, it bruised and battered my heart, it made me laugh and cry, and it provided such an incredible message of healing and hope that it was impossible not to put the book down feeling like I had just read something unforgettable.

This was the first novel I've read from Taylor Jenkins Reid but it won't be the last. I'm ready to dive into every novel she's written and hope that every single one will be as exceptional as One True Loves. Because this was an absolute gem. 

5/5 Stars 

Have you read anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid?

What was the last 5-star book you read? 

Review: 9 Letters by Blake Austin

9 Letters by Blake Austin

Series: No

Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 22, 2016

Format: e-book

Source: Provided by the Author

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Luke Cawley is a broken man. After his wife's tragic death, he lost everything that mattered in the world. Now, his life is filled with hard days, harder nights, and a steady stream of alcohol and the wrong kind of women. Nothing helps.

Until the letters arrive on Luke's doorstep.

Nine envelopes. Nine messages. Nine chances to find his way back.

Rae Goode is looking for the real thing. After fighting her way out of a string of bad relationships, she's ready for something different--something true. She meets Luke while piecing her life together, and right away she can tell that he's different. 

Drawn together by fate and the desire to heal, Rae and Luke discover new ways to mend their broken hearts--one letter at a time.

Discover Blake Austin's debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love.

My Thoughts

9 Letters was not what I was expecting. From the synopsis I was anticipating a rather typical tale of love, loss, and love found again. And that's not a bad thing. But what I got instead was a deeply moving, thoughtful story of a man dealing with grief, guilt, and life-altering loss. I'm not even sure I would classify 9 Letters as a romance. It's there, but it's not the focus. Instead, this is very much Luke Cawley's story. It's not always easy to read and bear witness to his journey but I'm so glad I did.

9 Letters begins one year after the death of Luke's wife, Emily. The last year hasn't been easy. He's working as a bartender, drinking too much, and isolating himself from family and friends. And then, on the anniversary of Emily's death, a package is left on his doorstep. It contains nine letters from Emily, each one with a message for Luke and a task to complete before opening the next letter. It's just the lifeline Luke needs to find his way back to the land of the living.

I truly felt for Luke as he just tried to make it through another day. There were times when my heart broke for him - when he was missing Emily so much and feeling so alone. There were times when I got frustrated with him for shutting people out and refusing help. And there were times that I cheered him on for every little step forward.

9 Letters is an emotional story that feels so honest and completely real. There are no fireworks here, no over the top dramatics - just a truly moving story of a man trying to find his way again after a devastating loss. Despite the themes of loss and grief, 9 Letters had an overall feeling of healing and hopefulness, and that, even after loss, there is always the possibility of finding happiness and a new beginning.

4/5 Stars 

*Note: I was contacted by the author and provided a copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Review: After You by Jojo Moyes

Title: After You by Jojo Moyes

Series: Me Before You #2

Genres: Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Release Date: September 29, 2015

Format: Kindle

Source: Library Loan

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

“You’re going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will.”

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future. . . .

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await.

My Thoughts

**Spoilers for Me Before You are included in this review.**

I admit I was a little nervous about reading After You. I wondered if it was really necessary and if it was going to ruin all my good feelings about Me Before You. Me Before You was the first I’d read by Jojo Moyes and became one of my favorite books of 2013 – and made me want to immediately read more from her. I was okay with how Me Before You ended. I had my own thoughts of what became of Lou and I was good with that. Two years pass and here’s a sequel? Cue the misgivings…

All that worry for nothing! After You managed to pull me right back into Lou’s world, but what a different world it was this time. I had such high hopes for Lou at the end of Me Before You. She had grown so much during her time with Will and I just knew she would blossom and really start living. Yeah, not so much. After You finds Lou very much in limbo – a year and a half after Will’s death and drowning in grief. Living alone in a small apartment, working at an airport bar, estranged from her family, and basically being a total recluse. She’s (barely) keeping up the appearance on moving on but nothing could be further from the truth. Will's plea for Lou to live boldly? Not happening.

Enter several new faces in Lou’s life: members of a bereavement group that she begrudgingly attends, a paramedic her comes to her aid, and most significantly, a troubled teenage girl. In different ways each of these people force Lou out of hiding and she starts to engage in life again. But that comes with risks and Lou isn’t so sure she’s ready – or willing – to put her heart on the line again. Love leads to loss, right?

You should have been here, Will, I told him silently. 

It was you she really needed.

While After You is a very different book than Me Before You, it was still the writing that pulled me right in. Moyes has a way of presenting her characters in all their messy, flawed glory and manages to make you feel personally invested in their very well-being. The cast of secondary characters provided relief from what could have been a very dark tale of Lou’s grieving. But there was humor and friendship and love and the possibility of so much more.

None of us move on without a backward look. 

We move on always carrying with us those we have

lost. What we aim to do in our little group is ensure

 that carrying them is not a burden, something that

 feels impossible to bear, a weight keeping us stuck

 in the same place. We want their presence to feel like a gift.

After You didn’t quite destroy me like its predecessor but it still packed an emotional punch. I hurt for Lou, I got frustrated with her and wanted to shake her, and I cheered for her. If you’ve read Me Before You I highly recommend continuing on with After You. And that kinda-sorta open ending has me wondering if there’s not more to come in Lou’s story. If so, I’ll be first in line to experience it.

4/5 Stars 

Have you read Me Before You or other books from Jojo Moyes? 

What's your favorite?