“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.” —Gustave Flaubert
Rating: 10/10"Oliver and his dad were gone, drifted into nothingness, like clouds in the sky and even more difficult to chase." "But it seemed like Oliver had already reached the end of the world and had fallen off into the abyss." "Maureen looks like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." "Then blew him a kiss as I turned the corner. I saw him catch it, turning the corner with his fist aloft, holding my heart in his hand as he disappeared." "Not goodbye. Just see you later." | Ugh. This book. I had all the feelings while reading it. You've got a good one here Robin Benway! Started it about 4 p.m., took a short break for dinner then read until I finished it around midnight with minimal breaks. But it wasn't just a romance or chick lit. It was so much more. It was a story about loss and coming of age and family and, yes, a little bit of love thrown in. Emmy never really recovered from losing her best friend and childhood crush when he was taken away by his father. So when he comes back, as much as I don't think she wants to show it, it affects her more than she wants it too. Like a stone being thrown into a completely still lake, Oliver's return shakes the foundation of everything she knows to be true. Her family isn't what it once was. Her friend triangle is thrown for a loop when someone who used to be a part of that group comes back and her life isn't the same anymore. It might start off rocky but Emmy slowly lets herself let Oliver back into her life. They get to talking again and fall back into being best friends almost like 10 years didn't pass in between meetings. I also felt a real connection with Emmy. I know all too well what it's like to have overbearing parents, so I was able to really connect with that part of the book and understand what she was feeling more. Plus I'm just a sucker for best friends falling in love. That plus two other friends with intriguing personalities and a unique storyline meant I had to give this one a perfect 10/10. No doubts about that. |