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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just The Way You Are by Barbara Freethy
I love that this tale binds them together with pearls. They are my most favorite gem of all.
Tessa and Ali had come to the Oregon coast to live with their grandmother Phoebe when their parents had died. Alli ended up pregnant and Sam married her but he really wanted Tessa.
Around 9 years worth of marriage Alli got up the nerve to ask for a divorce as Sam left to live in his parents house and they retired to Arizona. They shared Megan.
When they learn of Phoebe's hospitalization and that Tessa is also on her way back from Milan Alli feels the time is perfect for Sam to pursue a life with Tessa.
Tessa had left to be a supermodel when Sam told her he was marrying Alli.
Love the detailed descriptions of the locale and the community. Can't get to the west coast often enough myself.
Sam Tucker has been the referee when it comes to Tessa and Alli over the years. They are all to blame for what happened that one Christmas, everybody played a part...
Like how the story moves along from each of the three different points of view.
Attempts are taken to make up on several occasions but Tessa is still around...
What were they thinking when they agreed to find one more wild pearl for the necklace to finish it...
They all go through what happened in the past, that one night it stormed really bad and it made them realize some important facts about themselves...
Amazing what can get accomplished when you work as a team.
Romance and sex only add to this story. Three different excerpts from three other books are included at the end.
I love that this tale binds them together with pearls. They are my most favorite gem of all.
Tessa and Ali had come to the Oregon coast to live with their grandmother Phoebe when their parents had died. Alli ended up pregnant and Sam married her but he really wanted Tessa.
Around 9 years worth of marriage Alli got up the nerve to ask for a divorce as Sam left to live in his parents house and they retired to Arizona. They shared Megan.
When they learn of Phoebe's hospitalization and that Tessa is also on her way back from Milan Alli feels the time is perfect for Sam to pursue a life with Tessa.
Tessa had left to be a supermodel when Sam told her he was marrying Alli.
Love the detailed descriptions of the locale and the community. Can't get to the west coast often enough myself.
Sam Tucker has been the referee when it comes to Tessa and Alli over the years. They are all to blame for what happened that one Christmas, everybody played a part...
Like how the story moves along from each of the three different points of view.
Attempts are taken to make up on several occasions but Tessa is still around...
What were they thinking when they agreed to find one more wild pearl for the necklace to finish it...
They all go through what happened in the past, that one night it stormed really bad and it made them realize some important facts about themselves...
Amazing what can get accomplished when you work as a team.
Romance and sex only add to this story. Three different excerpts from three other books are included at the end.
Got this book for free on iBooks. It was a quick read and mostly enjoyable. It was heavier on the romance side than I tend to read.
Rating: 3 Stars
Biggest critique is the ending when Tessa and Alli have this Come-To-Jesus moment and the author has them verbalize every single thing that the book was trying to teach us. The story should speak for itself; the author didn’t need to break character/immersion to explain the moral of the story.
Biggest critique is the ending when Tessa and Alli have this Come-To-Jesus moment and the author has them verbalize every single thing that the book was trying to teach us. The story should speak for itself; the author didn’t need to break character/immersion to explain the moral of the story.
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This journey started with one of those dumb TikTok ads where they start a story, show you a couple chapters, and then want you to download the app to read the rest. I refused to download said app, but I did google the title because I have a sickening need for closure. Though this book was not the one I was originally looking for, comments said they are pretty much the exact same book etc etc.
This book only gets two stars because though I hated every second of it- I did finish it. The fact that I read this entire book whilst hating it, just because of my need for resolution, is something I feel like I need to explore with my therapist.
I am infuriated by the treatment of Alli throughout this book, while also somehow disliking Alli. I think I just pity the woman because Sam/Tessa treated her like garbage for the majority of this book.
I cannot get over the fact that even though Sam cheated on Tessa with Alli (her sister), both Sam and Tessa blamed Alli 100% for it. Sam said Alli ruined his life, as if he didn’t stick his d*ck in her and make a baby. Sam and Alli were together for 9 years after making said baby, and he doesn’t even figure out that he loves her until after she leaves him! Tessa said that Alli also ruined Sam’s life, and he “made a mistake”, but didn’t give that same amount of grace to her sister. Tessa straight up accuses Alli of seducing/manipulating Sam, and then baby trapping him.
Ugh- I hate everyone. Except Jimmy who should have ran far away from all these red flags.
This book only gets two stars because though I hated every second of it- I did finish it. The fact that I read this entire book whilst hating it, just because of my need for resolution, is something I feel like I need to explore with my therapist.
I am infuriated by the treatment of Alli throughout this book, while also somehow disliking Alli. I think I just pity the woman because Sam/Tessa treated her like garbage for the majority of this book.
I cannot get over the fact that even though Sam cheated on Tessa with Alli (her sister), both Sam and Tessa blamed Alli 100% for it. Sam said Alli ruined his life, as if he didn’t stick his d*ck in her and make a baby. Sam and Alli were together for 9 years after making said baby, and he doesn’t even figure out that he loves her until after she leaves him! Tessa said that Alli also ruined Sam’s life, and he “made a mistake”, but didn’t give that same amount of grace to her sister. Tessa straight up accuses Alli of seducing/manipulating Sam, and then baby trapping him.
Ugh- I hate everyone. Except Jimmy who should have ran far away from all these red flags.
What an awful book. I couldn't even finish it and I finish about 99% of the books I start reading because I can't seem to not finish a book I have started. This one though, I stopped at 21% completed. The main character is just a horrid person.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the reading, I felt for Alli and appreciated her passionate response to everything. I did feel that Sam should have grovelled so much more, SOOOOOO much mor
Ok.
So, I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it. I feel like everyone in this book was just selfish and controlling. No one listened to anyone else and everyone told the others what they wanted. It was weird.
So, I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it. I feel like everyone in this book was just selfish and controlling. No one listened to anyone else and everyone told the others what they wanted. It was weird.
I really enjoyed this book. The story instantly grabbed attention and kept it.
GREAT LOVE STORY!
GREAT LOVE STORY!