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meeklovestoread's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm slowly but surely going through TJR's backlist because she's literally become one of my favorite authors. I did not know this was her first novel; you can really see through her recent work that she's definitely improved.
This rating is on the lower side (I almost rated it a 3.75). Definitely not my favorite of hers but still a good book regardless. I think what kept me from rating it higher mainly was that I really didn't like Ben's character and found myself dreading the past chapters because I didn't really like him that much. I found him pretty immature a lot of times especially his reasoning for not telling his mother about Elsie. I found that to be pretty childish. To me, it was never that deep, and his reason was pathetic. Like dude, she would've wanted to know.๐ And there were just numerous examples of his immaturity. Like the whole thing with his ex drunkenly booty calling him and him just being okay with it. Or him not wanting to go to the doctor as well as refusing to take medicine for his back pains. Like, come on dude. Grow up! I also felt like he could be a bit irresponsible at times as well as extremely impulsive which unnerved me a lot. I also just wasn't very fond of his personality (I'd like to note that his quirkiness did not bother me; it was his other qualities). This is a hot take but I honestly didn't think they "belonged" together, but that's just my opinion.
As you may be able to guess I enjoyed the future chapters way more than the past ones. Elsie's grieving period is probably the most relatable thing I've read in a long time. The not eating/not taking care of yourself for days, the letting life pass you by because you don't see the point in living without that special person beside you, perceiving their memory as much as you can, etc. I may not have experienced the death of a loved spouse, but, I have experienced heartbreak and TJR's depiction was spot on to how I felt.
Another thing I admired about the future chapters was the gradual relationship forming between Elsie and Susan (loved Susan). It was nice to see them deal with these things together and the ups and downs of it all. What I also admired most was how this book addressed the criticisms that surround grieving people who didn't spend much time with their loved one(s). I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but the main character, Elsie, only spends six months with her husband when he passes and is only married to him for nine days out of those six months, but her grief is often minimized by others due to her lack of time with him. I'm glad this book clarifies that grief holds no bounds; to miss a person is to still miss them whether you knew them for three weeks or 30 years.
And I can't help but mention the MVP of this book, Mr. George Callahan! He was my favorite character and had my heart this entire book! I loved him and his backstories! The way he loved his wife (how precious๐ฅ). Lowkey why did Lorraine's death (which was off-page by the way) hit more than Ben's?๐ I guess I just really didn't vibe with that guy (Ben).๐
Also, loved Ana too! She was an A1 friend if I've ever seen one!
This rating is on the lower side (I almost rated it a 3.75). Definitely not my favorite of hers but still a good book regardless. I think what kept me from rating it higher mainly was that I really didn't like Ben's character and found myself dreading the past chapters because I didn't really like him that much. I found him pretty immature a lot of times especially
As you may be able to guess I enjoyed the future chapters way more than the past ones. Elsie's grieving period is probably the most relatable thing I've read in a long time. The not eating/not taking care of yourself for days, the letting life pass you by because you don't see the point in living without that special person beside you, perceiving their memory as much as you can, etc. I may not have experienced the death of a loved spouse, but, I have experienced heartbreak and TJR's depiction was spot on to how I felt.
Another thing I admired about the future chapters was the gradual relationship forming between Elsie and Susan (loved Susan). It was nice to see them deal with these things together and the ups and downs of it all. What I also admired most was how this book addressed the criticisms that surround grieving people who didn't spend much time with their loved one(s). I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but the main character, Elsie, only spends six months with her husband when he passes and is only married to him for nine days out of those six months, but her grief is often minimized by others due to her lack of time with him. I'm glad this book clarifies that grief holds no bounds; to miss a person is to still miss them whether you knew them for three weeks or 30 years.
And I can't help but mention the MVP of this book, Mr. George Callahan! He was my favorite character and had my heart this entire book! I loved him and his backstories! The way he loved his wife (how precious๐ฅ).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Car accident
Moderate: Alcohol and Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy and Violence
emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Medical content
michelledances's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Violence
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