Scan barcode
abitofapoet's review against another edition
- 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
Something that I loved about this book, as much as it broke my heart, is how unique it is. So often a romance novel ends at “I Do.” but that’s not reality. That should be the beginning. Seeing these characters navigate their broken marriage is heart wrenching and hopeful at the same time. You’ll find yourself crying for Quinn and for Graham on one page, and wanting to scream at them on the next. Even the most perfect matches have their category 5 moments.
I found I related to Quinn a lot. More than i’ve ever related to the struggles of a book character before, which is surprising because where Quinn so desperately wants to be a mother, that is my absolute nightmare. But the strain that Quinn’s infertility puts on herself and on her relationship is akin to the strain i’ve felt in my own marriage because of a medical condition. The feelings of not being woman enough for her husband, of constantly letting him down, of their marriage being the thing that ruined his future, and of feeling the need to pull away from him and place this distance between them because of those thoughts. I found myself staring at the pages in disbelief that someone had actually put into words the thoughts that i’ve had in some of my darkest moments. And watching Graham desperately love the ghost of her, wishing he knew how to get her back broke me into pieces.
One emotional quote that really stuck with me:
If you’re looking for a sappy romance, i wouldn’t recommend this to you. If you’re looking for something real and beautiful and heartbreaking, absolutely pick this up.
Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Classism, Blood, Car accident, and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent
lolamosk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Infertility, Grief, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Car accident
taelorslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy, Medical content, and Self harm
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, Classism, Death, Blood, Car accident, Infertility, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
michalie's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Infertility and Miscarriage
Minor: Car accident
snuggledwithink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Infertility, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual content, Child death, and Medical trauma
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Infertility, and Infidelity
ariana_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Infertility, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Infidelity
rd77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
That being said, it felt like a very short book that honestly wasn’t super intriguing. A lot of things were glossed over that could have added more depth to the book. I also didn’t like
My favorite part was the letters. Without it, I probably would have given this book 3-3.25 stars.
Graphic: Miscarriage and Infertility
Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, and Self harm
artemisg's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Ok, onto the review.
The romance aspect of this story was beautiful and heartwarming. I really enjoyed reading the Then sections. In those sections, both Graham and Quinn were loveable and fun, and I was really rooting for them. Eventually, the comparison between Then and Now got heavy-handed, but I enjoyed the Then so much that I could ignore the impending tragedy of the Now. Now, onto the Now, I found Quinn kind of insufferable.
((As an aside, there’s a weird paragraph about how therapy sucks? Which felt really out of place and like Hoover just wanted to let us know that she’s anti-therapy. Is she? It certainly felt like it.))
Also, and I think this is genuinely just a me thing, but some of the dialogue in this book felt so stilted and unnatural. I don’t know about you, but when I’m talking to someone I’ve known for almost a decade about my family, I refer to my brother by name. However, Graham and Quinn constantly say “my sister” or “my sisters”. This made their relationship feel shallow and surface-level and completely took me out of the story. Like when Graham is talking about his mum's reaction to their elopement, he says, “She’s been through two weddings with two of my sisters and she’s in the middle of planning the last one’s wedding.” Graham, why are you referring to your actual sister as “the last one”? Quinn (your wife) knows her name; she’ll know who you’re talking about. Although I think this may be because of a lack of fleshed-out side characters - I’m not sure I could name Graham’s sisters through no fault of my own.
Anyway, I digress, this book was a good read, as heavy as the themes were, it was ultimately heartwarming and full of love, although the end felt a little too perfect.
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Car accident and Infertility
haylethal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infertility, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Car accident, and Grief