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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
This was a quintessential romance story. That’s it, nothing more nothing less which was a bit disappointing. I loved her other book, but this one feels significantly more cookie cutter (I believe she was younger when she wrote it, which makes sense).
I am so disappointed. This book was two separate books, smashed together, meeting halfway through. The first half was brilliant - descriptions that made you feel you were truly there, attending Oxford, with your ragtag group of friends, hanging out in pub and attending lectures which made you think. The direction of the relationship being only sex - sex we never see - was unexpected but unique and new. The chapter written in 2nd person, describing their situationship of sex - fabulous piece of writing.
Then exactly halfway, this became a Cancer Book. I'm not even gonna tag that spoiler because y'all should know what you're getting in to. And a Cancer Book in every worst possible way. It became very melodramatic and schmaltzy. I'm supposed to believe she suddenly wanted in on a caretaking relationship after weeks of strict boundaries they set for themselves, with no allowances for emotions? There was no breathing space for them to develop a relationship before this. Incredibly, incredibly disappointing.
My expectations were a cute romance set at Oxford and instead I got a soppy book about a girl giving up her life to become a caretaker to her once-fuckbuddy dying of cancer.
Then exactly halfway, this became a Cancer Book. I'm not even gonna tag that spoiler because y'all should know what you're getting in to. And a Cancer Book in every worst possible way. It became very melodramatic and schmaltzy. I'm supposed to believe she suddenly wanted in on a caretaking relationship after weeks of strict boundaries they set for themselves, with no allowances for emotions? There was no breathing space for them to develop a relationship before this. Incredibly, incredibly disappointing.
My expectations were a cute romance set at Oxford and instead I got a soppy book about a girl giving up her life to become a caretaker to her once-fuckbuddy dying of cancer.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Liked this one but I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. Also, for how much she talked about school in the beginning there was not enough talk about it throughout the book. Also how did she have time for this relationship with everything else? It was also really sad and I was not emotionally prepared for that. Excited to watch the movie now!
Quotes:
“That first great loss, like a first love, I suppose, that prompts the questioning.
Quotes:
“That first great loss, like a first love, I suppose, that prompts the questioning.
Maybe, once you come to realize that there are no answers, you learn to live with the questions.”
“Losing someone is hard enough. But death without the process of dying is an abomination. It takes nine months to create life; it feels unnatural, a sin against na-ture, that the reverse shouldn't also have its time. Time to let go of the known as we take hold of the unknown.
“Losing someone is hard enough. But death without the process of dying is an abomination. It takes nine months to create life; it feels unnatural, a sin against na-ture, that the reverse shouldn't also have its time. Time to let go of the known as we take hold of the unknown.
Maybe in this, an Oxenford can be shared. Maybe it's not just for the person crossing the river, but also for those left on the bank. Looking into a loved one's eyes, seeing the knowing there, the inevitabil-ity, and telling them, I love you. My love is with you to your end; yours will be with me until mine.
Because the love doesn't die, does it?”
“It turns out, the act of making a choice, of choosing a path, doesn't mean the other path disappears.
“It turns out, the act of making a choice, of choosing a path, doesn't mean the other path disappears.
It just means that it will forever run parallel to the one you're on. It means you have to live with knowing what you gave up. Which isn't a bad thing; if anything, it only serves to strengthen my resolve.”
“But the hardest thing is staying. The hardest thing is living with dying. Loving with dying. The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all the things I cannot change. Love that doesn't follow a plan.”
“But the hardest thing is staying. The hardest thing is living with dying. Loving with dying. The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all the things I cannot change. Love that doesn't follow a plan.”
Do I regret diving into this book without reading the synopsis first? Not for a second. Romance is my favorite genre and I’m always drawn to stories that take an emotional turn, leaving me completely wrecked in the best way. These characters absolutely stole my heart and Julia Whelan’s narration elevated every emotion to an entirely new level.
That said, there were moments when I found myself drifting due to certain plot points that didn’t fully hold my interest—hence the 4-star rating instead of a 5. Still, this story was unforgettable and I’d absolutely recommend giving it a listen.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Disclaimer, I saw the movie first. Buuut, I didn't know the book existed until then.
While I enjoyed the movie, I hated the ending.
Thank tne heavens that these stories are inherently different or is have been so mad.
Wish I would have seen more of Charlie, Maggie, Tom and Cecilia in the book like we did in the movie. But overall, I loved the book.
The story was better on the written pages. The ending have me more and I loved it.
I usually read a dual POV and honestly would have loved to hear from Jamie. But even without his direct thoughts, I felt like I understood him.
While I enjoyed the movie, I hated the ending.
Thank tne heavens that these stories are inherently different or is have been so mad.
Wish I would have seen more of Charlie, Maggie, Tom and Cecilia in the book like we did in the movie. But overall, I loved the book.
The story was better on the written pages. The ending have me more and I loved it.
I usually read a dual POV and honestly would have loved to hear from Jamie. But even without his direct thoughts, I felt like I understood him.
fast-paced