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laurahny2023's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, and Death
ceallison91's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Cancer
creativeteacherreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Minor: Death
annamay1021's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Rape, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Death
grettypop's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4/5 stars - no spice
Mallory Blessing is dying (this is not a spoiler, you find this out on page 1). On her deathbed, she asks her son, Link, to call up one person Link had no idea had any connection to his mother, Jake McCloud. Jake is the husband of the soon-to-be first female president of the United States.
So how do those two know each other? Well, Mallory and Jake have met 28 years ago, and have agreed to meet up for one weekend a year, every single year, to "catch up". Yes, theirs is a love affair. And we follow this through 28 summers, along with learning about the life, growth, and troubles of each of the characters involved.
I was very torn on what to rate this book, because of my conflicting feelings. I do NOT condone cheating, and while this book definitely romanticizes it and makes it seem "acceptable" and "everyone does it", my moral compass felt off the entire time.
Also I was extremely annoyed with the whole Mal & Jake thing... Why do you CHOOSE to make yourself unhappy?! - as my therapist would say. "Just be with each other!" - I screamed at them.
With that said, I devoured this book. I laughed, cried, and felt along with each of the characters. The book felt fast paced, sprinkled in with real life events that happened in each of those years that lead up to the heartbreaking conclusion you KNOW is coming. I loved this book, but I could not relate to these characters. If you find love, why wait?! Hold onto it!!
Mallory Blessing is dying (this is not a spoiler, you find this out on page 1). On her deathbed, she asks her son, Link, to call up one person Link had no idea had any connection to his mother, Jake McCloud. Jake is the husband of the soon-to-be first female president of the United States.
So how do those two know each other? Well, Mallory and Jake have met 28 years ago, and have agreed to meet up for one weekend a year, every single year, to "catch up". Yes, theirs is a love affair. And we follow this through 28 summers, along with learning about the life, growth, and troubles of each of the characters involved.
I was very torn on what to rate this book, because of my conflicting feelings. I do NOT condone cheating, and while this book definitely romanticizes it and makes it seem "acceptable" and "everyone does it", my moral compass felt off the entire time.
Also I was extremely annoyed with the whole Mal & Jake thing... Why do you CHOOSE to make yourself unhappy?! - as my therapist would say. "Just be with each other!" - I screamed at them.
With that said, I devoured this book. I laughed, cried, and felt along with each of the characters. The book felt fast paced, sprinkled in with real life events that happened in each of those years that lead up to the heartbreaking conclusion you KNOW is coming. I loved this book, but I could not relate to these characters. If you find love, why wait?! Hold onto it!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cancer, Toxic friendship, Death, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
ashleymarie6's review
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Cancer, Death of parent, and Death
marlaavery's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Rape
Minor: Eating disorder
katiejohns's review
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Infidelity, Death, Cancer, and Sexual assault
ruthypoo2's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Cancer, and Sexual assault
Minor: Misogyny and Pregnancy
kelly_e's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Title: 28 Summers
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 1.0
Pub Date: January 1 2020
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Deceitful β’ Dull β’ Unpleasant
π S Y N O P S I S
When Mallory learns she's dying, she asks her son Link to carry out her deathbed wishes and call a number left on a small slip of paper. Based on the classic film Same Time Next Year, 28 Summers follows Jake and Mallory's one-weekend-a-year affair over twenty-eight years.
π T H O U G H T S
The premise of this novel had so much potential, unfortunately, that is all it had! This book just didn't work for me on some many levels.
Initially, I thought the structure was great, however, too many of the "summers" had nothing to do with summer at all, and for me that took away from what this book could have been. I also really struggled with the plot. It was clear that Mallory and Jake loved each other, and were unhappy in their everyday lives, so I don't know why they just didn't get together. Be in love and be together... or don't... but as someone who's partner died, life is way too short to sit on the fence. And in the end nothing really happens.
None of the characters were very likeable, and seemed self-absorbed. Even the friendship aspect felt icky to me. Finally, the end had me rolling my eyes and wondering why I even waited around to see what unfolded.
With all that said, the one thing I did really like were the 'what are we talking about in...?' sections that started each chapter.
As a person who doesn't DNF often, this should have been one, but I gave it another chance on audio. I kept telling myself something had to actually happen. Unfortunately, this was a huge miss for me, and turned me off this author for good.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ No one!
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
"Just be aware that what you achieve doesnβt matter as much as what kind of person you are."
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 1.0
Pub Date: January 1 2020
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Deceitful β’ Dull β’ Unpleasant
π S Y N O P S I S
When Mallory learns she's dying, she asks her son Link to carry out her deathbed wishes and call a number left on a small slip of paper. Based on the classic film Same Time Next Year, 28 Summers follows Jake and Mallory's one-weekend-a-year affair over twenty-eight years.
π T H O U G H T S
The premise of this novel had so much potential, unfortunately, that is all it had! This book just didn't work for me on some many levels.
Initially, I thought the structure was great, however, too many of the "summers" had nothing to do with summer at all, and for me that took away from what this book could have been. I also really struggled with the plot. It was clear that Mallory and Jake loved each other, and were unhappy in their everyday lives, so I don't know why they just didn't get together. Be in love and be together... or don't... but as someone who's partner died, life is way too short to sit on the fence. And in the end nothing really happens.
None of the characters were very likeable, and seemed self-absorbed. Even the friendship aspect felt icky to me. Finally, the end had me rolling my eyes and wondering why I even waited around to see what unfolded.
With all that said, the one thing I did really like were the 'what are we talking about in...?' sections that started each chapter.
As a person who doesn't DNF often, this should have been one, but I gave it another chance on audio. I kept telling myself something had to actually happen. Unfortunately, this was a huge miss for me, and turned me off this author for good.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ No one!
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
"Just be aware that what you achieve doesnβt matter as much as what kind of person you are."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Cancer, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy